title: Generation of a human IgM monoclonal antibody directed against HLA class II molecules: a potential agent in the treatment of haematological malignancies.
abstract: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules have been considered as a good target molecule for use in immunotherapy, because of the high expression in some lymphoma and leukaemia cells and, also, because of their restricted expression on human cells (monocytes, dendritic, B lymphocytes, thymic epithelial cells, and some cytokine-activated cells, such as T lymphocytes). We have obtained a human IgM monoclonal antibody directed against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules, using transgenic mice carrying human Ig genes. The antibody BH1 (IgM/kappa isotype) recognises HLA-class II on the surface of tumour cells from patients suffering from haematological malignancies, such as chronic and acute lymphocytic leukaemias, non-Hodgkin lymphomas and myeloid leukaemias. Interestingly, functional studies revealed that BH1 mAb recognises and kills very efficiently tumour cells from several leukaemia patients in the presence of human serum as a source of complement. These results suggest that this human IgM monoclonal antibody against HLA-class II could be considered as a potential agent in the treatment of several malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Universidad de Vigo, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus Lagoas Marcosende, Pontevedra, Spain. belendi@uvigo.es
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanjuan
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gambón
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magadán
authors.forename: Africa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Fernández
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007075:Immunoglobulin M