Detection of anti-HLA-F antibodies in sera from cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
We previously reported that a Q5 gene product (Q5 antigen) on the surface of tumor cells caused humoral immune reaction in syngeneic tumor-bearing mice. Transcripts of the Q5 gene were observed in various tumor cells. The human counterpart of the Q5 gene has not been clarified yet.


METHODS
Transcripts of human class Ib genes in various human tumor cell lines were analyzed by the RT-PCR method. Whether anti-HLA-F antibodies were present in sera from cancer patients was investigated through Western blotting with recombinant HLA-F as an antigen.


RESULTS
Transcripts of the HLA-F gene were produced by various tumor cell lines. In addition, anti-HLA-F IgG was present in the sera derived from various types of cancer patients (26 positives / 42 tested), but not in the sera derived from healthy donors (0 / 20).


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-HLA-F antibodies should be further investigated as possible diagnostic tumor markers.
Noguchi
Katsuo
K
Institute of Molecular Immunology, MEDINET Co., Ltd, 2-2-8 Tamagawadai, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. noguchi@medinet-inc.co.jp
Isogai
Manami
M
Kuwada
Eri
E
Noguchi
Atsutaka
A
Goto
Shigenori
S
Egawa
Kohji
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D006680:HLA Antigens; C062341:HLA-F antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins