Production of autoantibodies by human-human hybridomas

Peripheral blood lymphocytes and splenocytes of patients with autoimmune disease were used to prepare human-human hybridomas that produce autoantibodies. Because exogenous immunization was not used, the hybridoma antibodies were derived from B cells that spontaneously produced autoantibodies. 108 hybrids grew from 4,254 wells (2.5%). Optimal conditions for obtaining hybridomas with the GM 4672 myeloma line included initial growth in 2-ml wells, the use of 44% polyethylene glycol, a mononuclear cell/GM 4672 cell ratio of 5:1, and prior stimulation of the B lymphocytes with pokeweed mitogen. Hybridoma supernatants had activity against ssDNA, platelets, and erythrocytes. The results demonstrate the feasibility of producing human-human hybridomas from lymphocytes of patients with various autoimmune disease.