Detection of CD39 and a Highly Glycosylated Isoform of Soluble CD73 in the Plasma of Patients with Cervical Cancer: Correlation with Disease Progression

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the main factor in the development of cervical cancer (CC). The presence of immunosuppressive factors plays an important role in the development of this type of cancer. To determine whether CD39 and CD73, which participate in the production of immunosuppressive adenosine (Ado), are involved in the progression of CC, we compared the concentrations and hydrolytic activity of these ectonucleotidases in platelet-free plasma (PFP) samples between patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) (n=18), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) (n=12), and CC (n=19) and normal donors (NDs) (n=15). The concentrations of CD39 and CD73 in PFP increased with disease progression (r=0.5929, p