Surface antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies as tumor markers in human leukemia.

The detection of surface-linked antigenic determinants by heteroantisera has greatly contributed to a better understanding of the heterogeneity of benign and malignant hematopoietic cells. The difficulties encountered in rendering these heteroantisera specific for a unique cell surface component have been a major drawback to a more rapid development of immunologic cell typing. With the introduction of hybridoma technology, it became possible to obtain monoclonal antibodies and markedly improve immunologic cell typing. We have, therefore, used this new technology for the production of monoclonal antibodies against human leukocyte surface antigens. This paper describes four cell type-specific monoclonal antibodies, which turned out to be very useful reagents in leukemia diagnosis. One of these antibodies, VIM-D5, is directed against a myeloid cell surface antigen. VIL-A1 is specific for the common acute leukemia associated antigen. VIB-C5 recognizes B-cell differentiation antigen and VIE-G4 is specific for glycophorin A, and thus detects erythroid precursor cells.