High-molecular-weight glycoproteins of human teratocarcinoma defined by monoclonal antibodies to carbohydrate determinants.

Three mouse monoclonal antibodies to distinct cell surface antigens were derived from immunizations with cells of Tera-1, a human teratocarcinoma cell line, and a membrane preparation of placental tissue. The distribution of the antigens on 165 cultured lines of various human tumors and normal cells was determined by mixed hemadsorption assays and on fresh tissues by immunofluorescence staining. K4 antigen is expressed on cell lines derived from teratocarcinomas but not on any other cultured cell tested. Normal adult colonic epithelium, some fetal tissues, and specimens of testicular teratocarcinoma were also K4 positive. K21 antigen was detected on teratocarcinoma cell lines and, at more than 100-fold lower levels, on cultures of normal and malignant kidney epithelium but not on other cultured cells. K21 expression in normal tissues is restricted to the epithelium of fetal intestine and bronchus. Other fetal tissues and all adult normal tissues tested lacked K21. A subset of teratocarcinoma specimens (5 of 8) was reactive with antibody K21. P12 antigen is represented on a wide range of cell lines and tissues, including a subset of teratocarcinomas. AbK4, AbK21, and AbP12 react with carbohydrate sequences present on high-molecular-weight glycoproteins. AbK21 and AbP12 recognize the lacto-N-tetraose and lacto-N-fucopentaose III (X-hapten) structures, respectively, whereas AbK4 reacts with a neuraminidase-sensitive determinant.