Albumin and apolipoprotein H mRNAs in human plasma as potential clinical biomarkers of liver injury: analyses of plasma liver-specific mRNAs in patients with liver injury

<i>Context</i>: Plasma liver-specific mRNAs are useful biomarkers of hepatotoxicity in rats. <i>Objective</i>: To investigate the potential application of liver-specific mRNAs as biomarkers for liver injury in humans. <i>Methods</i>: We determined the plasma levels of liver-specific mRNAs by real-time qRT-PCR in healthy donors and patients with liver injury. <i>Results</i>: Plasma levels of albumin (ALB) and apolipoprotein H (APOH) mRNAs increased in patients with elevated serum alanine aminotransferase. These mRNAs also increased in plasma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, which induces specific injury to liver. <i>Conclusions</i>: We demonstrated the potential application of plasma ALB and APOH mRNAs as clinical biomarkers for liver injury.