title: MAT-1, a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes human tyrosinase.
abstract: There is no available monoclonal antibody which reacts specifically recognizes human tyrosinase. Employing a synthetic peptide, MEKEDYHSLYQSHL, corresponding to the carboxyl terminus of human tyrosinase as an immunogen, we produced a mouse monoclonal antibody MAT-1 of the IgG1 isotype. The epitope for MAT-1 was determined to be EDYH, the sequence of which is not present in human tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) or tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2). By transient expression assays and immunofluorescence technique, we show that MAT-1 reacts specifically with cells expressing human tyrosinase cDNA but not with cells expressing TRP-1 or TRP-2 cDNA. The results of immunohistochemical staining also confirmed that MAT-1 reacts specifically with epidermal melanocytes in human skin sections. MAT-1 should be invaluable for studying the interaction between tyrosinase and TRPs and for detecting the changes in the levels of tyrosinase expression. In addition, MAT-1 should be useful as a sensitive immunohistochemical tool for investigation of various pigmentary disorders and possibly for the diagnosis of melanoma.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase