Carbohydrate epitopes and mucins expressed by 17 human ovarian carcinoma cell lines

Ovarian carcinomas are known to be diverse in their histological types and response to therapeutic agents. Specific immunotherapy by the use of mucins or carbohydrate vaccines has been attempted, in which expression of these epitopes by each histotype should clearly be assessed. Seventeen human ovar ian carcinoma cell lines were evaluated for their expression of mucin core polypeptide mRNAs (MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC6) by the revers e transcription-polymerase chain reaction. They were also examined for thei r expression of mucin-associated carbohydrate epitopes by flow cytometry. E leven monoclonal antibodies, including those specific for Lewis antigen-rel ated epitopes and Tn-related epitopes, were used. Expression of the MUC1 ge ne and sialyl Lewis X was characteristic to all five cell lines derived fro m clear cell adenocarcinomas. Multiple mucin genes and a diverse range of c arbohydrate epitopes were observed with all six cell lines derived from muc inous adenocarcinomas. Mucin-associated carbohydrate epitopes were not dete cted on three of four serous adenocarcinoma cell lines, although MUC1 and M UC2 mRNAs were detected in all of them. Therefore, ovarian carcinoma cells from tumors of different histological types showed characteristic expressio n patterns of mucin genes and carbohydrate epitopes.