CLONING, EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MURINE HUMAN CHIMERIC ANTIBODY WITH SPECIFICITY FOR PRE-S2 SURFACE-ANTIGEN OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS

The cloning, expression and characterization of a murine-human chimeri c antibody with specificity for the pre-S2 surface antigen (Ag) of hep atitis B virus (HBV) is described. The heavy and light chain variable region (VH and VL) genes encoding the murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) were isolated and combined with human gamma 1 and kappa constant regi on genes, respectively. The expression vectors containing the chimeric heavy and light chain genes were sequentially electroporated into mur ine Sp2/0 hybridoma cells and transfectomas secreting chimeric antibod y were isolated. The chimeric antibody was purified and characterized by ELISA, Western analysis and competition immunoassay, demonstrating that the transfectoma functionally express and secrete murine-human ch imeric antibody which retained the specificity and affinity of the par ental murine mAb.