Trachea-specific antigens in normal and malignant human tissues.

One to four trachea-specific antigens were demonstrated regularly by means of various rabbit antisera to human tracheal mucosa, using immunoelectrophoresis or Ouchterlony tests. In addition, one or more antigens common to trachea and oesophagus were found. Trachea-specific antisera cross-reacted with rhesus monkey but not with bovine, ovine, equine or porcine trachea. The three most prominent trachea-specific antigens were localized in the same fraction by chromatography. The chromatographic fraction was usable in tanned cell haemagglutination, but only trachea-oesophagus antigen, and not trachea-specific antigen, seemed to attach to tanned cells. Of the ten cancers of the respiratory tract tested, three were found to retain some trachea-specific antigen.