The clinical significance of autoantibodies in gastrointestinal malignancies: an overview.
Autoimmunity can be associated with cancer and one of the forms of its expression is the development of antibodies to autologous cellular antigens. The types of cellular proteins which induce autoantibody responses in gastrointestinal malignancies are quite varied and include cellular proteins encoded by mutated normal genes (p53), cellular proteins that are overexpressed and/or aberrantly expressed in malignant tissues (carcinoembryonic antigen), inhibitors of apoptosis (survivin and livin), major components of mucus (mucins), surface receptors of apoptosis (Fas) and nuclear-restricted proteins (double-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA and Sm family proteins). In the past few years, due to the great clinical interest and the advancement in detection techniques, the above list has grown significantly and a large number of cancer-related antigens, which trigger a specific humoral immune response to the host, have also been identified. The authors review the autoantibodies associated with gastrointestinal malignancies and their clinical implications.
Saif
Muhammad Wasif
MW
Yale University School of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, 333 Cedar Street, FMP 116, New Haven, CT 06520-8032, USA. wasif.saif@yale.edu
Zalonis
Antonis
A
Syrigos
Kostas
K
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53