Gamma fetal antigen in spontaneous and carcinogen-induced rodent tumors. Survey of sarcomas and hepatic carcinomas.
Fourteen distinct rodent sarcomas and hepatic carcinomas were examined serologically for the presence of the tumor-associated gamma fetal antigen (gamma-FA). Using heterologous antiserum specific for gamma-FA, this antigen could be identified in saline extracts of each of the tumors surveyed; animals bearing gamma-FA-positive cancers had immunoprecipitable levels of gamma-FA in their sera. Although gamma-FA was associated with hepatic neoplasms of diverse phenotypes, low- or non-albumin-producing tumors had more gamma-FA per milligram of saline-extractable protein than did the more differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas. Gamma-FA became detectable in the sera of BALB/c mice bearing transplanted Meth A sarcomas and hepatocarcinogen-treated Wistar rats early during the time course of tumor growth. These data strongly suggest that serum gamma-FA levels may serve as a useful monitor of tumor presence and progression.
D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D051381:Rats; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D005326:Fetal Proteins; C021679:gamma-fetal antigen