PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES THAT DISTINGUISH SUBSETS OF MINK LYMPHOID-CELLS

Several hybridoma clones that produce monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) rea cting with subpopulations of mink lymphoid cells were established. Two of the MAbs, MTS-4.3 and MTS-9.3, reacted with relatively small popul ations of surface immunoglobulin (Ig)-negative (Ig(-)) lymphocytes. MT S-4.3(+) and MTS-9.3(+) cells were distributed in the thymic cortex an d medulla, paracortical areas of lymph nodes, and periarterial lymphoi d sheaths of the spleen, indicating that these MAbs identify T lymphoc ytes. Another MAb, MTB-5.6, reacted with a large proportion of surface Ig(+) lymph node cells, but not with surface Ig(-) cells. In immunohi stochemistry this MAb stained dendritic epithelial cells of thymic cor tex, large polygonal cells of thymic medulla, a large proportion of ly mphocytes in the mantle zone of lymphoid follicles, dendritic-shaped c ells of paracortical area, and some lymphocytes and macrophage-like ce lls of medullary cords and sinuses of lymph nodes. The expression of t he cell-surface antigen reacting with MTB-5.6 on Ig(+) lymph node cell s was increased after concanavalin A stimulation. These new reagents m ay be useful to analyze cellular basis of the abnormal immune response s observed in Aleutian mink disease, a classical model of human autoim mune diseases.