Detection of CAF-1/p60 in peripheral blood as a potential biomarker of HNSCC tumors

Francesco Merolla; Gennaro Ilardi; Gaetano Di Spigna; Daniela Russo; Francesco Martino; Silvia Varricchio; Giovanni Orabona Dell'Aversana; Massimo Mascolo; Bianca Covelli; Rosario Caltabiano; Giuseppe Broggi; Giovanni Audino; Angela Celetti; Loredana Postiglione; Stefania Staibano

doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105367

Detection of CAF-1/p60 in peripheral blood as a potential biomarker of HNSCC tumors

Oral Oncol. 2021 Sep:120:105367. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105367. Epub 2021 Jul 5.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V.Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.merolla@unimol.it.
² Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Pathology Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
³ Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
⁴ Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Pathology Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy. Electronic address: daniela.russo@unina.it.
⁵ Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Maxillofacial Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
⁶ Department G.F. Ingrassia, Section of Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
⁷ Institute for the Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.

PMID: 34237585
DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105367

Abstract

To date, a very small number of serum biomarkers have been identified for clinical use in squamous carcinomas of the head and neck region. Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 (CAF-1) heterotrimeric complex subunit CAF1/p60 expression levels have been reported to be of prognostic value in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), as well as in other human solid tumors. Here our aim was to detect and quantify CAF1/p60 in the peripheral blood of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, and to investigate the possible associations between serum concentration of CAF-1/p60 and HNSCC tumors. A total of 63 HNSCC patients (51 OSCC, 8 OPSCC, 3 laryngeal SCC, and 1 rhinopharynx SCC) and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. The serum levels of CAF-1/p60 were measured by ELISA assay before and after surgery. Serum CAF-1/p60 concentration resulted significantly higher in cancer patients, compared with healthy controls, in pre-surgery samples (P < 0.05). Serum levels of CAF-1/p60 significantly decreased in serum samples taken after surgery (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrated that CAF-1/p60 may be detected in serum, suggesting a role for CAF-1/p60 as potential soluble biomarkers in HNSCC tumors.

Keywords: Biomarkers; CAF-1; ELISA; OSCC; Tumor load.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 / blood*
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Humans
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / diagnosis*

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor
CHAF1A protein, human
Chromatin Assembly Factor-1