Serum polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule in childhood neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma cells express the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which normally becomes restricted to a few neural tissues after embryogenesis. In this study, we investigated serum levels of polysialylated NCAM in 14 children with different grades and stages of neurob...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of cancer 1998-07, Vol.78 (1), p.106-110
Main Authors: Glüer, S, Schelp, C, Madry, N, von Schweinitz, D, Eckhardt, M, Gerardy-Schahn, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers, Tumor - blood
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Cancer Research
Child
Child, Preschool
Drug Resistance
Epidemiology
experimental-therapeutics
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Medical sciences
Molecular Medicine
Neoplasm Proteins - blood
Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules - blood
Neuroblastoma - blood
Neuroblastoma - pathology
Neurology
Oncology
Sialic Acids - blood
Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Neuroblastoma cells express the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which normally becomes restricted to a few neural tissues after embryogenesis. In this study, we investigated serum levels of polysialylated NCAM in 14 children with different grades and stages of neuroblastoma using an immunoluminescence assay, and compared the results to 269 healthy control subjects. Simultaneously, the polysialylated NCAM content of the tumours was determined by immunohistochemistry. Serum levels were dramatically elevated (more than sixfold) in children with advanced stages and fatal courses of disease, whereas children with differentiated tumour types and limited disease had low or normal levels. Serum concentrations correlated with the polysialylated NCAM content of the tumours, and they decreased during successful therapy. We therefore suggest polysialylated NCAM to be a useful marker monitoring childhood neuroblastoma.
ISSN:0007-0920
1532-1827
DOI:10.1038/bjc.1998.450