Identification and characterization of a tumor-associated surface antigen on human hepatoma cell line (HuH-7)

Abstract

Monoclonal antibody clone-8, derived from splenocytes of a Balb/c mouse immunized with a human hepatoma cell line HuH-7, belonged to an IgG1 which recognized membranous component expressed on hepatomas. Biochemical characterization of the antigen revealed that it was a 40, 000 dalton glycoprotein. Concerning the expression of this antigen, tissue sections of hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cirrhosis (LC), chronic hepatitis (CH), normal organs and human HCC cell lines (HLE, HLF) were tested by means of an immunoperoxidase assay. Seven of 15 HCC, HLF, and two tissues from benign liver diseases were reacted with clone-8. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the expression of antigen detected by clone-8 increased with progress of the cell cycle from G0 to G2/M. Therefore, it seems that the antigen is related to the phenomena taking place in cell proliferation.