Production of monoclonal antibodies against human hepatocellular carcinoma by immunisation with a cell membrane preparation.

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies that bound to 3 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, SK-SF and Mahlavu) and snap-frozen sections of a patient's tumour were raised by immunising mice with PLC/PRF/5 membrane preparations. The monoclonals designated RF-HCC 1 and RF-HCC 2 were of IgG1 and IgM subclasses respectively. Binding of the antibodies to surface epitopes present on Mahlavu cells in vitro took place in a biphasic fashion, with initial rapid binding of each antibody during the first 15 minutes of incubation followed by a plateau after this period. It was found that the commercially available MOPC 21 myeloma IgG1 (Sigma) monoclonal antibody used a control also bound to a surface antigenic determinant expressed on Mahlavu cells.