Establishment and evaluation of a radioimmunoassay for neuron-specific enolase. A marker for small cell lung cancer.
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was purified from human brain to a specific activity of 91 U/mg with no demonstrable impurities. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 96,000, consists of two subunits of 47,000, and has an isoelectric point at pH 4.5. A radioimmunoassay based on antibody raised in sheep was established. The assay has a sensitivity of 2 micrograms/l, and an interassay coefficient of variation of 6.4% at 10 micrograms/l. The reference limit was defined as 10 micrograms/l, as found in sera from a population of 389 persons. Of 50 untreated patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 70% had NSE levels above 10 micrograms/l. None of 170 patients with non-SCLC neoplasms had elevated enzyme levels.
Paus
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Central Laboratory, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Risberg
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007106:Immune Sera; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase