Technical Report No. 6-88
A new serum indicator of activity of interstitial pneumonitis: Sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6
Kohno N, Kyoizumi S, Awaya Y, Fukuhara H, Yamakido M, Akiyama MEditor’s note: A publication based on this report was published in Chest 96:68-73, 1989.
Summary
Serum levels of a high molecular weight circulating antigen KL-6, which is detected by sandwich assay using a monoclonal antibody KL-6 against a sialylated carbohydrate antigen, were examined for usefulness in monitoring the activity of interstitial pneumonitis. Of the 59 interstitial pneumonia patients, 34 (58%) exhibited abnormally high levels of KL-6 antigen in their sera and no significant correlation between serum KL-6 values and lactic dehydrogenase activities was noted. Moreover, KL-6 antigen levels showed a positive correlation with the degree of clinical activity of the disease as measured by 67Ga -citrate scintigram and clinical outcome over time. These data suggest that serum KL-6 antigen may be a new useful indicator for estimating the degree of activity of interstitial pneumonitis, although it cannot be used for differential diagnosis of this disease from other malignant and nonmalignant diseases showing abnormally high levels of KL-6 antigen.
Serum levels of a high molecular weight circulating antigen KL-6, which is detected by sandwich assay using a monoclonal antibody KL-6 against a sialylated carbohydrate antigen, were examined for usefulness in monitoring the activity of interstitial pneumonitis. Of the 59 interstitial pneumonia patients, 34 (58%) exhibited abnormally high levels of KL-6 antigen in their sera and no significant correlation between serum KL-6 values and lactic dehydrogenase activities was noted. Moreover, KL-6 antigen levels showed a positive correlation with the degree of clinical activity of the disease as measured by 67Ga -citrate scintigram and clinical outcome over time. These data suggest that serum KL-6 antigen may be a new useful indicator for estimating the degree of activity of interstitial pneumonitis, although it cannot be used for differential diagnosis of this disease from other malignant and nonmalignant diseases showing abnormally high levels of KL-6 antigen.