Accumulated data from previous studies appear to suggest a link between the overexpression of a 35 kDa fragment of serum inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor H4 (ITIH4) with cancers that are associated with up-regulated levels of oestrogens. The truncated fragment was postulated to be a product of oestrogen-induced action of kallikrein on native ITIH4. The present lectin-based proteomic analyses were performed to assess the specificity of the 35 kDa fragment of ITIH4 as a potential cancer biomarker and determine whether it was also overexpressed in the sera of cancer-negative pregnant women who are known to have high levels of plasma oestrogens.
* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.