Human pancreatic cancer associated antigen detected by monoclonal antibody.

Monoclonal antibody F30 was produced by the fusion of murine myeloma cell line P3-X63-Ag8-653 with spleen cells from a BALB/C mouse immunized with established human pancreatic cancer cell line (PK-1) and the reaction specificity was analyzed. The antigen recognized by monoclonal antibody F30 was different from HLA-associated antigen, beta 2-microglobulin, fetal bovine serum components, ferritin, AFP, or CEA. Monoclonal antibody F30 reacted with all of six pancreatic cancer cell lines established in our laboratory. Cross-reactivity was detected with a colon cancer cell line or an esophagus cancer cell line among various tumor cell lines tested. No reaction was detected with red blood cells, lymphocytes, or lymphoid and myeloid cell lines. By immunoperoxidase staining of frozen sections, the F30-defined antigen was detected not only on pancreatic cancer cell membrane but also on other adenocarcinomas. In addition, the monoclonal antibody F30 had a more wide-spread distribution on normal epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal organs, respiratory system, and urinary system. F30-defined antigen was composed of two protein components with molecular weight of 190 and 160 K. It was indicated that the antigen was an integral protein in the cell membrane since the antigen was not detected in the spent culture medium of antigen-positive cells.