Monoclonal antibodies specific for the Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin STb.

Protein A-STb and STb-alkaline phosphatase protein fusions were used as immunogen and antigen, respectively, for the generation and screening of monoclonal antibodies to the Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin STb. Following immunization with immunoglobulin G-Sepharose-purified protein A-STb and hybridoma construction, STb-alkaline phosphatase hybrid protein was used in a labeled antigen capture assay to detect the production of STb-specific monoclonal antibody. STb-specific monoclonal antibodies were characterized by using a combination of immunoblotting and synthetic-peptide-based enzyme immunoassay techniques. Four distinct anti-STb antibodies were identified and characterized.