MONOCLONAL MOUSE ANTIBODIES AS PROBES FOR ANTIGENIC POLYMORPHISM IN MURINE LEUKEMIA VIRUSES

Hybrid cell lines that produce monoclonal antibodies against the proteins of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) have been prepared by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells with the lymphocytes of mice that were immunized with MuLV-producing leukemia cells. Preliminary screening of culture fluids from these hybrid cells for reactivity on a panel of viruses led to the selection of cell lines that produced antibodies against highly polymorphic antigenic sites of the viral proteins. Inoculation of the hybrid cells into syngeneic mice resulted in the formation of ascites fluids that contained high titers of monoclonal antibodies. These ascites fluids demonstrated 100,000-fold variations in reactivity with the proteins of different isolates of MuLV. Monoclonal antibodies of this type now provide new tools for the precise serological classification and detection of murine leukemia viruses. © 1979.