Tissue distribution, immunochemical characterization, and biosynthesis of 47D10, a tumor-associated surface glycoprotein.

This report describes a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) designated 47D10 which was produced by immunizing mice against a human lung adenocarcinoma line, A549. The MAb 47D10 reacts with a surface antigen found in 95% of adenocarcinomas of the pancreas as well as on high percentages of adenocarcinomas from colon, breast, lung, and bile duct. The antigen was not detected in normal pancreas, in pancreatitis, or in a variety of normal tissues with the exception of colon and mature granulocytes. Lymphocytes and erythrocytes were also negative. The binding of 47D10 to tumor cells was unaffected by treatment of cells with neuraminidase. Immunoprecipitation followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that 47D10 MAb recognized a group of glycoproteins ranging in molecular weight from 67,000-98,000 on A549 lung carcinoma cells. Pulse-chase labeling showed two precursor proteins with molecular weights of 69,000 and 67,000 which were processed to the larger polypeptides in 1.5 h. At least part of the carbohydrates associated with the 47D10 antigen was asparagine linked because the antigen was sensitive to endoglycosidases, and tunicamycin inhibited the biosynthesis of 47D10 antigen. The 47D10 antigen was expressed on the cell surface because it could be detected on live A549 cells by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays as well as by immunofluorescent staining. Furthermore, 47D10 antigens on tumor cell lines and granulocytes were vectorially labeled with 125I. The antigen found on granulocytes showed a higher molecular weight of 150,000-180,000, which was digested by endoglycosidase F to polypeptides with molecular weights ranging from 23,000-27,000. In contrast, the degradation product of the A549 antigen was a Mr 39,000 polypeptide after treatment with endoglycosidase F. The immunochemical characteristics of 47D10 antigen suggest that it is distinct from other antigens associated with pancreatic tumors, such as carcinoembryonic antigen, 19-9, and Du-PAN-2. By virtue of its broad range of tumor cell reactivity and low activity on normal cells, the 47D10 MAb may represent an important immunological reagent for differential diagnosis, especially of pancreatic carcinoma.