The macrophage electrophoretic mobility (MEM) test for the diagnosis of hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma. Preliminary report.

In 1970, Field and Caspary reported that lymphocytes from patients with malignant disease can be stimulated by a basic protein from human brain (human encephalitogenic protein--HEP). The stimulated lymphocytes are capable of releasing the macrophage-slowing factor, which reduces the electrophoretic mobility of guinea-pig macrophages. In general, this effect was not found with lymphocytes from patients without malignant disease. This paper deals with the application of the MEM test using HEP and HCG as antigen in the diagnosis of trophoblastic disease. We have found cellular sensitization against HCG in all patients with gestational trophoblastic tumours and against HEP in patients with hydatidiform moles of the group II or III as well as choriocarcinoma. Patients with malignant tumours of different localization showed a cellular sensitization against HEP, but only some against HCG. In pregnant women no cellular sensitization against HEP as well as HCG was detected. The results of the MEM test using HEP as antigen in patients with gestational trophoblastic tumours are compared with the clinical findings and the histological diagnosis. By means of this combination a more exact evaluation of the biological activity of the trophoblastic disease was obtained.