Cell surface antigens of human malignant melanoma: mixed hemadsorption assays for humoral immunity to cultured autologous melanoma cells.

Abstract

How frequently patients with malignant melanoma have specific antibody to cell surface antigens of cultured autologous melanoma cells as demonstrated by mixed hemadsorption assays was studied. Of 35 patients studied over periods ranging from 1-36 mo. with Stage II, III and IV disease, 2 showed consistent and high titered reactivity against autologous melanoma cells, 2 showed less consistent and intermediate reactivity, 7 showed sporadic, low titered reactivity, and the remainder were consistently negative. A detailed analysis was carried out with the sera of 1 patient with sufficiently high titer against autologous melanoma cells. By direct tests and by absorption analysis with a variety of melanoma and nonmelanoma cell lines [including human melanoma SK-Mel-1 (and derivatives) and RPMI-7931 cells, human bladder carcinoma J-82 and T-24 cells, human lymphoblast SK-L-7 cells and human renal carcinoma SK-RC-1 and SK-RC-4 cells] which included autologous fibroblasts, the antigen could not be demonstrated on any cell type other than the autologous melanoma.