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Naturally Occurring Antibodies to Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM)

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Abstract

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) is an epithelial tumor-associated antigen that is expressed by a number of normal tissues and has been used as a target in many immunotherapy studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of serum anti-EpCAM IgG (immunoglobulin G) antibodies in colon cancer and tumor-free patients and to assess the tumor protective value of anti-EpCAM antibodies. One third of both the cancer (16/48) and the control (9/27) patients had detectable antibodies. Although the mean antibody concentration was higher in cancer patients (0.048 ± 0.120 U) than in controls (0.038 ± 0.064 U) the difference was not statistically significant. Western blot analysis revealed reactivity to multiple HT29 cell proteins including a 40-kDa protein (presumed to be Ep-CAM). Monoclonal anti-EpCAM 323/A3 antibody did not have a tumor-protective effect in murine Ep-CAM expressing colocarcinoma. We conclude that Ep-CAM is immunogenic not only for cancer patients, but also for tumor-free individuals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 630 West, 168th Street, New York, New York, 10032, USA

    Irena Kirman, Dareema Jenkins, Ryan Fowler & Richard L. Whelan

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  1. Irena Kirman
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  2. Dareema Jenkins
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  3. Ryan Fowler
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  4. Richard L. Whelan
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Correspondence to Irena Kirman.

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Kirman, I., Jenkins, D., Fowler, R. et al. Naturally Occurring Antibodies to Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM). Dig Dis Sci 48, 2306–2309 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:DDAS.0000007867.25896.ce

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:DDAS.0000007867.25896.ce

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