Serological assessment of type ΧVΙ collagen in patients with colorectal cancer and ulcerative colitis.

698Background: Altered extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is an important part of the pathology of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. In the intestine, type XVI collagen (col-16) plays a role in pathogenesis by affecting ECM architecture and induce cell invasion. Measuring col-16 in serum may therefore have biomarker potential in GI disorders such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to determine whether col-16 can serve as a biomarker for altered ECM remodeling in patients with CRC and UC. Methods: A monoclonal antibody was raised against the C-terminal end of col-16 (C16-C) and a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed and technically validated. Levels of C16-C were measured in serum from patients with CRC (before (n = 50) and three months after (n = 23) tumor resections), UC (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 50). Results: The C16-C ELISA was specific towards the C-terminal of col-16. C16-C was significantly elevated both in seru...