The specificity of a mouse monoclonal antibody to human aorta proteoglycans.

Mouse monoclonal antibodies to human aorta proteoglycans have been raised. A sensitive radioimmunoassay which can be employed to measure binding of proteoglycans to these antibodies is described. It offers advantages of simplicity and speed over other immunoassays currently employed for proteoglycan determination. One of the monoclonal antibodies, 6D2/B5, recognizes keratan sulfate-bound antigens (e.g. cartilage proteoglycans). Further work has indicated that this antibody is not specific for keratan sulfate, as brain sulfatide and the seaweed polysaccharide, fucoidan, also possess its epitope. The 6D2/B5 antibody can be of value in localizing and estimating keratan sulfate if additional biochemical criteria for keratan sulfate recognition are utilized.