MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY RECOGNITION OF CHOLESTEROL MONOHYDRATE CRYSTAL FACES

Background: The immune system can elicit antibodies against a wide var iety of antigens. We have proposed that crystal surfaces may also oper ate as antigens, binding specific antibodies. Here we exploit the crys tal surfaces of cholesterol monohydrate to investigate antibody-surfac e recognition at the molecular level. Results: Four monoclonal antibod ies were selected. Two specifically interact with cholesterol monohydr ate crystals, and one with 1,4-dinitrobenzene crystals. The fourth int eracts nonselectively with various solid substrates. The relative reac tivities of the four antibodies to the different surfaces of cholester ol monohydrate and to other surfaces were compared. The nonspecific an tibody adsorbs mainly at imperfections. Of the two specific antibodies , one shows a clear preference for one set of faces, relative to other s, the second adsorbs selectively at one face of cholesterol monohydra te crystals. Conclusions: Monoclonal antibodies can be selected that s pecifically bind to the crystal surfaces of cholesterol monohydrate. T he binding sites of such antibodies appear to recognize a number of mo lecular moieties, exposed at the surface in a specific structural orga nization. Different antibodies recognize different structural organiza tions with varying degrees of selectivity. Antibody-crystal surface in teractions may serve as convenient models for studies aimed at an unde rstanding of the molecular bases of antibody recognition.