Detection of squamous cell carcinoma antigen in normal squamous epithelia and in squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix

Abstract

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

Proteomic analysis of human cervicovaginal fluid collected before preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes

“…This current study is consistent with the findings by Helmig et al (2002) where a significant reduction in M/NEI concentration in the amniotic fluid of asymptomatic women with preterm PROM, in the absence of chorioamnionitis, was observed. SCCA-1 is a broad inhibitor of cysteine proteinases, cathepsins L, S and K, which are implicated in ECM remodelling through elastin degradation (Schick et al 1998) and is localised in the squamous epithelial cells of the cervix and vagina (Crombach et al 1989, Cataltepe et al 2000. A decrease in SCCA-1 expression in the CVF of women with impending preterm PROM may reflect a concomitant increase in cathepsin activity occurring in the ECM of the supracervical membranes leading to their weakening and subsequent rupture.…”

Detection of lymph node metastasis of oesophageal cancer by RT-nested PCR for SCC antigen gene mRNA

“…For example, Ueda et al (1984) reported that the SCC antigen (referred to as TA-4) was detected in some adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix and less frequently in those of the endometrium. Crombach et al (1989) showed elevated cytosolic SCC antigen protein in adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix in comparison with other gynaecological adenocarcinomas. Takeshima et al (1992) detected mRNA of SCC antigen in the columnar cells of the cervix but not in the endometrium.…”

National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for Use of Tumor Markers in Liver, Bladder, Cervical, and Gastric Cancers

“…SCC is not organ specific (for cervix) or malignancy specific. Elevated concentrations have been found in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the vulva, vagina, head and neck, esophagus, and lung (390,427,428 ), as well as in patients with benign diseases of the skin (e.g., psoriasis, eczema), lung (e.g., sarcoidosis), liver, and kidney.…”