Decreased levels of circulating lytic anti-T in the serum of patients with metastatic gastrointestinal cancer: a correlation with disease burden.
Using a cytotoxicity assay, we have shown that all of 40 normal human sera tested contained antibodies cytotoxic for neuraminidase-treated red blood cells in the presence of complement. The antibodies were shown to be specific for the T disaccharide by studies using a synthetic T antigen (formula: see text). Certain patients with metastatic gastrointestinal cancer were found to have depressed serum levels of anti-T when compared to normal controls. There was a correlation between depression of circulating anti-T and disease burden in that 83% of patients with extensive disease had lower than normal levels of cytotoxic anti-T as compared to 45% of patients with moderate disease and none with minimal disease. There was no correlation between the concentration of cytotoxic anti-T and the age of the patients, time since surgery or the type of therapy the patient was receiving. Patients with low levels of cytotoxic anti-T had normal levels of cytotoxic anti-sheep red blood cell antibody. Measurement of circulating anti-T in the serum of certain cancer patients may prove valuable in the monitoring of disease progression.
D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; C025991:Thomsen-Friedenreich antibodies; D009439:Neuraminidase