ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To obtain monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against LI-cadherin and investigate their effects on the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Balb/c mice were immunized with recombinant LI-cadherin, and hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies against LI-cadherin were established with routine cell fusion and subcloning approach. The specificity of these mAbs was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. The effect of the mAbs obtained on the growth of HepG2 cells was assessed using inverted microscope and MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two hybridoma cell lines (F001 and F002) stably secreting specific mAbs were obtained. Western blot analysis showed that the two antibodies specifically recognized LI-cadherin antigen derived from human eucaryotic cells or tissue. Treatment of the HepG2 cells with the mAbs resulted in reduced viable cell number and changes in the cell morphologies, and the two mAbs inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The two specific mAbs obtained can inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro, which facilitates further study of the relationship between LI-cadherin and tumors.</p>