Monoclonal antibodies directed against the human A431 beta 2-adrenergic receptor recognize two major polypeptide chains.

A serum-albumin-alprenolol conjugate was used to isolate beta-adrenergic receptors from the human A431 cell lysates. Three monoclonal antibodies were obtained from BALB/c mice immunized with these receptors. These antibodies: BRK-1, BRK-2, BRK-3, were respectively of the IgM, IgG2a and IgG3 classes. All three antibodies recognized photoaffinity-labelled receptors, immunoprecipitated ligand-binding activity and identified the 65-kDa and 55-kDa polypeptides corresponding to the beta 2-adrenergic receptors of A431 cells. BRK-2 and BRK-3 recognized both beta 1 and beta 2-adrenergic receptors of several mammalian cells. All three antibodies visualized, by immunofluorescence, the beta 2-adrenergic receptors at the surface of A431 cells. The monoclonal antibodies are directed against the protein portion of the beta-adrenergic receptors since partial or complete removal of the carbohydrate moieties by treatment with endoglycosidase such as endo-F (endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F) and periodate oxidation did not affect the immunoreactivity. These antibodies will be of value to immunopurify the beta-adrenergic receptors.