title: Monoclonal antibodies against immunodeterminants associated with the alpha and beta subunits of human chorionic gonadotropin.
abstract: Spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a glycopeptide hormone composed of two nonidentical alpha and beta subunits, were fused with NS-1 mouse myeloma cells. Two hybrid cell lines, cone PC2 and clone PD3 secreting monoclonal antibodies (McAb) to HCG were isolated. With the aid of a double antibody radioimmunoassay it was established that PC2-McAb recognizes an immunodeterminant associated with beta-HCG subunit, whereas, PD3-McAb recognizes an epitope present on the alpha-HCG subunit. Both monoclonal antibodies showed an affinity constant of approximately 5 X 10(10) L/M. Because of these immunological characteristics, only PC2-McAb specifically reacts with HCG and shows cross-reactivities of less than 0.1% to other related human glycopeptide hormones. On the other hand, using a hemagglutination test based on antibody induced agglutination of sheep red blood cells coated with HCG, it was shown that only PD3-McAb is capable of inducing a positive reaction, although both monoclonal antibodies have a similar binding capacity to the coated cells. The potential of these two new monoclonal reagents for the qualitative detection and quantitative determination of HCG in human biological fluids is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000276:immunology*; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D000939:Epitopes; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D010446:Peptide Fragments