Rescue and expression of human immunoglobulin genes to generate functional human monoclonal antibodies

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lewis, Alan P.^a; | Parry, Nigel^b | Peakman, Tim C.^a | Crowe, J. Scott^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Cell Biology, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent, U.K. | [b] Department of Molecular Sciences, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent, U.K.

Note: [] Address reprint requests to Alan Lewis, Department of Cell Biology, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BS, U.K.

Abstract: Human monoclonal antibody production has been hampered for many years by the instability of cell hnes and low levels of expression of the antibodies. We describe here the rescue of human immunoglobulin genes utilizing micro-mRNA preparation from a small number of human hybridoma cells and conventional cDNA cloning. This allows cloning and immediate high-level expression from full-length human heavy and light chain cDNA molecules and provides a mechanism to rescue whole human monoclonal antibodies of proven efficacy.

Keywords: human monoclonal antibody, immunoglobulin rescue, cDNA cloning, expression

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-1992-3305

Journal: Human Antibodies, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 146-152, 1992