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Tumour-specific induction of immune complexes: DCP-IgM in hepatocellular carcinoma
- Source :
- European Journal of Clinical Investigation. 38:571-577
- Publication Year :
- 2008
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2008.
-
Abstract
- Background In the sera of liver, colorectal and prostate cancer patients, several biomarkers may be detected as IgM immune complexes. To determine whether the presence of immune complexes was correlated to an increase of IgMs, we measured the IgM content in the sera of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis, and evaluated the occurrence of des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) as immune complexes (DCP-IgM) compared to the levels of DCP and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Patients and methods Serum samples from 31 patients with cirrhosis, 33 untreated HCC patients diagnosed by ultrasound, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance and confirmed by histopathology, when indicated, and 30 healthy controls were analysed. Concentrations of IgM and DCP-IgM were determined by ELISAs. Results Circulating IgM in patients with HCC (median level = 1·79 mg mL−1) and cirrhosis (1·09 mg mL−1) were not significantly different (P = 0·1376) while DCP-IgM were significantly higher in HCC patients (median level = 2171·2 AU mL−1) than in those with cirrhosis (1152 AU mL−1, P = 0·0047). No correlation was found between DCP-IgM and IgM in HCC (r = 0·227) and cirrhosis patients (r = 0·475). DPC-IgM was positive in 55% (18/33) of HCC patients and in 26% (8/31) of cirrhosis patients compared to 39% and 26% for DCP and 48% and 13% for AFP. DCP-IgM, DCP and AFP tests had 100% specificity in healthy controls. Conclusions DCP-IgM in HCC patients was not associated with an increase in IgM concentration. DCP-IgM was more frequently detected in HCC patients than DCP and AFP, strengthening the diagnostic role of IgM immune complexes for liver cancer.
- Subjects :
- Liver Cirrhosis
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Pathology
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Cirrhosis
Clinical Biochemistry
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Antigen-Antibody Complex
Biochemistry
Gastroenterology
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Immune system
Internal medicine
HCC diagnosis
Prothrombin
alpha-fetoprotein level
Biomarkers, Tumor
medicine
Humans
Protein Precursors
Aged
biology
business.industry
Liver Neoplasms
Cancer
General Medicine
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
digestive system diseases
Immune complex
Immunoglobulin M
Hepatocellular carcinoma
biology.protein
Female
Histopathology
alpha-Fetoproteins
Antibody
business
Liver cancer
Biomarkers
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13652362 and 00142972
- Volume :
- 38
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- European Journal of Clinical Investigation
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e6bbc85f0a9665c83bd723ee9cce8c8d
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2362.2008.01985.x