Soluble interleukin-2 receptor and soluble CD8 antigen levels in serum from patients with non-resectable lung cancer

Summary In a preliminary longitudinal study two women with histologically verified adenocarcinoma of the lung, without simultaneous infectious or inflammatory conditions, were seen every 2 weeks until death. In one of the patients serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels rose progressively while the levels for the other patient increased during the second half of the observation period. Serum soluble CD8 antigen (sCD8 Ag) showed a pattern dissimilar to the one for sIL-2R. In a retrospective cross-sectional study circulating levels of sIL-2R and sCD8 Ag were measured before explorative thoracotomy in a total of 65 patients with histologically proven non-resectable carcinoma of the lung. The sIL-2R levels were significantly increased independently of histological subclassification while sCD8 Ag was increased only in patients with small-cell lung cancer. There was no correlation between pre-operative values and length of survival.     

Serum zinc and angiotensin-converting enzyme levels in patients with lung cancer

Forty-two patients with lung cancer and 72 healthy subjects were studied in order to determine a possible relationship between serum zinc and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a peptidyl dipeptide hydrolase. Serum zinc levels were 105 +/- 21 micrograms/dl in control subjects and 50 +/- 19 micrograms/dl in patients, and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was 296 +/- 28 U/l in the former and 240 +/- 55 U/l in the latter using hippurylglycylglycine as a substrate. The findings obtained show that the decreased levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme may be related to decreased serum zinc levels and that the primary defect may be the zinc deficiency in these patients.     

Soluble leptin receptor levels in patients with chronic renal failure

Soluble leptin receptor (SLR) is the extracellular part of the leptin receptor. This protein is released into circulation and constitutes the main circulating leptin-binding protein. The aim of our study was to measure SLR concentrations in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and healthy subjects and to explore the relationship of SLR to other hormones and cytokines. The patients with CRF had significantly higher serum leptin, TNF-alpha and insulin levels than healthy subjects (25.1+/-23.5 vs. 9.4+/-7.6 ng.ml(-1) (S.D.); 14.2+/-4.2 vs. 4.55+/-2.5 ng.ml(-1); 39.8+/-36.1 vs. 20.3+/-11.1 mU.l(-1)). Serum soluble leptin receptor levels did not differ between these groups (19.1+/-11.3 vs. 19.6+/-6.1 U.ml(-1)). An inverse relationship between serum SLR and leptin levels was found in both groups. In patients with CRF the inverse relationship between SLR and insulin, body fat content and total protein levels were also found, while in healthy subjects only inverse relationship of SLR with insulin and albumin concentrations were detected. We conclude that soluble leptin receptor levels in patients with chronic renal failure do not differ from those of healthy subjects despite higher serum leptin levels in CRF patients. The physiological consequences of this finding require further investigation.     

sFas levels increase in response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in lung cancer patients

The Fas/Fas Ligand (FasL) system and survivin have counteracting roles in cell survival. Therefore, we explored the role of circulating soluble Fas (sFas) and the tissue levels of Fas and survivin with regard to response to chemotherapy in lung cancer patients. Serum samples from 52 lung cancer patients and 54 control subjects (19 benign lung disease and 35 healthy control subjects) were collected prior to and 24 and 48 h after chemotherapy. sFas was statistically significantly higher in the cancer group than that in the control groups (p < 0.001). Baseline (before chemotherapy) sFas values showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with overall survival (r = ?0.599, p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in serum sFas levels 24 h after treatment (p < 0.05). Contrarily, tissue levels of Fas and survivin were not changed following the chemotherapy (p > 0,05). In conclusion, increased sFas may be an indicator of poor outcome in lung cancer patients. However, cisplatin‐based chemotherapy may not be effective via neither the Fas/FasL system nor survivin pathway. Indeed, larger sample size is required for further evaluation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cathepsin B/cystatin C complex levels in sera from patients with lung and colorectal cancer

A sandwich-type ELISA has been developed for quantification of the complex between the cysteine proteinase cathepsin B (CB) and its reversible tight-binding inhibitor cystatin C (CC) in normal and pathological sera. The assay is based on a combination of catching Ab (3E1), raised against CB, and a horseradish peroxidase-labelled detection Ab (1A2), raised against CC. Only the CB/CC complex is able to evoke a signal in this assay. The detection limit of the assay was 15.5 nM and the working range between 31.3-200 nM. The within and between-run coefficients of variance (CV) varied from 4.7% to 9.4% and 11% to 12.8%, respectively, demonstrating satisfactory reproducibility of the method. The concentration of the CB/CC complex was determined in sera from 90 healthy controls, 32 patients with non-cancerous lung diseases, 148 patients with lung and 32 patients with colorectal cancer. The CB/CC complex was significantly less abundant in sera of patients bearing malignant lung tumours than in those with non-cancerous lung diseases or healthy controls (p<0.001). In colorectal cancer sera its level was significantly lower in advanced stages C and D than in early Dukes' stages A and B (p=0.02). Our results show that the increased levels of CB in malignant sera are not impaired effectively by CC and support the hypothesis of hindered inhibitory capability during cancer progression.     

非小细胞肺癌p53蛋白及Ser15磷酸化水平检测方法的研究

目的:研究人体非小细胞肺癌组织中突变型p53蛋白及p53蛋白15位丝氨酸位点(p53Ser15)的磷酸化状况,p53蛋白、p53Ser15磷酸化与非小细胞肺癌临床病理特征和预后的关系.方法:分别应用酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)和免疫组化法检测50例非小细胞肺癌组织、相应正常肺组织及10例肺良性疾病组织中p53蛋白及p53 Ser15磷酸化水平.随访观察50例非小细胞肺癌组的转移复发情况.结果:ELISA和免疫组化法均检测到p53蛋白、p53 Ser15磷酸化水平在非小细胞肺癌组高于正常肺组织组和肺部良性疾病组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001,P<0.05).免疫组化方法检测p53蛋白、p53[pS15]阳性率在淋巴结转移组显著高于无转移组(P<0.05).随访期内5例出现复发或远处转移的病例p53蛋白、p53[pS15]表达水平高于本组未复发转移病例(P<0.05).结论:ELISA方法做p53[pS15]、p53蛋白的定量分析是可行的.p53蛋白、p53[pS15]高水平表达可能会有助于肿瘤进展更快.     

Clinical significance of serum epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM) levels in patients with lung cancer

Cellular adhesion molecules might be good markers in some types of malignant tumors, thus providing useful information in diagnosis and prognosis. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical significance of the serum levels of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM) in lung cancer patients. One hundred and thirty lung cancer patients were enrolled in this study. Serum EPCAM levels were determined by the solid-phase sandwich ELISA method. Age- and sex-matched 34 healthy controls were included in the analysis. The median age was 58 years, ranging 35–80 years. The majority of the patients had NSCLC (83.8 %) and stage IV disease (60.8 %). There was no significant difference in the serum EPCAM levels between lung cancer patients and healthy controls (p = 0.16). Moreover, known clinical variables including age of patient, gender, histology, stage of disease, and response to chemotherapy were not found to be correlated with serum EPCAM concentrations (p > 0.05). Similarly, no prognostic role was found for outcome (1-year survival rate 62 vs. 65.1 %, p = 0.89). In conclusion, serum EPCAM concentrations have no diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic roles in lung cancer patients.     

SHOX2 methylation in Vietnamese patients with lung cancer

Molecular Biology Reports - DNA methylation on cytosine in the CpG dinucleotides is one of the most common epigenetic perturbations taking place during cancer initiation, progression, occurrence...     

Gastrin and somatostatin levels in patients with gastric cancer

Gastrin and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) levels were studied by means of radioimmunoassay in peripheral venous blood of healthy volunteers and patients suffering from gastric adenocarcinoma or duodenal and gastric ulcers. Gastrin and SLI levels were also evaluated in patients in blood drawn from gastric veins during surgery. The elevations of gastrin and SLI levels were found in patients with gastric cancer as compared with healthy people and patients suffering from ulcers. The impairment of the negative feedback between gastrin and somatostatin secretions in patients with gastric cancer was suggested.     

Decreased monocyte-mediated cytostasis of human cancer cell in patients with lung cancer

Summary In vivo animal studies support the concept that monocytes and macrophages are important in the immune surveillance of oncogenesis and that in vitro activated murine macrophages are cytocidal for tumour cells. In this study, the tumour cell cytotoxic activity of human peripheral blood monocytes was examined by measuring the inhibition of ³H-thymidine uptake in the human cancer cell line, established in our laboratory from human squamous cell lung cancer. The monocytes from 8 of the 31 lung cancer patients (26%) showed a percentage growth inhibition of less than 69.8%, which exceeded the 95% confidence limits of the percentage growth inhibition observed with healthy control monocytes. On the other hand, among the 16 sarcoidosis and the 8 tuberculosis cases no value was below 69.8%. However, there was no significant difference between the growth inhibition and the clinical stages or histological type. When OK-432, a Streptococal agent, was administered in vivo to patients with lung cancer, an elevation of the growth inhibition was observed in 7 out of 8 patients. It was confirmed that the tumour cell cytostatic activity of the monocyte is suppressed in patients with lung cancer, and these monocyte deficits hinder the inhibition of tumour growth and metastasis.     

Serum neopterin levels in lung and breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy

The elevated neopterin levels observed in numerous haemotological diseases and parenchymatous malignomas suggested neopterin might be useful as a tumor marker. In a group of 60 patients suffering from advanced lung (18) or breast (42) cancer, serial determinations of serum neopterin were made before, during and after radiation and/or chemotherapy, during an observation period of 18 months, to check the potential value of neopterin in the therapeutic management of these tumor types. The neopterin profiles were compared with the clinical course and analysed with regard to response to therapy. Numbers of pathologically elevated serum neopterin levels were low. In only few cases was any agreement detected between changes in neopterin levels and therapeutic effects. Even chemotherapeutically induced depression in white blood counts generally did not increase serum neopterin levels. Thus the clinical suitability of neopterin as an adjuvant parameter in assessing therapeutic effects in lung or breast cancer could not be documented.     

Evaluation of serum and pleural levels of soluble B7-H4 in lung cancer patients with pleural effusion

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of sB7-H4 and CEA in both serum and pleural effusion of lung cancer patients.

Methods: Levels of sB7-H4 and CEA in 90 patients with malignant pleural effusion due to lung cancer and 58 patients with benign pleural effusion were measured by ELISA.

Results: The sB7-H4 and CEA levels in pleural effusion, serum and their ratio (F/S) were higher in lung cancer group than that in benign group (p?<?0.01). The diagnostic efficiency of sB7-H4 combined CEA was superior to either sB7-H4 or CEA.

Conclusions: Measurement of sB7-H4 and CEA might be useful diagnostic value for malignant effusion.     

Blood and urine iodine levels in patients with gastric cancer

In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there is any relationship between gastric cancer and iodine concentrations in blood and urine in the northeast Anatolia region, where iodine deficiency is common. A total of 56 patients, diagnosed as gastric cancer and 25 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The methods used were based on the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction. The urine iodine concentration (UIC) and serum protein-bound iodine (PBI) levels were higher in patients with gastric cancer compared with healthy control subjects. The UIC in stage IV was higher than all other stages and the control group. The UIC was higher in stages III and IV compared with stages I and II. However, serum PBI levels in stage III were higher compared with stages I, and II and also control group. The serum PBI level in stage IV was higher than stage II and the control group. In the patient and control groups, there were no significant differences in serum PBI and UIC with regard to age or sex. Our results suggested that urinary and blood iodine concentration might be a useful marker for following the disease.     

Serum heat shock protein 47 levels in patients with drug-induced lung disease

Background

Heat shock protein (HSP) 47 is a collagen-specific molecular chaperone that is required for molecular maturation of various types of collagens. We recently reported that HSP47 serum levels were markedly higher in patients with acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) when compared with patients with stable IPF, suggesting that serum HSP47 levels correlate with interstitial pneumonia activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum HSP47 levels in patients with drug-induced lung disease (DILD).

Methods

Findings from high-resolution computed tomographic chest scans of 47 patients with DILD were classified into one of four predominant patterns: organizing pneumonia (OP) (n = 4), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) (n = 24), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) (n = 11), and diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) (n = 8). Serum levels of HSP47, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), surfactant protein (SP)-A, and SP-D were measured in these patients.

Results

The PaO₂/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) (P/F) ratios were significantly lower and the alveolar-arterial difference of oxygen (A-a DO₂) was significantly higher in the DAD group than in the other groups. Patients with DAD had the worst outcomes among the different subgroups. Patients in the DAD group had significantly higher serum HSP47 levels than those in other groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that HSP47 was superior to KL-6, SP-A, and SP-D for discriminating between the DAD group and the other groups. The cut-off level for HSP47 that resulted in the highest diagnostic accuracy was 1711.5 pg/mL. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were 87.5%, 97.4%, and 95.7%, respectively. Serum levels of HSP47 in the group of patients requiring glucocorticoids were significantly higher than those in patients who experienced clinical improvement without glucocorticoid administration. Serum HSP47 levels also significantly correlated with various respiratory parameters.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that serum HSP47 levels were elevated in patients with DILD with a DAD pattern who had the worst outcomes among the different subgroups, and that this was correlated with P/F ratio and A-a DO₂.