Elevation of a novel pituitary protein (7B2) in the plasma in small cell carcinoma of the lung.
7B2 is a new protein isolated from human pituitary glands and distributed widely, particularly with high concentrations in the neuroendocrine tissues in the rat. We measured plasma 7B2 concentrations in 333 normal subjects, 20 patients with benign pulmonary disease and 111 patients with primary lung cancer (21 small cell carcinoma, 90 non-small cell carcinoma). A normal range for plasma 7B2 concentrations was defined as less than the mean + 3 S.D. value (110 pg/ml) based on plasma 7B2 concentrations in 333 normal subjects. Elevation of the plasma 7B2 concentration over the normal range was observed in 15 of 21 patients (71.4%) with small cell carcinoma, eight of 90 (8.9%) with non-small cell carcinoma and four of 20 (20%) with benign pulmonary disease. Plasma 7B2 concentrations correlated with the clinical course on chemotherapy in some patients with small cell carcinoma. Immunocytochemical studies revealed numerous 7B2-positive cells in the small cell carcinoma specimen, while 7B2 staining was not observed in the non-small cell carcinoma and the normal lung specimens. These findings suggest that 7B2 is secreted by the small cell carcinoma of the lung, which caused elevation of plasma 7B2 in these patients. 7B2 might be a possible plasma tumor marker for the small cell carcinoma of the lung.
Iguchi
H
H
Department of Biochemistry, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan.
Hara
N
N
Hayashi
I
I
Ohta
M
M
Bloom
S R
SR
Chrétien
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051859:Neuroendocrine Secretory Protein 7B2; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051859:Neuroendocrine Secretory Protein 7B2; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C497678:SCG5 protein, human