Clinical application of the measurement of serum asialoglycoproteins to estimate residual liver function in patients with chronic liver diseases with or without hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

The correlation between the amount of asialoglycoproteins and results of conventional liver function tests was studied in patients with chronic liver diseases, with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. The objective was to determine the clinical significance of the measurement of levels of serum asialoglycoproteins. The levels were elevated in accordance with the progress of liver diseases, and correlated with the decrease in albumin content, cholinesterase activity, the ratio of esterified cholesterol to total cholesterol and to the increase of indocyanine green retention at 15 min (p less than 0.001). There was no correlation with values of glutamic oxaloacetic and pyruvic transaminases. The amount of serum asialoglycoproteins also correlated with survival time in fatal cases of cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. Bilirubin and bile acids did not interfere with the measurement of serum asialoglycoproteins in cases of hyperbilirubinemia. Serum asialoglycoprotein levels are a good indicator of hepatic functional reserve in patients with chronic liver diseases, with or without hepatocellular carcinoma.

A new liver functional study using Tc-99m DTPA-galactosyl human serum albumin: Evaluation of the validity of several functional parameters

“…Consequently, the serum asialoglycoprotein level increases in such patients. 2 Therefore, liver imaging with Tc99m GSA reflects this receptor binding activity, 3,4 and parameters calculated from the images correlate well with the liver function. 5 Several different parameters calculated by Tc-99m GSA liver imaging in Received November 13, 1991, revision accepted January 22, 1992. For reprints contact: Kiyoshi Koizumi, M.D., Department of Radiology, Yamanashi Medical College, Tamahocho, Nakakoma-gun, Yamanashi 409-38, JAPAN.…”

PET/SPECT Molecular Probes for the Diagnosis and Staging of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

“…The previous study demonstrated ASGPR activity in the patients with cirrhotic liver was decreased to about 28% compared to the healthy controls. 37,38 [ 18 F]FBHGal is a monovalent galactose derivative that was radiolabeled with fluorine-18 as ASGPRs-specific PET probe. Recent studies also reported several galactosides and N -acetyl galactosamine derivatives, including mono- and multivalent ligands, as potential substrates for ASGPRs in vitro.…”

Functional L‐Lysine Dendritic Macromolecules as Liver‐Imaging Probes

“…[15] Drug carriers or imaging probes bearing galactosyl moieties could be sufficiently concentrated within the hepatocytes in vivo by ASGP-R. More importantly, the expression of the ASGP receptor in hepatocellular carcinoma appears to be closely related to the differentiation and proliferative activity of the tumor cells; some tumor cells were absent of receptor expression. [16] Other forms of liver injuries such as alcoholic liver disease or liver cirrhosis also lead to different expression of ASPG-R. [17,18] Because the expression of ASGP-R is different on normal hepatocytes and injured liver cells or tumor cells, then a signal contrast can be generated between adjacent tissues (normal vs. abnormal) based on different accumulations of contrast agents, which may be useful for liver-disease diagnosis and differentiation.…”