Immunohistochemical characterization of 22 monoclonal antibodies against the CA125 antigen: 2nd report from the ISOBM TD-1 Workshop.

We evaluated the immunohistological (IH) characteristics of 22 different antibodies that were submitted for study in the frame of the TD-1 ISOBM Workshop on monoclonal antibodies against CA125. Information on relative affinities and epitope similarities was obtained from a parallel immunochemical study. Antibodies were tested at concentrations of 10 and 1 micrograms/ml on frozen and paraffin sections. Paraffin sections were stained according to the streptavidin-biotin complex protocol, and frozen sections according to a two-step immunoperoxidase technique. Aminoethylcarbazole served as the chromogen. The tissues were from normal proliferative endometrium (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded) material and clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the ovary (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and frozen material). Sections were scored for staining in epithelial cells, basal, apical and diffuse cytoplasmic and in stromal components. Intensity was graded as 1, 2 or 3 for epithelial cells and as -1, -2 or -3 for stroma. The cumulative scores for each antibody expressed the discriminative properties of specific epithelial staining against background. M11 and M11-like antibodies, as well as OC125 and OC125-like antibodies, in general showed good staining results. Although there was a trend for high-affinity antibodies to show higher scores, there was no clear relationship between affinity and staining result. For nine antibodies (ZR45, MA602-1, K102, K94, K90, OV185, K97, K96, OV198), the reactions in paraffin and frozen sections were of similar intensity. Most of these were of low affinity with one exception: antibody ZR45, a rat monoclonal antibody (MAb) which had a high relative affinity. For eight antibodies (M11, K101, MA602-6, ZS33, B27.1, B43.13, K93, OC125), a loss of specific staining was observed in frozen sections. All but two of these antibodies (MA602-6 and OC125) were of high relative affinity. With four antibodies (K91, ZR38, K95, K100), the reverse situation was observed. One (K100) was of low affinity, two (K95 and K91) of high affinity and the fourth (ZR38) was a rat MAb of high affinity. Mainly due to the increased cytoplasmic staining in carcinoma, the reactivity in paraffin sections was less extensive in normal endometrium compared to ovarian carcinoma for the majority of antibodies, irrespective of their affinity or epitope group. The IH characterization of these antibodies may be of help in selecting antibodies with specific properties for further comparative studies. The reactivity of normal endometrium with all useful antibodies makes it a good candidate for standard external IH tissue control.

Role of antibody valency in hapten-heterologous immunoassays.

We studied the effects of hapten heterology on immunoassays of triiodothyronine (T3), digoxin, and cortisol, in a format involving labeled monoclonal antibodies and immobilized, protein-conjugated ligands. Replacing the homologous conjugated ligands T3, digoxin, and cortisol with their respective analogs diiodothyronine, digitoxin, and corticosterone led in each case to a decrease in the midpoint of displacement (ED50) for the same zero-dose signal. The mechanism of this phenomenon was studied by converting the bivalent anti-T3 to a monovalent whole antibody (bispecific monoclonal anti-T3 x anti-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) by cell fusion. The monovalent antibody was effective as a tracer in the homologous T3 assay, but generated a very low zero-dose signal with the heterologous solid phase, thus precluding sensitivity enhancement. On the basis of these results and additional kinetic and double-labeling experiments, we propose that the use of hapten heterology relies on bivalent binding of the antibody to the solid phase to compensate for a lower intrinsic affinity. This binding mechanism leads to lower assay concentrations of the ternary complex analyte-labeled antibody-immobilized hapten, thereby providing enhanced sensitivity.

Immunochemiluminometric assay of creatine kinase MB with a monoclonal antibody to the MB isoenzyme.

Previous two-site immunometric assays for creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) MB isoenzyme have been based on formation of a "sandwich" complex involving CK-MB and antibodies that recognize the CK-MM and the CK-BB isoenzymes. Single-incubation model assays of CK-MB with these antibodies were susceptible to interferences by CK-MM and CK-BB. We produced two anti-CK-MB monoclonal antibodies and studied their suitability for two-site assays. Both antibodies were compatible with anti-CK-MM and anti-CK-BB, but not with each other. Using anti-CK-MB as the tracer antibody eliminated the interference by both CK-MM and CK-BB. Labeling anti-CK-MB with acridinium ester and immobilizing anti-CK-BB on paramagnetic particles, we developed a rapid and highly sensitive chemiluminescent/magnetic separation CK-MB assay. As little as 1 microgram of CK-MB per liter was detectable after 10- or 30-min incubation at room temperature, and the standard curve was linear up to 400 micrograms/L. Results for serum samples by the new assay correlated well (r = 0.94) with those by Corning electrophoretic and the Hybritech Tandem-E immunoenzymometric CK-MB methods. Sera containing macro CK-1 or high concentrations of CK-MM and CK-BB did not interfere. The combined advantages of a more-specific antibody, paramagnetic solid phase, and chemiluminescent label endow this two-site CK-MB assay with performance characteristics and ease of use superior to those of previous assays.

The thymus dependency of transplantation allotolerance in the metamorphosing frog Xenopus laevis.

Larval as well as adult frogs (Xenopus laevis) are immunocompetent. Yet, whereas adults will vigorously reject MHC-incompatible skin grafts, metamorphosing larvae may not. Previous studies have revealed that this graft survival reflects an immunologically specific host tolerance. The role of the thymus in the acquisition of this tolerance to MHC-disparate skin allografts by metamorphosing outbred and inbred frogs has been investigated. When thymectomy was performed during midlarval or late larval life, it markedly impaired tolerance, as judged by an increased frequency of hosts rejecting grafts and by a curtailed survival time of rejected transplants. The efficacy with which thymectomy affected tolerance in this way was dependent on the developmental stage at which it was performed, on the haplotype disparity between donor and host, and on the size of the transplant. These last two variables also affect tolerance in intact perimetamorphic animals. Thymectomy during larval life affected the survival of grafts transplanted during postmetamorphic life. This influence was also dependent on the particular MHC haplotype incompatibility involved, and on the size of the transplant.

Effect of skin allograft immunization on the mixed leukocyte reaction of the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis.

One-way mixed leukocyte reactions (MLRs) of responder spleen cells from frogs (Xenopus laevis) that had rejected skin grafts were examined. Maximum and median stimulation indices (SIs) of cultures that contained responder cells from the graft recipient and stimulator cells from the graft donor were significantly greater than the peak and median SIs of cultures in which the responder splenocytes were from control, nonimmune animals. Significant stimulation was also recorded earlier (day 2 of culture) in more cultures involving immune responder cells than in control cultures. This earlier and greater proliferation in MLR was antigen specific.