Tumor-antigen 4. Its immunohistochemical distribution and tissue and serum concentrations in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and esophagus

Abstract

The immunohistochemical distribution and concentrations of tumor-antigen 4 (TA-4) in tissues and serum were determined in patients with benign and malignant diseases, including 27 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; 15 in the lung and 12 in the esophagus). Tumor-antigen 4 immunoreactivity was present in the cytoplasm of many SCC tissues, especially in the hyperparakeratotic region, and in the cytoplasm of differentiated squamous cells of the intermediate layer of normal epithelia of various organs, but not in those of other types of lung cancers or benign pulmonary diseases. Consistent with the results of immunostaining, the TA-4 concentrations in SCC tissues of the lung, esophagus, and normal squamous epithelia were much higher than in those of lung cancer other than SCC, benign pulmonary diseases, normal lung, and submandibular gland tissues. The TA-4 concentration in SCC tissue tended to increase with increasing grades of differentiation. Serum TA-4 was elevated in 15 of 27 patients with SCC but in no patients with other types of lung cancer or benign diseases. These results indicate that TA-4 is an antigen related to the differentiation of squamous cells and that tumor cells of SCC can release a large amount of TA-4 into circulation whereas normal squamous epithelia cannot.

Co-expression of the Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigens 1 and 2 in Normal Adult Human Tissues and Squamous Cell Carcinomas

“…This pattern of expression was similar to that observed in several studies using nondiscriminatory antibodies raised against the TA-4 complex (Tsuji et al 1989;Kearsley et al 1990;Mino-Miyagawa et al 1990). Collectively, these data suggest that SCCA1 and SCCA2 MAbs are useful in assessing the differentiation states of SCCs.…”

“…In a previous study, TA-4 immunoreactivity was detected in the intermediate layer of the squamous epithelium in the tongue, pharynx, and esophagus and in the ductal epithelia of the submandibular glands (Mino-Miyagawa et al 1990). Kato (1996) reports that the acidic form of SCCA is normally found in the saliva as a result of active secretion from the salivary glands.…”

“…SCCA immunoreactivity in normal squamous epithelium of the skin was reported in several studies (Mino-Miyagawa et al 1990;Horiuchi et al 1994). By radioimmunoassay, Crombach et al (1989) and Mino-Miyagawa et al (1990) showed that SCCA concentration in normal skin epithelium is comparable to that in the squamous epithelia of vagina, cervix, esophagus, and SCCs of the cervix.…”

CYFRA 21-1 determination in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

“…Serum SCC antigen, detected in the normal squamous epithelium and in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus has been considered a useful tumor marker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. 1 SCC antigen predicts recurrence or progression of the disease and has been used extensively for this purpose. However, clinical use of this marker has been restricted because of lack of sensitivity.…”

Proteomics-Based Identification of Proteins Secreted in Apical Surface Fluid of Squamous Metaplastic Human Tracheobronchial Epithelial Cells Cultured by Three-Dimensional Organotypic Air-Liquid Interface Method

“…This result is somewhat consistent with previous reports that SCCA is not present in respiratory secretions from the normal epithelium of the lung (27) but is present in secretions from areas of squamous metaplasia in the lung (28). Although SCCA activity was previously detected in inflammatory lung disease (27), SCCA may be secreted from nonsquamous epithelial cells undergoing squamous metaplastic changes in response to severe inflammation.…”