B-cell receptor-based multitargeting method for simultaneous production of novel multiple monoclonal antibodies

Until now, various kinds of monoclonal antibodies have been raised against many antigens. Nevertheless, the production of these monoclonal antibodies was usually limited to only one antigen. If simultaneous generation of monoclonal antibodies against multiple antigens were available at one time, we could reduce not only laborious work, but also experimental animals. Here, we developed a multitargeting (MT) method that enables simultaneous production of monoclonal antibodies against multiple antigens on the basis of strict selection of sensitized B lymphocytes by the target antigens via B-cell receptors. After immunization using multiple antigens, monoclonal antibodies against four different antigens containing lower antigenic one were successfully generated only in one experiment. At maximum, more than 90 % of ELISA-positive wells to hybridoma-positive ones was obtained by this advanced technology. This must be attributed to strict selection of sensitized B lymphocytes by different antigens. In the MT method, sensitized B lymphocytes were selected by means of each desired antigen regardless of their antigenic differences. Selective fusion of B cell-myeloma cell complexes by electrical pulses was also of critical importance for efficient generation of hybridoma cells secreting desired monoclonal antibodies. This study strongly suggests that simultaneous production of novel monoclonal antibodies directed against multiple antigens of interest by the MT method can be feasible.