Detection of a low-molecular-weight antigen on melanoma cells by a human antiserum in leukocyte-dependent antibody assays.

Biochemical characterization of serologically detected human melanoma antigens was undertaken for the development of immunodiagnostic assays in melanoma. An antiserum from a human melanoma patient, which detected melanoma antigens expressed on a large proportion of different melanoma cells, was used in leucocyte-dependent cytotoxic antibody (LDA) 51Cr-release assays to monitor the purification of melanoma antigens in urea/acetate extracts of lactoperoxidase 125I-labelled melanoma cell membranes. The separation procedures included affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A, gel filtration on porous polyacrylamide beads and preparative isoelectric focusing. The fractions were also monitored by polyacrylamide electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate and by measurement of beta 2 microglobulin and carcinoembryonic antigen content. The antigens detected by this antiserum appeared to be acidic (pI 3.5) low-mol.-wt glycoproteins of approximately 15,000 daltons which were resistant to heating at 56 degrees C and digestion with neuraminidase, but susceptible to repeated freeze-thawing and trypsin digestion. They did not appear to be related to HLA antigens, beta 2 microglobulin or known foetal antigens. The nature of the antigens detected in these studies is as yet unknown, but they appear similar to those described in the sera and urine of melanoma patients in previous reports. Thes combined results and the frequent expression of these antigens on melanoma cells from different patients suggest that assays to detect this antigen may provide a valuable immunodiagnostic aid in the management of melanoma.