Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxin.

Hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies (MABs) specific for Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxin were produced by fusion of P3X63Ag8.653 myeloma cells with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with purified enterotoxin. Wells containing hybridomas secreting immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against enterotoxin were specifically identified by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and 10 ELISA-positive hybridomas were selected and cloned twice by limiting dilution. All 10 hybridomas produced MABs containing immunoglobulin G1 heavy chains and kappa (kappa) light chains. These hybridomas were then grown as ascitic tumors in mice, and MABs were purified from the ascites fluids with DEAE Affi-gel blue. The specificity of the MABs for enterotoxin was demonstrated by immunoblotting and ELISA. Competitive radioimmunoassay with 125I-MABs suggests that these MABs recognized at least four epitopes on the enterotoxin molecule. The enterotoxin-neutralizing ability of MABs from both hybridoma culture supernatants and ascites fluids was assessed by using a 3H-nucleotide-release Vero (African green monkey kidney) cell assay. Only 2 of the 10 hybridomas produced MABs which completely (greater than 90%) neutralized the biologic activity of enterotoxin. Preincubation of 125I-enterotoxin with MABs demonstrated that MAB neutralizing ability correlated with MAB-specific inhibition of specific binding of enterotoxin to intestinal brush border membranes.