Cell surface antigens of human ovarian and endometrial carcinoma defined by mouse monoclonal antibodies.

Mouse monoclonal antibodies to several cell surface antigens of human ovarian and endometrial carcinomas have been produced. The distribution of the antigens was determined by mixed hemagglutination assays on 153 normal and malignant cell cultures of various types and by immuno-peroxidase staining of frozen sections of 27 normal adult and 24 fetal tissues. Five distinct antigens were characterized. MD144 antigen was detected on only a single ovarian carcinoma cell line and has the biochemical properties of a lipid. MH55 antigen is weakly expressed on ovarian and uterine cancer cell lines but not on other cells and tissues tested. MF61 antigen was detected on an ovarian carcinoma and some renal carcinoma cell lines but not on other cell lines tested. It was also detected by immunoperoxidase staining in the noncellular follicles of the thyroid and in uterine glandular epithelial cells. This antigen also has the properties of a lipid. MF116 antigen was detected on a proportion of ovarian, uterine, renal, and bladder carcinoma and neuroblastoma cell lines and on normal kidney epithelial cell cultures but not on other cell lines tested. It was not detected in sections of any normal tissue tested using the immunoperoxidase method. MF116 was readily detected in the spent culture medium but not in detergent-solubilized extracts of metabolically radiolabeled cells. This shed antigen is a glycoprotein of Mr 105,000 and isoelectric point lower than pH 4.0. MH94 antigen was detected on a proportion of ovarian, uterine, colon, breast, lung, cervical, and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. In tissue sections it was detected in many but not all epithelia, predominantly in secretory epithelial cells. Antibody MH94 did not immunoprecipitate a detectable antigen.