Modulation of melanoma-associated antigens by monoclonal antibodies as visualized by radioimmunoelectron microscopy and radioantibody binding assay

There is a wealth of information about monoclonal antibody (MAb) specificity and function on fixed tissues, yet little is known about formation and release of antigen-antibody complexes and their functional behavior in vivo. We analyzed the pathway of radiolabeled MAbs directed against melanoma-associated antigens by radioimmunoelectron microscopy (RIEM) on metabolically active cells of the melanoma cell lines SK-MEL-28, MeWo and Colo 38 at different time intervals. In parallel, binding and release of MAbs were investigated by the radioantibody binding assay (RBA). Both procedures gave essentially concordant results. Preferentially stable binding of immune complexes (ICs) to the cell surfac…