Modified hybridoma methodology: antigen-directed chemically mediated cell fusion

The concept of antigen-directed cell fusions to increase the yield of hybridomas was investigated. To facilitate cell-cell contact, antigen conjugated cells were used in cell fusion studies. Specifically, fluorescyl conjugated murine myeloma cells (Sp 2/0-Ag14) incubated with murine immune (anti-fluorescyl) splenocytes formed aggregates containing fluorescent and non-fluorescent cells. Fusion of these populations with polyethylene glycol resulted in a greater number of anti-fluorescyl hybridomas relative to normal fusions under non-antigen directed condition. Ligand binding data indicated that despite the multi-cellular aggregates the hybridomas resulting from chemically mediated fusions produced only one monoclonal Ig.