[Vaccine therapy of malignant melanoma. II. Serological evaluation of the immune responses to the injection using allogeneic melanoma cell vaccine].

Serological studies were performed on melanoma patients for the response of allogeneic melanoma cell vaccine derived from the melanoma cell line SK-MEL-13 (Patient AH) expressing a shared tumor antigen (AH antigen system). AH antigen system was initially identified by autologous typing system and is known to be immunogenic in man. Twenty melanoma patients were treated with multiple intradermal injections of AH vaccine. Their sera were then tested by immunoadherence (IA) and Protein A (PA) assays for antibodies against cell surface antigens of cultured autologous melanoma and SK-MEL-13 cells, followed by extensive absorption assays. The vaccination with allogeneic melanoma cell resulted a serological response to three types of antigens: (1) 4 patients developed antibodies to antigens related to fetal calf serum which was used for the culture of SK-MEL-13 cells; (2) 19 patients developed high titers of antibodies against HLA antigens of SK-MEL-13 cells and; (3) only one patient developed antibody against AH antigen.