[A new method for diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism by means of monoclonal antibody TKH-2 that recognizes mucin-type glycoprotein, a component in meconium].

Five monoclonal antibodies (moABs TKH-2, MA54, MA61, B72.3, and CC49), directed toward the O-linked mucin-type glycoprotein, showed signs of specific reactivity with human meconium. The reactivity of these moABs with meconium extract was examined by solid-phase ELISA with different native and sialidase-treated glycoproteins. All moABs react with meconium extract, whereas the reactivities of TKH-2, MA54, and MA61 are sialidase sensitive and the reactivity of TKH-2 with meconium extract was only inhibited by ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM), indicating that TKH-2 is the most sensitive and specific antibody clearly directed to the sialyl Tn antigen in meconium. The possible application of TKH-2 to diagnose amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) has been prelimiarily investigated. We demonstrated that the concentration of sialyl Tn antigen in the serum of patients with AFE was significantly increased, indicating that meconium was released into the maternal circulation. Our method for detecting sialyl Tn antigen in the serum of AFE patients is a direct way to demonstrate the release of meconium into the maternal circulation, and is a simple, rapid, non-invasive and sensitive method for the diagnosis of AFE.