DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST SEA-BASS IMMUNOGLOBULINS DICENTRARCHUS-LABRAX LINNAEUS, 1758

Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax ) immunoglobulin (IgM) were obtained after lymphocytic hybridisation m ade from mouse splenocytes. Screening, using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), revealed two probes which had a specific activity against seabass IgM and did not react with turbot, sea bream , eel and rainbow-trout IgM. These probes belonged to a sub-class of I gG2a and recognised exclusively the heavy chains (H) of seabass IgM on immunoblotting. Their immunological activity was characterised by usi ng ELISA and immunocytochemistry tests. The 50% binding titers were ap proximately at dilution 10(5) and the MAbs reacted with IgM(+) cells f rom smears of the head kidney and spleen of the seabass. In both metho ds, the specific activity was inhibited by using seabass IgM in soluti on. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited