Identification of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as amniotic fluid-specific markers

Abstract

Objective: To determine if an amniotic fluid (AF)-specific marker is present and if its concentration changes with the presence of labor. Study Design: Twenty-six healthy women who gave birth to healthy newborns at term during the period from July 2009 to January 2010 were included in the study. Six candidate markers were assessed by commercially available ELISA kits: interleukin (IL)-6, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen, insulin-like growth factor (IGFBP)-1, osteopontin (OPN), CA125, and sialyl Tn (STN). Results: The AF/maternal serum (MS) measurement based on IL-6 or SCC has proved to be superior to IGFBP-1, CA125, OPN and STN. Women with spontaneous labor at term had significantly higher IL-6 and IGFBP-1 concentrations in AF compared with those without labor. No significant differences were observed in the AF concentrations of SCC, OPN, CA125 and STN between women with labor and those not in labor. Conclusion: Our observation of IL-6 and SCC in AF may open a new area of research to assess their usefulness as biological markers of obstetrical disorders

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a novel candidate marker for amniotic fluid embolism

“…Therefore, a definitive diagnostic test is desired. In a previous study, we found that SCC antigen was present in the amniotic fluid at concentrations much higher than that in the maternal serum . In this study, we estimated the clinical efficacy of serum SCC antigen in diagnosing AFE.…”

“…We identified a variety of amniotic fluid‐specific antigens. Among the candidate markers identified, we focused on the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen …”

Amniotic Fluid Embolism

“…Among Japanese obstetricians, zinc coproporphyrin 1, 9 sialyl Tn antigen, 10 complement C3, C4, and interleukin 8 11 have been used as serum markers of AFE for more than 10 years. High levels of insulinlike growth factor-binding protein 1 12 and squamous cell carcinoma 13 have recently been identified as new markers of amniotic fluid passage into the maternal circulation. These markers have not been established in routine clinical diagnosis but might be used to diagnose when lung tissue histology is not available.…”

Dynamic changes in the levels of maternal serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen, a potential biomarker of amniotic fluid embolism, before and after delivery in relation to the mode of delivery

“…Although AFE remains unpredictable based on current diagnostic strategies, recent advances in molecular biology have facilitated analysis of its pathogenesis. Advances in biochemistry experiments have enabled the identification of novel serum biomarkers of amniotic fluid passage into the maternal circulation (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). For example, Zinc-coproporphilin-1 (ZnCP1) (4), sialyl Tn (STN) (5,6) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) (12) have been reported as substances that are extremely abundant in amniotic fluid and present in trace amounts in maternal blood.…”

“…For example, Zinc-coproporphilin-1 (ZnCP1) (4), sialyl Tn (STN) (5,6) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) (12) have been reported as substances that are extremely abundant in amniotic fluid and present in trace amounts in maternal blood. In 2012, the authors newly identified squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) as a substance with a very high amniotic fluid/maternal blood concentration ratio (10). SCCA is a member of the serine protease inhibitor family of proteins, serpin, physiologically found in the spinous and granular layers of normal squamous epithelium (3,14).…”