Carcinoembryonic antigen-like substances of human urothelial carcinomas. Isolation of components from pathological urine and comparison with colorectal carcinoma antigens.

Urines of several patients with urothelial carcinomas contain inhibitors of the immunoreaction between carcinoembryonic antigen derived from human colorectal carcinomas and monospecific goat antiserum raised against the antigen. These inhibitors range in approximate molecular weights from less than 1000 to several millions, and two have been isolated by a combination of extraction, gel filtration and electrophoretic procedures. These are respectively a macromolecular aggregate, component UCEA-3, which is excluded by Sepharose 4B, and a glycoprotein(s) component, UCEA-1, with mean molecular weight (2x10(5)) similar to that of carcinoembryonic antigen. Comparison of the properties of component UCEA-1 and carcinoembryonic antigen on gel filtration, electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis and density gradient ultracentrifugation indicates that these substances of similar molecular size and net charge differ in some immunochemical properties.