Epitope expression on the breast epithelial mucin.

Multiple epitope expression on the breast epithelial mucin was explored using a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) created against milk and breast tissue preparations, against blood group determinants, and against other non-breast epithelial mucins. Since the breast epithelial mucin is now used in both diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for breast cancer, and also because altered or incomplete glycosylation in varying degrees is expected in breast carcinoma tissue, the antigenic target used here was the native mucin and sequential stages of deglycosylation introduced to it by HF treatment. Partial deglycosylation increased exposure of core peptide amino acid sequences increasing MoAb binding generally, while it either decreased or occasionally increased binding of blood group oligosaccharides. Cross reactivity of MoAbs to other mucins was low with the breast epithelial mucin (BEM). The study of the affinity binding constants of some of the anti-BEM peptide MoAbs predicted carbohydrate participation in their epitope structure. The identification of different epitopes on the BEM, investigations on their possible epitopic structure, and the study of MoAb binding during different stages of glycosylation of the molecule leads to knowledge on the contribution of carbohydrates to their epitopes and strengthens the ability to understand their performance in their diverse possible applications in breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.