Nidogen-2: A new biomarker in colon cancer patients.

AIM In the present study, we followed Nidogen-2 levels and clinicopathological parameters of patients with colon cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty-eight patients (F/M, 43/45; Mean age ± SD, 57.86 ± 1.78 years) were included. The results of serum Nidogen-2 levels were shown with respect to stage, gender, age, and metastasis. Nidogen-2 levels in the sera of colon cancer patients and healthy donors were analyzed with ELISA. RESULTS The expression levels were significantly higher in patients (1010.8 ±184.36 pg/mL) than in healthy subjects (51.85 ± 1.44 pg/mL; p<0.001). Moreover, the Nidogen-2 expression significantly increased in the clinical stages of colon cancer (p<0.01). The Nidogen-2 levels did not vary by patient age or gender. DISCUSSION Under normal conditions, Nidogen-2 is a basal membrane protein. Nidogen-2 is primarily expressed in the extracellular matrix. Nidogen-2 has been defined as a major means to analyze the molecular pathways involved in cancer development and progression. Besides its important functions, it has been hypothesized that secreted Nidogen-2 may be a diagnostic biomarker for cancer detection. CONLUSION These findings suggest that increased expression of Nidogen-2 may have great pathological importance in the development of colon cancer and may also show a diagnostic value for colon cancer. KEY WORDS Angiogenesis, Metastasis, Nidogen-2.