Publications

Abstract BACKGROUND Type VI collagen (COL6) is associated with several pro-tumorigenic events. COL6 is primarily composed of three alpha-chains (a1-a3) forming a specialized microfibrillar network to support tissue architecture. COL6 homeostasis is lost in the tumor due to increased COL6 synthesis by activated fibroblast and altered proteolytic degradation by matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Consequently, pathology-specific COL6 […]

Abstract The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in cancer progression. It can be divided into the basement membrane (BM) that supports epithelial/endothelial cell behavior and the interstitial matrix (IM) that supports the underlying stromal compartment. The major components of the ECM are the collagens. While breaching of the BM and turnover of e.g. […]

Abstract OBJECTIVES Lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2) is associated with poor prognosis in idiopathic pulmonary disease (IPF) and cancer. We developed an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) targeting the LOXL2 neo-epitope generated through the release of the signal peptide during LOXL2 maturation. DESIGN AND METHODS An ELISA targeting the N-terminal site of the human LOXL2 was […]

Abstract PURPOSE Elastin is a signature protein of lungs. Increased elastin turnover driven by altered proteolytic activity is an important part of lung tumorigenesis. Elastin-derived fragments have been shown to be pro-tumorigenic, however, little is known regarding the biomarker potential of such elastin fragments. Here, we present an elastin turnover profile by non-invasively quantifying five […]

Abstract OBJECTIVES Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key event in different lung disorders, such as fibrosis and cancer. The most common cell type in the connective tissue is fibroblasts, which transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts upon activation. All myofibroblasts express α-SMA, which has been found to be upregulated in lung fibrosis and cancer. We […]

Abstract Vastatin, a fragment derived from type VIII collagen, is one of the least studied collagen-derived matrikines. Vastatin can be detected in serum but little is known regarding the relevance of serum vastatin in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, serum vastatin was measured (ELISA) in 67 healthy controls and 48 CRC patients prior to […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and a reactive stroma can affect T-cell infiltration and T-cell activity in the tumor and hereby influence response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). In the pursuit of finding biomarkers that predict treatment response, we evaluated the association between serum biomarkers of collagen and vimentin turnover and outcomes in […]

Abstract Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-mediated ECM degradation are parts of tumorgenesis and generates collagen fragments that are released into circulation. We evaluated the association of specific collagen fragments measured in serum with outcomes in two independent metastatic breast cancer (MBC) cohorts. ELISAs were used to measure C1M (MMP-generated type I […]

Abstract 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 […]

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