SURFACE ANTIGENIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN MELANOMA CELLS DEFINED BY XENOANTISERUM RAISED AGAINST PAPAIN-SOLUBILIZED MELANOMA-ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS

• Published in: GANN Japanese Journal of Cancer Research Vol. 71; no. 6; pp. 881 - 888
• Main Authors: ISHII, Yoshifumi, GOLDHOFER, Werner, MAVLIGIT, Giora M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Cancer Association 01-01-1980
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Neoplasm - analysis; Antigens, Surface - analysis; Cell Line; Cell surface antigen; Cell-surface antigen purification; Cross Reactions; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Human melanoma; Humans; Immune Sera - immunology; Leukemia - immunology; Melanoma - immunology; Melanoma-common antigen; Molecular Weight; Papain - pharmacology; Rabbits
• ISSN: 0016-450X
• DOI: 10.20772/cancersci1959.71.6_881

Xenoantiserum to human malignant melanoma was prepared by immunizing rabbits with melanoma associated antigens (MAA) solubilized from melanoma cell membrane by limited papain digestion. The antiserum was absorbed extensively with red cells, leukemia cells and cultured lymphoid cell lines, and was assayed for its reactivity with different human cell types by the indirect membrane immunofluorescence and radioimmunoprecipitation techniques. The data obtained suggest that there are at least two different MAA on human melanoma cells. The first is melanoma-group specific and can be detected commonly on different melanoma cell lines. The second is oncofetal and is shared by melanoma, carcinoma and fetal cells tested thus far. Immunoprecipitated material from melanoma cell membrane that had been radioiodinated with lactoperoxidase and solubilized with a non-ionic detergent was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which showed two major peaks with estimated molecular weights of 90, 000 and 120, 000 daltons. The 90, 000 molecular weight component appears to be oncofetal, as it disappeared when the antiserum was absorbed with either melanoma or carcinoma cell lines.