Small cell lung cancer antigen expression differs on ‘classic’ and ‘variant’ SCLC and carcinoid cells : Koros AMC, Atchison RW, Mitchell DL. Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261. Lung Cancer 1991;7:225–234

Abstract

Abstract The panel of 98 monoclonal antibodies (MOABS), (mouse or rat) provided by the Second International Workshop on Small Cell Lung Cancer Antigens was tested by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry using prototype cell lines [NCI-H69 (SCLC ‘classic’), NCI-N417 (SCLC ‘variant’), NCI-H727 (carcinoid) [A.F. Gazdar et al. (1985, 1988)] peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), and sea urchin coelomocytes [Koros, A.M.C. et al. (1987, 1988, 1989).] All cells had some reactivity with some of the MOABS. There is however, differential expression of antigens amongst the prototype cell lines, which may provide a useful method for phenotyping human lung cancers. More MOABS react with the SCLC ‘classic’ NCI-H69 than with any of the other cell types (MOABS, 5, 12, 16, 18, 21, 28, 31, 34, 36, 41, 45, 47, 48, 53, 56, 58, 69, 70, 71, 79, 87, 91). MOABS 45-49 seem most useful in distinguishing between SCLC and carcinoid cultured cell lines. Those MOABS which do not react with normal PBL (MOABS 3, 5 and 12 especially) should be tested further for possible utility as therapeutic agents in patients whose tumours have escaped conventional therapy. In contrast to our earlier observations of neuroendocrine markers (CD56, CD57) on SCLC, neuroendocrine cells, human natural killer cells, and sea urchin coelomocytes, few (14/50) antigens identified by the present panel appear to be evolutionarily conserved.