Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen is a subfraction of tumor antigen TA-4 isolated from a cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The specificity of SCC antigen and the factors influencing its release into serum were evaluated. Antigen concentrations were measured in 157 tissue extracts and in 188 sera of patients with nonmalignant or malignant gynecologic diseases. A commercial radioimmunoassay based on polyclonal antibodies (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago) was used. Cytosol concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.005) in normal squamous epithelia (2 = 6040 ng/mg cell protein [CP]) and in squamous cell carcinomas (2 = 2483 ng/mg CP) of the exocervix than those in normal columnar epithelia and in adenocarcinomas of the endocervix, endometrium, ovary, and breast (2 = 1-508 ng/mg CP). Despite the high antigen concentrations in normal squamous epithelia, elevated serum levels (>2.5 ng/ml) were almost exclusively found in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinomas. The sensitivity of SCC antigen as a marker for primary carcinomas was 61%, increasing from 29% in Stage I to 89% in Stage IV. The positivity rate was higher in women with welldifferentiated (78%) and moderately differentiated carcinomas (67%) than in those with poorly differentiated tumors (38%). The results show that SCC antigen is not tumor specific. The release into serum is independent of local tissue content, but is apparently influenced by the infiltrative growth, the mass, and the degree of histologic differentiation of the tumor. Cancer 63:1337-1342, 1989. N 1977, Kato and Torigoe isolated the tumor antigen I TA-4 from a cervical squamous cell carcinoma.' TA-4 is a glycoprotein with a molecular size of 48.000 daltons which is located in the cytoplasm of normal squamous epithelia and squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen is one of 14 subfractions of TA-4, purified from liver metastases of a cervical squamous cell ~ a r c i n o m a. ~ The clinical value of TA-4 and SCC antigen as serum tumor markers for cervical cancer has been demonstrated in numerous studies .2.5-15 The sensitivity is 44% to 67% in primary and 67% to 100% in recurrent cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Serum levels of both antigens reflect the extent of the carcinoma and the progression or regression of the tumor during follow-up. However, neither antigen is specific for cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Elevated serum levels are also found in 24% to 53% of patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, esophagus and From the

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Background: Low endothelial generation of prostacyclin (PGI₂) is a typical feature of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders. The aim of the current study was to establish whether changes in PGI₂ are accompanied by alterations in fetoplacental blood flow and to test the hypothesis that PGI₂ deficiency contributes to reduced fetoplacental perfusion in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia. Methods: The study included 11 women with normal pregnancies, 12 with PIH/preeclampsia, and 7 with otherwise complicated pregnancies. Fetoplacental blood flow was assessed both by umbilical artery Doppler sonography measuring the resistance index (RI) and by means of neonatal birth weight. PGI₂ formation was measured in umbilical arteries prepared immediately after birth. PGI₂, RI and birth weight were correlated with and without correction for gestational age. Furthermore, data from patients with PIH/preeclampsia were compared with normal pregnancies as controls. Results: A significant inverse correlation was found between umbilical PGI₂ formation and umbilical RI and between birth weight and RI, whereas PGI₂ and birht weight were directly related. Patients with PIH/preeclampsia showed reduced PGI₂ formation, markedly increased gestational age-corrected RI and significantly reduced percentile birth weight. Conclusions: These results provide evidence showing that PGI₂ is a relevant mediator of fetoplacental blood flow and suggest an important role of PGI₂ deficiency in PIH/preeclampsia.

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