A protective human monoclonal IgA antibody produced in vitro: Anti-pneumococcal antibody engendered by Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized cell line

✍ Scribed by Michael Steinitz; Sara Tamir; Mina Ferne; Ada Goldfarb

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 764 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830160214

✦ Synopsis

Human lymphocytes that produce anti-pneumococcal antibodies were separated and immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus and then cloned. One clone (NAD-Sel) produces an IgA, kappa antibody which is specific for the polysaccharides of type 8 pneumococcus, while not reactive with any of the polysaccharides derived from 24 other pneumococcal strains. The antibody, which is present in the cell supernatant as monomer and polymer, binds to protein A and does not fix complement. When incubated in vitro with type 8 pneumococci, it induces direct killing and increases the opsonization of these bacteria by mouse macrophages.