Production of monoclonal antibodies to measles virus proteins by immunization of mice with heated and detergent-treated antigens

By use of the mouse hybridoma technique, monoclonal antibodies were obtained with specificity for the HA(79K), P(72K), and M(36K) polypeptides of measles virus. BALB/c mice were immunized with native measles virus and measles virus treated with detergents and heat. Clones obtained after immunization of mice with native measles virus showed specificity for the HA(79K) polypeptide only. After immunization with measles virus, treated with 1% sodium sarkosyl sulfate (SSS) at 20°, a clone was obtained producing antibodies to the M(36K) polypeptide. Heating of measles virus in the presence of 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) under reducing conditions elicited a selective immune response to the P(72K) and the NP(60K) polypeptides. Thus, clones producing antibodies to the P(72K) polypeptides were isolated.