Immunohistochemical versus molecular detection of RAK antigens in breast cancer.

RAK antigens p120, p42, and p25 exhibit molecular and immunological similarity to the proteins encoded by HIV-1 and are expressed by 95% of breast and gynecological cancer cases in women and prostate cancer cases in men. Binding of the monoclonal antibody (MAb) RAK-BrI to cancer RAK antigens has been found to be inhibited by a peptide derived from the variable loop V3 of HIV-1. Since MAb RAK-BrI has been developed against denatured froms of breast cancer proteins, and it binds to a short epitope, GRAF, this MAb does not recognize the native, three-dimensional structure of proteins.

Relevance of the viral RAK alpha gene in diagnosis of malignant versus nonmalignant tumors of the ovary and uterus.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-like antigens RAK (named after the inventor E. M. Rakowicz) p120, p42, and p25, as well as HIV-1-like segments of cancer DNA (RAK gene alpha), have been found before in breast and prostate cancers.

Giant syncytia and virus-like particles in ovarian carcinoma cells isolated from ascites fluid.

Ovarian cancer cells were isolated from ascites fluid of 30 different patients diagnosed with cystadenocarcinoma of ovaries. Large colonies of malignant ASC cells were observed during the first week of cell growth in vitro. Colony formation was followed by fusion of cells and formation of large multinucleated and highly vacuolated syncytia.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1-like DNA sequences and immunoreactive viral particles with unique association with breast cancer.

RAK antigens p120, p42, and p25 exhibit molecular and immunological similarity to the proteins encoded by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and are expressed by 95% of breast and gynecological cancer cases in women and prostate cancer cases in men. The binding of an epitope-specific anti-HIV-1 gp120 monoclonal antibody (MAb) (amino acids 308 to 322) to cancer RAK antigens has been found to be inhibited by a peptide derived from variable loop V3 of HIV-1. Breast cancer DNAs of 40 patients were PCR amplified with HIV-1 gp41-derived primers, and all of the samples were found to be positive.

Prostate, breast and gynecological cancer markers RAK with homology to HIV-1.

Breast and gynecological cancer-associated antigens RAK p120, p42 and p25 exhibit molecular, immunological and genetic homology to HIV-1 proteins. Normal tissues, including the majority of tissues adjacent to cancer, do not express these unique cancer markers. Antigens RAK are now detected in 100% of prostate cancer and in the majority of prostate benign hyperplasia (BPH) cases.