title: Approaches to the production of monoclonal antibodies specific for concanavalin A binding and non-binding forms of alphafetoprotein.
abstract: Attempts have been made to make monoclonal antibodies which would react preferentially with either the concanavalin A (con A) binding or non-binding from of human alphafetoprotein (AFP). Mice were immunised with con A non-binding AFP in a variety of schedules, and their spleens used in four separate fusions. Despite identification of 467 hybridomas secreting anti-AFP antibodies, no monoclonals could be found with consistent or reproducible specificity for either con A binding or non-binding AFP. Ten of the hybridomas were grown as ascitic tumours. The resulting ascitic fluids defined 4 discrete epitopes on the AFP molecule. There was no apparent difference in the binding of a particular monoclonal antibody to its target epitope in the con A binding and non-binding forms of AFP. This finding is discussed in the light of current knowledge of the molecular structure of the carbohydrate chains of con A binding and non-binding forms of AFP.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D003208:Concanavalin A