Monoclonal antibodies to confirm the glycoprotein of the human milk fat globule membrane antigen mucin

摘要

A hybridoma cell line is provided which is capable of producing a monoclonal antibody which binds to a unique determinant site on the surface and in the cytoplasm of human breast carcinoma cells and carcinoma cells of other adenocarcinomas and does not bind selectively to the surface of normal human breast epithelial cells except in instances of high concentration of the antibody in the testing fluid. The cell line of the invention was developed by immunizing mice with a select group of immunogens and a conventional myeloma cell line for fusion with the murine splenocytes harvested. The monoclonal antibody is identified as the BrE3 monoclonal antibody. The BrE3 monoclonal antibody binds to an antigen which is characterized as high molecular weight mucin-like glycoprotein complex having a molecular weight exceeding 400,000 daltons that is bound by a disulfide bond to a protein of 69,000 daltons. The BrE3 monoclonal antibody is especially useful for diagnostic detection, prognostic, and possible therapeutic applications in human breast cell carcinoma.