Erythrina cristagalli lectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein-E2: a marker of hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignancies.
A newly isolated lectin Erythrina cristagalli (ECL) was tested for separation of human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) glycoforms by affinity electrophoresis at 0.5 mg/ml and separated AFP bands were detected by antibody-affinity blotting. Three AFP bands, AFP-E1, AFP-E2 and AFP-E3 in order of increasing affinity, were obtained. Sera from control patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis gave a major band of AFP-E1 and a minor or trace band of AFP-E2 (3.4 +/- 2.3%), while those from patients with mostly advanced hepatocellular carcinomas had increased proportions of AFP-E2 band (16.6 +/- 10.2%). With a cutoff level of 8% (mean + 2SD of AFP-E2 for controls), the sensitivity for hepatocellular carcinoma was 72% at a specificity of 100%. Gastrointestinal tumors had much higher percentages of AFP-E2 and occasionally positive AFP-E3. Most of the yolk sac tumors examined showed AFP-E3 in addition to AFP-E2, although AFP-E3 was a minor band. Thus, AFP-E2 is potentially a clinically useful marker for differentiation of increased AFP in hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignancies from that in precancerous chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Honen Corporation, Yokohama, Japan.
M
M
Kamei
A
A
Misawa
J
J
Arai
K
K
Kamakura
K
K
Taketa
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003720:Densitometry; D004586:Electrophoresis; D018240:Endodermal Sinus Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C045629:erythrina lectin