Characterization of prostate-tissue-directed monoclonal antibody, alpha-Pro 13.

The alpha-Pro 13-secreting hybridoma was produced by immunizing mice with an equal mixture of PC-3, DU145, and LNCaP established prostatic carcinoma cell lines. The specificity of alpha-Pro 13 monoclonal antibody was evaluated by the criteria of differential binding to cultured cells; differential binding to extracts of malignant prostate, nonmalignant prostate, and malignant and nonmalignant tissues of various histiotypes in solid phase radioimmunoassay; and by immunoperoxidase staining of primary surgical tissues of varied histiotypes. The data generated by multiple assay investigation indicate that alpha-Pro 13 exhibits preferential binding to the ductal epithelium of prostate tissue; immunoperoxidase evaluation indicates a considerable heterogeneity of staining of ductal epithelial cells. The most prevalent cross-reactivity of alpha-Pro 13 monoclonal antibody with non-prostate tissue occurs with blood vessel endothelium of restricted tissues. Electrophoretic analysis of immunoprecipitates from radioiodinated prostatic tumor extracts indicates that the molecule recognized by alpha-Pro 13 is of 120,000 dalton apparent nonreduced molecular weight. Under reducing conditions, the antigen (p40) consists of a major component of 40,000 dalton apparent MW and a minor component of 17,000 dalton MW. p40 has an isoelectric point of 3.5-4.5. The antigen is intrinsically stable on the PC-3 cell surface; its release into spent culture medium is negligible. p40 is also stable upon complexation with alpha-Pro 13 antibody in that it is not shed from the cell surface as an immune complex nor is it endocytosed to any extent as an immune complex.