In vivo antigen-driven plasmablast enrichment in combination with antigen-specific cell sorting to facilitate the isolation of rare monoclonal antibodies from human B cells

Nat Protoc. 2014 Jul;9(7):1563-77. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2014.104. Epub 2014 Jun 5.

Abstract

The ability to rapidly generate large panels of antigen-specific human antibodies in a rodent would enable the efficient discovery of novel therapeutically useful antibodies. We have developed a system wherein human antigen-specific antibody-secreting plasmablasts can be enriched in vivo, in a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID)/beige mouse host. The antigen-specific plasmablasts can then be sorted by flow cytometry, enabling single-cell cloning and expression of fully human immunoglobulin-G. By using this technique, we have generated four broadly reactive anti-influenza A antibodies. Therefore, the method described here is useful for the identification of rare functional antibodies. This protocol takes ∼1 month to complete, from the time of human vaccination to the cloning of heavy- and light-chain genes. For additional small-scale transient expression, purification and binding analysis, the protocol would take an additional month.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification*
  • Antibodies, Viral / metabolism
  • Antigens / chemistry
  • Antigens / metabolism*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Flow Cytometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism*
  • Influenza A virus / immunology
  • Mice, SCID

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens
  • Immunoglobulin G