Development of monoclonal antibodies that recognize antigens associated with human cervical carcinoma.

Six monoclonal antibodies, generated by immunization of mice with human cervical carcinoma cells maintained in tissue culture or with cells from fresh tumor tissue, reacted specifically with the malignant cells in 71% to 90% of the tumor tissue imprints and cervical smears containing neoplastic cells but not with normal cervical epithelial cells in smears from 21 to 23 healthy donors. Antibody CE 402 bound to epithelial cells associated with regeneration in 2 of the 23 normal smears tested. Considerable heterogeneity of antibody binding by malignant cells was observed. Antibody CE 400 was the most reactive, binding to more than 50% of the tumor cells in all reactive specimens. Five of these monoclonal antibodies detected protein antigens in the 80 K to 110 K molecular weight range. Our studies demonstrate the feasibility of producing monoclonal antibodies with selected specificity for cervical carcinoma. These antibodies may be of considerable diagnostic value.