Search for CEA-like molecules in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of non-human primates using monoclonal antibodies.

The monoclonal anti-CEA antibody ZIK-A42-A/C1 which reacts with NCA of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes was found to bind also to polymorphonuclear blood leukocytes of the following non-human primates tested: hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas), stump-tailed monkey (Macaca arctoides), pig-tailed monkey (Macaca nemestrina), and rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata). No binding was observed to mononuclear blood leukocytes. It was concluded that non-human primates contain CEA-like substances in their polymorphonuclear leukocytes as humans do and that these substances carry some identical epitopes.