THE APPLICATION OF HUMAN NATURAL POLYCLONAL IgG-ANTIBODIES TO THOMSEN—FRIEDENREICH EPITOPE (TFE) FOR EVALUATION OF TFE EXPRESSION IN CANCER-ASSOCIATED MUCINS

Smorodin E.P., Kurtenkov O.A., Sergeyev B.L.

Summary. Thomsen–Friedenreich epitope (TFE) — specificity of natural polyclonal anti-TF IgG antibodies purified from cancerous sera, human monoclonal anti-TF IgM (TF1), and peanut agglutinin (PNA) in relation to mucin and tumor extracts obtained from cancer patients was investigated. The inhibition assay in ELISA with synthetic TF-polyacrylamide showed a different anti-TF IgG antibody-binding with cancer-associated mucins that appeared to be connected with TFE expression and presentation. The mucin and three of ten tumor extracts were bound with anti-TF IgG significantly (up to 100% inhibition at concentrations equal to or above 33 mg/ml). The desialylation of faintly reacted tumor extract did not enhance its reactivity with anti-TF IgG antibodies while PNA binding strongly increased. The intact extracts (n = 4) did not react with TF1. Human natural anti-TF IgG antibodies purified by immunoadsorption on synthetic TF-PAA-MPG can be used for evaluation of TFE expression in mucins.