GENERATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST A FELINE CD ANTIGEN (CD4)EXPRESSED BY A RECOMBINANT BACULOVIRUS

We attempted to establish a system to generate monoclonal antibodies ( mAbs) recognizing CD antigens on lymphocytes of domestic animals using the expressed CD antigens by a baculovirus expression system. For thi s purpose, we selected feline CD4 (fCD4) antigen and expressed it in a n insect cell line (Sf9 cells). To obtain mAbs, BALB/c mice were immun ized with feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells (fPBMCs) or Sf9 ce lls expressing the fCD4 (Sf-fCD4 cells), and then hybridomas secreting antibodies were screened by indirect immunofluorescence assay against the opposite antigens of Sf-fCD4 cells or fPBMCs, respectively. Five mAbs recognizing the fCD4 were obtained in total. The system establish ed here might be useful to obtain mAbs recognizing CD antigens of dome stic animals.