Affiliations: [a] University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA | [b] Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA | [c] Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA | [d] Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA | [e] Department of Ob/Gyn, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA | Program in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 110 E. Warren, Detroit, MI, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Brian M. Nolen, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Hillman Cancer Center, Rm 1.18, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Tel.: +1 412 623 7748; Fax: +1 412 623 1415; E-mail: nolanb@upmc.edu.
Abstract: The identification of circulating biomarkers of early stage malignancy is a critical component of ongoing efforts aimed at reducing the overall public and personal impact of human cancer through early detection. The human immune system is capable of identifying and reporting the presence of tumor-derived factors appearing during the initial events of tumorigenesis with a sensitivity and specificity far beyond currently developed biochemical assays. Tapping into the process of immune surveillance through the identification and evaluation of autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) represents a promising avenue of biomarker development. Here we review a diverse series of reports describing the use of TAA-specific autoantibodies for the discrimination of cancer from control groups. A description of the major technical platforms being utilized as well as specific innovations implemented for the detection of autoantibody biomarkers is included. This review provides an objective survey of results obtained using individual TAA-specific autoantibodies as well as multi-autoantibody panels in order to identify and assess emerging trends in this field of research. Such trends provide a basis for the discernment of the specific challenges currently facing autoantibody biomarker development, and lay the groundwork for future innovations aimed at overcoming those challenges.
Keywords: Autoantibodies, tumor-associated antigens, SEREX, SERPA, Luminex, early detection
