Generation of a monoclonal antibody against facteur thymique serique (FTS).

A monoclonal antibody against one of the thymic hormones, facteur thymique serique (FTS), was generated by hybridization between mouse NS-1 myeloma cells and BALB/c splenocytes, the latter obtained from BALB/c mice immunized with synthetic FTS coupled to mouse IgG. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed and employed to detect the hybridoma secreting specific antibody. The monoclonal antibody (MA-FTS) was highly specific for FTS and did not cross-react with other thymic hormones or other unrelated peptides. MA-FTS could recognize FTS (or FTS-like molecule) in human serum and could absorb completely the FTS-like activity from human serum.