Monoclonal antibody to a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line recognizes gastrointestinal neoplasms.

Abstract A monoclonal antibody designated RWP1.1 was produced against a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line RWP1. This antibody was shown to recognize an epitope of carcinoembryonic antigen. The reactivity of the antibody was evaluated on formalin-fixed normal tissues, 86 malignant neoplasms, 10 colonic polyps, and 6 cases of chronic pancreatitis using the peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique. RWP1.1 did not react with normal tissues apart from weak staining of fetal pancreatic ducts. This antibody preferentially reacted with primary and metastatic adenocarcinomas of the colon, stomach, pancreas, and colonic polyps but not with most adenocarcinomas from other sites nor with other types of tumors or cases of chronic pancreatitis. It also reacted with colon adenocarcinomas on frozen sections. The restricted specificity of this antibody could be used in differentiating gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas from other types of tumors including adenocarcinomas from other sites and most pancreatic adenocarcinomas from chronic pancreatitis.