Open AccessDetection of Increased Fecal Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Its Characterization as a Membrane‐bound Form in Colorectal Carcinoma and Other Gastrointestinal Disorders
Author(s) -
Sugano Kokichi,
Ohkura Hisanao,
Hirohashi Setsuo,
Shimosato Yukio,
Sakurai Yoichi,
Kodaira Susumu,
Abe Osahiko
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
japanese journal of cancer research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 0910-5050
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1989.tb01647.x
Subject(s) - carcinoembryonic antigen , feces , gastroenterology , monoclonal antibody , medicine , antibody , carcinoma , chemistry , antigen , biology , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer
The levels and character of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in feces were investigated by sandwich radioimmunometric assay using anti‐CEA monoclonal antibodies NCC‐CO‐411 and NCC‐CO‐432. Mean CEA concentration was significantly higher ( P < 0.001) in the feces from patients with colorectal carcinoma and other gastrointestinal disorders as compared to normal adults. More than 90% of the fecal CEA was trapped by a 0.22 μ m membrane filter and solubilized by treatment with 1% Triton X‐100 or phosphatidyl‐inositol specific phospholipase C. In hydrophobic chromatography, most of the fecal CEA was eluted at the lowest (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 concentration while serum CEA appeared in the more hydrophilic fractions. These results suggest that the majority of CEA exists in feces as an amphiphilic molecule or a membrane‐bound form. The increase of fecal CEA may reflect the destruction and abrasion of epithelial cells in various gastrointestinal disorders.