Ezrin Polarization As a Diagnostic Marker for Circulating Tumor Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Overview

Journal Cells

Publisher MDPI

Date 2025 Jan 10

PMID 39791707

Authors

Ibrahim Budeyri

Olaf Guckelberger

Elsie Oppermann

Dhruvajyoti Roy

Svenja Sliwinski

Felix Becker

Benjamin Struecker

Thomas J Vogl

Andreas Pascher

Wolf O Bechstein

Anna Lorentzen

Mathias Heikenwalder

Mazen A Juratli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with no precise method for early detection. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) expressing the dynamic polarity of the cytoskeletal membrane protein, ezrin, have been proposed to play a crucial role in tumor progression and metastasis. This study investigated the diagnostic and prognostic potential of polarized circulating tumor cells (p-CTCs) in HCC patients. CTCs were isolated from the peripheral blood of 20 HCC patients and 18 patients with nonmalignant liver disease (NMLD) via an OncoQuick kit and immunostained with Ezrin-Alexa Fluor 488, CD146-PE, and CD45-APC. A fluorescence microscopy was then performed for analysis. The HCC group exhibited significantly higher levels of p-CTCs, with median values of 0.56 p-CTCs/mL, compared to 0.02 p-CTCs/mL ( = 0.03) in the NMLD group. CTCs were detected in 95% of the HCC patients, with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 89%. p-CTCs were present in 75% of the HCC patients, with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 94%. Higher p-CTC counts were associated with the significantly longer overall survival in HCC patients ( = 0.05). These findings suggest that p-CTCs could serve as valuable diagnostic and prognostic markers for HCC. The incorporation of p-CTCs into diagnostic strategies could enhance therapeutic decision-making and improve patient outcomes.

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