Diagnostic value of HMGB1 protein levels in colorectal and gastric cancer

Abstract

Background: High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1), a nuclear protein, regulates the
transcription of multiple genes. The study aimed to ascertain the diagnostic utility of HMGB1
protein levels in colorectal and gastric cancers.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The patients were categorized into groups based
on their histopathological diagnoses. Preoperative and pre-chemotherapy blood samples were
collected from the patients. The analysis procedures were replicated twice for each sample
utilizing the sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique.

Results: The study included 20 controls and 70 patients in total. Of the 70 patients, 24 had a
gastric cancer diagnosis, and 46 had a colorectal cancer diagnosis. The patient group did not
differ in any of the following categories from the control group: gender, age, body mass index
(BMI), alcohol consumption, or smoking. (p > 0.005) Pathologic diagnoses did not differ
between adenocarcinoma and signet ring cells in gender, BMI, HMGB1 serum levels,
smoking, or alcohol consumption (p>0.005). The High Mobility Group Box-1 variable was
not statistically significant between colorectal and gastric cancer groups in adenocarcinoma
patients, who were excluded from the pathology results of 7 signet ring cell carcinoma
patients (p=0.885).

Conclusion: In conclusion, HMGB-1 protein levels were not different in patients with
colorectal and gastric carcinoma compared to those in healthy subjects. HMGB-1 level
measurement may not make a diagnostic difference in the presence of colorectal carcinoma
and gastric carcinoma.

Keywords; High Mobility Group Box-1, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, signet ring cell
carcinoma