Heterohybridomas secreting human monoclonal antibodies against Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Seven human monoclonal antibodies (HmAb) directed against outer membrane antigens of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) were produced by fusing Sp2/HPT heteromyeloma cells with human tonsillar lymphocytes sensitized in vitro for 6 days. The heterohybridomas were maintained in culture for at least one year and secreted, when cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium without fetal calf serum, between 1 and 15 micrograms/10(6) cells/ml/24 h. All of the HmAb were IgGs except HiH-12 which is an IgM. Antibodies directed against the lipopolysaccharide and proteins of apparent molecular masses of 43, 37 and 27 kDa were identified by immunoblotting of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of outer membrane. Binding radioimmunoassay with live bacteria showed that five out of seven HmAb adsorbed to cell surface-exposed antigenic determinants. HmAb HiH-6, HiH-7 and HiH-10 reacted with a surface-accessible determinant on the 43-kDa outer membrane protein. In a dot enzyme immunoassay, these HmAb recognized 103 out of 111 Hib strains isolated worldwide. The strains were selected to represent the most common genotypic variations among Hib. None of these HmAb reacted with other bacterial species tested. These HmAb may serve to study the bacterial surface antigens implicated in the human humoral response and protection to Hib infections.