Human IgG and IgM monoclonal antibodies against autologous melanoma produced by Epstein-Barr-virus-transformed B lymphocytes.

The serum antibody response to human melanoma has prognostic and potential physiological consequences. The specificity of the host B cell antibody response may be an important determinant of disease outcome. We have utilized Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation to analyze the repertory of the host B cell response to melanoma. Production of antibody that binds selectively to autologous (eight cases) or allogeneic (four cases) short-term-cultured melanoma cells was assessed from EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cells. Forty-two cultures of EBV-transformed B cells that secreted IgM and 23 that secreted IgG antibodies gave patterns of differential reactivity with autologous or allogeneic melanoma. Antibody-forming B cells persisted in producing melanoma-reactive IgG and IgM for 8-21 weeks. Preselection of B cells by adsorption to tumor cell antigens before transformation enhanced the frequency of antibody secretion. The specificity of the antibody produced by the longest-producing culture appears to be restricted to a subset of melanomas. The patient from whom this tumor-restricted IgG-producing B cell was retrieved was unusual, having had a transient serum IgG of similar specificity, and having manifest a syndrome of vitiligo at the time of her development of serum antimelanoma antibody, followed by disease-free survival of resected recurrent metastatic melanoma to the present (more than 6 years). This study has given support to findings of conventional serology, revealing the production of melanoma-reactive antibody from B cells of patients who have demonstrable serological response to tumor.