Presence of Vicia graminea or Vicia unijuga lectin-binding (Vgu) glycoproteins with and without Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen in normal human seminal plasma.

Vgu glycoprotein (Vicia graminea lectin- or Vicia unijuga lectin-binding glycoprotein) has been reported as oncofetal antigen, which is found in many kind of tumor tissues, amniotic fluid and fetal membranes. In autoradiography with an 125I-labeled Vicia unijuga lectin (VUA) probe and an 125I-labeled Arachis hypogaea lectin (PNA, anti-T lectin) probe, seminal plasma samples of eight healthy men gave 2-7 Vgu glycoproteins without T antigen, 1-2 Vgu glycoproteins with Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (T antigen) and 1-8 T-antigen glycoproteins, respectively. These results show that in addition to T-antigen glycoproteins, normal human seminal plasma contains Vgu glycoproteins and Vgu glycoproteins with T antigen as seminal plasma components as well as other tumor markers such as CA19-9, CA-125 and CEA.