Serum BCMA Biomarker
What is BCMA?
BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen) is present on normal and malignant B-cells that play a key role in immune function.
- The binding of APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand) and BAFF (B-cell activating factor, also known as BLyS) to the membrane bound form of BCMA stimulates normal and malignant B-cell proliferation and antibody production.1
What is Serum BCMA?
Serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA): a novel biomarker to predict outcomes for multiple myeloma (MM) patients.
- The membrane bound BCMA can be cleaved by gamma secretase, resulting in its release into the blood as sBCMA.2
- sBCMA is found at low levels in the serum of normal patients and elevated among patients with MM.3
- Baseline sBCMA levels predict patient outcomes.
- Changes in sBCMA levels have been found to correlate with a MM patient’s clinical status in response to treatment.4, 5
Serum BCMA is:
- Elevated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM).
- Reduced among those with reduced amounts of B-Âcells (immune deficiency syndromes).
What is Serum BCMA?
Serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA): a novel biomarker to predict outcomes for multiple myeloma (MM) patients.
- The membrane bound BCMA can be cleaved by gamma secretase, resulting in its release into the blood as sBCMA.2
- sBCMA is found at low levels in the serum of normal patients and elevated among patients with MM.3
- Baseline sBCMA levels predict patient outcomes.
- Changes in sBCMA levels have been found to correlate with a MM patient’s clinical status in response to treatment.4, 5
Serum BCMA is:
- Elevated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM).
- Reduced among those with reduced amounts of B-Âcells (immune deficiency syndromes).
What is the Serum BCMA Test?
The sBCMA test is a simple blood test to determine serum levels of the BCMA protein and is being developed to track MM and CLL.*
- sBCMA is measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).6
- The sBCMA test is performed weekly during the first month of any new treatment and then monthly thereafter.
- sBCMA levels are elevated with increases in severity of disease and decrease with response to therapy.7
*The sBCMA test has not yet been cleared for clinical diagnostics use in any regulatory jurisdiction. For Research Use Only.
For Healthcare Providers
For Patients and Caregivers
Serum BCMA Test Attributes
Being developed for improved monitoring of treatment response in MM and will be the first serum biomarker for CLL.*
- Prognostic, predictive and  monitoring applications in a single test.
- Predicts outcomes including  progression-Âfree survival and overall survival.
- Potential to determine risk of conversion:
- Pre-myeloma (monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance) to active MM.
- Â Smoldering MM to active MM.
-  ‘Watch and wait’ CLL to requiring drug therapy.
- Uniquely applicable for monitoring of non and oligo-secretory MM.
- Results are independent of renal function.
*The sBCMA test has not yet been cleared for clinical diagnostics use in any regulatory jurisdiction. For Research Use Only.
References:
- Thompson, Jeffrey S.; Schneider, Pascal; Kalled, Susan L.; Wang, LiChun; Lefevre, Eric A.; Cachero, Teresa G.; MacKay, Fabienne; Bixler, Sarah A.; Zafari, Mohammad; Liu, Zhong-Ying; Woodcock, Stephen A. (2000-07-03). “Baff Binds to the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor–Like Molecule B Cell Maturation Antigen and Is Important for Maintaining the Peripheral B Cell Population”. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 192 (1): 129–136. doi:10.1084/jem.192.1.129. ISSN 0022-1007. PMC 1887706. PMID 10880534.
- Laurent, Sarah A.; Hoffmann, Franziska S.; Kuhn, Peer-Hendrik; Cheng, Qingyu; Chu, Yuanyuan; Schmidt-Supprian, Marc; Hauck, Stefanie M.; Schuh, Elisabeth; Krumbholz, Markus; Rübsamen, Heike; Wanngren, Johanna (2015-06-11). “γ-secretase directly sheds the survival receptor BCMA from plasma cells”. Nature Communications. 6 (1): 7333. Bibcode:2015NatCo…6.7333L. doi:10.1038/ncomms8333. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4490565. PMID 26065893.
- Pj, Maglione; Hm, Ko; M, Tokuyama; G, Gyimesi; C, Soof; M, Li; E, Sanchez; H, Chen; L, Radigan (2020). “Serum B-Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) Levels Differentiate Primary Antibody Deficiencies”. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PMIDÂ 31430592. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ Sanchez, Eric; Li, Mingjie; Kitto, Alex; Li, Jennifer; Wang, Cathy S.; Kirk, Dylan T.; Yellin, Ori; Nichols, Cydney M.; Dreyer, Marissa P.; Ahles, Cameryn P.; Robinson, Austin (2012). “Serum B-cell maturation antigen is elevated in multiple myeloma and correlates with disease status and survival”. British Journal of Haematology. 158 (6): 727–738. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2141.2012.09241.x. PMID 22804669.
- ^ Ghermezi, Michael; Li, Mingjie; Vardanyan, Suzie; Harutyunyan, Nika Manik; Gottlieb, Jillian; Berenson, Ariana; Spektor, Tanya M.; Andreu-Vieyra, Claudia; Petraki, Sophia; Sanchez, Eric; Udd, Kyle (2017). “Serum B-cell maturation antigen: a novel biomarker to predict outcomes for multiple myeloma patients”. Haematologica. 102 (4): 785–795. doi:10.3324/haematol.2016.150896. ISSN 0390-6078. PMC 5395119. PMID 28034989.
- Sanchez, Eric; Smith, Emily J.; Yashar, Moryel A.; Patil, Saurabh; Li, Mingjie; Porter, Autumn L.; Tanenbaum, Edward J.; Schlossberg, Remy E.; Soof, Camilia M.; Hekmati, Tara; Tang, George (2018). “The Role of B-Cell Maturation Antigen in the Biology and Management of, and as a Potential Therapeutic Target in, Multiple Myeloma”. Targeted Oncology. 13 (1): 39–47. doi:10.1007/s11523-017-0538-x. ISSN 1776-2596. PMID 29230672.
- ^ Ghermezi, Michael; Li, Mingjie; Vardanyan, Suzie; Harutyunyan, Nika Manik; Gottlieb, Jillian; Berenson, Ariana; Spektor, Tanya M.; Andreu-Vieyra, Claudia; Petraki, Sophia; Sanchez, Eric; Udd, Kyle (2017). “Serum B-cell maturation antigen: a novel biomarker to predict outcomes for multiple myeloma patients”. Haematologica. 102 (4): 785–795. doi:10.3324/haematol.2016.150896. ISSN 0390-6078. PMC 5395119. PMID 28034989.