Monoclonal antibody against the serum thymic factor (FTS)

Hybrid cell lines secreting antibodies specific for synthetic serum thymic factor (FTS) were prepared by cell fusion and cloning techniques. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with BSA-coupled FTS were fused with P3-x63-Ag8.653 myeloma cells. Antibodies produced by these hybrids were screened in vitro for their ability to absorb the activity of synthetic FTS in a rosette assay and in vivo for their capacity to induce the disappearance of endogenous FTS. Subsequently, the clones selected were transferred intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice. Ascitic fluid was produced and used as a source of antibody. The monoclonal antibody was shown to bind specifically to thymic reticulo-epithelial cells, using an indirect immunofluorescence technique. Furthermore, once injected into normal mice, the antibody induced the disappearance of FTS from the serum and modified the azathioprine sensitivity of spleen rosette-forming cells for more than 3 weeks.