Generation and evaluation of a monoclonal antibody, designated MAdL, as a new specific marker for adenocarcinomas of the lung

The high diagnostic accuracy of combined test of thyroid transcription factor 1 and Napsin A to distinguish between lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background

Accurate classification of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using morphological features has several limitations. However, the use of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) and Napsin A as markers for the identification of various subtypes of NSCLC has shown promise. This meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the diagnostic value of combined TTF-1 and Napsin A test to distinguish lung adenocarcinoma from squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

The Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched, along with the reference lists of relevant articles (up to May 4, 2014). Ten studies containing 1,446 subjects were identified. The sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the summary receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) were calculated to estimate the combined diagnostic value of TTF-1 and Napsin A.

Results

The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69–0.83) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.92–1.00), respectively. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 877.60 (95% CI: 8.40–91533.40) and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.18–0.32). The DOR was 3719 (95% CI: 33–414884). The AUC was 0.92 (95%CI: 0.89–0.94). The patient's location was a source of heterogeneity for sensitivity. The patient's location, the study's sample size and the threshold used to determine positive staining were consistently found to be sources of heterogeneity for specificity in subgroup analyses and meta-regression.

Conclusions

The combined test of TTF-1 and Napsin A presents a promising alternative method, useful to distinguish between lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

The RNA/DNA-binding protein PSF relocates to cell membrane and contributes cells' sensitivity to antitumor drug, doxorubicin

Cell surface proteins play an important role in multidrug resistance (MDR). However, the identification involving chemoresistant features for cell surface proteins is a challenge. To identify potential cell membrane markers in hematologic cancer MDR, we used a cell- and antibody-based strategy of subtractive immunization coupled with cell surface comparative screening of leukemia cell lines from sensitive HL60 and resistant HL60/DOX cells. Fifty one antibodies that recognized the cell surface proteins expressed differently between the two cell lines were generated. One of them, the McAb-5D12 not only recognizes its antigen but also block its function. Comparative analysis of immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and mass spectrum analysis validated that the membrane antigen of McAb-5D12 is a nucleoprotein-polypyrimidine tract binding protein associated splicing factor, PSF. Our results identified that PSF overexpressed on the membrane of sensitive cells compared with resistant cells and its relocation from the nuclear to the cell surface was common in hematological malignancy cell lines and marrow of leukemia patients. Furthermore, we found that cell surface PSF contributed to cell sensitivity by inhibiting cell proliferation. The results represent a novel and potentially useful biomarker for MDR prediction. The strategy enables the correlation of expression levels and functions of cell surface protein with some cell-drug response traits by using antibodies.

[Current issues in pulmonary pathology. Report of the working group on pulmonary pathology of the German Society of Pathology]

The working group on pulmonary pathology of the German Society of Pathology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pathologie, DGP) developed very actively in the last year. Apart from the autumn meeting in Heidelberg in 2011 and the sessions at the annual DGP meeting in Berlin it was possible to realize a first publication with support and coauthorship of several members of the working group dealing with the classification of lung adenocarcinoma. In this report the key aspects of the activity related to the following issues are summarized including non-small cell lung carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumors of the lungs, interstitial pulmonary diseases, cell blocks in cytology and banking in thoracic pathology.

The study on newly developed McAb NJ001 specific to non-small cell lung cancer and its biological characteristics

Monoclonal antibody (McAb) is the key tool for cancer immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy. McAb-based immunotherapy that targets tumor antigens has had great achivement. In this study, a cell clone which kept secreting high-titer IgG1-type McAb named NJ001 against human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells was obtained. The titer of purified NJ001 was 2×10⁶. The antigen named SP70 of NSCLC specifically identified by NJ001 was proved to be a protein with the relative molecular mass (Mr) of 70 kDa. The results of immunohistochemical staining indicated that NJ001 could positively react to NSCLC, but weak positively or negatively react to human small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), pulmonary pseudotumor and other epithelial tumors. In soft agar assay, the colony formation efficiency in NJ001 groups decreased in a dose-dependent manner. For the concentration of 100 µg/ml, 200 µg/ml and 400 µg/ml, the inhibition ratio of colony formation was 23.4%, 62.5% and 100% respectively. Meanwhile, NJ001 caused significant reduction in tumor volume and tumor weight compared to control mice in lung cancer xenograft model. The tumor growth inhibition ratio in 200 µg, 400 µg and 800 µg NJ001 groups was 10.44%, 37.29% and 44.04%, respectively. NJ001 also led to cytomorphological changes and induced the apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line SPC-A1 significantly. The newly developed NJ001 selectively reacted to NSCLC and exhibited anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. NJ001 is of great value concerning immunodiagnostics and immunotherapy for NSCLC and holds promise for further research regarding the mechanism underlying tumor progression of NSCLC.