concanavalin-a and Germinoma

To investigate the impact of polychemotherapy on cellular immunity in patients with testicular cancer.. Lymphocyte subpopulations, lymphoproliferative responses to mitogenic stimulation, and mitogen-induced release of soluble interleukin-2 receptor from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated in 15 patients with testicular germ cell tumors a median of 61 months (range 7 to 73) after polychemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP).. The numbers of peripheral blood T cells (CD3+), CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, and lymphoproliferative responses to pokeweed mitogen, phytohemagglutinin, and concanavalin A in patients were comparable to those of healthy control subjects. When two groups of patients were formed according to elapsed time from BEP polychemotherapy and study onset (group A, 12 months and group B, 69 months after termination of BEP), a significant increase in lymphoproliferative response to concanavalin A (P <0.05) was found in group A 1 year after chemotherapy.. BEP chemotherapy administered to patients with testicular cancer does not result in impairment of cellular immunity but rather leads to a significant increase in the capacity of patients' lymphocytes to respond to mitogenic stimulation up to 1 year after polychemotherapy. Moreover, the increased T-cell activity found after BEP therapy may contribute to the high rate of long-term complete remission.

Topics: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Bleomycin; Cisplatin; Concanavalin A; Etoposide; Germinoma; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Lectins; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Testicular Neoplasms

In order to differentiate whether slight alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) increases observed in any patient are due to germ cell tumours (GCT) or to liver diseases (including hepatotoxicity of chemotherapy), we measured the binding ratio of the AFP to concanavalin A (ConA). A total of 218 serum samples were studied: 102 samples from 72 GCT patients and 116 from patients with liver diseases. Considering a cut-off value to be a ConA binding ratio of 15%, we distinguished AFP produced by GCT (> 15%) from AFP produced by tumoral and non-tumoral liver diseases (< or = 15%) with a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 100%. The difference between mean ConA binding ratios was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). We did not distinguish AFP produced by tumoral and non-tumoral liver diseases. ConA binding ratio may be a sensitive index to distinguish whether an increase of AFP concentration as low as 15 U/ml in a GCT patient during the follow-up is produced by the tumour or by liver dysfunction (including hepatotoxicity of chemotherapy).

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Biomarkers, Tumor; Concanavalin A; Diagnosis, Differential; Germinoma; Humans; Liver Diseases; Sensitivity and Specificity

The importance of the oncofetal glycoprotein antigen alphafetoprotein (AFP) as a tumor marker is well documented. Structural heterogeneity of AFP molecules due to its associated carbohydrate moieties has also been demonstrated. In the present study, molecular variants of AFP, Concanavalin A reactive (R Con A) and Concanavalin A nonreactive (NR Con A) were quantified in five cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), three cases of hepatoblastoma, five gonadal and two extragonadal germ cell tumors, and two suspected liver secondaries by employing crossed immunoaffino electrophoresis (CIAE). AFP peaks were localized using anti-AFP antibodies conjugated to alkaline phosphatase. Characteristic patterns of AFP R Con A and NR Con A fractions were obtained in different AFP-secreting malignancies. Serum samples of HCC and hepatoblastoma were predominantly composed of R Con A AFP, while gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumors showed significant reduction of R Con A AFP and elevation of NR Con A AFP. Analysis of AFP variants in sera from two patients of suspected liver metastasis with elevated AFP confirmed liver secondaries arising from germ cell tumor in one patient and HCC in the other patient. The present study highlights the importance of AFP microheterogeneity analysis not only as diagnostic aid for the differential diagnosis of AFP-secreting tumors, but also in providing better management and prognosis.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Child, Preschool; Concanavalin A; Diagnosis, Differential; Electrophoresis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Germinoma; Hepatoblastoma; Humans; Infant; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged