[Production of monoclonal antibodies against HBs (author's transl)]

Abstract

Two BALB/c mice were immunized 4 times with a mixture of adw2 and ayw4 subtypes of HBs antigens. Their spleens were then hybridized with mouse myeloma cell line NS1. Using three different radioimmunoassays (RIA), 264 independent hybridomas were screened for anti-HBs activity. By at last one of these techniques, 95% of the colonies were positive. Selected colonies were cloned and supernatants studied by RIA and immunodiffusion techniques for specificity characterisation. Some clones recognised the common "a" subtype, and other were directed to more restricted specificities. Ascites fluid was active on RIA up to 10(7) dilution (up to 29.000 UI/ml). These monoclonal antibodies may be powerful reagent for the diagnosis and understanding of viral hepatitis B.