Identification of a human pancreatic duct tissue-specific antigen.

Antiserum raised against a pancreatic duct mucin was absorbed with type AB red blood cells and used in the indirect immuno-glucose oxidase procedure to examine tissue specificity. All mucin-producing organs were stained by this antiserum. Absorption of the antiserum with mucinous ovarian cystadenocarcinoma fluid eliminated generalized mucin staining, and only pancreatic ducts and colonic goblet cells were positive. Further absorption with purified colonic mucin revealed a pancreatic duct tissue-specific determinant(s). This tissue-specific determinant(s) was detected in the RIP-1 and RIP-2 human pancreatic adenocarcinomas carried as xenografts in athymic nude mice. Because the majority of pancreatic adenocarcinomas are believed to arise from ductal tissue, pancreatic duct mucin may have a useful role as a marker in detection and differential diagnosis.