The HE4 (WFDC2) protein is a biomarker for ovarian carcinoma.

The WFDC2 (HE4) gene is amplified in ovarian carcinomas, whereas its expression in normal tissues, including ovary, is low. Although the function of the HE4 protein is unknown,it is a member of a family of stable 4-disulfide core proteins that are secreted at high levels. We therefore performed experiments to explore whether quantitation of HE4 protein levels in serum can be used as a biomarker for ovarian carcinoma. A fusion gene was constructed encoding the HE4 protein fused to a gene encoding the murine IgG2a Fc domain. Subsequently, protein produced in mammalian cells was purified by affinity chromatography and used to immunize mice to generate hybridomas specific for HE4. Hybridoma supernatants were…