A new monoclonal antibody to human subcapsular thymic epithelial cells

A monoclonal antibody, termed K-20, was generated against an anaplastic thymic carcinoma cell line, Ty-82. Subcapsular thymic epithelial cells of the thymus and blood vessels in various organs were shown to react with the K-20 monoclonal antibody by immunohistochemical staining. Immunofluorescent study revealed that various haematopoietic fresh cells and cell lines did not show any significant reactivity with K-20, except for one Epstein-Barr-virus-carrying lymphoma cell line (SP-50B). Western immunoblotting and affinity purification procedure revealed that K-20 was directed to a protein with a molecular weight of 28 kDa. K-20 is unique in its restrictive reactivity with human subcapsular thymic epithelial cells.