Multilectin assay for detecting fibrosis-specific glyco-alteration by means of lectin microarray.

BACKGROUND Despite the progress made in understanding glyco-alterations of specific glycoproteins such as α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) associated with liver fibrosis, there has been no useful diagnostic assay with a lectin recognizing the fibrosis-specific alteration and an antibody against the core protein. We therefore developed a compatible multiple lectin-antibody sandwich immunoassay on the basis of the results obtained by the lectin microarray analysis for monitoring fibrosis. METHODS AGP-enriched fractions derived from 0.5-μL sera of 125 patients with staging-determined fibrosis (26.4% F0-F1, 25.6% F2, 24% F3, and 23.2% F4) were subjected to systematic analysis by antibody-overlay lectin microarray. Data were analyzed to statistically relate to the degree of fibrosis progression. Additionally, we applied an optimal lectin signal set on the microarray to distinguish 45 patients with cirrhosis from 43 patients with chronic hepatitis. RESULTS Signal patterns of the 12 selected lectins reflected fibrosis-associated glyco-alteration of AGP. Among the 12 lectins, we found a specific lectin at each stage of fibrosis (i.e., significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis) (P < 0.0001). The test for the detection of cirrhosis showed that combinational use of 3 lectins (AOL, MAL, and DSA) on the array enhanced the diagnostic value for liver cirrhosis to 95% diagnostic sensitivity and 91% diagnostic specificity. CONCLUSIONS The multiple lectin-antibody sandwich immunoassay targeting AGP enables monitoring of disease progression in chronic hepatitis patients at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.