Electric field-induced cell fusion and human monoclonal antibodies.
A persistent problem in the generation of antigen-specific human monoclonal antibodies is the rarity of appropriate B cells in human blood or splenic tissues. In order to immortalize the rare antigen-specific cells that are available, an electric field-induced cell fusion technique has been shown to markedly increase the fusion efficiency in comparison to polyethylene glycol-induced cell fusion using Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or pokeweed mitogen activated B cells. Fusion efficiency of 10(-3)-10(-4) has been achieved by this process with as low as 1 X 10(6) input EBV-activated B cells. A panel of human monoclonal antibodies to human cytomegalovirus has subsequently been produced using this technique. This improvement should enable wider therapeutic and diagnostic applications of human monoclonal antibodies.
Foung
S K
SK
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305.
Perkins
S
S
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002459:Cell Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004560:Electricity; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000166:cytology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens