A 93‐kDa glycoprotein expressed on human cultured monocytes and dendritic reticulum cells defined by an anti‐K562 monoclonal antibody

An IgG_2a monoclonal antibody, referred to as 12B1 and raised against the K562 cell line, reacted with adherent monocytes maintained in culture for several days but not with bone marrow or peripheral blood cells including freshly isolated monocytes. Among human leukemic cell lines, 12B1 reacted essentially with the promyelocytic HL60 cell line. 12‐O‐Tetradecanoylphorbol 13‐acetate treatment, but no other differentiation inducer, strongly enhanced its reactivity on K562, HL60 and the histiocytic U937 cell line. Immunoperoxidase staining of sections of normal human tissues showed that 12B1 specifically recognized dendritic reticulum cells in germinal centers of lymph nodes, spleen and tonsils. The 12Bl‐detected antigen is a highly glycosylated polypeptide of an apparent molecular mass of 93–86 kDa. The 12B1 antigen appears to be a new glycoprotein marker shared by adherent monocytes and dendritic reticulum cells. The association of the 12B1 epitope with cells which present antigen and/or exert accessory function suggests that this molecule could play a role in these activities.