PREPARATION OF MOUSE-HUMAN CHIMERIC ANTIBODY TO AN EMBRYONIC CARBOHYDRATE ANTIGEN, LEWIS-Y

Stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) is a well-known carbohydrate antigen that is specifically expressed on the surface of cancer cells as well as embryonic cells. In this study, starting with a previously established hybridoma producing a monoclonal antibody (named H18A) to Lewis Y antigen, which is closely related to SSEA-1, we cloned genomic DNA encoding active variable regions both of heavy and light chains of the antibody. Sequence analysis showed that V(H) and V(kappa) genes of H18A were in the V(H)7183 family and V(kappa)C1 family, respectively. A transfected cell line named HC-H18A-7 expressing a recombinant chimeric H18A composed of mouse-derived antigen-binding variable regions and human-derived constant regions was established. The chimeric H18A was purified to homogeneity and shown to bind purified Lewis Y antigen with the same dose-response curve as the original H18A. The chimeric H18A looks more promising for clinical application than the original mouse-derived H18A because its antigenicity is expected to be reduced.