Immunogenic and antigenic epitopes of immunoglobulins XVIII. SUBPOPULATIONS OF HUMAN LAMBDA CHAINS DEFINED WITH A PANEL OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES.

Following immunization with various lambda Bence-Jones proteins, over 100 hybridomas were established. A majority of the monoclonal antibodies (McAb) produced were demonstrated to recognize epitopes common to all lambda chains or unique to the immunogen. Twenty-nine McAb exhibited profiles of ‘restricted’ reactivity. Analysis with a panel of serologically defined antigens allowed McAb recognizing the λII subgroup to be identified. Other McAb recognized epitopes selectively expressed by λII and λIII subgroup proteins. A further twenty-one McAb exhibited individual specificity profiles, some of which detect minor lambda chain subpopulations. Several of these McAb have potential for analysis of the clonality of specific antibody responses and for detecting monoclonal B-cell proliferations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]