Measurement of an apoptotic product in the sera of breast cancer patients.
During apoptosis, a number of intracellular proteins are cleaved by caspases. The intermediate filament protein cytokeratin 18 (CK18) is cleaved at Asp238 and Asp396. A monoclonal antibody, M30, specifically recognises a fragment of CK18 cleaved at Asp396 (M30-antigen). We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure M30-antigen levels in the sera of 82 healthy subjects and 201 patients with breast cancer. Patients with primary cancer had higher M30-antigen levels than healthy subjects (P=0.0001). Patients with recurrent cancer showed higher M30-antigen levels than healthy controls and patients with primary cancer (P<0.0001 and P=0.008, respectively). In patients with primary cancer, M30-antigen levels were higher in the oestrogen receptor (ER)-negative subgroup than the ER-positive subgroup. In patients with recurrent cancer, M30-antigen levels correlated with the number of involved organs and performance status (P=0.041 and P=0.014, respectively). There was no association between serum M30-antigen levels and patient prognosis. We conclude that the levels of circulating M30-antigen are increased in patients with breast cancer.
Ueno
T
T
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, R8:03, Karolinska Hospital and Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Toi
M
M
Bivén
K
K
Bando
H
H
Ogawa
T
T
Linder
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000097:blood*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000097:blood; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D007633:Keratins