Tumor markers of the central nervous system.

For serological diagnosis of human tumors, two presuppositions have to be fulfilled: a) The distinct cancer has to express specific antigens, as tumor markers, and b) the patient has to produce antibodies against these markers in order to allow their detection. Gliomas are among those human malignancies known to elicit an immune response. By a variety of methods in which viable tumor cells have been used, immunity directly partly against tumor-associated antigens and partly against glia cell-specific antigens could be demonstrated in glioma patients. An isolated tumor antigen would provide a more convenient tool in this respect. We have therefore approached this problem by identifying and isolating tumor-associated components from glioma tissue. Immunological identical antigens could be detected in all human gliomas tested so far by a rabbit antiserum. Electrophoretic analysis revealed at least two tumor-associated polypeptides with an estimated molecular weight of 55,000 and 10,000 dalton. Using these soluble tumor-associated components as antigen source, cross-reacting antibodies could be detected in 79% of the glioma patients' sera.