title: Alpha-fetoprotein-lectin binding as a marker of tumour activity or liver damage.
abstract: To establish whether alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) produced in the early post-treatment phase of a patient with a germ cell tumour of the testis or the ovary originates from the tumour or is due to an underlying disturbance in liver function, the binding of AFP to concanavalin A (Con A) was investigated as a discriminative variable. A two-step assay is described that can distinguish the type of AFP produced at levels as low as 10 ng/ml. A Con A-binding ratio of 12-43% was found in the patients with disseminated germ cell tumours and in patients with AFP-positive gastrointestinal carcinomas. AFP from the liver gives ratios below 10%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marrink
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sleijfer
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schraffordt Koops
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000097:blood*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D011485:Protein Binding; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D003208:Concanavalin A