Production of monoclonal antibodies to study corrosion products of CO-CR biomaterials.

Sensitivity to nickel, cobalt, and chromium is common among the general population. The identification of these sensitivities is generally by the detection of cell-mediated immunity. We have reported previously the use of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method to quantitate metal-specific antibodies in patients with total joint replacements. To study the haptenic potential of these metal ions, rabbit albumin-glutathione-metal complexes with chromium, cobalt, or nickel were injected into mice. The splenocytes from one mouse in each group which developed a strong antibody against GSH-metal complexes were isolated and fused with myeloma cells to produce monoclonal antibodies. Chromium, cobalt, and nickel antibodies had similar affinity and bound with the specific GSH-metal complex. There was very little cross-reactivity between these antibodies. An inhibition assay using these monoclonal antibodies was demonstrated to be a simple technique, suitable for quantitation of free metal in solution.