Abstract: Background and purpose: PARP-1 is closely related to malignant tumors. This study aimed to explore the clinical significance of serum level of PARP-1 protein in onset and progression of gastric cancer. Methods: The serum samples from 145 patients with gastric cancer and 112 healthy check-up cases were collected. The serum HP specificity IgA and PARP-1 protein levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The correlation of serum PARP-1 protein levels with clinical characteristics of gastric cancer was analyzed. Results: Compared with healthy people, serum PARP-1 protein levels were significantly higher in gastric cancer patients [(407±139) pg/mL vs (258±120) pg/mL, P=0.014). Serum PARP-1 protein levels were significantly higher in Hp (+) gastric cancer patients than those in patients with Hp (-) (P<0.001). Serum PARP-1 protein levels were positively correlated with family gastric cancer history (P=0.033) and alcohol intake history (P=0.015) in gastric cancer patients. Compared with serum protein PARP-1 negative patients, PARP-1 protein positive patients had a significantly shorter cancer-free survival (P=0.011). However serum PARP-1 protein level was not found to be an independent risk factor for the overall survival of gastric cancer patients using multivariate COX regression. Conclusion: High expression of serum PARP-1 protein may be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of gastric cancer. Inhibition of PARP-1 may be potential new target for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Key words: Gastric cancer, PARP-1, Serum, Helicobacter pylori