A low pH enzyme linked immunoassay using two monoclonal antibodies for the serological detection and monitoring of breast cancer

Abstract

Summary A new, simple and sensitive low pH ELISA method has been developed to measure serum levels of tumour associated antigens detectable by monoclonal antibodies HMFG1 and HMFG2. We examined sera from healthy controls, patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions of breast, liver and gastrointestinal tract. The majority of patients with metastatic breast cancer had elevated serum antigens (69% HMFG1, 72% HMFG2) compared to healthy controls (6.3% HMFG1, 3.0% HMFG2) or patients with benign breast disease (17% HNFG1, 4% HMFG2). There was no discrimination using these assays between patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions of liver and gastrointestinal tract. This new method promises to be of value in the assessment and management of patients with breast cancer.

Purification and biochemical characterisation of a novel breast carcinoma associated mucin-like glycoprotein defined by antibody 3E1.2

“…Most of these antibodies have been shown to detect circulating antigens in the serum of patients with advanced breast cancer but the detection in localised breast cancer has been poor (Burchell et al, 1984;Dhokia et al, 1986;Hayes et al, 1985;Hilkens et al, 1984Hilkens et al, , 1986Kufe et al, 1984). All of these monoclonal antibodies define antigens which have common biochemical characteristics:…”

HMFG1 antigen: A new marker for carcinomatous meningitis

“…The molecular weight of the mucin can vary due to genetic polymorphism in the core protein (Swallow et al, 1986) and the glycosylation of this core protein appears to be different in normal and malignant epithelial cells (Burchell et al, 1983). The PEM mucin (polymorphic epithelial mucin) is shed from cells and has been detected in the sera of breast and ovarian cancer patients by techniques using a number of antibodies (Burchell et al, 1984;Ward and Cruickshank, 1987;Hayes et ul., 1985;Hilkens et al, 1986;Dhokia et al, 1986;Price et al, 1987). Most of these assays also detect the mucin in a proportion of normal individuals, although certain epitopes appear to be preferentially expressed on the cancer-associated mucin (Burchell et al, 1987).…”

A new immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies HMFG1 and HMFG2 together with an existing marker CA125 for the serological detection and management of epithelial ovarian cancer

“…The accompanying paper (Dhokia et al, 1986) describes the results of serum assays for HMFGI and HMFG2 antigens in sera from patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic breast, liver and gastrointestinal diseases.…”

“…If all markers are negative then it is extremely unlikely that active disease is present. Furthermore, in view of the high positive rate in patients with breast cancer (Dhokia et al, 1986) this panel of antibodies (HMFG1 and HMFG2) should be tested for its potential as a screening method for ovarian or breast cancer in high risk asymptomatic patients.…”