Soluble heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) detected by newly developed immuno-PCR method is a clear-cut serological biomarker for ovarian cancer.

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a member of the EGF family of growth factors that bind to and activate the EGF receptor. HB-EGF is synthesized as a membrane-anchored protein (proHB-EGF), and then proteolytically cleaved, resulting in the mitogenically active soluble form. HB-EGF plays pivotal roles in pathophysiological processes such as development and cell proliferation. In this study, we developed an immuno-PCR system for the determination of soluble HB-EGF concentrations in human serum. Utilizing a monoclonal antibody with neutralizing activity against HB-EGF as a capture antibody resulted in increasing selectivity for an active form of HB-EGF in serum, and immuno-PCR system improved its sensitivity compared to the currently available methods. As a result of measurement of HB-EGF in 20 ovarian cancer patients and 20 healthy volunteers, ovarian cancer patients showed significantly higher concentrations than healthy volunteers (P< 0.05), which indicates that soluble HB-EGF detected by newly developed immuno-PCR system can be useful serological biomarkers such as a diagnostic biomarker for ovarian cancer, and a predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker for anti-HB-EGF targeted therapies under development.