Cloning and expression of cDNAs encoding the variable domains of the antibreast carcinoma antibody Mc5

Mc5, a murine monoclonal antibody that binds to human breast epithelial mucin (BEM), has been shown to be a promising reagent in the diagnosis of breast cancer. We have cloned cDNAs encoding both variable regions of Mc5 (VL and VH) as well as the CL and CH1 constant regions. Mc5 is an IgG1, kappa antibody. We have constructed an IgG1, kappa human/mouse chimeric antibody (by inserting the murine VH and VL-encoding cDNAs into plasmids encoding human constant domains), and expressed it in SP2/0-Ag14 mouse myeloma cells. The affinity of chimeric Mc5 (chMc5) for BEM is 4.4 x 10(8) M-1. Mc5 binds BEM with an affinity constant of 2.8 x 10(8) M-1. Purified chMc5 and purified Mc5 gave similar competition curves when tested against either 125I-labeled Mc5 or 125I-labeled chMc5 for binding to BEM in a competition radioimmunodetection format. Additionally, chMc5 used in breast carcinoma tissue staining stained as well as the original Mc5.