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Comparison of Class II HLA Antigen Expression in Normal and Carcinomatous Human Breast Cells

Centre Jean Perrin and INSERM Unit 71, B.P. 392, 63011 Clermont-Ferrand Cédex, France

Class II HLA antigen expression in breast carcinoma and normal breast gland cells was compared using a method more accurate than immunofluorescence. This new method involves labeling membrane proteins with ¹³¹I and the anti-Class II HLA monoclonal antibody with ¹²⁵I. The isolation and purification of the doubly labeled (¹²⁵I-¹³¹I) immune complex was performed by affinity chromatography and chromatofocusing successively. When the specific activity of glycoproteins is known, the amount of glycoproteins which bind specifically to the anti-Class II HLA monoclonal antibody can be deduced. In breast carcinoma cells, 1.5 to 2% of the purified glycoproteins bind specifically to the monoclonal antibody, whereas less than 0.3% of normal breast gland cells binds. In contrast, leukemic cells, of which 80 to 90% possess Class II HLA antigens, 2 to 3% of Class II HLA glycoproteins bind specifically with the anti-Class II HLA monoclonal antibody.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Cancérologie, Centre Jean Perrin, Place Henri Dunant, B.P. 392, 63011 Clermont-Ferrand Cédex, France.

Received 5/25/84. Accepted 12/ 4/84.