[The value of specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody in the early diagnosis of small cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the value of specific neuronal anti-Hu antibody in the early diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Wang
Gang
G
Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
Chen
Qiming
Q
Zhu
Yan
Y
Ke
Daoping
D
Qian
Weidong
W
Song
Wenying
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology*; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; C498010:ELAVL4 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins