Immuno-hormonal network in postmenopausal women: disturbance in breast cancer patients.

Introduction: Antibodies to estradiol and progesterone (Es and Pg) modulated their blood serum concentration and biological effects in immunized animals. Antibodies to membrane steroid receptors acted as hormone agonists or antagonists in cell cultures.

Material And Methods: Here we studied the levels of Es and Pg, idiotypic immunoglobulin (Ig) A1 and anti-idiotypic IgG2 specific to Es and Pg in the serum of postmenopausal women (82 healthy donors and 443 breast cancer patients).

Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk in Relation to Antibodies Specific to Benzo[a]Pyrene, Estradiol and Progesterone.

Background: Antibodies might protect against low doses of environmental carcinogens by decreasing systemic uptake, activation of metabolic pathways, and redistribution of carcinogens within the organism. The features of antibody formation in relation to environmental carcinogens and sex steroids under natural conditions should be determined to identify breast cancer risk, then to develop cancer immune prevention strategies.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate antibodies specifications to benzo(a)pyrene, estradiol and progesterone in postmenopausal women with invasive breast cancer.

Antisera to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their application on the detection of chemical carcinogens in blood sera of oncological patients.

Aim: To investigate the cross-reactivity of the hyperimmune antisera of animals (rabbits) and the sera of oncological patients to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of a similar chemical structure.

Methods: Reactions of antibodies with haptens have been estimated by non-competitive and competitive ELISA with synthesized protein conjugates of PAHs as a coating antigene.

Results: All the model rabbit antisera have been stated to react with anthracene, chrysene, pyrene, benzo(a)pyrene and benz(a)anthracene irrespective of the hapten used to immunize animals.

Synthesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-protein conjugates for preparation and immunoassay of antibodies.

The method is described dealing with the synthesis of conjugates protein-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), highly soluble in water, stable without special stabilizers and containing the minimum quantity of cross-linked products. The reaction of protein with PAH containing an aldehyde group, has been carried out in an alkaline solution, and stabilization of the conjugate has been achieved by reduction with sodium borohydride in the presence of a compound blocking the formation of an insoluble polymeric fraction. The efficiency of synthesized conjugates for the induction and immunoassay of Abs to PAH for benzo[a]pyrene is shown.