Target
Human MUC16 / CA125
Synonyms
MUC16 | CA125 ovarian cancer antigen | CA125 | CA-125 | MUC-16 | Mucin-16
Reactivity
Human
(tested or 100% immunogen sequence identity)
Purification
Ion exchange chromatography
Immunogen
CA125 antigen purified from human ovarian carcinoma
Specificity
Recognizes the ovarian cancer mucin CA125 (also known as MUC16). CA125 consists of a short cytoplasmic tail, a transmembrane domain and an exceptionally large glycosylated extracellular domain. The extracellular domain is dominated by a large number of 156-amino acid repeat units, over 60 in all. These repeats are known to bind the antibodies OC125 and M11. CA125 is present within normal ovarian, endometrium, endocervix and fallopian tissue, but levels are elevated in over 90% of women with advanced ovarian cancer. CA125 levels may also be elevated in other cancers and non-cancerous conditions such as peritonitis, endometriosis and liver cirrhosis. Levels may also fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and occasionally increases in pregnancy, making CA125 an unreliable marker for ovarian cancer in premenopausal women. The function of CA125 in healthy tissue is unknown but it is thought to provide a protective lubricating barrier against particles and infectious agents at mucosal surfaces. CA125 was concluded by the International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM) to contain two major antigenic domains. Recognizes the epitope specificity group B, similar to the M-11 antibody. May be used as a capture antibody in ELISA assays.