29, 30 A UPLC-MS-based metabolomics approach has been used to characterize serum profiles from HCC, liver cirrhosis (LC), and healthy subjects, and the accuracy of UPLC-MS profiles and AFP levels were compared for their use in HCC diagnosis.31 Thirteen

potential biomarkers were identified that suggest there were significant disturbances of key metabolic pathways in HCC patients. Of note, glycochenodeoxycholic acid was suggested to be an important indicator for Afatinib HCC diagnosis and disease prognosis. Metabolomics in combination with AFP levels could be an efficient and convenient tool for early diagnosis and screening of HCC. A nontarget metabolomics method was to find the potential biomarkers from the rat HCC disease model and test their usefulness in early human

HCC diagnosis.32 Three metabolites, taurocholic acid, lysophosphoethanolamine 16:0, and lysophosphatidylcholine 22:5 were defined as “marker metabolites,” which can be used to distinguish the different stages of hepatocarcinogenesis and represent the abnormal metabolism during the progress of HCC in patients. Moreover, they were also effective for the discrimination of all HCC and chronic LD patients, which could achieve high sensitivity and specificity, better than those of AFP. Late diagnosis of HCC is one of the primary factors for poor survival of patients. Thereby, identification of sensitive and specific biomarkers for HCC early diagnosis is of great importance in biological medicine. In a study, serum metabolites of the HCC patients and healthy controls were investigated using improved LC/MS.33

check details Clustering analysis based on principal component analysis showed a clear separation between HCC patients and healthy individuals. The serum metabolite, 1-methyladenosine, was identified as the characteristic metabolite for HCC. These results indicate that the metabolomics method has the potential of finding biomarkers for the early diagnosis of HCC. Identification of novel biomarkers in HCC remains impeded primarily because of the heterogeneity of the disease in clinical presentations as well as the pathophysiological variations derived from underlying conditions such as cirrhosis and steatohepatitis. 上海皓元 A study was conducted to search for potential metabolite biomarkers of human HCC using serum and urine metabolomics approach.34 Metabolite profiling was performed by gas chromatography (GC)-MS and UPLC-MS in conjunction with univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Forty-three serum metabolites and 31 urinary metabolites were identified in HCC patients involving several key metabolic pathways. Differentially expressed metabolites in HCC subjects, such as bile acids, histidine, and inosine are of great statistical significance and high fold changes, which warrant further validation as potential biomarkers for HCC.