Summary
Using conventional radioimmunoassay kits, we measured concentrations of two cancer-related antigens, tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) throughout gestation and at delivery. The maternal serum was collected from 147 pregnant women between 5 and 43 weeks gestation and 27 women were studied at delivery at which time samples of maternal blood, umbilical artery and vein blood as well as amniotic fluid were collected. The various concentrations of TPA and CA125 were compared with placental weight and infant birth weight. The results are summarized as follows:
-
(1)
Mean TPA levels in maternal serum increased with advancing gestation and rose above 110 U/l (upper non-pregnant limit) from 35 weeks onwards. Mean CA125 levels rose above 35 U/ml (normal non-pregnant upper limit) before 9 weeks gestation and thereafter fell. Both levels were markedly raised immediately after delivery.
-
(2)
In umbilical artery and vein serum, mean TPA levels were slightly raised. However, there were no significant differences between TPA levels in maternal serum and matched serum from the umbilical artery and vein. Mean umbilical CA125 levels were below 35 U/ml, while mean CA125 levels were significantly higher in the corresponding maternal serum.
-
(3)
The concentrations of TPA and CA125 were extremely high in amniotic fluid. The mean values reached 3604 U/l and 2187 U/ml, respectively.
-
(4)
None of the concentrations of TPA and CA125 in those pregnancy-related body fluids correlated significantly with birth weight, placental weight or fetal sex.
These findings suggest that the production of these two cancer-related antigens is not by the fetus but the placenta.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bast RC, Feeney M jr, Lazarus H, Nadler LM (1981) Reactivity of a monoclonal antibody with human ovarian carcinoma. J. Clin Invest 68:1331–1337
Bast RC, Klug, TL, St John E, Jenison E, Niloff JM, Lazarus H, Berkowitz RS, Leavitt T, Griffiths T, Parker L, Zurawski, VR, Knapp RC (1983) A radioimmunoassay using monoclonal antibody to monitor the course of epithelial ovarian cancer. New Engl J Med 309:883–887
Björklund B (1981) Tissue polypeptide antigen, review and recent progress. Contr Oncol 7:73–87
Björglund B, Björklund V (1957) Antigenicity of pooled human malignant and normal tissues by cyto-immunological technique: presence of an insoluble, heat-labile tumor antigen. Int Arch Allergy 10:153–184
Björklund B, Wiklund B, Lüning B, Anderson K, Kallin E, Björklund V (1980) Radioimmuno-assay of TPA. A laboratory test in cancer. Tumor Diagnostik 1:78–84
Braunstein GD, Rasor J, Adler S, Vaitukaitis JL, Ross GT (1973) Serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels throughout normal pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 126:678–681
Bremme K, Eneroth P, Nilsson B, Olsson M (1985) Maternal and cord serum levels of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in normal pregnancies. Gynecol Obstet Invest 19:118–123
Eerdekens MW, Nouwen EJ, Pollet DE, Briers TW, De Broe ME (1985) Placental alkaline phosphatase and cancer antigen 125 in sera of patients with benign and malignant diseases. Clin Chem 31:687–690
Fukazawa I, Inaba N, Ota Y, Sato N, Shirotake S, Iwasawa H, Sato T, Takamizawa H, Wiklund B (1988) Serum levels of six tumor markers in patients with benign and malignant gynecological disease. Arch Gynecol Obstet 243:61–68
Gordon YB, Jeffrey D, Grudzinskas JG, Chard T (1977) Concentrations of pregnancy-specific β1-glycoprotein in maternal blood in normal pregnancy and in intrauterine growth retardation. Lancet 1:331–333
Hagbard K, Sorbe B (1978) Preliminary experiences of TPA (Tissue Polypeptide Antigen) in cancer of the ovary. Lakartidningen 75:3433–3435
Ikarashi T, Takeuchi S (1987) Immunohistochemical localization of placental proteins and tumor-associated antigens in endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia. Acta Obstet Gynaecol Jpn 39:1634–1640
Inaba N, Ijichi M, Fukazawa I, Satoh N, Nito A, Ota Y, Iwasawa H, Sekiya S, Takamizawa H, Okabe M, Kubota N, Wiklund B, Björklund V, Björklund B (1984) Tissue polypetide antigen (TPA) in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. In: Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Human Tumor Markers (Vienna) No. 207
Inaba N, Fukazawa I, Ota Y, Nito A, Ijichi M, Sato N, Takamizawa H (1985) Tissue polypeptide antigen and cancer antigen 125 in pregnancy. — These two cancer-related antigens are oncoplacental? Acta Obstet Gynaecol Jpn 37:2139–2140
Itahashi K, Inaba N, Takamizawa H (1988) Immunohistochemical study of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) in the human and cynomolgus monkey placenta, umbilical cord and decidua. Arch Gynecol Obstet 243:145–155
Kabawat SE, Bast RC jr, Bhan AK, Welch WR, Knapp RC, Colvin RB (1983) Tissue distribution of a coelomic epithelium related antigen recognized by the monoclonal antibody OC125. Int J Gynecol Pathol 2:275–285
Kabawat SE, Bast RC jr, Welch WR, Knapp RC, Colvin RB (1983) Immunopathologic characterization of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes common surface antigens of human ovarian tumors of serous, endometrioid, and clear cell types. Am J Clin Pathol 79:98–104
Klug TL, Bast RC jr, Niloff JM, Knapp RC, Zurawski VR jr (1984) Monoclonal antibody immunoradiometric assay for an antigenic determinant (CA125) associated with human epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Cancer Res 44:1048–1053
Menendez-Botet CJ, Oettgen HF, Pinsky CM, Schwartz MK (1978) A preliminary evaluation of tissue polypeptide antigen in serum or urine (both) of patients with cancer or benign neoplasms. Clin Chem 24:868–872
Nemoto T, Constantine R, Chu TM (1979) Human tissue polypeptide antigen in breast cancer. J Nat Cancer Inst 63:1347–1350
Stryten A, Unsgaard B, Björklund B, Eklund G (1981) Serum TPA related to activity in a wide spectrum of cancer conditions. Tumor Diagnostik 2:117–120
Szymendera JJ (1986) Clinical usefulness of three monoclonal antibody-defined tumor markers: CA19-9, CA50, and CA125. Tumor Biology 7:333–342
Takamizawa H, Inaba N, Iwasawa H, Fukazawa I, Ijichi M, Sato N, Tsunashima I, Ota Y, Sakamoto M, Nito A (1984) A new tumor marker, cancer antigen 125 in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (in Japanese). Igaku to Yakugaku 12:248–257
Towler CM, Jandial V, Horne CHW, Bohn H (1976) A serial study of pregnancy proteins in primigravidae. Br J Obstet Gynecol 83:368–374
Wiklund B (1980) Studies on tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and its antigenic determinant. Chem Commun Univ Stockholm: Dissertation
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Itahashi, K., Inaba, N., Fukazawa, I. et al. Immunoradiometrical measurement of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) in pregnancy and at delivery. Arch Gynecol Obstet 243, 191–197 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932267
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932267