title: Monoclonal antibody HMFG-2 retains activity in vivo and binds to high molecular weight components expressed by metastatic breast cancers.
abstract: The monoclonal antibody HMFG-2 was raised against components of the human milk fat globule and human milk epithelial cells. It recognizes an epitope on glycoproteins of varying molecular weight; it is tumour-associated and expressed heterogeneously by most breast cancers. An intravenous injection of 131I-labelled HMFG-2 has been given to patients with recurrent cutaneous metastasis from breast carcinomas. Clearance of radioactivity from the plasma was measured and the label was shown to be carried on intact circulating antibody that had the ability to bind in vitro to the specific determinant as expressed by both the patients own tumour and by cultured breast cancer cells. Antibody was found to be associated with biopsy material taken from skin metastases 24 hours after administration of labelled antibody. However, the amount of radioactivity was insufficient for the production of a positive isotopic scan.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008970:Molecular Weight; D018396:Mucin-1; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018396:Mucin-1