Two monoclonal antibodies identify antigens preferentially expressed on normal human breast cells versus breast cancer cells.

In order to obtain antibodies with specificity toward normal mammary epithelial antigenic determinants, we immunized BALB/c mice with normal milk cells and screened the hybridomas against an undifferentiated breast cancer cell line H466B, peripheral blood lymphocytes and normal fibroblasts. Two hybridomas were generated, which produced BA6 (IgG1) and CA4 (IgM) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). These MAbs did not react with 5 breast cancer cell lines. In cryostat sections of normal human breast tissue, BA6 was reactive with 6/6 and CA4 was reactive with 12/13 specimens both showing an apical staining of epithelial cells. Conversely staining of malignant cells in breast cancer biopsies was observed in 4/33 specimens with BA6 and in 4/19 specimens with CA4. Computerized image analysis (SAMBA) of immunostained sections showed homogeneous distribution of staining, with a high percentage of stained cell surfaces in normal breast (mean percentages of positive surfaces : BA6 : 75% and CA4 : 82%) while, in malignant samples, staining was heterogeneous, with a mean percentage of positive surface of 25% for BA6 and 12% for CA4. Both MAbs reacted strongly with human milk fat globule membranes (HMFGM) and skimmed milk. FPLC size exclusion chromatography of skimmed milk showed that CA4 and BA6 reactive materials eluted in distinct peaks in high molecular weight ranges. Electrophoretic separation of HMFGM followed by CA4 staining detected a high molecular weight reactive band (Mr 380-600 kDa). CA4 and BA6 reactivity was reduced by protease treatment of the antigen but was not affected by neuraminidase digestion, by methanol extraction or by Na-metaperiodate oxidation. After perchloric acid treatment of HMFGM, BA6 activity was lost while the CA4 activity was found in the soluble fraction. The results reported suggest that the two MAbs identify two distinct novel epitopes of normal breast cells.

Characterization and distribution in normal and tumoral human tissues of breast cancer-associated antigen defined by monoclonal antibody 7B10.

Monoclonal antibody 7B10, raised against the human breast cancer cell line T47D, identifies an antigen found in human breast carcinomas and in normal breast. Western blot and immunoprecipitation studies detected a Mr 76,000 antigen in cytosol, cell membrane, and cell culture supernatants of T47D cells. 7B10 binding to T47D cell extracts was affected by proteolytic digestion with protease type VI, trypsin, and subtilisin while it was not altered by neuraminidase digestion. Adsorption of breast cancer cell line extracts with concanavalin A reduced 7B10 immunoreactivity more than 70%. These results suggest that the antigen is a glycoprotein and that the epitope does not contain sialic acid. 7B10 was reactive with neither human milk fat globule membrane, nor skimmed milk, nor the milk-derived HBL 100 cell line. Conversely binding was detected in more than 50% of normal breast epithelial cells in culture. 7B10 immunostaining was positive on frozen sections of normal breast and nonmalignant mastopathies in 30 to 90% cells. In frozen sections of other normal tissues, 7B10 immunoreactivity was detected only in colon, apocrine glands of skin, parotid ducts, and luteal phase endometrium, confirming previous data on paraffin sections. Strong, homogeneous immunostaining was observed on frozen sections of intraductal and invasive lobular breast carcinomas (100% of cases), while more heterogeneous staining was found on invasive ductal carcinomas. Colon and rectal carcinomas, one carcinoma of the esophagus, and some cells in serous ovarian carcinomas also showed 7B10 reactivity. Immunoblotting of the 7B10-immunoreactive fraction isolated by Sepharose CL-6B chromatography of a breast carcinoma tissue sample extract identified the Mr 76,000 antigen, which was also detected in several breast cancer specimens, in colon adenocarcinomas, and in serous ovarian carcinoma fresh tumor extracts. The Mr 76,000 glycoprotein described here represents a breast cancer-associated antigen previously undescribed, mainly expressed in normal breast and breast tumors.