Clinical Significance of Serological and Urological Levels of Bladder Cancer-Specific Antigen-1 (BLCA-1) in Bladder Cancer.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of the expression levels of bladder cancer-specific antigen-1 (BLCA-1) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer (BC). The study also determined the relationship between BLCA-1 expression levels and the clinical manifestation of BC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patient samples were derived from 66 cases of BC that presented at the Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, were recruited from April 2014 to May 2015, and 64 healthy control cases. Serum and urine BLCA-1 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS Urine BLCA-1 levels in BC patients were significantly higher than that found in healthy controls (P<0.01). BLCA-1 levels in the urine of patients without mucus membrane invasion (Ta) were significantly different from urine levels found in patients with mucus membrane invasion (T1-T4; P=0.022). BLCA-1 levels in the serum of patients without muscular coat invasion (Ta-T1) were significantly different than serum levels of patients with muscular coat invasion (T2-T4; P=0.042). CONCLUSIONS BLCA-1 is involved in the appearance and development of BC. Clinical detection of serum and urine BLCA-1 protein levels showed a high level of sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing BC. Further study of the functional expression of BLCA-1 levels as a valuable and novel diagnostic marker in BC is clearly warranted.

Assessment of autoantibodies to meningioma in a population-based study.

Meningioma is an intracranial tumor with few confirmed risk factors. Recent research points to an impact on meningioma risk from factors related to immune function and development, such as allergy, immunoglobulin E, and Varicella infection status. To further explore an association with immune function, the authors assessed individual seroreactivity to meningioma tumor-associated antigens among participants enrolled in a multicenter, population-based US case-control study of meningioma (2006-2009). Serum samples from cases (n = 349) and controls (n = 348) were screened for autoantibody reactivity to 3 proteins identified in previous studies: enolase 1 (ENO1), NK-tumor recognition protein (NKTR), and nuclear mitotic apparatus protein 1 (NUMA1). Case-control differences were not strong overall (adjusted odds ratio (OR)(ENO1 (continuous)) = 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6, 1.9 (P(trend) = 0.3); adjusted OR(NKTR (continuous)) = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.7, 2.4 (P(trend) = 0.02); and adjusted OR(NUMA1 (continuous)) = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.7, 1.8 (P(trend) = 0.06)); however, antibodies to NKTR and NUMA1 were detected at higher levels in cases than in controls, particularly among men (for men, adjusted OR(ENO1 (continuous)) = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.5, 4.7 (P(trend) = 0.24); adjusted OR(NKTR (continuous)) = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 15 (P(trend) = 0.009); and adjusted OR(NUMA1 (continuous)) = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 11 (P(trend) = 0.006)). These results indicate that men with meningioma commonly react with a serologic antimeningioma response; if supported by further research, this finding suggests a distinctive etiology for meningioma in men.

Clinical implications of measurement of serum nuclear matrix protein levels in patients with liver disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Serum aminotransferase, a sensitive marker of hepatocellular damage, often poorly correlates with the severity of damage. Serum nuclear matrix protein (NMP), a structural protein released from dead cell nuclei, is investigated as a candidate marker of organ damage in liver disease. METHODOLOGY: Serum NMP and aminotransferase levels of 134 patients with various liver diseases and 26 healthy individuals were examined. RESULTS: Patients with chronic viral hepatitis showed slightly higher NMP levels (17.8 U/mL; 95% CI 15.0-20.5 U/mL) than those of healthy individuals (6.05 U/mL; 95% CI 4.82-7.27 U/mL). Their NMP values had no correlation with aminotransferase levels. NMP levels were similar irrespective of liver disease progression, whereas aminotransferase values decreased in parallel with progression. Patients with autoimmune hepatitis or primary biliary cirrhosis who were under an appropriate treatment as well as individuals with fatty liver showed no elevation of serum NMP levels. Patients with acute viral hepatitis showed very high NMP levels (38.8 U/mL; 95%CI 27.6-50.0 U/mL) that correlated with serum aminotransferase levels in their sera. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic liver diseases, the serum NMP level elevates to various degrees independent from the degree of aminotransferase elevation. Serum NMP, putatively representing the number of dead cells, is a candidate as an indicator of organ damage severity in liver disease.

[The nucleoli matrix proteins with molecular masses 40 and 27 kDa are transported as peripheral chromosomal material]. / Belki iadryshkovogo matriksa s mol. massami 40 i 27 kDa perenosiatsia v sostave perifericheskogo khromosomnogo materiala.

Using immunofluoresence method, sera M-311 and K-30 obtained from patients with autoimmune disease were shown to stain interphase nuclei and the periphery of chromosomes. Western blotting revealed a polypeptide with mol. mass 27 kDa in serum K-30. Both proteins were localized in the karyoplasm. One of them (27 kDa) has a diffuse form and contains small granules, while the other (40 kDa) is in the form of small clearly outlined granules. Both proteins are also revealed around the nucleolar periphery, making a continental ring, while the main part of the nucleolus remains unstained. During pro- and metaphase, these proteins were associated with the chromosomal periphery: 27 kDa protein formed separate groups, and 40 kDa protein was seen over the whole chromosomal periphery. After nuclear and chromosomal decondensation, induced by hypotonic treatment (15% of culture medium solution), both antibodies stain diffusively interphase nuclei, but in mitotic cells they stained the surface of the swollen chromosomes. After chromatin recondensation in isotonic medium these proteins were localized similarly as in normal cells. Thus, both proteins maintained their association with the periphery of chromosomes. To reveal the nuclear protein matrix, cells were treated with 2M NaCl, DNAase and RNAase A. After this procedure, the antibodies stained only the nucleolar periphery, and no fluorescence in the karyoplasm was seen. It shows that of all the components of the nuclear protein matrix (lamina, internuclear network, residual nucleoli) only 27 and 40 kDa proteins are contained in the nucleolar rim. The data allow to suggest that the nucleolar matrix proteins may be transported to new cell nuclei as part of the peripheral chromosomal material likely as other nucleolar (fibrillarin, B-23, and others) or some non-nuclear components of the nuclear protein matrix are transported.

Circulating nuclear matrix protein in Graves' disease.

The Fas/Fas ligand system induces apoptosis, while soluble Fas (sFas) blocks the system and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) functions to induce apoptosis. The assay of nuclear matrix protein (NMP) released from dead or dying cells can be used to quantitate cell death. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship among serum levels of NMP, sFas, and sFasL in patients with Graves' disease. We measured serum levels of sFas, sFasL, NMP, thyroid hormones and TSH receptor antibody in 20 normal control subjects (5 men, 15 women; mean age, 44.3 years), 32 patients with untreated Graves' disease (4 men, 28 women; mean age, 44.1 years), and 10 patients with Graves' disease treated by methimazole (3 men, 7 women; mean age 39.2 years). Serum NMP was significantly lower (10.4 +/- 4.3 IU/ml, p < 0.02) in patients with untreated Graves' disease than in patients with treated Graves' disease (16.4 +/- 7.3 IU/ml) and control subjects (15.3 +/- 8.9 IU/ml). Serum sFas and sFasL were significantly higher in patients with untreated Graves' disease than in patients with treated Graves' disease and in control subjects. In the patient groups with Graves' disease, serum NMP was negatively correlated with sFas (r = -0.612, p < 0.001) and serum sFas was positively correlated with FT4 (r = 0.360, p < 0.05) and TRAb (r = 0.384, p < 0.05). Serum NMP was correlated with sFas. These results suggest that serum NMP is decreased in patients with untreated Graves' disease, and that cell death or apoptosis in patients with Graves' disease is affected by soluble Fas under the influence of thyroid function.