IgM-linked SerpinB3 and SerpinB4 in sera of patients with chronic liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiological studies indicate that a growing number of cirrhotic patients will develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the next decade. Recent findings have demonstrated that Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 (SCCA1) and 2 (SCCA2) isoforms, now classified as serpinB3 and serpinB4, are over-expressed in HCC, but not in normal liver. As reported, high levels of circulating SCCA-IgM immunocomplexes in patients with cirrhosis are significantly associated with HCC development.


OBJECTIVE
To ascertain whether IgM-linked SCCA isoforms circulate in patients with chronic liver disease, compared to total SCCA-IgM levels.


RESULTS
79 patients with chronic liver disease were studied, including 17 patients with chronic hepatitis, 36 patients with cirrhosis and 26 with HCC. 28 blood donors were used as control. Monoclonal antibodies against serpinB3 and serpinB4 were used as catcher antibodies to set up specific ELISA assays, while total SCCA-IgM immunocomplexes were detected by commercially available ELISA assay. Overall, the results revealed a better diagnostic sensitivity of total SCCA-IgM assay, compared to both serpinB3 and serpinB4 IgM-linked assays. SerpinB4-IgM median values obtained with SCC103 antibody were moderately higher in patients with cirrhosis than in those with HCC, median values: 0.168 (IQR 0.140-0.427) vs. 0.140 (IQR 0.140-0.278), (p = 0.177). A trend toward decreasing serpinB4-IgM/serpinB3-IgM median ratio was observed in patients with advanced liver disease, being 1.08 in patients with HCC, 1.10 in patients with cirrhosis and 1.40 in patients with chronic hepatitis (p = 0.079).


CONCLUSIONS
IgM-linked SCCA isoforms in serum of patients with chronic liver diseases were quantified for the first time. Although the number of patients was limited, this preliminary study reveals that the relative balance of the two serpin isoforms is altered in HCC and it is characterized by a lower serpinB4-IgM/serpinB3-IgM ratio, determined by lower serpinB4 levels.
Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Biasiolo
Natascia
N
Tono
Mariagrazia
M
Ruvoletto
Santina
S
Quarta
Cristian
C
Turato
Gianmarco
G
Villano
Luca
L
Beneduce
Giorgio
G
Fassina
Carlo
C
Merkel
Angelo
A
Gatta
Patrizia
P
Pontisso
D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000097:blood; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D015843:Serpins; C051072:squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen