PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES TO MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS, M-BOVIS (BCG) AND MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (3) , 511-521
Abstract
Thirty-two monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to M. tuberculosis H37Rv, M. bovis BCG and M. leprae were produced. The spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with sonicated or intact bacilli were fused with Sp2/0-Ag-14 myeloma cells. Many more antibody producing hybridomas were found when M. tuberculosis, rather than M. leprae, was used as the immunogen. The MoAb were characterized by an enzyme immunoassay and immunofluorescence on 16 mycobacterial spp. The sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoperoxidase assay was used to determine the MW of the antigens detected by the MoAb. Antigens of high, low and intermediate MW were found. Some of the antigens were proteinaceous, others of a glycolipid nature. The immunofluorescence assay proved to be essential for the selection of MoAb since some MoAb reacted only in this assay and not in the enzyme immunoassay. The most specific clones were found in the fusions with spleen cells of mice immunized with intact rather than sonicated bacteria. One MoAb (F29-29) reacted only with M. tuberculosis H37Rv; 1 (F41-3) only with M. leprae and another (F29-45) reacted with M. tuberculosis and M. gastri. Several MoAb only reacted with 3 mycobacterial species: M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii and M. gastrii. Others showed unique patterns of reactivity by enzyme immuno- and immunofluorescence assay. The potential use of the MoAb for the identification of mycobacteria and mycobacterial antigens is discussed.

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