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Biomarkers in Liver Disease pp 559–580Cite as

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen-Immunoglobulin M (SCCA-IgM) as Biomarker in Liver Disease: Biological Aspects and Clinical Applications

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Abstract

Chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis are an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. In particular, liver cirrhosis can be an asymptomatic and silent condition until clinical decompensation occurs, which could lead to organ failure, with a mortality rate up to 30%. One of the main causes of mortality in patients with cirrhosis is hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the most common fatal cancers worldwide, the 4th one for incidence rate. A high public health priority need is the development of biomarkers to screen for liver disease progression and for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma development, particularly in the high-risk population represented by patients with cirrhosis. Recently, circulating immune complex squamous cell carcinoma antigen-IgM has shown the ability to identify patients with progressive liver disease and patients at higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development. In this chapter, we describe the biochemical and biological features of squamous cell carcinoma antigen and the role of natural IgM to form immune complexes with altered self-antigen during carcinogenesis; we also present the main clinical studies that have investigated this new circulating biomarker in terms of diagnostic and prognostic value in chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

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Abbreviations

AFP:

Alpha-fetoprotein

AFP-L3:

Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein

AUROC:

Area under receiver operating characteristic

C1q:

Complement component 1q

DCP:

Des-gamma carboxy-prothrombin

ELISA:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

EMT:

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition

EpCam:

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

HCV:

Hepatitis C virus

HIF-2α:

Hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha

IFN-γ:

Interferon gamma

IL-6:

Interleukin 6

MBL:

Mannose-binding lectin

NAFLD:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

NASH:

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

NF-kB:

Nuclear factor-kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B cell

NK:

Natural killer

NPV:

Negative predictive value

NR:

Null responders

PEG-IFN:

Pegylated-interferon

RAS gene:

Rat sarcoma gene

RF:

Rheumatoid factor

RSL:

Reactive-site loop

SCCA1/Serpin B3:

Serpin member gene 3

SCCA2/serpinB4:

Serpin member gene 4

SCCA-IgM:

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen-immunoglobulin M

sIgM:

Secreted IgM

SLE:

Systemic lupus erythematosus

SVR:

Sustained virological response

TGF-β:

Transforming growth factor-beta

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha

US:

Ultrasound

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padua, Italy

    A. Biasiolo, A. Martini & P. Pontisso

  2. Xeptagen SpA, VEGA Park, Venice, Italy

    A. Gallotta & G. Fassina

Authors
  1. A. Biasiolo
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  2. A. Martini
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  3. A. Gallotta
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  4. G. Fassina
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  5. P. Pontisso
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to A. Biasiolo , A. Martini , A. Gallotta , G. Fassina or P. Pontisso .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Research Division, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

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Biasiolo, A., Martini, A., Gallotta, A., Fassina, G., Pontisso, P. (2017). Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen-Immunoglobulin M (SCCA-IgM) as Biomarker in Liver Disease: Biological Aspects and Clinical Applications. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V. (eds) Biomarkers in Liver Disease. Biomarkers in Disease: Methods, Discoveries and Applications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7675-3_15

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