A monoclonal antibody reactive with Marek's disease tumor-associated surface antigen

An antibody-secreting hybridoma, RPH-6, to Marek's disease tumor-associated surface antigen (MATSA) was produced by somatic-cell hybridization between the mouse myeloma SP2/O-Ag/14 and spleen cells from MSB1 immunized mice. The antibody reacted with 95 to 100% of the cells from eight of 10 chicken MD cell lines and one of two turkey MD cell lines. It did not react with chicken MD cell lines RP1 and SK3, turkey MD cell line RP19, lymphoid leukosis (LL) cell lines, RP9 and RP12, and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) cell line RP14. A weak reaction was observed with REV cell line RP13 (10 to 20%), and a very slight reaction with normal chicken spleen cells (1 to 5%). RPH-6 produces immunoglobulin of the IgM class. Cell culture and mouse ascitic fluids have titers of 10(2) and 10(6), respectively, by fluorescent antibody (FA) test against MD tumor cell lines. The antibody did not react with Marek's disease virus (MDV) internal antigen or membrane antigen as detected by indirect FA test on chicken embryo fibroblast cultures grown on coverslips. The 51Cr release assay showed RPH-6 is highly cytotoxic (60% release) only against MD lymphoblastoid cell lines, with antibody prepared from mouse ascites having a cytotoxic titer approaching 10(6). Results from using RPH-6 for differential diagnosis of chicken lymphoid tumors of unknown origin were in complete agreement with those obtained with rabbit anti-MATSA reference serum and pathologic diagnosis.