Mahdia Gholamnejad - Pulmonology Ward, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Khadijeh Meghrazi - Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Masoomeh Akhgar - Solid Tumor Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Moharram Shaianmehr - Eghbal Health Center, Urmia University of medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

Background: Apelin has recently been considered as an adipokine secreted from visceral fat. Apelin and itsreceptor exist in many tissues including lung and play significant roles in many physiological andpathological activities. However, serum level of apelin-۱۲ is unknown in smokers and in various types of lungmalignancies. Therefore, the amount of this hormone in non-patient smokers and the correlation of apelinserum level with the types of lung cancer in smokers afflicted with lung cancer are evaluated in this study.Methods: The amount of serum apelin-۱۲ was measured in ۶۳ patients (۵۹ smokers and ۴ non-smokers) withthe variety of lung cancer and ۶۱ age- and sex-matched controls (۳۰ smokers and ۳۱ non-smokers) usingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.Findings: The amount of serum apelin-۱۲ in non-patient smokers (۲۱۴۲.۲۰ ± ۸۴۳.۶۱ ng/l) was significantlyhigher than healthy non-smokers (۸۰۰.۳۹ ± ۳۳۶.۰۱ ng/l, P < ۰.۰۵), and in the variety of lung malignancies,the amount of serum apelin-۱۲ was ۲۲۰۵.۵۴ ± ۱۸۷.۳۱ ng/l in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)which was a significant increase compared to ۱۰۸۸.۰۰ ± ۱۳۶.۵۲ ng/l in adenocarcinoma, ۷۹۷.۲۵ ± ۸۸.۶۹ ng/lin small cell carcinoma, and ۱۰۰۰.۳۷ ± ۶۲.۸۷ ng/l in other malignancies of lung.Conclusion: The meaningful increase in apelin-۱۲ levels of non-patient smokers can be considered as a riskfactor for outbreaking of lung SCC in these people. Therefore, apelin-۱۲ may be considered as a target incontrolling lung SCC.

smoking, apelin, Squamous Cell Carcinoma