Effects of interfering and influencing factors on the analyses of p105 (c-erbB-2/HER-2) oncoprotein fragment in serum.
BACKGROUND
The 105 kDa extracellular domain of c-erbB-2 encoded protein p185 is detectable in serum. Elevated p105 serum levels were found in patients with breast and ovarian cancer and in pregnancy. The effects of interfering and influencing factors on the measurement are still unclear.


METHODS
We used an ELISA based on the monoclonal capture antibody OD-3 and investigated possible interfering factors, like changing transporting and storing conditions of blood and serum samples. In order to evaluate a normal range of p105 serum values we examined 71 healthy women.


RESULTS
In our tests we found no influence on the reproducibility of results by changing transporting and storing conditions. We could not find any dependency of p105 serum values on the menstrual cycle or the age of controls. Postmenopausal women showed significantly higher serum values than premenopausal women (p = 0.0127).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical interpretation of female p105 serum values requires comparison with normal ranges when considering the menopause as an influencing factor.
Mielke
S
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
Meden
H
H
Raab
T
T
Wuttke
W
W
Kuhn
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood*
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases