The use of a monoclonal antibody against a proliferating cell nuclear matrix antigen in the study of solid human tumors.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) identifies the nuclear antigen p125/6.5 associated with the nuclear matrix and present in proliferating human cells. By direct and indirect immunofluorescence, the presence and distribution of the antigen p125/6.5 in cryostat sections from primary and metastatic solid human tumors has been investigated. The antigen is present in nuclei of malignant and benign tumor cells, but is not detected in adjacent normal tissues. The antigen displays a speckled nucleoplasmic distribution, while nucleoli are negative. The intensity of the immunofluorescence reaction is markedly higher in the nuclei of some individual or grouped tumor cells.