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Tn, a carcinoma‐associated antigen, reacts with anti‐Tn of normal human sera
Author(s) -
Springer Georg F.,
Taylor Clive R.,
Howard Donald R.,
Tegtmeyer Herta,
Desai Parimal R.,
Murthy Satya M.,
Felder Barbara,
Scanlon Edward F.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19850201)55:3<561::aid-cncr2820550315>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - polyclonal antibodies , immunohistochemistry , antigen , antibody , pathology , monoclonal antibody , breast carcinoma , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , breast cancer , carcinoma , anaplastic carcinoma , cancer , biology , immunology
Abstract Tn antigen is the immediate precursor of the carcinoma (CA)‐associated T antigen; both are masked in non‐CA tissues. Tn antigen was detected by absorption of human anti‐Tn antibody in 46 of 50 primary breast CAs and in all 6 metastases originating from Tn‐positive primary CAs. Thirteen of 25 (52%) anaplastic CAs, but only 2 of 15 (13%) well differentiated CAs had more Tn than T; 1 anaplastic CA had neither antigen. Eighteen of 20 benign breast lesions had no Tn; the 2 positive lesions were premalignant. All 19 breast CAs, studied immunohistochemically, reacted strongly with human polyclonal anti‐Tn; benign or normal glandular tissues had minimal or no reactivity. Among live cancer cell lines, the most malignant sublines had more Tn than T on their cell surfaces. Preliminary studies with rodent monoclonal anti‐Tn and anti‐T antibodies gave immunohistochemical reactivity patterns similar to those of the polyclonal antibodies, but the former were less sensitive in absorption tests. Tn is a CA marker that promises to be useful in tumor detection.