Investigation of Vicia graminea lectin- and Vicia unijuga lectin-binding glycoproteins as novel oncofetal antigens in cyst and ascitic fluids of human ovarian tumors in benign, dysplastic, and malignant stages.

Perchloric acid-soluble fractions (PASFs) were obtained from cyst fluids of human benign ovarian mucinous cystadenoma, benign dermoid cyst, "borderline" mucinous cystadenoma, and malignant ovarian clear cell carcinoma, and from fluids of malignant embryonal carcinoma and malignant serous cystadenocarcinoma. PASFs from benign lesions did not react with Arachis hypogaea lectin (PNA), Vicia graminea lectin (VGA), or Vicia unijuga lectin (VUA). PASFs from "borderline" lesions reacted with PNA but did not react with VGA and VUA. PASFs from malignant tumors reacted with PNA, VGA, and VUA. These PASFs did not react positively against anti-M or -N sera. These results show that VGA- and VUA-binding glycoprotein (Vgu glycoprotein) exist in PASFs from malignant ovarian tumors, and that PNA-binding glycoprotein was present in PASFs from malignant and "borderline" ovarian tumors. Furthermore, we found the existence of Vgu glycoprotein in PASFs from various human cancer cell lines; however, the antigens were not found in PASFs from benign human cell lines.