Address of Corresponding Author

Tumor Biol 2005;26:131-141 (DOI: 10.1159/000086484)

  Key Words

• Glycoprotein hormones
• Hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin
• Core 2 human chorionic gonadotropin isoforms
• Antibody B152

  Abstract

There have been a significant number of reports on the clinical utility of measurement of 'hyperglycosylated' isoforms of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Although there are a variety of hCG isoforms which can be termed 'hyperglycosylated', the measurements were all made using a unique antibody designated B152. This antibody was raised using a choriocarcinoma-derived form of hCG, which was hyperglycosylated with N- and O-glycans and was also 100% 'nicked' hCG. Antibody B152 was recently mapped to a linear epitope around a single O-glycan on the -subunit of hCG at residue number 132. Thus, the antibody can only measure isoforms of hCG that possess a core 2 type of branched O-glycan on this portion of the hCG -subunit. Isoforms that are hyperglycosylated in the hCG -subunit or only on the N-glycans of hCG will not be recognized by antibody B152. Apparently, measurements of these core 2 hCG isoforms have important clinical application in early pregnancy during which they are the predominant isoform of hCG until the 6th week of gestation. The secretory pattern of these isoforms can be used to predict the health status of the pregnancy in fertility clinics. Moreover, the measurements of these core 2 hCG isoforms are more useful than standard hCG for the prediction of Down syndrome pregnancies. The core 2 isoforms are also of important use in cancer diagnosis and monitoring since their concentration appears to correlate with malignancy.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Steven Birken
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W 168th Street
New York, NY 10032 (USA)
Tel. +1 212 305 5755, Fax +1 212 305 1599, E-Mail sb18@columbia.edu

  Article Information

Received: November 13, 2004
Accepted after revision: January 26, 2005
Published online: June 20, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 11
Number of Figures : 11, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 52