Multiplex Measurement of Tumor Biomarkers Associated with Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Using Novel Sample Types

Discovery of new tumor biomarkers and their roles in cancer progression is an intense research area. Testing strategies that utilize a combination of proteins associated with cancers may improve diagnosis and monitoring chemotherapy in patients. Multiplex immunoassays are a valuable tool for investigating potential biomarkers in serum associated with cancer.

We report here using a 28-plex Luminex performance immunoassay to measure tumor biomarkers in serum, plasma (EDTA, heparin, and Streck), and tissue lysates. Sera from late-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) patients had several potential tumor biomarkers at higher levels than sera from healthy donors. Tissue lysates prepared from late-stage CRC and healthy adjacent fresh-frozen tissue were used to measure CEA, CA19-9, IL-8, and MIF. The levels of MIF and IL-8 in these tissue lysates measured using Luminex was validated using the Jess capillary-based automated Western blot system. Stability testing of tumor biomarkers in EDTA, heparin, Streck® Cell-Free BCT®, and Streck Protein Plus plasma samples from healthy donors after 0, 3 and 5 days at room temperature revealed stabilization of most analyte concentrations using Streck tubes, with the exceptions of ENO-2 and CYFRA21-1.

Multiplex immunoassays are a valuable tool for the discovery and development of soluble tumor biomarkers associated with cancer.