Overexpression of hnRNPA2/B1 in bronchoscopic specimens: a potential early detection marker in lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Overexpression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1 has recently been suggested to be a promising marker for early detection of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of its detection in bronchoscopic specimens.


METHODS
Brushing and biopsy specimens were obtained from 61 patients suspected of having lung cancer, as well as from 30 healthy subjects (controls), who underwent bronchoscopy. hnRNPA2/B1 expression levels were evaluated by immunoblotting.


RESULTS
Specificity of hnRNP A2/B1 overexpression was 75.9% in brushing and 78.3% in biopsy. Sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer was 84.8% in brushing and 80.8% in biopsies, while in small cell lung cancer it was 66.7 % and 75%, respectively. Overexpression of hnRNPA2/B1 was also detected in bronchoscopic specimens of nine patients initially undiagnosed. The follow-up of these patients 2 years later showed that seven of them had developed lung cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of hnRNPA2/B1 was significantly higher in patients suffering from lung cancer and may be useful in the early detection of lung cancer.
Sixth Department of Pneumology, Sotiria General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
S
S
Katsimpoula
M
M
Patrinou-Georgoula
N
N
Makrilia
K
K
Dimakou
A
A
Guialis
D
D
Orfanidou
K N
KN
Syrigos
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D034481:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B