Human B-cell immune response to the polymorphic epithelial mucin.

Human antibodies generated by Epstein-Barr virus immortalized B-cells from tumor-draining lymph nodes of an ovarian cancer patient were screened for reactivity in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the protein core of the polymorphic epithelial mucin. Epitopes within this region are in fact considered tumor specific since they are selectively exposed in tumor cells due to aberrant glycosylation. Human antibody BB5, thus selected, reacts in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry with polymorphic epithelial mucin-expressing tumor cells. This is the first demonstration of the existence of a B-cell immune response to selected epitopes of polymorphic epithelial mucin and, together with the cytotoxic T-cell response already demonstrated, constitutes the basis for the use of synthetic peptides as a vaccine in cancer patients.