Generation of monoclonal antibodies against a feline CD antigen (CD4) expressed by a recombinant baculovirus.

We attempted to establish a system to generate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing CD antigens on lymphocytes of domestic animals using the expressed CD antigens by a baculovirus expression system. For this purpose, we selected feline CD4 (fCD4) antigen and expressed it in an insect cell line (Sf9 cells). To obtain mAbs, BALB/c mice were immunized with feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells (fPBMCs) or Sf9 cells expressing the fCD4 (Sf-fCD4 cells), and then hybridomas secreting antibodies were screened by indirect immunofluorescence assay against the opposite antigens of Sf-fCD4 cells or fPBMCs, respectively. Five mAbs recognizing the fCD4 were obtained in total. The system established here might be useful to obtain mAbs recognizing CD antigens of domestic animals.