Serum HMGB1 as a Diagnostic Marker for Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Abstract

Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is an aggressive malignant tumor of mesothelial origin that shows a limited response to cytoreductive surgery along with intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Therefore, early diagnosis of DMPM is very important. Some researchers have previously reported that high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was correlated with pulmonary fibrosis. DMPM involves the malignant transformation of mesothelial cells, which originate from mesenchymal cells, similar to lung fibroblasts. Here, we investigated serum levels of HMGB1 in patients with MPM and compared them with those of a population that had been exposed to asbestos without developing MPM. The serum concentrations of HMGB1 were measured in 13 DMPM patients and 45 individuals with benign asbestos-related diseases. We demonstrated that the patients with DMPM had significantly higher serum levels of HMGB1 compared with the population who had been exposed to asbestos but did not develop DMPM. Our data suggest that serum HMGB1 concentration is a useful serum marker for DMPM.