A method for production of antibodies to human T-cell receptor beta-chain variable regions.

Mouse T-cell hybridomas bearing human V beta elements were produced by transfection of human/mouse hybrid T-cell receptor beta-chain genes into a mouse T-cell hybridoma lacking an endogenous beta-chain gene. These hybridomas were entirely mouse in origin except for the human V beta region. These cells were used to immunize mice against human V beta elements. Mouse monoclonal antibodies have thus been generated against human V beta 13.1 and -13.2. We expect that the method outlined in this paper will be useful in the production of monoclonal antibodies specific for other human V beta or V alpha elements.