Serum biomarkers of hepatitis b virus infected liver and methods for detection thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a method for detecting the presence of altered serum proteins in an Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-infected patient with liver inflammation, comprising: obtaining a sample of serum from the patient; subjecting the sample to protein gel electrophoresis to separate proteins contained therein; staining proteins separated on the electrophoresis gel with silver nitrate solution; scanning the images of stained proteins into an image analysis scanner to obtain gel images; comparing the gel images to control samples of electrophoresis gels prepared from serum of normal patient and serum of HBV-infected patient with liver inflammation to determine whether the sample of serum from the patient contains specific serum proteins. This invention also provides serum protein biomarkers for the diagnosis of patients with HBV infection and liver inflammation.

1 . A serum biomarker for diagnosis of an HBV infection and liver inflammation in a patient, the serum biomarker consisting of the following purified proteins: apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), haptoglobin p chain, haptoglobin α2 chain, apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV), transthyretin, α1-antitrypsin, and a DNA topoisomerase II (topo-II). 
   
   
       2 . The serum biomarker according to  claim 1  further consisting of the following purified protein: apolipoprotein A-I fragments. 
   
   
       3 . The serum biomarker according to  claim 1  further consisting of the following purified protein: haptoglobin cleaved β-chain. 
   
   
       4 . The serum biomarker according to  claim 1  further consisting of the following purified protein: α1-antitrypsin fragments/isoforms. 
   
   
       5 . The serum biomarker according to  claim 1 , wherein the DNA topoisomerase II comprises DNA topoisomerase IIα. 
   
   
       6 . A sample plate or a gel having thereon serum biomarker proteins isolated from serum of a patient for diagnosis of an HBV infection and liver inflammation in the patient having an HBV-infection, the serum biomarker consisting of the following purified proteins: apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), haptoglobin β chain, haptoglobin α2 chain, apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV), transthyretin, α1-antitrypsin, and a DNA topoisomerase II (topo-II). 
   
   
       7 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein the purified proteins are separated from serum of a patient using two dimensional SDS-page electrophoresis. 
   
   
       8 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein the purified proteins are spots on an electrophoresis gel. 
   
   
       9 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein serum biomarker further consists of the following purified protein: apolipoprotein A-I fragments. 
   
   
       10 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein serum biomarker further consists of the following purified protein: haptoglobin cleaved β-chain. 
   
   
       11 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein serum biomarker further consists of the following purified protein: α1-antitrypsin fragments/isoforms. 
   
   
       12 . The sample plate or a gel according to  claim 6 , wherein the DNA topoisomerase II comprises DNA topoisomerase IIα.