Abstract

Described in several epithelial cancer cells, Tn- (GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) and T- (Galβ3GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) antigens are examples of tumor-associated antigens. Increased expression of Tn- and T-antigens is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, and patients with high concentration of anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies have a more benign evolution of pathology. Asialofetuin (ASF) and ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM) are two glycoproteins that expose T- and Tn-antigen, respectively. In this work, using ASF or OSM we affinity-purified anti-T and anti-Tn antibodies from normal human plasma and tested their ability to specifically recognize tumor human tissues. Whereas purified anti-T antibodies (purity degree increase of 127-fold, and 22% recovery) were mainly IgG, for purified anti-Tn antibodies (purity degree enhancement of 125-fold, and 26% yield) the IgM fraction was predominant over the IgG one. IgG2 subclass was significantly enriched in both purified antibody samples. Purified antibodies did not bind normal human tissue (0/42), although recognized malignant tissues from different origin such as colon carcinoma (11/77 by anti-Tn; 7/79 by anti-T), breast carcinoma (10/23 by anti-Tn; 7/23 by anti-T), and kidney carcinoma (45/51 by anti-Tn; 42/51 by anti-T). Our results suggest that purified human anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies have a potential as anti-tumor therapeutic agents; restoring their levels in human sera could positively affect the evolution of patients with epithelial tumor pathologies.

Highlights

  • The phenotype of epithelial cancer cell is greatly conditioned by glycoconjugates from glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans

  • Pathology evolution of patients with high concentration of anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies is more benign[11]. These results suggest that restitution of human anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies should positively affect the evolution of patients with epithelial tumor pathologies

  • The purity of eluted proteins was evaluated by SDS-PAGE stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB), and immunoglobulin isotypes were identified by western blot (WB) using anti-human IgG, IgM and total immunoglobulin antibodies (Fig. 1)

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Summary

Introduction

The phenotype of epithelial cancer cell is greatly conditioned by glycoconjugates from glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans. O-GalNAc glycans present on carcinoma cells are commonly truncated structures exposing cryptic regions that are normally hidden. Tumor associated-antigens (TAAs) are terminal residues chemically well know with more often in cancer cells than normal cells. Normal human sera contain multiple antibodies recognizing specific glycan residues[7], and different hypothesis attempt to explain the origin of natural anti-glycan antibodies[8]. Natural anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies are present in normal human sera[9], and studies of anti-Tn and anti-T antibodies in patients with epithelial carcinomas showed reduced levels of these anti-glycan antibodies[10]. In the present study we purified two populations of antibodies (anti-Tn and anti-T) from pooled human plasma and evaluated their ability to recognize human carcinoma tissue, aiming to uncover potential applications in antineoplastic therapy

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