title: Differences in expression of SPan-1 and CA15-3 antigens in blood and tissues.
abstract: Pancreatic and mammary cancer cells are reported to have different oligosaccharides on the same apomucin, the MUCI gene product. A better understanding of the tissue specificity of these sugar structures may help in identifying the source of mucins when they are found in the sera. Serum levels of 3 pancreatic-cancer-associated carbohydrate epitopes identified by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) SPan-1, 19-9 and DU-PAN-2, were compared to those of CA15-3 in a variety of malignant conditions. CA15-3 identifies both carbohydrate and peptide determinants associated with the MUC1 apomucin in breast tissues. SPan-1 antigen was elevated in a high percentage of patients with pancreatic, gastric and colorectal cancer but in only a few of the patients with malignancies of non-GI origin such as breast, ovary and lung. The 19-9 and DU-PAN-2 antigens had a similar pattern of much greater sensitivity for pancreatic cancer than for these non-gastrointestinal cancers. The levels of these 3 markers showed significant correlations in pancreatic cancer. In contrast, CA15-3 was elevated in a large number of patients with breast, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancers. There was no correlation of CA15-3 with the 3 other markers in pancreatic cancer. SPan-1 and DF3/115D8 antigens in blood have different mobilities in SDS-PAGE and buoyant densities. Moreover, SPan-1 and DF3 antigenic determinants are localized in different regions of the same normal and malignant pancreas and breast tissues. Thus the SPan-1 determinant can be dissociated from the breast peptide and/or carbohydrate determinants.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Henslee
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009077:Mucins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009077:Mucins; C059729:pancreatic associated antigen, SPan-1; D009439:Neuraminidase