Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to an N-linked oligosaccharide.

Two monoclonal antibodies to an N-linked oligosaccharide, MT-5 and MT-9, have been prepared by immunization with a pyridylaminated, asialylated, galactosylated, fucosylated, bisected biantennary sugar. The reactivity of these antibodies was monitored by their reaction with human asialoglycophorin in a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both antibodies reacted with the sugar chains of various human glycoproteins such as immunoglobulin G, transferrin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, and alpha-fetoprotein. Treatment of asialoglycophorin with beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase or alpha-mannosidase resulted in reduction of the binding to these antibodies. The reactivity of MT-5 to asialoglycophorin was slightly inhibited by D-mannose and N-acetylglucosamine, whereas that of MT-9 was inhibited by D-mannose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, chitobiose, and L-fucose. The epitope specificity of MT-5 appears to be a sugar chain containing biantennary N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues, the bisected N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residue, and a trimannosyl core. The epitope to which MT-9 is directed may be a complex made up of beta-mannose, chitobiose, and L-fucose. These studies indicate that immunization with pyridylaminated sugars can produce antibodies that recognize N-linked oligosaccharides. Monoclonal/polyclonal antibodies to the N-linked sugar chains of glycopeptides would be useful in such studies of proteins.