Phenotypes of placental‐type alkaline phosphatase in seminoma sera as defined by monoclonal antibodies

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Abstract
PLAP‐like enzymes could be detected in serum of patients with primary testicular tumors, in particular seminomas. The use of a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) permitted typing into 6 different testicular serum phenotypes, of which one appeared similar to a placental type (II) and 2 have not been previously described. Most tumor sera belonged to type I, as described for seminoma tissues. With a more advanced tumor the mean serum PLAP‐like levels increased. After operation, after radiotherapy or with no evidence of disease lower or non‐detectable enzyme levels were found. In typing the tissue PLAP‐like antigen in serum of the same patient or sera from recurrences of a seminoma in the same patient, the same phenotypes of PLAP‐like antigen were usually but not always found. None of the 6 phenotypes appeared to confer a poorer prognosis. We conclude that the expression of PLAP‐like antigen is eutopic and is enhanced by testicular malignancy, especially in seminoma cells.

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