THE EFFECT OF SPACE-FLIGHT ON MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY SYNTHESIS IN A HYBRIDOMA MOUSE-CELL LINE

The hybridoma cell line, 3G10G5, producing a monoclonal antibody to th e major capsid protein VP1 from the avian polyomavirus budgerigar fled gling disease virus, was produced from a Balb/C mouse. This cell line was used to test the effects of microgravity on cellular processes, sp ecifically protein synthesis. A time course study utilizing incorporat ion of [S-35]methionine into newly synthesized monoclonal antibody was performed on STS-77. After 5.5 days, it was observed that cell counts for the samples exposed to microgravity were lower than those of grou nd-based samples. However, radiolabel incorporation of the synthesized monoclonal antibody was similar in both orbiter and ground control sa mples. Overall, microgravity does not seem to have an effect on this c ell line's ability to synthesize IgG protein. (C) 1997 Academic Press.