A monoclonal IgM antibody to a methylcholanthrene-induced tumour. I. Specificity for alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine but with no cross-reactivity to the human blood group A determinant

Scand J Immunol. 1991 Apr;33(4):345-55. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1991.tb01781.x.

Abstract

A monoclonal IgM antibody, H17, has been obtained from rats immunized with mouse fibrosarcoma cells from an in vitro established methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced tumour. H17 shows specific and very selective binding to alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc alpha) when tested for reactivity to a panel of glycolipids. It cross-reacts with GalNAc alpha on the Forssman antigen extracted from dog small intestine, but not from the human blood group A determinant, a finding not commonly observed among antibodies with this specificity. Despite its specificity, H17 does not react with TA3-Ha, a mouse mammary adenocarcinoma, known to express the Tn antigen (GalNAc alpha-O-Ser/Thr). The uniqueness of H17 probably relates to the fact that it has been generated against an MCA-induced tumour rather than against the pure saccharide itself. Minimum energy conformation structures of different GalNAc alpha containing saccharide molecules were computer modelled to allow a plausible interpretation of the accessible site of GalNAc alpha for successful interaction with the H17 paratope as compared to other GalNAc alpha binding antibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ABO Blood-Group System
  • Acetylgalactosamine / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • Cross Reactions
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Female
  • Fibrosarcoma / chemically induced
  • Fibrosarcoma / immunology*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Male
  • Methylcholanthrene
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • ABO Blood-Group System
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Epitopes
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Methylcholanthrene
  • Acetylgalactosamine