Purification of carcinoembryonic antigen by removal of contaminating mucopolysaccharides.

The fraction of carcinoembryonic antigen preparations not bound by concanavalin A was studied. A significant portion of this nonbound fraction of low antigenic activity was shown to be mucopolysaccharides by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, cellulose acetate strip electrophoresis, and depolymerization by bovine testicular hyaluronidase.