[Preparation of monoclonal antibodies against human bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid containing protein (BGP) and its immunohistochemical application to various human tissues].

Bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid containing protein (BGP) has been considered to play an important role in mineralization of bone, because this protein is capable of binding to calcium ions. However, the function and localization of BGP in normal bones have not yet been fully understood. In this study, we prepared monoclonal antibodies against human BGP, by immunizing BALB/c mice with human BGP. All five monoclonal antibodies obtained were shown to bind specifically to human BGP, but not to the other bone-derived proteins. In immunohistochemical analysis, these antibodies were shown to react with osteoblasts and osteocytes in normal human bone tissues, but not with chondrocytes, osteoclasts and osteoid tissues. These antibodies are expected to be useful for the diagnosis of human osteoblastic tumors and also for the analysis of the role of BGP in the ossification process in bone.