Anti-double strand (ds) DNA antibody formation by NZB/W (F1) spleen cells in a microculture system detected by solid phase radioimmunoassay.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay method was devised to detect mouse anti-double strand (ds) DNA antibody. This method could easily detect the anti-dsDNA antibody in 1 : 10,000 dilutions (1 unit) of pooled 9-10-month-old female NZB/W F1 sera. The sensitivity was about 10(3)- and 10(2)-fold higher than that of the modified Farr method and of the double antibody technique respectively. NZB/W mice developed high titer anti-dsDNA antibody as they grew older. Spleen cells brought to a microculture system using flat-bottomed polystyrene plates produced anti-dsDNA antibody clearly detectable by solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Anti-dsDNA antibody produced in vitro (y units) was in close correlation with the anti-dsDNA antibody titer of the spleen donor (x units) (y = 4.8 X 10(-2) x -65, gamma = 0.94, P less than 0.001). A combination of the microculture system and solid-phase radioimmunoassay was recommended for the characterization of anti-dsDNA antibody-forming cells.