Suggestive evidence for in vivo binding of specific antitumor antibodies of human melanomas.

Antibodies eluted from homogenates of human melanoma cells reacted against melanoma cells reacted against melanoma antigens in a complement fixation test. Before elution, sonically treated homogenate did not react significantly against autologous serum but, following elution, antigenic activity increased markedly (up to 32-fold). Eluate of one melanoma reacted with the sonically treated residue of other melanomas but not with similarly prepared residues of sarcoma, carcinomas, or normal tissues. Melanoma eluates comtained more IgG than IgA. Traces of IgM were found in two melanoma eluates. Eluates of normal tissues (lung, kidney, and muscle) were devoid of serum proteins and did not react with the soncially treated melanoma residues. These results support the hypothesis that antitumor antibodies are bound to melanoma cells in vivo and that these antigens are cross-reactive.