[The value of specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody in the early diagnosis of small cell lung cancer]

To evaluate the value of specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody in the early diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).Ninety-eight patients with SCLC were included in the study. Specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody was detected by immunohistochemistry (the ABC method) and Western blot.The sera from 40% (32/80) of the patients in group A (without paraneoplastic syndrome of the nervous system) reacted with the frozen sections of human cerebra and were stained by indirect immunoperoxidase method at final dilutions of 1:1,000 to 1:8,000, while the sera from 89% of the patients (16/18) in group B (with paraneoplastic syndrome of the nervous system) reacted at final dilutions of 1:1,000 to 1:64,000. Western blot analysis revealed that the specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody was identified at several bands of approximately 35,000 approximately 40,000 with nuclear extracts, and at 40,000 with HuD clonal protein. The anti-Hu antibody was detected in only two patients from group A, but in 16 patients from group B. The antibody was not detected in sera from 32 normal human subjects.Specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody at high titers was detected in patients with SCLC not complicated with paraneoplastic syndrome of the nervous system. This antibody may be useful in the early diagnosis of SCLC.