Abstract
In haemagglutination tests we have found that the monoclonal antibody B5 discriminates between erythrocytes from patients with malignant cancer (total 386; greater than 80% B5 positive) and individuals with no known tumour (total 247; less than 20% B5 positive). The B5 antigen detected on intact erythrocytes is a tightly bound surface component which does not appear to be derived from the plasma. The B5 antigen is not T, Tn, Ca1, CEA or the Forsmann antigen; nor is it related to any of the major blood group antigens. Abnormal levels of surface B5 are found on erythrocytes from patients with a great diversity of tumours and this fact presents B5 as an indirect marker of malignancy. Successful eradication of tumour is associated with a switch from positive to negative B5 haemagglutination. We believe that B5 is a valuable addition to the few useful tumour markers already employed for monitoring tumour status.
Highlights
In a hydridoma fusion aimed at preparing monoclonal antibody against the tumour-associated Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen (Springer et al, 1975) we have obtained a product, designated B5, with the unexpected property of agglutinating erythrocytes from patients with malignant disease
In the clinical survey we found that the B5 haemagglutination test discriminates between erythrocytes from patients with malignant disease and erythrocytes from individuals with no known malignancy
Since the incidence of B5 positivity was 80% in tumour patients and -20% in each of the control groups, we conclude that erythrocyte surface B5 antigen is markedly increased in individuals who develop malignant tumour
Summary
The B5 monoclonal antibody is a product of a Correspondence: S. Rat myeloma cells (Galfre et al, 1979) and spleen cells from an AO rat immunised with desialylated human erythrocytes (blood group 0). Each immunising dose was of 109 cells, the priming dose being in complete Freund's adjuvant and intramuscular (i.m.). Those supernatants which caused agglutination of desialylated, but not whole, erythrocytes were regarded as positive. In the fusion from which B5 was obtained, B5 was the only positive clone: in subsequent fusions a large number of positive supernatants have been found, though none have the binding properties of B5 (see results). In this study we have used a pool of supernatant with a titre of 1/128 against desialylated erythrocytes. Breast Bladder Leukaemias: acute lymphoblastic acute myeloblastic chronic myeloid chronic granulocytic acute promyelocytic acute monocytic acute stem cell chronic lymphatic Ovary Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Hodgkin's Disease Bronchus and lung Teratoma Prostate Stomach Sarcoma Ewing's sarcoma Rhabdosarcoma Leiomyosarcoma Rectum Cervix Colon Thyroid Wilm's (kidney) Uterus Polycythaemia Pancytopaenia Pituitary Seminoma Larynx Astrocytoma Glioma Pineal Skin Melanoma Parotid Oesophagus Pancreas Disgerminoma Phaeochromocytoma
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