Detection of Antibodies Against c-myc Protein in Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): K. Ben-Mahrez, D. Thierry, I. Sorokinel, A. Danna-Muller, M. Kohiyama
Primary Institution: Institut Jacques Monod, Universite Paris VII; Service de Radiopathologie, Institut Curie
Hypothesis
Can antibodies against the c-myc oncogene product be detected in the serum of cancer patients?
Conclusion
The study found that antibodies against the c-myc protein can be detected in the serum of some cancer patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 21 out of 212 cancer patient sera contained antibodies against the c-myc protein.
- Positive sera were found in patients with various types of cancer, including breast and colorectal cancer.
- The study demonstrated that the 84 kD protein from Halobacterium halobium shares epitopes with the human c-myc protein.
Takeaway
Some cancer patients have antibodies that can recognize a protein related to a cancer gene called c-myc.
Methodology
The study involved purifying a protein from Halobacterium halobium and testing its ability to elicit an immune response in cancer patients' sera using Western blot analysis.
Potential Biases
The presence of idiotypic antibodies in sera may inhibit the detection of antibodies against the 84 kD protein.
Limitations
The study did not analyze a large panel of various cancer types statistically.
Participant Demographics
The study included cancer patients and healthy individuals, with specific positive responses noted in patients with colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and other types.
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