The influence of stimulated peritoneal feeder cells and mitogens upon antibody secreting hybridomas

Peritoneal exudate cells from mice injected with immunostimulatory agents were evaluated for their ability to promote hybridoma growth. Peritoneal cells from mice receiving peritoneal injections of either Freund's incomplete adjuvant or pristane, seven days prior to harvesting, produced the greatest number of antibody-producing hybridomas. Freund's incomplete adjuvant produced 16 fold more peritoneal cells than unstimulated mice, thus reducing the number of mice needed to supply feeder cells for the hybridoma cultures. In separate experiments a number of B-lymphocyte stimulating lectins and factors were tested for their ability to promote hybridoma growth. 2-mercaptoethanol (25 microM) routinely increased the number of antibody producing hybridomas by 5 to 15 fold. 2-mercaptoethanol had a varying ability to increase the numbers of hybridoma colonies. The cloning efficiency, rate of cell growth and antibody production of hybridoma cell lines, previously produced in the absence of 2-mercaptoethanol could also be increased when this reducing agent was added to the culture medium.     

In vitro modulation of protective antibody responses by estrogen,progesterone and interleukin-6

PROBLEM: We have previously demonstrated that the addition of placental interleukin-6 (IL-6) to murine hybridomas increased asymmetric antibody synthesis. Here we analyze whether progesterone (Pg) and estrogen (E2) affect asymmetric antibody synthesis by modulating IL-6 production in hybridoma cells. METHOD OF STUDY: Hybridoma 112D5 B cells were cultured with E2, Pg or recombinant IL-6. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation, and asymmetric antibodies were measured in culture supernatants by Con A fixation and enzyme-linked immunusorbant assay (ELISA). E2 and Pg-receptors (ER and PR) were evaluated in whole cell extracts by Western blot. IL-6 was measured in culture supernatants by ELISA. RESULTS: 112D5 expressed both PR and ER, which were differentially regulated. At 48 hr, Pg and E2 slightly decreased cell proliferation whereas IL-6 did not. As well as IL-6, 10(-10) M Pg but not E2 induced asymmetric antibody production. Interestingly, Pg at 10(-6) M decreased asymmetric antibody synthesis by hybridoma cells. Finally, mainly Pg but also E2 increased IL-6 synthesis, although IL-6 levels did not correlate with asymmetric antibodies synthesized in the presence of E2 or Pg. CONCLUSIONS: In cells expressing both ER and PR, we could demonstrate that steroids participate in humoral immune responses by modulating asymmetric antibody synthesis. IL-6 proved to be only partially involved. Other possible mechanisms involved in the effect of Pg on blocking antibody responses and their contribution to a successful pregnancy are discussed in the paper.     

Estimation of heterokaryon formation and hybridoma growth in murine and human cell fusions

Four mouse myelomas commonly used for cell fusions (X63.Ag8.653, SP2/0, NS1, P3U1), 3 human myeloma-like cell lines (ARH77, U-266, GM1500) and 3 human x mouse hybridomas (SPAZ4, SA2, SA3) were compared for their heterokaryon formation and successful hybridoma growth after cell fusion with polyethylene glycol. The cells were stained with different fluorescent dyes which do not alter hybridoma growth or antibody secretion. After fusion myeloma cells containing at least 1 nucleus from a lymphocyte (heterokaryons) were counted from fluorescence photomicrographs and the heterokaryon frequency was calculated. Mouse myelomas fused at a frequency of 1-7%, whereas human myeloma lines showed a higher heterokaryon frequency ranging from 3-25%. In mouse fusions almost every well contained growing hybridomas showing a minimum hybridoma frequency of 2/10(6) lymphocytes. In human fusions the SPAZ4 and SA2 lines showed a heterokaryon frequency nearly as good as mouse myelomas, whereas U-266 yielded no growing hybridomas despite 20% heterokaryon frequency. Furthermore, human cell lines showed a high tendency of multikaryon formation whereas this phenomenon was rarely observed with murine and murine x human heterohybrids. In individual fusion experiments no correlation was found between heterokaryon formation and the number of growing hybridomas. Thus, our study shows that defects in hybridoma growth may not always result from lack of a successful fusion and human hybridomas might be more sensitive to post-fusion conditions.     

抗人白细胞介素15单克隆抗体的制备及特性鉴定

目的 :制备鼠抗人白细胞介素 15(hIL 15)单克隆抗体 (mAb) ,并鉴定其特性。方法 :自重组人白细胞介素 15(rhIL 15)基因工程菌中 ,提取融合蛋白GST IL 15,以 12 0g/LSDS PAGE分离鉴定 ,切取含有目的条带的凝胶 ,免疫BALB/c小鼠。取免疫小鼠的脾细胞与Sp2 / 0骨髓瘤细胞常规融合 ,依次进行HAT选择培养 ,间接ELISA法筛选抗体阳性的杂交瘤细胞及克隆化。对杂交瘤细胞株的稳定性及其分泌的mAb的特性进行鉴定。另外 ,以rhIL 15包涵体蛋白 (rhIL 15IBP)免疫新西兰白兔 ,制备抗hIL 15的多克隆抗体 (多抗 )。用抗hIL 15的mAb与多抗建立双抗体夹心间接ELISA。结果 :获得 1株可稳定分泌特异性抗hIL 15mAb的杂交瘤细胞。建立了双抗体夹心间接ELISA ,检测rhIL 15蛋白的敏感性达 10 μg/L。结论 :成功地制备抗hIL 15mAb ,并建立了一种可用于hIL 15检测的双抗体夹心间接ELISA。     

T cell receptor beta chain gene rearrangements and V beta gene usage in horse cytochrome c-specific T cell hybridomas

Comparison of T cell receptor alpha and beta-chain genes in murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II-restricted T cell clones and hybridomas recognizing different antigens indicates that no simple correlation exists between the observed antigen/MHC specificity and the expression of certain alpha and beta-chain heterodimers. We have attempted to establish a possible correlation by analyzing T cell receptor beta chain gene rearrangements and V beta gene usage in five T cell hybridomas with identical antigen/MHC specificity and another hybridoma recognizing a different antigenic determinant in association with the same restriction molecule. We report here that in each of the five clones a uniquely rearranged beta chain gene is expressed in combination with at least two different V beta gene segments. The presence of the differently rearranged T cell receptor beta chain genes correlated with the finding of distinct fine specificity pattern of antigen recognition in each of the hybridomas. Interestingly, two hybridomas specific for different epitopes showed identical beta chain D-J rearrangements indicating that the differences might be encoded by the alpha chain gene or/and the V beta gene element.     

The influence of murine macrophage-conditioned medium on cloning efficiency, antibody synthesis, and growth rate of hybridomas

Murine B-cell hybridomas made with the P3X63-AG8.653 myeloma showed increases in cloning efficiency and efficiency of growth in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) medium of 50-100-fold in the presence of medium conditioned by primary mouse peritoneal macrophages (MCM). Similar effects were elicited by MCM from 3 continuous macrophage lines. The J774A.1 line conditioned the medium as efficiently as primary macrophages without induction. Conditioning by the P388D1 line was several-fold less efficient, but could be increased by treating the cells with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. By contrast, the BJ-1 macrophage line required treatment with the lipopolysaccharide to induce expression of the hybridoma growth factor(s). Four commercially available serum supplements could not substitute for MCM, but addition of MCM and the supplements together stimulated the growth rate of hybridomas in media with 4% or less fetal bovine serum. The rate of antibody synthesis paralleled the growth rate, and the amount of antibody synthesized per cell was approximately the same for hybridomas grown in medium supplemented with MCM or adapted to growth in the absence of MCM. The results indicate that MCM has advantages as an alternative to 'feeder cells' and serum supplements in hybridoma cultures, and suggest that MCM may be useful for hybridoma culture at reduced serum concentrations. The nature of the soluble factor(s) in MCM which promote these effects remains unknown.     

Anti-CD3-induced cell death in T cell hybridomas: mitochondrial failure and DNA fragmentation are distinct events.

Triggering of the T cell receptor of T cell hybridomas leads to interleukin (IL) 2 secretion, inhibition of spontaneous growth, degradation of genomic DNA and cell death. We have investigated the relationship between the ability of mitochondria to convert 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), DNA fragmentation and growth arrest in hybridomas stimulated with anti-CD3/T cell receptor antibodies. We describe a variant T hybridoma whose mitochondrial function remains unaffected upon stimulation with anti-CD3 antibody, although it does undergo DNA fragmentation. By contrast, treatment of another anti-CD3-stimulated T hybridoma with endonuclease inhibitor completely inhibits the DNA fragmentation response but not mitochondrial failure induced by anti-CD3 antibody. Thus, we have been able to dissociate anti-CD3-induced mitochondrial failure and DNA fragmentation, suggesting that they are separate events. Although both undoubtedly contribute to cell death induced by activation the primary cause of death may be mitochondrial failure rather than DNA fragmentation.     

Selection of hybrid hybridomas by flow cytometry using a new combination of fluorescent vital stains.

A new combination of fluorescent dyes (rhodamine 123 and hydroethidine) was used to internally label hybridoma fusion partners. Murine hybridoma 520C9 (recognizing human c-erbB-2) was labeled with hydroethidine. Murine hybridoma 3G8 (recognizing human Fc gamma receptor III) was labeled with rhodamine 123, and verapamil was used to block rhodamine efflux via P-glycoprotein. Viability assays showed little cytotoxicity from these dyes at the concentrations used. The labeled cells were fused with polyethylene glycol, sorted for dual fluorescence on an Epics V cell sorter, and cloned. Hybrid hybridomas producing bispecific antibodies were selected for ability to promote lysis of SK-Br-3 breast cancer cells by human mononuclear cells. Several positive clones were obtained and shown to have a double content of DNA. Bispecific antibody produced by subclone 2B1 was purified by anion exchange chromatography and shown to bind both tumor cells and Fc gamma R III bearing cells. Using two parameter flow cytometric analysis, we were able to measure a 'bridging' effect of this bispecific antibody, which caused formation of complexes between PMNs and SK-Br-3 cells. Either parental antibody could compete with bispecific antibody to block such complexing. This fusion method provides several advantages over other techniques presently used (speed, convenience, low toxicity and automatic exclusion of dead cells) and can be applied to produce other hybrid hybridomas.     

Two distinct monoclonal antibodies raised against mouse beta nerve growth factor. Generation of bi-specific anti-nerve growth factor anti-horseradish peroxidase antibodies for use in a homogeneous enzyme immunoassay

Two hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies against mouse beta nerve growth factor (NGF) were obtained from the fusion of hyperimmune splenocytes from rats immunized with polymerized beta-NGF and Sp2/0.Ag mouse myeloma cells. The monoclonal antibodies coded IgG 24 and 30 produced and secreted by the hybrid cells are both of the IgG2a subclass. Both monoclonal antibodies are capable of recognizing native NGF coated on microassay plates as well as the denatured factor on Western blots. However, only IgG 30 has been found to block NGF-induced process outgrowth from the rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) as well as NGF-induced increase in choline acetyltransferase activity in rat primary septal cell cultures. In addition, only IgG 30 was able to detect immunocytochemically NGF-immunoreactive sites in fixed tissue. And, finally, IgG 24 could not compete for IgG 30 binding to immobilized native NGF. Consequently, it appears that these antibodies are recognizing different epitopes on the NGF molecule. Neither monoclonal antibody displayed any crossreactivity with serum albumin, aprotinin, epidermal growth factor or insulin. A hybrid-hybridoma producing bi-specific anti-NGF anti-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) monoclonal antibodies was generated from the fusion of an azaguanine resistant anti-HRP hybridoma, coded RAP2.Ag and the anti-NGF IgG 30 hybridoma treated with emetine. The potential merits of using these bi-specific antibodies in combination with their mono-specific anti-NGF parent in a homogeneous sandwich immunoassay for the quantitation of NGF are discussed.     

Interferon-neutralizing or enhancing activities in hybridoma cell fluids after in vitro immunization.

Several hybridomas supernatants capable of interferon beta (IFN-beta) or "IFN epsilon" ("IFN-eps") neutralizing or enhancing activities were obtained after in vitro immunization of BALB/c and C57 mice spleen cells and their fusion with Sp2/0 plasmacytoma cells. Besides rather low anti-IFN-beta or "eps" antibody secretion several cloned hybridoma fluids contained a factor potentiating anti-viral activity of the both IFNs. It is speculated that this activity is due to production by some hybridomas of another lymphokine.     

人肝再生增强因子单克隆抗体的制备:以非纯化的大肠杆菌表达抗原筛选杂交瘤

目的 :利用杂交瘤技术、以非纯化的大肠杆菌表达重组蛋白作为筛选抗原 ,制备小鼠抗人肝再生增强因子(hALR)的单克隆抗体。方法 :用实验室纯化的重组hALR 硫氧环蛋白融合蛋白免疫BALB c小鼠 ;小鼠脾细胞与SP2 0骨髓瘤细胞融合后经HAT选择培养基筛选杂交瘤 ;以重组质粒pQE30 hALR与空质粒pQE30在大肠杆菌中诱导表达后的细菌裂解产物作为筛选抗原和对照抗原 ,用ELISA方法筛选能分泌抗hALR单克隆抗体的阳性杂交瘤细胞克隆 ;进一步以ELISA方法和免疫印迹方法检测该杂交瘤细胞产生的抗体对真核细胞表达的重组hALR及人体血清中天然hALR的反应性。结果 :成功筛选出一株能稳定分泌抗hALR单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞 ;其产生的抗体能对真核细胞表达的重组hALR及人体血清中天然的hALR发生特异的抗原抗体反应。结论 :大肠杆菌表达的重组蛋白在以空质粒表达产物作为对照下 ,不经过任何纯化步骤也能够用于单克隆抗体制备中的杂交瘤筛选 ;hALR单克隆抗体为深入研究hALR提供了研究手段。     

Murine Bispecific Antibody 1A10 Directed to Human Transferrin Receptor and a 42-kDa Tumor-Associated Glycoprotein

Previously, we observed that bispecific antibodies (“antigen forks”) that bound to certain pairs of different tumor surface antigens could inhibit cell growth. The chemically linked heteroconjugate of MAb 454A12 (murine IgG1 recognizing human transferrin receptor) and 317G5 (murine IgG1 recognizing a 42-kDa tumor-associated glycoprotein) was particularly inhibitory toward human colorectal cancer cell lines, and the iron-chelating agent deferoxamine was found to augment inhibition of tumor cell growth by this antigen fork. Further experiments revealed that an antigen fork constructed by linking Fab′ fragments instead of whole antibodies retained activity, which led us to construct a fork-secreting hybrid hybridoma. Hybridoma 454A12 was fused with hybridoma 34F2 (murine IgG1 with the same specificity as 317G5). Hybrid hybridomas whose supernatants blocked binding of both 454A12 and 34F2 probes were further tested for the ability to block growth of SW948 human colorectal cancer cells in an MTT growth assay, and were chosen for subcloning. Ascites produced by clone 1A10 was purified by affinity and cation exchange chromatography. Purified 1A10 bispecific antibody showed growth inhibitory activity comparable to that of a chemically linked heteroconjugate of its parental antibodies 34F2 and 454A12. Adding deferoxamine greatly enhanced the inhibitory activity of 1A10 and effectively prevented regrowth of tumor cellsin vitro.By heterologously crosslinking two antigens that are coexpressed on many tumor cells, this bispecific antibody is able to inhibit tumor growth with enhanced selectivity.     

Endothelial cell growth supplement: a cell cloning factor that promotes the growth of monoclonal antibody producing hybridoma cells

The efficiency of endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS), a commercially marketed extract of bovine neural tissue, human endothelial cell supernatant (HECS) derived from freshly isolated endothelial cells, and feeder layers of murine peritoneal cells (PEC), were compared for their ability to support cell fusion, clonal growth, and monoclonal antibody production of murine hybridoma cells. ECGS at 25-100 micrograms/ml was similar to a 1:5 dilution of HECS in supporting the growth of hybridoma colonies; both ECGS and HECS were superior to PEC feeder cells. Furthermore, hybridomas cloned in ECGS produced anti-lymphotoxin antibodies. The commercial availability and stability of ECGS together with its ability anti-lymphotoxin antibodies. The commercial availability and stability of ECGS a superior growth supplement for the fusion and growth of hybridoma cells in monoclonal antibody production.     

Expression of CD4 can confer major histocompatibility complex class II-associated superantigen reactivity upon a T cell receptor derived from a CD8-dependent cytotoxic T lymphocyte clone

It has been shown that reactivity against major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-associated Mlsa determinants is mainly mediated by CD4+ V beta 6+ T cells. 3F9 is a CD8+ CTL clone which is specific for the alloantigen H-2Db. While 3F9 is V beta 6+, it is not Mlsa reactive, presumably because it does not express CD4. 3F9 utilizes the same T cell receptor (TcR) V alpha V beta combination as LB2, a CD4+ T helper clone specific for chicken red blood cells (cRBC)/I-Ab and yet differs from LB2 in the junctional sequences in both TcR chains. CD4+ CD8- and CD4-CD8- hybridomas expressing the 3F9 TcR were tested for reactivity against Mlsa and cRBC/I-Ab. Only the CD4+CD8- hybridomas were Mlsa reactive, and antibody inhibition studies revealed that this reactivity was both CD4 and MHC class II dependent. Therefore the expression of the CD4 molecule can make an MHC class I-restricted TcR Mlsa reactive. Neither type of hybridoma reacted against cRBC, thus the main difference in the antigen reactivity between 3F9 and LB2 lies in the TcR junctional regions.     

Production of antibodies against measles virions by use of the mouse hybridoma technique

Summary Mouse hybridoma cell lines were produced by fusion of P3 × 63 Ag8 myeloma cells with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with purified measles virions. About 60 per cent of single cell colonies in wells were found to produce measles antibodies as determined by a radioimmune assay. Selected measles antibody producing hybridoma cell lines were passaged intraperitoneally in mice and ascites fluids were collected. This material contained 20–200 times higher antibody titers than unconcentrated medium from hybridoma cell lines propagated in tissue culture. The ascites fluid antibody products of 23 hybridoma cell lines were characterized by different measles serological tests. Seventeen lines produced high titers of hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) and hemolysis-inhibition (HLI) antibodies. One hybridoma cell line produced Ig with low HI but high HLI activity and the remaining 5 hybridoma cell line products only carried HLI activity. Unexpectedly it was found in radioimmune precipitation assays that all hybridomas studied, including those showing HLI but no HI antibody activity, gave a selective precipitation of the 79K measles hemagglutinin polypeptide. Radioimmune precipitation assays with sera from immunized animals showed that they contained high titers of antibodies precipitating the 79 K polypeptide but in addition also somewhat lower titers of antibodies precipitating the 60 K nucleoprotein, 40 K fusion and 36 K matrix polypeptides. Homogeneous Ig products carrying measles antibody activity were demonstrated by imprint immunoelectrophoresis of ascites materials.With 2 Figures     

Preferential generation of monoclonal IgG-producing hybridomas by use of vesicular stomatitis virus-mediated cell fusion.

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-mediated cell fusion was recently proposed as an alternative fusion technique to generate monoclonal antibody (MAb)-producing hybridomas. In order to further examine this technique, we made direct comparative experiments among VSV, Sendai virus (SV) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated cell fusion in generating MAb-producing hybridomas. The distribution of immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes secreted by the hybridomas obtained, as well as hybridoma yield and specific hybridoma yield, was compared. The results show that VSV-fusion yielded almost the same number of specific hybridomas as SV- and PEG-fusion in spite of its lower fusion frequency. In addition, VSV-fusion preferentially gave Ig-producing, especially IgG-producing, hybridomas. SV-fusion yielded both hybridomas and specific hybridomas with similar frequency to PEG-fusion, but IgM-producers predominated. These results demonstrate that fusion method has a considerable influence on the isotypes of obtained antibodies, and also suggest an advantage of VSV-fusion for production of IgG monoclonal antibodies.     

Efficient selection of high-affinity B cell hydridomas using antigen-coated magnetic beads

A method for the selection of antigen-specific B cell hybridomas using antigen-coated magnetic beads is described. Stable B cell hybridoma cell lines directed against human thyroglobulin were incubated with thyroglobulin-coated beads. 2 h of incubation of 4°C using bead-to-cell ratios of at least 3 : 1 were found to be the optimal conditions for rosette formation. Rosettes were efficiently isolated with a strong magnet. Rosette formation was antigen-specific since irrelevant hybridoma cell lines could not form rosettes, nor could BSA-coated or uncoated beads form rosettes. Free antibodies produced by the hybridoma cells were able to block rosette formation. Blocking of rosette formation permitted the identification of different and overlapping epitopes recognized by four different hybridomas.

Using six stable hybridoma cell lines with different affinities for thyroglobulin, rosette formation appeared to be dependent on the affinity of the immunoglobulin membrane receptor for antigen. A correlation was observed between the affinity of the secreted antibodies and the capacity of the hybridomas to form rosettes, suggesting that this method is suitable for the selection of hybridomas producing antibodies with a high affinity for the antigen.

Antigen-coated magnetic beads were found to be suitable for the efficient selection of thyroglobulin-specific hybridoma cells from bulk cultures shortly after fusion. A 300-fold enrichment of thyroglobulin-specific cells was obtained using this method.     

Establishment of an interleukin 6 (IL 6)/B cell stimulatory factor 2-dependent cell line and preparation of anti-IL 6 monoclonal antibodies

Murine hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (mAb) specific to human interleukin 6 (IL 6/BSF-2) were established. One of these hybridomas (MH60.BSF2) was found to be dependent on IL 6 for its in vitro growth. None of the known biological factors tested, such as recombinant (r) human (Hu) IL 1 alpha, rHuIL 1 beta, rHuIL 2, rHuIL 3, rHuIL 4, rHu interferon (IFN)-gamma, HuIFN-beta, rHuG-CSF, or recombinant murine (Mu) IL 3, MuIL 4, rMuIL 5, could induce the in vitro growth of MH60.BSF2 cells. The half-maximum tritiated thymidine uptake by MH60.BSF2 cells could be achieved by picogram amounts of rIL 6, making this hybridoma clone an indicator cell for specific and sensitive detection of the IL 6 activity in test samples. The MH166.BSF2 clone was found to produce IgG1,chi type mAb (alpha BSF2-166) capable of neutralizing IL 6 activity. The other clone, MH60.BSF2, produced IgM,chi type mAb (alpha BSF2-60) unable to neutralize IL 6 activity. Both mAb specifically reacted with IL 6 as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting analysis. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing alpha BSF2-166 and rabbit anti-IL 6 antibodies was established which could detect as low as 50 pg/ml of IL 6. Since both the ELISA and MH60.BSF2 hybridoma could detect small amounts of IL 6 in biological fluids, they constitute powerful tools in exploring the presence or the role of IL 6 in various immunological disorders.     

Serum-free medium for hybridoma and parental myeloma cell cultivation: a novel composition of growth-supporting substances

Serum-free chemically defined medium for hybridoma and parental myeloma cultivation was developed on the basis of testing of individual substances supporting hybridoma growth under serum-free conditions. Optimized concentrations of transferrin, insulin, ethanolamine, linoleic acid, serum albumin, ascorbic acid, hydrocortisone, and trace elements could substitute serum. Developed serum-free hybridoma (SFH) medium differs from analogous previously described media mainly by a more complete combination of growth-supporting supplements and by the presence of ascorbic acid and hydrocortisone. Growth comparable with that in the medium supplemented with 10% bovine serum was achieved with four hybridomas and two myelomas. SFH medium was also suitable for long-term cultivation of hybridomas without cessation of monoclonal antibody production. Growth potency and the specific growth requirements of hybridomas in serum-free medium are, to a large degree, determined by parental myeloma.