Tumor-associated antigen for cystadenocarcinomas of the ovary.

An ovarian cystadenocarcinoma-associated antigen (OCAA) was found to be common to all serous and mucinous cystadenocarcinomas of the ovary. It was apparently absent in tissues of normal reproductive organs. Furthermore, OCAA was not detected in benign ovarian serous and mucinous cyst-adenomas or in any other gynecologic or nongynecologic cancers thus far tested. The antigenic determinant of OCAA was immunologically unrelated to the carcinoembryonic antigen, other known tumor antigens, or the histocompatibility antigens. We purified and partially characterized OCAA. The antigen was a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein soluble in 0.6 M perchloric acid. It consisted of about 50-60% protein (based on dry wt). Amino acid composition in OCAA was characterized by a high percentage of threonine, serine, proline, and valine. Galactose and N-acetylglucosamine were the principal carbohydrate constituents. The antigenic activity was resistant to treatment with trypsin and protease and also to treatment with DNase, RNase, and N-acetylneuraminidase. The antigenicity was considerably reduced by mild periodate oxidation.