| abstract |
Cancerous cells and HIV- and influenza virus-infected cells secrete alpha -N-acetylgalactosaminidase into blood stream, resulting in deglycosylation of Gc protein. This inactivates the MAF precursor activity of Gc protein, leading to immunosuppression. Thus, alpha -N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity in patient bloodstream can serve as diagnostic and prognostic index. Antibody-sandwich ELISA method and kits for cancer, HIV and influenza specific alpha -N-acetylgalactosaminidase as an antigen were developed to detect serum or plasma alpha -N-acetylgalactosaminidase in cancer and AIDS/HIV-infected and influenza patients and used as a diagnostic/prognostic index. |