Somatic cell hybrids producing antibodies specific for the tumor antigen of simian virus 40.

We have produced somatic cell hybrids between mouse myeloma cells deficient in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase IMP: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase; EC 2.4.2.8) and spleen cells derived from mice primed with either syngeneic or allogeneic cells transformed by simian virus 40. Such hybrids produced antibodies specific for simian virus 40 tumor (T) antigen. Only four of twelve independent hybrid cell cultures produced antibodies against simian virus 40 T antigen that crossreacted with the T antigen induced by BK virus, a human papovavirus isolated from patients who had undergone immunosuppressive therapy.