Datura stramonium agglutinin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein isoforms in hepatocellular carcinoma and other tumors.
By means of Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA) affinity electrophoresis, human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was resolved into five bands, AFP-D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, in order of decreasing mobility. AFP-D1, which had no affinity for DSA, comprised more than 84% of the intensity of total AFP bands. The percentage of AFP-D2 increased marginally in hepatitis and liver cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. AFP-D3 increased characteristically in hepatocellular carcinoma and AFP-D4, which had the highest affinity for DSA, increased up to 12% in other tumors, mostly of gastrointestinal origin. AFP-D5 showed no consistent changes among the benign and malignant diseases. The assay of AFP-D3 and D4 proved useful as a highly specific marker of hepatocellular carcinoma and other tumors, respectively.
Health Research Center, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan.
K
K
Taketa
E
E
Ichikawa
T
T
Yamamoto
H
H
Kato
S
S
Matsuura
H
H
Taga
H
H
Hirai
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood*; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D037121:Plant Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
C041384:Datura stramonium lectin; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins