ISOLATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PLASMA-MEMBRANES BEARING HUMAN FETAL-ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (5) , 1468-1475
Abstract
A rabbit antiserum to 1st trimester human fetal tissue had greater reactivity in complement fixation and saturation binding assays with fetal tissues than with a pool of normal adult lung, liver and kidney and pools of the individual organs. This anti-fetal membrane reactivity was only partially inhibited by carcinoembryonic antigen. The serum still reacted strongly with human fetal and tumor cells after rendering it specific for plasma membrane components by adsorption to and elution from intact human fetal tissue culture cells. This plasma membrane-specific serum was then used to monitor the purification of the fetal membrane-associated antigens. The fetal antigens copurified with the putative plasma membrane enzymatic markers 5''-nucleotidase and Mg2+-ATPase through differential and density gradient centrifugation. Insulin-binding activity only partially copurified with the antigenic activity. Little antigenic activity was found in nuclear and mitochondrial fractions. The isolation protocol gave fetal plasma membrane-associated antigens in approximately 50% yield with moderate purification. The sera and isolation procedures described should have general utility for the detection of human oncofetal antigens.

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