Humoral immune response to abnormal MUC1 in subjects with colorectal adenoma and cancer.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) expresses a hypoglycosylated (abnormal) form of MUC1 different than MUC1 expressed in normal colon, which elicits antibodies in patients with CRC. This form of MUC1 is expressed in other abnormal but non-malignant lesions in the colon, such as adenomatous polyps, precursors to CRC. Estimates of the prevalence of anti-MUC1 antibodies in subjects with these lesions are lacking. We evaluated IgM and IgG anti-MUC1 antibodies in 148 subjects with non-advanced adenomas (NAA), advanced adenomas (AA), colorectal cancer, hyperplastic polyps (HPP), and normal controls. We hypothesized that the prevalence of anti-MUC1 antibodies would increase along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence as more dysplastic tissues express more abnormal MUC1. Anti-MUC1 IgM was found in 5/47 (10.6%) of normals, 5/45 (11.1%) of NAA, 7/47 (14.9%) of AA, and 4/20 (20.0%) of CRC (p=0.70). The prevalence of anti-MUC1 IgG was 8/47 (17.0%) of normals, 14/45 (31.1%) of NAA, 14/47 (29.8%) of AA, and 6/20 (30.0%) of CRC (p=0.36). We found no significant differences in the prevalence of anti-MUC1 antibodies between subjects along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. However, in an exploratory analysis, the median normalized anti-MUC1 IgG OD level of the combined abnormal groups (NAA, AA, CRC) was significantly higher than the normals (0.045 OD vs. 0.030 OD; p=0.017). Our data support further studies into the potential role of anti-MUC1 immunity in preventing progression of premalignant colon lesions to colon cancer.
Silk
Ann Willman
AW
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and Clinical Scientist Training Program, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, United States.
Schoen
Robert E
RE
Potter
Douglas M
DM
Finn
Olivera J
OJ
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1