Anti-CHN1 monoclonal antibody

The 5-year survival rate of esophageal cancer is less than 10% in developing countries, where more than 90% of these cancers are esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC). Endoscopic screening is undertaken in high incidence areas. Biomarker analysis could reduce the subjectivity associated with histologic assessment of dysplasia and thus improve diagnostic accuracy. The aims of this study were therefore to identify biomarkers for esophageal squamous dysplasia and carcinoma. A publicly available dataset was used to identify genes with differential expression in ESCC compared with normal esophagus. Each gene was ranked by a support vector machine separation score. Expression profiles were examined, before validation by qPCR and IHC. We found that 800 genes were overexpressed in ESCC compared with normal esophagus (P < 10(-5)). Of the top 50 genes, 33 were expressed in ESCC epithelium and not in normal esophagus epithelium or stroma using the Protein Atlas website. These were taken to qPCR validation, and 20 genes were significantly overexpressed in ESCC compared with normal esophagus (P < 0.05). TNFAIP3 and CHN1 showed differential expression with IHC. TNFAIP3 expression increased gradually through normal esophagus, mild, moderate and severe dysplasia, and SCC (P < 0.0001). CHN1 staining was rarely present in the top third of normal esophagus epithelium and extended progressively towards the surface in mild, moderate, and severe dysplasia, and SCC (P < 0.0001). Two novel promising biomarkers for ESCC were identified, TNFAIP3 and CHN1. CHN1 and TNFAIP3 may improve diagnostic accuracy of screening methods for ESCC. Cancer Prev Res; 9(7); 558-66. (C) 2016 AACR.

BACKGROUND Congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders (CCDDs) are phenotypes of congenital incomitant strabismus and/or ptosis related to orbital dysinnervation. CCDDs have been associated with dominant or recessive monogenic mutations in at least 7 different genes (CHN1, SALL4, HOXA1, KIF21A, PHOX2A, TUBB3, ROBO3) that cause phenotypes such as Duane retraction syndrome, congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles, and horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis. Recently, arthrogryposis with or without strabismus has been shown to be caused by recessive mutations in ECEL1, a gene likely involved in neuromuscular junction formation. The strabismus phenotype in ECEL/-related cases has not always been detailed but may be a form of CCDD. To better define the ECEL/-related ophthalmic phenotype, we detail ophthalmic findings in 4 affected siblings from a consanguineous family and review documented ophthalmic findings for other reported mutation-positive cases. METHODS Affected family. members were prospectively examined and the relevant literature was reviewed. RESULTS Ophthalmic findings were present in 3 of the 4 siblings with ECEL/-related distal arthrogryposis: bilateral ptosis with bilateral congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles, right ptosis with ipsilateral Y exotropia (exotropia increasing in upgaze), and right ptosis with ipsilateral Duane retraction syndrome. The fourth affected sibling, who had the mildest arthrogryposis, had no ophthalmic abnormalities. Of 26 other reported recessive ECEL1 mutation cases (14 families), all had arthrogryposis, 19 had documented ptosis, and 4 had documented complex strabismus. One of these cases had both documented ptosis and complex strabismus. CONCLUSIONS Our clinical findings are consistent with recessive ECEL1 mutations causing variably penetrant orbital dysinnervation phenotypes (ptosis and/or complex strabismus with abnormal synkinesis) in the context of arthrogryposisis, that is, with the ECEL/-related ophthalmic phenotype being a form of CCDD.