Antigen shared by HeLa-like human cell line and gastric mucosa.

An antigen of human gastric mucosa immunologically related to the antigen of established HeLa-like cell lines (CL-GMA) is described. In gel-immunodiffusion test the antigen was revealed in 10/10 samples of normal gastric mucosa (including all parts of stomach), in 15/16 samples of cancer patients' gastric mucosa 5-10 cm distant from tumor and in 2/2 samples of ulcer patients' mucosa 5-10 cm distant from the ulcer. However, the antigen was undetectable at a distance 1-2 cm from ulcer. Homogenates of 39 embryonic organs and tissues were screened for the presence of CL-GMA. CL-GMA was detected in 7/7 samples of gastric mucosa. The antigen was revealed in trace amounts in 1/4 samples of small intestine mucosa and in 1/4 samples of spleen. Screening of 66 human tumors revealed CL-GMA in 13/16 samples of gastric cancer and in trace amounts in 2 tumors of non-stomach localization (larynx and rectum). Analysis of aceton-fixed paraffin sections by means of immunofluorescence revealed be CL-GMA in all parts of stomach. CL-GMA localized in the basal area of high columnar epithelial cells. The antigen was almost or totally undetectable in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas of stomach and in tumors of other localization. We could not detect CL-GMA in the sera of various cancer patients by means of immunodiffusion and/or dot-blotting.