Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 up-regulation in bronchial lavage specimens: a clinical marker of early lung cancer detection.

Abstract

This study examines the use of a new epithelial marker in the detection of early lung cancer in bronchial lavage samples. The monoclonal antibody 703D4 recognizes the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1, and its overexpression/up-regulation was assessed and compared with routine diagnostic cytology. One hundred and three individuals were recruited into a prospective study. These individuals were referred to a chest physician with a request to examine for possible lung cancer, and a full clinical work-up was undertaken, including bronchoscopy and radiological investigations. In this study, we analyzed hnRNP expression in individuals with metaplastic bronchial epithelial cells or tumor cells in the bronchial lavage specimens, in a blinded study. The results from 103 bronchial lavage specimens indicate that hnRNP overexpression was more accurate in detecting evidence of a neoplasia than routine cytological examination. Twenty-two of 23 specimens in which malignant cells were identified cytologically demonstrated overexpression of hnRNP A2/B1. However, in the 80 specimens that were reported as cytologically negative, 41 of 80 demonstrated hnRNP overexpression, and 29 of these individuals were shown to have a lung neoplasm based on radiological findings and/or the biopsy taken at the bronchoscopy. An additional 4 of these 41 patients were shown to have a lung neoplasm within 8 months of the initial bronchoscopy. In conclusion, detection of hnRNPA2/B1 in bronchial lavage specimens that contain metaplastic bronchial epithelial cells or cancer cells predicts the presence of a neoplasm with a sensitivity of 96%, 82%, specificity.

• Authors: P Fielding, L Turnbull, W Prime, M Walshaw, J K Field
• Journal: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Clin Cancer Res) Vol. 5 Issue 12 Pg. 4048-52 (Dec 1999) ISSN: 1078-0432 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10632338 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B
• Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins
• Neoplasm Proteins
• Ribonucleoproteins
• hnRNP A2

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biomarkers, Tumor (biosynthesis)
• Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (chemistry, cytology)
• Female
• Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B
• Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Proteins (biosynthesis)
• Prospective Studies
• Radiography
• Ribonucleoproteins (biosynthesis)
• Up-Regulation