Objective: To determine plasma apolipoprotein M (apoM) levels and other lipid profiles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients compared to other chronic liver diseases and normal subjects.
Materials and methods: 36 HCC, 68 chronic hepatitis, 29 liver cirrhosis patients and 64 normal controls were subjected in the present study. Serum lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) and apoB were determined by the conventional methods. Plasma apoM levels were semi-quantitatively determined by both dot-blotting and western blotting analysis.
Results: Serum levels of triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol, apoAI and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) were significantly lower in the HCC patients than in the normal subjects, whereas there were no obvious differences on serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and apoB between HCC patients and normal subjects. However, plasma apoM levels in HCC patients were significantly increased than those in the normal subjects, but lower than those in the chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis patients.
Conclusion: It is concluded that serum TG, apoAI, HDL-C and Lp(a) were significantly decreased in HCC patients than in controls, whereas plasma apoM levels were significantly increased in the HCC patients. Decreased serum TG, apoAI, HDL-C and Lp(a) may reflect the liver damage in HCC patients, whereas the clinical significance of increased plasma apoM levels in relation to HCC is not clear.