CYCLIC ADENOSINE 3',5'-MONOPHOSPHATE-BINDING PROTEINS IN HUMAN OVARIAN CANCERS

The aims of the present study were to characterise an assay for cAMP-b inding proteins in ovarian cancer and then to measure levels in a seri es of tumours with a view to developing a potential prognostic indicat or for this disease. Levels and types of binding proteins have been me asured in cytosols from 50 ovarian tumours. Binding proteins were dete cted in all tumours but, as calculated from Scatchard analysis, bindin g levels ranged from 267 to 12,037 fmol per mg of cytosol protein (mea n value of 4248 fmol mg(-1)). Dissociation constants of binding varied between 0.4 x 10(-8) and 5.9 x 10(-8) (mean value 2.3 x 10(-8)). Type s of binding protein were detected by incubation with the photoaffinit y ligand 8-N-3-[P-32]cAMP, followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophore sis and autoradiography. Labelled proteins with molecular weights of 5 2, 48, 43, 39 and 37 kDa were identified in the cytosols. The proporti on and pattern of bands detected varied between different cytosols. Th e significance of these findings awaits clinical follow-up of the pati ents.