Ber-EP4: new monoclonal antibody which distinguishes epithelia from mesothelial

J Clin Pathol. 1990 Mar;43(3):213-9. doi: 10.1136/jcp.43.3.213.

Abstract

A new monoclonal antibody, Ber-EP4, directed against a partially formol resistant epitope on the protein moiety of two 34 kilodalton and 39 kilodalton glycopolypeptides on human epithelial cells is described. Immunostaining of a wide range of normal and neoplastic human tissues and cell lines showed that all carcinomas and all non-neoplastic epithelial cells, except hepatocytes, parietal cells, and apical cell layers in squamous epithelia, homogeneously expressed Ber-EP4 antigen. As Ber-EP4 does not detect any normal or neoplastic non-epithelial cells, this antibody might prove valuable for the differentiation of the following (i) non-epithelial tumours from undifferentiated carcinomas; (ii) hepatocytes from bile duct cells in certain liver diseases; (iii) mesothelial cells from carcinoma cells in lung biopsy specimens; and (iv) reactive mesothelial cells from carcinoma cells in smears of serous effusions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal*
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Antigens, Surface / immunology
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Cell Line
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Epithelium / immunology
  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Molecular Weight
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Antigens, Surface
  • Ber-EP4 monoclonal antibody