title: Serum sHLA-G levels: a useful indicator in distinguishing colorectal cancer from benign colorectal diseases.
abstract: Soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) has been reported in malignancies and is implicated in mediating immune surveillance of tumor. The aim of our study is to detect serum sHLA-G levels in colorectal cancer and to determine whether sHLA-G may be helpful in distinguishing colorectal cancer from benign colorectal diseases. Serum sHLA-G levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the feasibility of sHLA-G in differentiating colorectal cancer from benign colorectal diseases. Median sHLA-G concentrations were significantly higher in colorectal cancer compared to normal colorectum, hyperplastic polyp, inflammatory bowel disease and adenoma (all at p < 0.001, respectively). ROC curve for sHLA-G revealed an area under the curve of 84.2%, and when 88.6 U/mL was used as cutoff, a sensitivity of 72.2% and a specificity of 87.8% were achieved. Comparison of sHLA-G and carcinoembryogenic antigen ROC curves indicated that sHLA-G was superior to CEA in differentiating colorectal cancer from benign colorectal diseases (p < 0.001). ROC curves analysis of the combined sHLA-G and CEA showed a higher detection capacity (area under the ROC curve, 87.4%) than that of markers considered singly. These findings reveal that serum levels of sHLA-G are significantly increased in colorectal cancer which may serve as a potent mediator of immune escape in colorectal cancer, and sHLA-G may be a useful indicator in differentiating colorectal cancer from benign colorectal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jinan Infectious Disease Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Bao
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Chuan-Xin
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I