Epitopic analysis of detergent-solubilized HLA molecules by solid-phase radioimmunoassay.

A solid-phase radioimmunoanalysis of plasma membrane molecules solubilized in the presence of detergent was developed. From a crude cell lysate, membrane molecules were specifically immobilized by solid-phase adsorbed monoclonal antibodies. Analysis of these molecules was easily performed with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies of different specificities. This technique was used to analyze the HLA-DR and HLA-A,B,C molecules expressed by RAJI cells. It was possible (a) to determine which epitopes are expressed on the same molecules; (b) to define subsets of HLA molecules according to the epitopes which they express, and (c) to perform quantitative analysis of HLA molecules on a crude cell lysate.