Increased glycodelin levels in gynecological malignancies

Glycodelin, an immunosuppressive protein with contraceptive properties, is synthesized by a variety of tissues and cell types. The ability of reproduc tive tissues to synthesize glycodelin is of major interest in pregnancy and disease conditions. We studied glycodelin levels in subjects with malignan t gynecological tumors and in control subjects. Using a polyclonal glycodel in antibody against the synthetic glycodelin peptide sequence, an enzyme-li nked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was devised to measure plasma glycodelin l evels. The assay detected as much as 5 ng/ml of glycodelin. There was a sig nificant increase in plasma glycodelin levels in endometrial > ovarian > ce rvical cancer subjects when compared to those of controls. Strong expressio n of mRNA and protein were found in the ovarian and endometrial tumor tissu es. Given glycodelin's immunosuppressive abilities, increased level of glyc odelin may facilitate tumor growth in gynecological malignancies.