title: Cell-surface antigens of melanoma recognized by human monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were derived from lymph node lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with melanoma. Four methods for generating human mAbs were compared: fusion with human [LICR-LON-HMy-2 (LICR-2)] or mouse (NS-1) cells; transformation by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); and EBV transformation followed by NS-1 fusion. NS-1 fusion with lymph node lymphocytes resulted in a higher number of growing hybrids than LICR-2 fusion. Virtually no hybrids were obtained from NS-1 or LICR-2 fusions with PBL. EBV transformed lymphocytes from lymph node and peripheral blood with equal efficiency, and the yield of proliferating cultures for antibody screening was more than 10- to 30-fold greater than that obtained by fusion techniques. However, once antibody-producing cultures had been identified, stability and clonability of EBV-transformed cells were poorer than that of NS-1 hybrid cells. To combine the strengths of both methods, cultures of EBV-transformed cells were fused with NS-1; and hybrid clones were isolated that showed vigorous growth, clonability, and stable antibody secretion. Detailed specificity analysis of the mAbs produced by six of these clones indicated detection of a class 1 (unique) melanoma antigen, a class 3 melanoma antigen, and four ganglioside antigens (GD3, GM3, and two other, as yet uncharacterized, heterophile antigens).
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002999:Clone Cells; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000954:Antigens, Surface