Anti‐keratin Monoclonal Antibody against Basal Cell Epithelioma Keratin: BKN‐1

A study conducted in 1987 involved immunizing a BALB/c mouse with fibrous proteins from basal cell epithelioma (BCE) to produce anti-keratin monoclonal antibodies using a hybridoma technique. The monoclonal antibody, named BKN-1, consistently stained the cytoplasm of tumor cells in 17 cases of BCE. In normal human skin, BKN-1 specifically reacted with basal cells in the epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands. Immunoelectron microscopy showed BKN-1 located on tonofilaments in the cytoplasm, and immunoblot analysis revealed BKN-1 stained a 56–56.5K band in BCE and several bands in normal epidermal fibrous proteins. The findings suggested that keratin expression in BCE resembled that of the follicular epithelium below the isthmus portion.