Identification of a human neuroectodermal tumor antigen (OFA-I-2) as ganglioside GD2

Two monospecific human antibodies (anti-OFA-I-1 and anti-OFA-I-2) produced in vitro by lymphoblast cell lines originating from melanoma patients have been shown previously to recognize cell surface antigens (OFA-I-1 and OFA-I-2) on human tumors and fetal brain: OFA-I-1 is expressed on a variety of human tumors, while OFA-I-2 has been detected only on tumors of neuroectodermal origin. Evidence presented in this report suggests that the two antigens expressed by a cultured human melanoma cell line (M14) are chemically distinct and that OFA-I-2 is a cell surface glycolipid, ganglioside GD2: GalNAc beta 1 leads to 4 NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 8NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3 Gal beta 1 leads to 4Glc-ceramide.