title: Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 up-regulation in bronchial lavage specimens: a clinical marker of early lung cancer detection.
abstract: This study examines the use of a new epithelial marker in the detection of early lung cancer in bronchial lavage samples. The monoclonal antibody 703D4 recognizes the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1, and its overexpression/up-regulation was assessed and compared with routine diagnostic cytology. One hundred and three individuals were recruited into a prospective study. These individuals were referred to a chest physician with a request to examine for possible lung cancer, and a full clinical work-up was undertaken, including bronchoscopy and radiological investigations. In this study, we analyzed hnRNP expression in individuals with metaplastic bronchial epithelial cells or tumor cells in the bronchial lavage specimens, in a blinded study. The results from 103 bronchial lavage specimens indicate that hnRNP overexpression was more accurate in detecting evidence of a neoplasia than routine cytological examination. Twenty-two of 23 specimens in which malignant cells were identified cytologically demonstrated overexpression of hnRNP A2/B1. However, in the 80 specimens that were reported as cytologically negative, 41 of 80 demonstrated hnRNP overexpression, and 29 of these individuals were shown to have a lung neoplasm based on radiological findings and/or the biopsy taken at the bronchoscopy. An additional 4 of these 41 patients were shown to have a lung neoplasm within 8 months of the initial bronchoscopy. In conclusion, detection of hnRNPA2/B1 in bronchial lavage specimens that contain metaplastic bronchial epithelial cells or cancer cells predicts the presence of a neoplasm with a sensitivity of 96%, 82%, specificity.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Unit, Roy Castle International Centre for Lung Cancer Research, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turnbull
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prime
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walshaw
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B; D034441:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B; D034441:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; C439768:hnRNP A2