Monoclonal antibodies specific for the C-terminus of the laminin B2 subunit. Evidence for glycosylation differences between murine and human laminin.

We have raised a panel of monoclonal antibodies against a beta-galactosidase fusion protein (XLB2.1) containing the C-terminal 153 amino acids of the murine laminin B2 subunit. Five of the nine antibodies characterized recognize human placental laminin as well as murine Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS)-tumour laminin. Only two of the antibodies recognize both rat parietal-yolk-sac laminin and murine EHS-tumour laminin. Two antibodies recognize an epitope on the human laminin B2 subunit which is masked by N-linked oligosaccharide in murine EHS-tumour laminin. These antibodies also fail to bind to laminin from adult-mouse tissues. These results demonstrate a species-specific difference in the glycosylation of the laminin B2 subunit.