Production and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies against Bovine Leukaemia Virus using Various Crude Antigen Preparations: a Comparative Study.

Summary A total of 59 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific against the bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) using different antigen preparations was produced. The five antigen preparations for immunizing BALB/c mice were: live cells (CEL), sonicated and ultracentrifuged cells (SOC), cell lysates (LYS), semi-purified BLV (PV), and formalin-treated cells (FOR) from two cell lines permanently infected with BLV (FLK-BLV and BLV-bat₂). These viral component presentations were selected to obtain mAbs against specific BLV proteins: located on the cell surface (FOR and CEL), in free virus particles (PV) and intracellular viral proteins (SOC and LYS). Two antigen preparations (SOC and LYS) were lethal to the mice following the intravenous and intrasplenic routes. Six fusions were performed in this study that rendered specific antibodies against BLV. The highest number of hybridomas was produced with SOC; however, the majority of the hybridomas produced (> 90 %) were against cellular proteins. Even though immunization with PV gave the lowest number of hybridomas, the majority of them were specific against BLV. Based on the reactivity of the mAbs in Western blot (WB), we classified the mAbs into five groups, namely anti-gp51SU (39 mAbs), anti-gp30TM (six mAbs), anti-Pr72^env (nine mAbs), anti-Pr66^gag-pro (one mAb) and anti-Pr^gag (four mAbs). A very high percentage of the mAbs produced (48 of 59) reacted with gp51SU, suggesting that this is the most immunogenic and accessible BLV protein presented in the different antigen preparations. The majority of our mAbs recognized more than one band in WB, suggesting that, aside from reacting with mature proteins, the mAbs also recognized viral precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]