title: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and DJ-1 in gastric cancer: differences between high-incidence and low-incidence areas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a need for sensitive and specific blood-borne markers for the detection of gastric cancer. Raised serum macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) levels have been proposed as a marker for gastric cancer diagnosis but, to date, studies have only encompassed patients from high-incidence areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have compared the serum concentration of MIF in a large cohort of UK and Japanese gastric cancer patients, together with appropriate control subjects (age and gender matched). Carcinoembryonic antigen and H. pylori IgG were also measured, as was DJ-1, a novel candidate protein biomarker identified by analysis of gastric cancer cell line secretomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Marked elevations of the serum concentration of MIF and DJ-1 were seen in Japanese patients with gastric cancer compared with Japanese controls, a trend not seen in the UK cohort. These results could not be accounted for by differences in age, disease stage or H. pylori status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In regions of high, but not low incidence of gastric cancer, both MIF and DJ-1 have elevated serum concentrations in gastric cancer patients, compared with controls. This suggests that differing mechanisms of disease pathogenesis may be at play in high- and low-incidence regions.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Shimwell
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pallan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000071617:Protein Deglycase DJ-1; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; C105131:PARK7 protein, human; D000071617:Protein Deglycase DJ-1