Human protein factor of fertility and spontaneous abortion.

The concentration of human protein factor of fertility (PFF) in seminal plasma was measured by a semi-quantitative immunodiffusion method with the standard test system. Fresh seminal plasma from 202 men with normal fertility was investigated. The levels of PFF ranged from 2 to 512 mg/l in normospermic specimens. The retrospective analysis revealed a positive correlation (p < 0.001) between low PFF concentration (2-8 mg/l) in the husband's seminal plasma and primary early spontaneous abortion in the wife.

Comparative study of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay techniques in determining serum placental protein 14 levels in gynecologic patients.

A comparative analysis of radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques in determining placental protein 14 (PP14) levels in gynecologic patients was performed. Serum PP14 levels were assessed in the patients in the last period of gestation, during menopause and in healthy nonpregnant controls. The possible discrepancy in PP14 levels was also examined in gynecologic patients with benign and malignant tumors. Both RIA and ELISA techniques proved to be sufficiently sensitive to measure PP14 concentration.

Human alpha-fetoprotein and its purification by chromatography on immobilized estrogens.

Human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was isolated from human abortive tissue by biospecific chromatography on immobilized estrogens. The most effective sorbents were: estrone-0-3-hemisuccinyl-hexamethylenediamine-Sepharose CL 4B and diethylstilbestrol-diasoanisole-sulfonyl-oxyethyl-Sepharose CL 4B. As elution solution the most optimum was 10% buffered aqueous butanol. Taking into consideration the data obtained, one can conclude that AFP in human biological fluids is bound to immobilized estrogens. Butanol extraction deestrogenizes AFP, and as a result human AFP acquires affinity to immobilized estrogens. During rechromatography on immobilized diethylstilbestrol, it was possible to obtain AFP preparations of about 95% purity. The present results provide the opportunity to work out new methodological approaches to human AFP isolation using biospecific chromatography on immobilized estrogens.

Localisation of embryonic prealbumin in formalin-fixed human fetal and adult tissue.

The presence of embryonic prealbumin (EPA) has been confirmed in fetal fibroblasts, chondrocytes, and distal tubular epithelial cells by an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. EPA has often been found also in the stromal cells of benign and malignant mesodermal tumours, but not in the epithelial cells of benign and malignant epithelial tumours. That EPA is not an exclusive product of neoplastic mesodermal cells is demonstrated by our finding of EPA in fibroblasts of granulation tissue, irradiated fibroblasts, and in distal tubular epithelial cells of miscellaneous adult kidneys.

Human embryonic prealbumin as a marker for tumours and fibroblasts.

Embryonic prealbumin (E.P.A.) was demonstrated by agar immunodiffusion in 122 out of 505 homogenates of various tumours and in 7 out of 20 serum samples from patients with connective-tissue tumours. Analogous antigen was found in human embryonic and adult cultured fibroblasts. This newly identified antigen is probably actively secreted by fibroblasts into the circulation of patients with tumours.

A new placental protein test for the presence and identification of trophoblastic tumors.

Trophoblast-specific beta1-glycoprotein (TSG) is detected in serum of patients with trophoblastic and nontrophoblastic tumors by means of immunodiffusion in agar (IDF), immunoradioautography in agar (IRA), and double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA), The identification of TSG is carried out by monospecific rabbit antisera. By IRA, TSG was found in serum of patients with trophoblastic tumors both before treatment (82.4%) and after surgery and/or chemotherapy (37.2%). All so-called falsepositives were associated with teratocarcinoma of the testicle. By means of RIA, TSG was also discovered in serum of patients with a variety of malignancies. In total, the TSG level was elevated in 15% of 114 cases of nontrophoblastic malignancies; as a rule, from 3 to 12 ng/ml. TSG was not detected in normal adult blood sera and in different pathological conditions.

Development of radioimmunoassay for pregnancy-specific beta1-globulin and its measurement in serum of patients with trophoblastic and non-trophoblastic tumours.

Levels of human pregnancy-specific or trophoblast-specific beta1-globulin (TBG) were measured by double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 103 patients with trophoblastic tumours and in 114 patients with a variety of non-trophoblastic tumours. The sensitivity of RIA for TBG was about 1 ng per ml. Twenty healthy adult females and males had levels below 1 ng per ml. Using the RIA for measurement of TBG in sera which were selected from immunodiffusion-TBG-negative samples, we detected elevated TBG levels in 76.7% of cases with trophoblastic tumours and in 15% of different cases with non-trophoblastic malignancies. The diagnostic and prognostic significance of the measurement of TBG levels by RIA in patients with trophoblastic tumours is discussed.

Human pregnancy-specific beta1-globulin and its relation to chorioepithelioma.

Human serum pregnancy-specific beta1-globulin (beta1-GP) was localized in paraffin sections of placenta and chorioepithelioma of the uterus by indirect immunofluorescence. The structures containing beta1-GP but not human serum albumin were regarded as specifically associated with beta1-GP metabolism. Beta1-GP was found in trophoblastic cells of chorion and Langhans cells of chorioepithelioma. Using the immunoautoradiographic method (I131), we only found beta1-GP in sera of patients with trophoblastic tumours: in 74.3% of 35 patients with chorioepithelioma and in 80% of 25 patients with hydatidiform mole and destructive hydatidform mole. The diagnostic and prognostic significance of the immunochemical test for beta1-GP in trophoblastic tumours is discussed.