title: Tn, a carcinoma-associated antigen, reacts with anti-Tn of normal human sera.
abstract: Tn antigen is the immediate precursor of the carcinoma (CA)-associated T antigen; both are masked in non-CA tissues. Tn antigen was detected by absorption of human anti-Tn antibody in 46 of 50 primary breast CAs and in all 6 metastases originating from Tn-positive primary CAs. Thirteen of 25 (52%) anaplastic CAs, but only 2 of 15 (13%) well differentiated CAs had more Tn than T; 1 anaplastic CA had neither antigen. Eighteen of 20 benign breast lesions had no Tn; the 2 positive lesions were premalignant. All 19 breast CAs, studied immunohistochemically, reacted strongly with human polyclonal anti-Tn; benign or normal glandular tissues had minimal or no reactivity. Among live cancer cell lines, the most malignant sublines had more Tn than T on their cell surfaces. Preliminary studies with rodent monoclonal anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies gave immunohistochemical reactivity patterns similar to those of the polyclonal antibodies, but the former were less sensitive in absorption tests. Tn is a CA marker that promises to be useful in tumor detection.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Springer
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tegtmeyer
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Felder
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Scanlon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000276:immunology; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; C040286:Tn antigen