[Characteristics of heterologous membrane antigen (HM Ag) and humoral immune response to HM Ag in pregnant women and patients with gynecologic malignancies].
Heterologous membrane antigen (HM Ag) is discovered to be incorporated into membranes of cultured human cells grown in media containing fetal calf serum (FCS). To know the characteristics of HM Ag, we investigated the dynamics of HM Ag on cell membrane, distribution of HM Ag and humoral immune response to HM Ag in pregnancy and gynecologic malignancies. The following results were obtained. HM Ag disappeared from the cell membranes of M14 grown in media with fetal calf serum (FCS) after the cells were transferred into whole human serum (12 days) or into a gamma human serum (18 days). M14 cells grown in human serum reincoporated HM Ag into their membranes within 48 hours after transfer to medium with 20% FCS. HM Ag was detected in FCS, adult bovine serum, cow's milk and erythrocytes homogenate of ox and sheep. The natural anti-HM Ag antibody appeared frequently in pregnant women, patients with gynecologic malignancies and healthy persons. These findings suggest that HM Ag must be excluded in immunologic studies of cultured human cancer cells by changing the medium from FCS to human serum or by absorbing anti-HM Ag antibody with cells carrying HM Ag.
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007104:Immune Adherence Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface