Preparation of antisera specific for guinea pig B cells

Heterologous antisera against guinea pig B lymphocytes have been prepared in rabbits. Sera, obtained 1 week after a third injection of cells from a guinea pig leukemic B cell line (L2C), were absorbed with guinea pig and sheep erythrocytes and guinea pig thymocytes. In the presence of complement, selected antisera killed both L2C cells (85%) and B cells from Hartley outbred guinea pigs (85%). Normal rabbit serum kills guinea pig thymocytes and this ability was enhanced in the sera obtained from rabbits immunized with L2C cells. After three absorptions with thymocytes the antisera retained their cytotoxicity for B cells but did not kill guinea pig thymocytes or peripheral T lymphocytes. The antigenic determinants on the L2C cells that simulate anti-B cell activity are unknown but surface membrane immunoglobulins were excluded. The development of methodology for obtaining a potent and specific anti-guinea pig B cell serum should significantly improve the usefulness of guinea pigs as animals for in vitro studies.