Serum Alpha-(1, 3)-Fucosyltransferase IV, Copper, and Zinc Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer and Healthy Controls

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has no significant clinical symptoms at the early stages, and the molecular differences in the serum of the patients and healthy subjects could be assessed to identify the biological markers that indicate the detection of this cancer at the levels of the biological system. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the concentrations of the alpha-(1, 3)-fucosyltransferase IV (FUT4) enzyme and copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) as biological elements. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 40 patients with CRC, including 20 men and 20 women. A metal-free sterile tube was used to collect five milliliters of venous blood. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the Biotin double-antibody sandwich technology was used to measure the human FUT4 in the sera. In addition, plasma zinc and copper values were determined using Zist Chem Diagnostics kits. Results: The mean FUT4 levels in the CRC patients was slightly higher than the control group (P = 0.17), and the mean serum copper and zinc levels of these patients were lower than the control group with a significance difference in this regard (P < 0.001). In addition, the AUC of FUT4, copper, and zinc was 0.58, 0.80, and 0.77, respectively. Conclusions: According to the results, the altered levels of FUT4, copper, and zinc in the serum of the CRC patients compared to the healthy controls could be an indicator associated with the CRC disease course. Furthermore, the unusual changes in the FUT4, copper, and zinc levels may signify CRC development, which plays a key role in the diagnosis and monitoring of this cancer.