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A monoclonal antibody recognizing desmosomes: use in human pathology
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|October 1, 1985
Summary
A new antibody, DP1, specifically targets desmosomes, which are cell adhesion structures found in epithelial tissues. This antibody shows promise as a diagnostic marker in human pathology for identifying epithelial tumors.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Desmosomes are crucial intercellular junctions in epithelial tissues.
- Identifying specific markers for desmosomes is important for understanding tissue structure and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize a novel mouse monoclonal antibody, DP1, that recognizes human desmosomes.
- To evaluate the utility of DP1 as a potential diagnostic marker in human pathology.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and characterization of a mouse monoclonal IgG1 antibody (DP1).
- Immunoblotting to identify the target protein of DP1.
- Immunofluorescence microscopy on various human tissues and cultured cells.
- Analysis of DP1 staining in epithelial tumors.
Main Results:
- DP1 specifically recognizes desmoplakin I (250 kD) in desmosome preparations.
- DP1 strongly stains desmosomes in epithelial cells of skin, esophagus, uterus, intestine, liver, and hair follicles.
- DP1 shows specificity for epithelial desmosomes in cultured cells and in various tissues, including myocardial desmosomes.
- DP1 effectively stains desmosomes in epithelial tumors like adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Conclusions:
- The antibody DP1 is a specific marker for desmosomes in human epithelial tissues.
- DP1's ability to detect desmosomes in epithelial tumors suggests its utility as a diagnostic marker in human pathology.
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