myelin-basic-protein and Uterine-Neoplasms

Lymphocytes from 278 gynaecological patients (100 controls and 178 patients with a malignant condition) have been investigated for their response to encephalitogenic factor, cancer basic protein, and KCl extract of adenocarcinoma of the body of the uterus as "antigens", using tanned sheep erythrocytes ETS as indicator particles in the electrophoretic mobility test (EMT). Electrophoretic mobility was measured with a Zeiss cytopherometer. The study was split into three test series producing in the cancer group 66% correct positive test results (34% false negatives) and in the control group 83% correct negative results (17% false positives). Consequently, with the instrumentation used, EMT is, at least in our hands, not sufficiently reliable for the diagnosis of cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Antigens, Neoplasm; Electrophoresis; Female; Genital Neoplasms, Female; Humans; Lymphocytes; Middle Aged; Myelin Basic Protein; Neoplasm Proteins; Uterine Neoplasms

In 1970, Field and Caspary reported that lymphocytes from patients with malignant disease can be stimulated by a basic protein from human brain (human encephalitogenic protein--HEP). The stimulated lymphocytes are capable of releasing the macrophage-slowing factor, which reduces the electrophoretic mobility of guinea-pig macrophages. In general, this effect was not found with lymphocytes from patients without malignant disease. This paper deals with the application of the MEM test using HEP and HCG as antigen in the diagnosis of trophoblastic disease. We have found cellular sensitization against HCG in all patients with gestational trophoblastic tumours and against HEP in patients with hydatidiform moles of the group II or III as well as choriocarcinoma. Patients with malignant tumours of different localization showed a cellular sensitization against HEP, but only some against HCG. In pregnant women no cellular sensitization against HEP as well as HCG was detected. The results of the MEM test using HEP as antigen in patients with gestational trophoblastic tumours are compared with the clinical findings and the histological diagnosis. By means of this combination a more exact evaluation of the biological activity of the trophoblastic disease was obtained.

Topics: Adult; Choriocarcinoma; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Electrophoresis; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Hydatidiform Mole; Lymphocyte Activation; Macrophages; Middle Aged; Myelin Basic Protein; Pregnancy; Uterine Neoplasms