Search for novel biomarkers involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16956
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Tahata Yuki 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (00838047)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: DAA / SVR / C型慢性肝炎 / 肝癌 / 肝線維化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For studies using clinical data, a multicenter cohort consisting of Osaka University Hospital and affiliated hospitals was used to identify risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence in approximately 2,000 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). In addition, we developed a model for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence after SVR in approximately 1,600 patients without advanced liver fibrosis and clarified its usefulness. For a study using serum exosomes, we found that serum SAP and PPBP were useful as new markers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C who had achieved SVR after DAA treatment at Osaka University Hospital and whose liver fibrosis was assessed by liver biopsy.

Free Research Field

肝炎、肝癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

DAA治療でほとんどのC型慢性肝疾患患者においてSVRの達成が可能となった。しかし、多数のSVR症例に対して一様に肝癌サーベイランスを行うのは非効率的である。本研究ではSVR後肝癌予測スコアを作成しその有用性を明らかにした。本予測スコアにより効率的な肝癌サーベイランスが可能となりその社会的意義は大きい。また、肝線維化は肝癌の重要なリスク因子である。現在、肝線維化診断の基準は肝生検であるが、侵襲性の問題等があり非侵襲的な診断法の開発が望まれている。本研究では新規バイオマーカーとして血清中のSAPおよびPPBPが有用であることが明らかとなりその学術的意義は大きい。