This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Shields, L. B. E. Articles by Taylor, D. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shields, L. B. E. Articles by Gerçel-Taylor, C. Articles by Yashar, C. M. Articles by Wan, T. C. Articles by Katsanis, W. A. Articles by Spinnato, J. A. Articles by Taylor, D. D. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Induction of Immune Responses to Ovarian Tumor Antigens by Multiparity

Çiçek Gerçel-Taylor, PhD

Catheryn M. Yashar, MD

Tina C. Wan, MS

Ward A. Katsanis, MD

Joseph A. Spinnato, MD

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biochemistry, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky

Douglas D. Taylor, PhD

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biochemistry; Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 511 South Floyd Street, MDR 420, Louisville, KY 40202

Objective: Because epidemiologic data indicate a reduction in ovarian cancer risk with increased parity, the occurrence of maternal immunization against ovarian tumor-associated antigens during pregnancy was investigated.

Methods: Sera were obtained from nulligravid and multiparous women and from men. Cellular proteins were isolated from four ovarian tumor cell lines as well as from normal ovaries. These proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the presence of cellular proteins reactive with each individual's serum was assessed by Westrn immunoblot. Tumor-reactive antibodies from two multiparous women were used to prepare immunoaffinity columns for the isolation of reactive proteins from ovarian turmor cells. These immunoaffinity-purified antigens were transferred electrophoretically to nitrocellulose membranes, stained with Ponceau S, and identified by amino acid sequencing.

Results: Western immunoblot analysis of the cellular proteins from four established ovarian tumor cell lines using sera from multiparous women as the primary antibody indicated that these samples recognized multiple bands on ovarian tumors, ranging from 30 to 150 kD. Two commonly recognized proteins were isolated and subjected to microsequencing, which identified the 56-kD band protein as elongation factor-1 and the 38-kD protein as nucleophosmin/B23 protein. Both of these proteins play integral roles in cell growth.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that certain antigens expressed by the fetus immunize women during pregnancy. This immune response may protect these women from the subsequent development of cancer.

Key Words: Ovarian cancer • pregnancy • antitumor immunity • fetal antigens

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 4, No. 6, 298-304 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/107155769700400606


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?