Human myeloma fusing lines and human/human hybridomas produced therefrom are disclosed. In one embodiment, the myeloma cell line is HAT sensitive, does not secrete detectable levels of Epstein-Barr virus EBNA-I protein, and does not secrete or elaborate detectable levels of myeloma immunoglobulin. The myeloma cell line and resulting hybridoma are stable over time, and thus permit production of commercial quantities of human monoclonal antibody.
Human monoclonal antibodies capable of specifically reacting with an antigenic determinant of LAV/HTLV-III and cell lines producing those monoclonal antibodies are disclosed. The human monoclonal antibodies may be utilized in a method for determining the presence of LAV/HTLV-III in biological samples, or in a method for separating specific antigenic determinants of LAV/HTLV-III from a mixture. Pharmaceutical compositions containing such a human monoclonal antibody, and a method for significantly reducing the infectivity of LAV/HTLV-III in animals using the composition are also disclosed.
This invention provides: a heteromyeloma, other than B6B11, capable of producing a trioma when fused with a human lymphoid cell, wherein the trioma is capable of producing a monoclonal antibody-secreting tetroma when fused with a second, antibody-secreting human lymphoid cell; a trioma fusion partner which does not produce antibody, obtained by fusing a heteromyeloma which does not produce antibody with a human lymphoid cell; a monoclonal antibody-secreting tetroma, obtained by fusing a trioma which does not produce antibody with an antibody-secreting human lymphoid cell; a method of producing a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes an antigen associated with a condition; a method of identifying an antigen associated with a condition using the trioma fusion partner; a method of diagnosing a condition using the trioma fusion partner; a method for preventing a condition; and compositions and therapeutic compositions comprising monoclonal antibodies produced using the trioma fusion partner.
The methods and compositions of the present invention are directed to enhancing an immune response and increasing vaccine efficacy through the simultaneous or sequential targeting of specific immune system components. More particularly, specific immune components, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, B cells and T cells, are individually activated by component-specific immunostimulating agents. One such component-specific immunostimulating agent is an antigen-specific, species-specific monoclonal antibody. The invention is also directed to a method for the in vitro production of the antigen-specific, species-specific monoclonal antibodies which relies upon the in vitro conversion of blood-borne immune cells, such as macrophages and lymphocytes. Vaccine efficacy is enhanced by the administration of compositions containing component-specific immunostimulating agents and other elements, such as antigens or carrier particles, such as colloidal methods, such as gold.
