A monoclonal antibody directed against the HLA-Bw6 epitope.

A cytotoxic monoclonal antibody, SFR8-B6, produced by immunizing KGH rats with partially purified glycoprotein from JY, a human B lymphoblastoid cell line, detects HLA-Bw6, a unique public antigen on the HLA-B molecule. By cytotoxicity, SFR8-B6 has complete concordance with the presence of Bw6 as defined by alloantisera, and its reactivity segregates with HLA in families. Because sera detecting Bw4 and Bw6 are rare, this monoclonal antibody has value as a perpetual standard. In addition, SFR8-B6 offers potential as a probe for investigating the molecular relationships of HLA antigens.