title: IgE-producing hybridomas established after B-cell culture in the CD40 system.
abstract: While total IgE synthesis can be easily induced in human PBL or B cells by different stimuli, no systems are known for the induction of allergen-specific IgE in vitro. In this study we investigated whether a specific Ig response could be induced using the CD40 culture system with the final intention to generate B-cell hybridomas secreting IgE of defined specificity. B cells derived from immunized donors normally give rise to many specific hybridomas after cell fusion. However, if cultured in the CD40 system and then immortalized and screened for anti-tetanus specificity, no tetanus-specific clones were found but a large number of IgE-secreting hybridomas had been generated. Also allergen-specific B cells could not be expanded in the CD40 system but long-term cultures yielded again B cells that were efficiently immortalized by cell fusion resulting in stable IgE-secreting hybridomas but of undefined specificity. One of these IgE-producing clones was further characterized and had an IgE production rate of 4.5 micrograms/10(6) cells/24 h. This paper provides two findings. (1) Our cell lines represent a valuable new source of human IgE. (2) Most importantly, our data indicate that the CD40 system is not suitable to expand specific B cells, suggesting that other systems have to be developed for the induction of a significant antigen-specific Ig response.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Allergology, Inselspital University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zürcher
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aebischer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miescher
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Stadler
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000502:physiology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E