Expression of HLA-A, -B, and -C and beta 2-microglobulin antigens in human choriocarcinoma cell lines.

Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled cell extracts and analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that cells from two human choriocarcinomas JaR and BeWo contained beta 2-microglobulin. The JaR cells, and one subline of BeWo, did not express surface HLA-A, -B, and -C (HLA-ABC) antigens, nor did JaR contain the antigens when cell-free extracts were measured in a sensitive radioimmunoassay. It may be concluded that the lack of expression of HLA-ABC antigens in choriocarcinoma (and in the trophoblast) is not a result of lack of beta 2-microglobulin, as is the case for the Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, Daudi.