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Editor-in-chief
Maria Stella Graziani

Deputy Director
Martina Zaninotto

Associate Editors
Ferruccio Ceriotti
Davide Giavarina
Bruna Lo Sasso
Giampaolo Merlini
Martina Montagnana
Andrea Mosca
Paola Pezzati
Rossella Tomaiuolo
Matteo Vidali

EIC Assistant
Francesco Busardò

International Advisory Board Khosrow Adeli Canada
Sergio Bernardini Italy
Marcello Ciaccio Italy
Eleftherios Diamandis Canada
Philippe Gillery France
Kjell Grankvist Sweden
Hans Jacobs The Netherlands
Eric Kilpatrick UK
Magdalena Krintus Poland
Giuseppe Lippi Italy
Mario Plebani Italy
Sverre Sandberg Norway
Ana-Maria Simundic Croatia
Tommaso Trenti Italy
Cas Weykamp The Netherlands
Maria Willrich USA
Paul Yip Canada

Publisher
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano

Responsible Editor
Giuseppe Agosta

Editorial Secretary
Chiara Riva
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano
Tel. 0245498282
email: biochimica.clinica@sibioc.it

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ISSN print: 0393 – 0564
ISSN digital: 0392- 7091

BC: Articoli scritti da D. Schiumarini

Caratteristiche biochimiche e funzionali della proteina 4 dell’epididimo umano (HE4)
Biochemical and functional characteristics of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4)
D. Schiumarini \| S. Ferraro \| M. Panteghini \|
<p>Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) is the established biomarker for detecting ovarian cancer (OC) recurrence and monitoring therapeutic response. The recent evidence calls into question the better performance of serum HE4 to detect patients with OC. The replacement of CA125 with HE4 appears advisable, but more focus is needed on the biochemical characterization of the protein structure, which is an overriding prerequisite to overcome possible methodological limitations. By resorting to published literature, we sought to review the available information on the protein structure, activity, functions and tissue expression under physiologic and pathologic conditions. The gene encoding for HE4, WFDC2, is composed by six exons. Five HE4 isoforms have been identified and recognized to define specific patterns differently expressed in neoplasm and normal tissues. Under physiologic conditions, HE4 is reported as protease inhibitor playing a crucial role in sperm maturation. In pathophysiology, HE4 is likely involved in cancer progression and metastases. In particular, HE4 is overexpressed in serous and endometrioid OC. Further information on the HE4 expression pattern in cancer progression will likely improve the clinical performance of the marker.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 38(5) 368-373 Rassegne - Reviews