A pilot study of the relative number of circulating tumor cells and leukocytes containing actin-binding proteins in head and neck cancer patients

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play an important role in tumor metastases, which is positively correlated with an increased risk of death. Actin-binding proteins, including cofilin (CFL1), profilin 1 (PFN1), and adenylate cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1), are thought to be involved in tumor cell motility and metastasis, specifically in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, currently, there are no published studies on CFL1, PFN1, and CAP1 in CTCs and leukocytes in HNSCC patients. We assessed serum levels of CFL1, PFN1, and CAP1 and the number of CTCs and leukocytes containing these proteins in blood from 31 HNSCC patients (T1–4N0–2M0). The analysis used flow cytometry and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. We found that CAP1 + CTCs and CAP1 + leukocyte subpopulations were prevalent in these HNSCC patient samples, while the prevalence rates of CFL1 + and PFN1 + CTCs were relatively low. Patients with stage T2–4N1–2M0 had CFL1 + and PFN1 + CTCs with an elevated PFN1 serum level, compared with the T1–3N0M0 group. In summary, the PFN1 serum level and the relative number of PFN1 + CD326 + CTCs could be valuable prognostic markers for HNSCC metastases. The current study is the first to obtain data regarding the contents of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) in CTCs, and leukocytes in blood from HNSCC patients. This is also the first to assess the relationship between the number of CTCs subgroups and disease characteristics.

Amplified fluorogenic immunoassay for early diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease from tear fluid

“…Although the precise role of CAP1 in AD remains to be elucidated, its altered expression patterns hint at a potential involvement in the disease’s pathogenesis or progression. Meanwhile, there are a few reports on the detection of CAP1 in body fluids such as serum 38 , 39 and bronchoalveolar lavage 40 . Given the critical role of CAP1 in the pathogenesis of AD 37 , 38 , 41 , the sensitive detection of CAP1 protein in tears could provide a valuable alternative to existing diagnostic techniques for AD and aid in the development of new therapeutic interventions.…”

“…This is due to signal bursting through selective membrane disruption with a high signal-to-noise ratio by entrapping the FRET dye molecules in the hydrophobic membrane of PNPs 46 . Using MNPs and PNPs with customized surface modification according to different target biomarkers 47 , 48 , the SNAFIA test was able to detect AD-associated protein markers at an attomolar concentration within 1 h using a laboratory plate reader, yielding LODs of 236 and 58.6 aM for CAP1 37 – 39 , 41 and APOE 1 , 42 – 44 in liquid human biopsies, respectively. In addition to this high sensitivity, the SNAFIA assay selectively recognized CAP1 protein in human tear fluid.…”