Dados do Trabalho

Título

Evaluation of platelet activation marker expression and its correlation with tumorygenesis and tumor progression in patients with gastric cancer

Introdução

New evidence suggests that platelet have critically important roles in cancer progression and inflammation. Cancer cells can activate platelets, thus using them as physical shields, may also regulate the immune cell migration toward the tumor site. Activated platelets express and release CD40 ligand (CD40L), which induces endothelial tumor cell tissue factor expression by ligation to CD40. Upon activation, platelets express large amount of P-selectin (CD62p) which is rapidly mobilized from α-granules to the platelet surface.

Objetivo

We sought to investigated whether soluble sCD40L and sCD62p levels are increased in patients with gastric cancer as result of platelet activation, and this relationship with progression.

Método

Blood samples were obtained from 83 patients with different stages of gastric cancer (GC) and 20 age and gender-matched control subjects. Plasma sCD40L, s(CD62p) P-selectin concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunoassay. Patients with GC were divided into three groups according to staging.

Resultados

We observed higher levels of soluble CD40L in the peripheral blood of patients with gastric cancer when compared to controls (p< 0.05), as well as higher levels in clinical stages (EC) I-II when compared to EC III (p <; 0.05) and EC IV (p < 0.05). Regarding CD62p, there were lower levels in patients with gastric cancer compared to controls (p < 0.05), as well as higher levels in early CS (I-II) compared to CS III and IV (p < 0 .05).

Conclusão

sCD40L molecules may be prognostic biomarkers, since the increased in plasma levels of these molecules was associated with disease progression and metastasis in GC. In addition, the serum sCD40L can potentially be used as an indicator of response to anticancer therapy.

Palavras-chave

gastric cancer; immune system; soluble cd62p; soluble CD40 ligand