Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against aflatoxin B1.

Five hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were established after fusion of mouse myeloma cells (SP-2/O-Ag-14) with spleen cells isolated from male BALB/c mice immunized with AFB1-BSA conjugate. Among these, one MAb, designated AFB1-2H8, was of the subtype IgG3 and the acidic fluid of which gave high dilution titers (1:5 x 10(5). The sensitivity of a competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay (CIEIA) using AFB1-2H8 for AFB1 demonstrated that the linear range was 0.5-50 ng/ml and the minimum detectable concentration of AFB1 was 0.01 ng/ml. The specificity of the MAb was determined and showed no significant crossreaction with any of the metabolites tested. So th-- MAb and the CIEIA described may be useful in the detection of AFB1 in food and feed.