Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against avian myeloblastosis virus.

Hybridomas were prepared by fusion of mouse myeloma cell line Sp2/0 with lymphocytes from mice immunized with avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). The specificity of each monoclonal antibody was characterized by radioimmunoassay (RIA) using purified viral core proteins, immunoprecipitation of radioactively labeled virus (35S-methionine-labeled AMV, 125J-labeled AMV) and immunoblotting. One monoclonal antibody (IC11) which is of IgG1 subclass, and two other monoclonal antibodies (IF9 and IB8), both of IgG3 subclass, were directed against the p19 protein of AMV. The remaining eight monoclonal antibodies (most of them of IgM class) did not precipitate viral proteins under the experimental conditions used, except IIG12 hybridoma antibody which irregularly precipitated glycoprotein gp85. Since most of them (seven, including IIG12) gave positive reactions in RIA with antigenically unrelated influenza virus, these monoclonal antibodies were directed against virus components specified by chick cells (host cell antigen).