High serum levels of soluble CD40-L in patients with undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma: pathogenic and clinical relevance

Autor: Caggiari Laura, Guidoboni Massimo, Vaccher Emanuela, Barzan Luigi, Franchin Giovanni, Gloghini Annunziata, Martorelli Debora, Zancai Paola, Bortolin Maria, Mazzucato Mario, Serraino Diego, Carbone Antonino, De Paoli Paolo, Dolcetti Riccardo
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2007
Předmět:
Zdroj: Infectious Agents and Cancer, Vol 2, Iss 1, p 5 (2007)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1750-9378
DOI: 10.1186/1750-9378-2-5
Popis: Abstract Background Engagement of CD40 promotes survival of undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC) cells and similar effects are induced by the EBV oncoprotein LMP-1 that is expressed in a fraction of cases. Considering that CD40 may be activated also by the soluble isoform of CD40L (sCD40L), we investigated the serum levels of sCD40L in a series of 61 UNPC patients from Italy, a non-endemic area for this disease. Results At diagnosis, serum samples of UNPC patients contained significantly higher levels of sCD40L than age-matched healthy controls (p < 0.001). High levels of sCD40L (i.e., >18 ng/ml) were more frequently found in patients + lymphoid cells admixed to neoplastic UNPC cells were detected in cases with high serum levels of sCD40L, suggesting that sCD40L is probably produced within the tumor mass. Conclusion sCD40L may contribute to CD40 activation in UNPC cells, particularly of LMP-1-negative cases, further supporting the crucial role of CD40 signalling in the pathogenesis of UNPC. sCD40L levels may be useful to identify UNPC patients with occult distant metastases at presentation.
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