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Association of α1 acidic glycoprotein and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

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Pathology Oncology Research

Abstract

Serum from patients with different malignancies contain an abnormal concentration of α1-acidic-glycoprotein (AAG) and also, increased levels of AAG are associated with the presence of tumor mass. In the present report, serum levels of AAG were measured by radial immunodiffusion in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) patients taking into account disease status parameters such as tumor localization, stage and extension of disease. Immunohistochemical methods, SDS-PAGE and Western-blotting were employed to study the expression of AAG and a carbohydrate related antigen (sialyl Lewis x) in tumor tissues and derived fractions. AAG showed abnormal levels in 7/15 oral cavity tumor patients’ sera, 2/5 oropharynx and 5/10 larynx tumors; increased AAG serum levels belonged to patients with disseminated disease. On the other hand, the presence of AAG and sialyl Lewis x were demonstrated in carcinoma cells and in derived fractions from tumor tissues belonging to patients with elevated AAG serum levels. In the present study, we have found elevated levels of AAG in serum samples from SCCHN patients; these neoplastic cells are capable to express AAG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centra de Investigaciones Inmunológicas Básicas y Aplicadas (CINIBA), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina

    María Virginia Croce & Amada Segal-Eiras

  2. Cancer Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK

    Mike R. Price

Authors
  1. María Virginia Croce
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  2. Mike R. Price
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  3. Amada Segal-Eiras
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Correspondence to Amada Segal-Eiras.

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Croce, M.V., Price, M.R. & Segal-Eiras, A. Association of α1 acidic glycoprotein and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 7, 111–117 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03032576

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03032576

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