Monoclonal antibodies monospecific to single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA)

Until now, single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) could not be distinguished from urokinase (UK) by immunological methods. Therefore, in our study monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for scu-PA were raised in mice. These mAbs proved to discriminate between scu-PA, UK and plasmin-activated scu-PA. The clones producing these mAbs could be cultivated in a serum-free medium. Furthermore, very pure preparations were obtained by a one-step purification procedure on protein-A-sepharose. The mAbs described provide a future potential for immuno-affinity chromatography and for the specific determination of scu-PA.