Immunodiagnosis of Human Melanoma: Characterization of Human Melanoma Antigens and Their Detection in Sera of Melanoma Patients by Radioimmunoassay

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Abstract
Double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA), using radioiodinated melanoma-associated antigens (MAA), rabbit antiserum raised against 3 M KCl extract of human melanoma (AHMS) and goat antirabbit IgG antibody, was employed for the detection of MAA in tumors as well as in sera of melanoma patients. MAA were partially purified from crude KCl extract of melanoma tissue by affinity column chromatography using AHMS and concanavalin A. A high content of MAA was detected in all but one melanoma extract, while normal tissue and nonmelanoma tumor extracts contained MAA to a much lesser extent than did melanoma extracts. MAA were also found in melanoma patients’ sera (20/45) but not in sera of normal donors (0/10) and colon cancer patients (0/10). Immunochemical data suggest that AHMS-defined MAA consist of two major glycoproteins with molecular weights of 37K and 31K daltons, which does not cross-react either with carcinoembryonic antigen or β2-microglobulin or with BCG.