A screening technique for monoclonal antibody production: application of an indium slide immunoassay

A simple technique is described that is suitable for rapid screening of hybridoma microculture fluids for monoclonal antibody producing hybrids. The procedure measures increase in light scatter due to the antigen-antibody reaction on a surface of indium metal coated upon glass and does not require use of a labeled second antibody. Techniques minimizing nonspecific binding in such assays are presented. The procedure was used to screen hybridoma microculture fluids containing mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against human mitochondrial isoenzyme of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1). The technique was compared to an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and similar semi-quantitative results were found for sample cultures tested in the two procedures. The new screening procedure affords a simple screening assay without sacrificing sensitivity or specificity of standard methods.