Immunologic studies of human serous cystadenocarcinoma of ovary.Demonstration of tumor-associated antigens

Evidence is presented for the presence of a tumor-specific (associated) antigen(s) in human serous cystadenocarcinoma which is absent in normal ovarian tissue and other histologically similar organs. Antitumor antibodies were demonstrated by agar gel diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, and immunofluorescence after extensive absorptions of the antitumor antisera to remove antibodies against normal ovarian and related organ components, blood group substances, nonspecific serum and tissue antigens, and fibrin. Fractionation and characterization of the tumor-specific antigen(s) suggests a high molecular weight mucoprotein with β-electrophoretic mobility which gave a single antigenic peak when fractionated on Sephadex G-200 columns. The tumor-specific antigen(s) was found to be immunologically unrelated to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or the histocompatability antigens. The demonstration of antigenic cross-reactivity between pooled and individual tumor specimen extracts suggests a common tumor antigen(s) for ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.