Z Gastroenterol 2006; 44 - A76
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-943442

The potential tumormarker PIBF is elevated in colorectal and pancreatic cancers

T Micsik 2, B Polgár 6, E Schäfer 3, K Diófalvi 4, K Rásky 5, F Péterfy 5, F Hollósy 2, Á Pap 3, J Szekeres-Bartho 6, R Schwab 2, L Kopper 1, I Peták 1
  • 11st Dept of Pathology, Semmelweis University; Budapest
  • 2Cooperative Research Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest
  • 3Dept. of Gastroenterology, MÁV Hospital, Budapest
  • 4Dept. of Surgery, MÁV Hospital, Budapest
  • 5Diagnosztikum Rt. Budapest
  • 6Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University, Pécs

Introduction: PIBF (Progesterone Induced Blocking Factor) is a peptide secreted by lymphocytes upon progesterone stimulation and causes a Th1>Th2 shift which is a strong protective factor for the embryo during pregnancy. This Th2 shift and the lower activity of NK-cells might also create favorable condition for tumor progression. Investigations showed that PIBF is elevated in rapidly proliferating cancer cell lines and malignant tumors.

Aim of the study: was to strengthen the tumor marker role of PIBF in gastrointestinal malignancies.

Methods: Urine samples were obtained from 25 patients with colorectal, pancreatic and in smaller number stomach and bile duct cancers after written consent. Controls were taken from healthy people and inflammatory cases (15 each). PIBF-levels were determined by a single plate competitive ELISA and afterwards statistical analysis was performed. Simultaneously, the protein expression of PIBF was investigated by immunohistochemistry in the tissue blocks of surgical samples of the same tumorous patients.

Results: We found higher PIBF levels in the urine of tumorous patients, than of inflammatory and healthy patients. The difference was statistically significant between the healthy, inflammatory and malignant cases and was maintained when colorectal and pancreatic cancers were compared separately towards controls. Strong positive PIBF-staining was found around and in the nuclei and in cytoplasmatic granules of cancer cells, while stromal and epithelial cells showed no positive staining.

Conclusion: The investigated surgical and clinical urine samples of different malignant diseases showed strong positivity with PIBF-antibodies by the means of ELISA and IHC and further supported the tumor marker role of PIBF in case of gastrointestinal malignancies. Further studies are in progress with other malignancies and for the evaluation of PIBF as a tumorprogression marker.