Caspase recruitment domains. New potential markers for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with HCV in Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: Chronic HCV is a major cause of HCC development. Caspase Recruitment Domains (CARD) is protein modules that regulate apoptosis and play an important role in various carcinogenesis processes, our aim is to assess the possible role of CARD9, CARD10 and Caspase only protein (COP) in progression of liver fibrosis and pathogenesis of HCC in Egyptian chronic HCV patients. 130 patients were recruited and classified into 4 groups; I: chronic HCV, II: chronic active hepatitis, III: liver cirrhosis, IV: HCV related HCC. Biochemical, virological studies, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biopsy were performed. Quantitative estimation of mRNA of CARD9, CARD10 and COP gene expression was performed by RT- PCR in liver biopsy from all patients. In HCC patients; age, AFP and liver profile were significantly higher, HB and platelets were significantly lower (p value