Evaluation of Bcl-2/B cell transgenic mice (B6) for hybridoma production.
Bcl-2 is an oncogene associated with prevention of apoptosis in a variety of cell types. Bcl-2 expression in B lymphoid cells prolongs antibody production, in vitro and in vivo. A line of transgenic mice (B6) has been developed that expresses human Bcl-2 in the B cells of SWR/SJL mice. B6 transgenic, nontransgenic littermates, and BALB/c mice were immunized with beta-galactosidase (B-gal) or sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The number of spleen cells recovered from immunized B6 mice was 3-4 times greater than syngeneic, nontransgenic littermates or BALB/c mice. Spleen cells from B-gal or SRBC immune B6, SWR/SJL, and BALB/c mice were fused with P3 myeloma cells to produce hybridomas. Forty-eight percent of the wells plated with fused B6 spleen cells produced B-gal-specific antibodies compared to 14% from BALB/c and 12% from SWR/SJL. Antibody-specific wells were subcloned, resulting in enhanced recovery of antigen-specific subclones with B6-derived fusions compared to controls. In the SRBC fusions, 17% of the wells plated with fused B6 spleen cells produced SRBC-specific antibodies compared to 6% for BALB/c and SWR/SJL spleens. After subcloning, B6-derived clones produced 8% positive subclones compared to 9.5% from SWR/SJL and 3.5% from BALB/c. Comparison of the isotype distribution of subclones showed a higher ratio of IgG antibodies compared to IgM from B6 mice in the B-gal fusions. IgA antibodies were recovered only from B6 mice. These data indicate that B6 transgenic mice that overexpress Bcl-2 in their B cells may be superior to other mouse strains for production of antigen-specific hybridomas.
Hybritech Incorporated, San Diego, California 92196-9006, USA.
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Knott
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Reed
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Saedi
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Kuus-Reichel
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2