title: Relationship between circulating syndecan-1 levels (CD138s) and serum free light chains in monoclonal gammopathies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monoclonal gammopathies encompass a wide range of diseases characterized by the monoclonal expansion of a B-cell clone. Despite emerging therapeutic strategies, chances of survival of patients who are affected are still scarce, which implies that new tools are necessary not only for the diagnosis but also for the follow-up of patients affected by such diseases. In this context, the use of free light chains (FLCs) has been incorporated into many guidelines. Likewise, tumor microenvironment is consistently gaining importance as role player in tumor pathogenesis. Specifically, Syndecan-1 (CD138), a heparan-sulfate proteoglycan is attracting interests as it is highly expressed and shed by myeloma plasma-cells. The aim of our study was to analyze CD138 levels in the serum of patients affected by multiple myeloma or light chain only disease, and to compare the values obtained with free light chain (FLC) kappa, lambda and FLC ratio in both groups of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  84 patients affected by Multiple Myeloma and Light Chain Myeloma were recruited for this study. Serum CD138 was assessed by ELISA (Diaclone Research, France) and FLC values were quantified by nephelometry (Freelite TM Human Kappa and Lambda Free Kits, The Binding Site, UK). Data was analyzed by GraphPad Prism software and Statgraph.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed higher CD138 mean values in myeloma patients compared to the light chain only myeloma group. A positive linear regression of CD138 and FLC was observed in the light chain only cohort as opposed to myeloma patients which show an inverse trend.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlighted an existing relationship between FLCs and CD138 and wishes to seek also a correlation in order to rapidly and efficiently perform diagnosis and different diagnostic schemes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Diagnostic Oncology, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology -National Cancer Institute "Regina Elena", Rome, Italy. cigliana@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cigliana
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, ZIP CODE: 00168, Italy. etorti@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torti
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine - Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. fragulli@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, ZIP CODE: 00168, Italy. elena.desantis83@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, ZIP CODE: 00168, Italy. dellabatemariateresa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dell'Abate
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, ZIP CODE: 00168, Italy. ginocolacicco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colacicco
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Transplantation, Italian National Cancer Institute "Regina Elena", Rome, Italy. pisani@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Diagnostic Oncology, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology -National Cancer Institute "Regina Elena", Rome, Italy. laura.conti@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, ZIP CODE: 00168, Italy. umberto.basile@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Basile
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000235:genetics*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000235:genetics*; D053668:Syndecan-1 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D053668:Syndecan-1