Monoclonal antibodies to Treponema pallidum.

Three successive fusions of mouse myeloma cells and spleen lymphocytes of a mouse immunized with Treponema Pallidum resulted in one hybridoma producing anti T. pallidum antibodies for each fusion. The mice were immunized with live pallidum cells respectively 1, 3 and 5 months before fusion and with antigen purified on density gradients 4, 3 and 2 days before fusion. Hybridomas cultures were tested for antibody production with an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and a Western blotting technique. Two of the three anti T. pallidum antibody producing hybridomas were found with the ELISA, the third was found with a Western blotting technique. These hybridomas were also tested for the production of antibodies to rabbit antigens and T. phagedenis antigens in the ELISA: none appeared to be positive. Two of the hybridomas produce antibodies to a T. pallidum protein antigen of a molecular weight of 46 000: one hybridoma produces antibodies to a T. pallidum protein antigen of a molecular weight of 44 000 as determined by the Western blotting. Antibodies against these antigens are found during almost all stages of syphilis in man. One of the hybridomas produces monoclonal antibodies that react with treponemal antigen from E. coli cells, prepared by recombinant DNA technology as appeared in the Western blotting technique and this antibody will be used for purification of the 44 000 protein.