A monoclonal antibody that binds to tumor-associated antigens of exfoliated cells in the smears of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

The reactivity of CE 407, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) known to bind to the cells of invasive cervical squamous cell carcinoma, was tested by the immunoperoxidase technique in samples from precursor lesions with and without associated condylomatous atypia. Antibody CE 407 bound with a high frequency to cells from cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and to cells showing condylomatous changes. Antibody CE 407 gave a positive reaction in 16 (64%) of 25 patients with CIN only. When the morphologic characteristics of human papillomavirus infection were present along with CIN, there was a higher frequency of positivity, with 27 (93%) of 29 such cases positive for CE 407. Reactivity of this MAb with normal exfoliated cervical epithelial cells was not observed.