Differential immunization identifies PHB1/PHB2 as blood-borne tumor antigens.
Early diagnosis of cancer is crucial for successful treatment. Noninvasive assays for detecting tumor-derived antigens in serum and other bodily fluids have the potential to screen healthy individuals for hitherto undetected cancers. Very few such assays have been successfully developed, in part because identifying potential target antigens remains a challenge. To identify new blood-borne tumor antigens for the purpose of establishing such assays, we have developed a novel technique called differential immunization. Using this method, we have identified PHB1 and PHB2, proteins thought to function as mitochondrial chaperones and transcriptional regulators, as antigens released from colorectal tumors in vivo. Serum from colorectal patients contains significantly higher levels of these antigens compared to serum from healthy volunteers. These data demonstrate that differential immunization is an effective new method for identifying tumor-derived antigens in serum.
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Toxikologie und Genetik, Postfach 3640, D-76021, Germany.
Jörg
J
Mengwasser
Angela
A
Piau
Peter
P
Schlag
Jonathan P
JP
Sleeman
D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; C000717328:PHB protein, human; C000717331:PHB2 protein, human; C000717333:Phb2 protein, mouse; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012097:Repressor Proteins