Acetylcholinesterase of human erythrocytes and neuromuscular junctions: homologies revealed by monoclonal antibodies.

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Abstract
Human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase was used to immunize mice, and hybridomas were generated by fusion of mouse spleen cells with cells of the Sp 2/0 myeloma cell line. Five independently derived hybridoma clones produced antibodies that bound to purified erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase. All of these antibodies crossreacted with human and monkey neuromuscular junctions: immunocytochemical staining patterns corresponded to the distribution of junctional acetylcholinesterase. The monoclonal antibodies fell into at least 4 categories based on differences in crossreactivity with neuromuscular acetylcholinesterase of rabbit, dogs, calf, and guinea pig, and competition tests indicated that the antibodies defined 5 different antigenic sites on the acetylcholinesterase molecule. There is a high level of homology between the acetylcholinesterases of erythrocytes and neuromuscular junctions.