Monoclonal antibodies to peptidoglycan and methods of preparing same

Claim 2

A monoclonal antibody of class IgG or IgM which specifically binds to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan.

Claim 3

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 produced by a hybridoma formed by fusion of cells from a myeloma line with spleen cells from a donor previously immunized with cell wall material from a species of Eubacteria.

Claim 4

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 which binds to peptidoglycan from substantially any species of Eubacteria.

Claim 5

A monoclonal antibody acording to claim 1 which is selected from the group consisting of the following subclasses: IgM, IgG 1 , and IgG 3 .

Claim 6

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 2 wherein the myeloma line and spleen cells are murine.

Claim 7

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 5 wherein the hybridoma is formed by fusion of SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse previously immunized by cell wall material from a species of Eubacteria.

Claim 8

Monoclonal antibody of class IgG or IgM which specifically binds to an antigenic determinant of peptidoglycan from two or more species of Eubacteria, produced by the method comprising the steps of: (a) immunizing a donor with a species of Eubacteria or fractions thereof containing cell wall material; (b) removing the spleens from said donor and making a suspension of said spleen cells; (c) fusing said spleen cells with donor myeloma cells; (d) diluting and culturing the fused cells in separate wells in a medium which will not support the unfused myeloma cells; (e) assaying the supernate in each well containing a hydridoma for the presence of antibody to peptidoglycan; (f) selecting and cloning a hybridoma producing antibody which reacts with peptidoglycan from two or more species of Eubacteria.

Claim 9

Monoclonal antibody of class IgG or IgM which specifically binds to an antigenic determinant of peptidoglycan from two or more species of Eubacteria, produced by the method comprising the steps of: (a) immunizing a donor with a species of Eubacteria or fractions thereof containing cell wall material; (b) removing the spleens from said donor and making a suspension of said spleen cells; (c) fusing said spleen cells with donor myeloma cells; (d) diluting and culturing the fused cells in separate wells in a medium which will not support the unfused myeloma cells; (e) assaying the supernate in each well containing a hydridoma for the presence of antibody to peptidoglycan; (f) selecting and cloning a hybridoma producing antibody which reacts with peptidoglycan from two or more species of Eubacteria.

Claim 10

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 7 wherein the donor and the myeloma cells are murine.

Claim 11

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 8 wherein the method comprises the further steps of transferring said clones into mice and harvesting the malignant ascites or serum from said mice, said ascites or serum containing the desired antibody.

Claim 12

A monoclonal antibody according to claim 8 wherein the method comprises the further steps of culturing the hybridoma in a suitable medium and recovering the antibody from the supernatant above said hybridoma.

Claim 15

A monoclonal antibody prepared according to the method of claim 11.

Claim 18

A monoclonal antibody prepared according to the method of claim 13.

Claim 19

A composition comprising a continuous cell line which produces monoclonal antibody of class IgG or IgM which specifically binds to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan comprising a cell hybrid formed from a mouse spleen cell previously immunized with peptidoglycan fused to a mouse myeloma, and a culture medium for said hybrid.

Claim 20

A composition comprising a continuous cell line which produces monoclonal antibody of class IgG or IgM which specifically binds to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan comprising a cell hybrid formed from a mouse spleen cell previously immunized with peptidoglycan fused to a mouse myeloma, and a culture medium for said hybrid.

Claim 21

A composition according to claim 15 wherein the antibody binds to substantially any species of Eubacteria.

Claim 22

The composition according to claim 15 wherein the mouse spleen cell is from a BALB/c mouse.

Claim 23

The composition according to claim 15 wherein the mouse myeloma is SP2/0-Ag14.

Claim 24

A composition comprising a continuous cell line producing monoclonal antibody selected from the group of eight cell lines numbered consecutively from ATCC #HB-8510 through ATCC #HB-8517.

Claim 25

A composition comprising a continuous cell line producing monoclonal antibody selected from the group of eight cell lines numbered consecutively from ATCC #HB-8510 through ATCC #HB-8517.

Claim 26

A diagnostic method for detecting the presence of Eubacteria, comprising contacting a specimen with monoclonal antibodies of class IgG or IgM which specifically bind to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan, and detecting the material bound by said antibodies by immunological assay means.

Claim 27

A diagnostic method for detecting the presence of Eubacteria, comprising contacting a specimen with monoclonal antibodies of class IgG or IgM which specifically bind to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan, and detecting the material bound by said antibodies by immunological assay means.

Claim 28

A diagnostic method according to claim 20 wherein the monoclonal antibody binds to an antigenic determinant of eubacterial peptidoglycan from substantially any eubacterium.

Claim 29

A diagnostic method according to claim 20 wherein the specimen is fluid or tissue.

Claim 30

A diagnostic method according to claim 20 wherein the immunological assay means is selected from the group consisting of radioimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, fluorescent assay, precipitation, agglutination, and antigen capture.

Claim 31

A diagnostic method according to claim 20 additionally comprising the preliminary step of treating the specimen to unmask peptidoglycan.

Claim 32

A diagnostic method according to claim 24 wherein the preliminary step of treating the specimen to unmask peptidoglycan comprises treatment with acid.

Claim 33

A diagnostic method according to claim 24 wherein the preliminary step of treating the specimen to unmask peptidoglycan comprises enzymatic hydrolysis.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 27 wherein the peptidoglycan-containing material comprises intact bacterial cells.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 27 wherein the peptidoglycan-containing material comprises peptidoglycan-containing cell fragments.

Claim 38

A method according to claim 27 wherein the peptidoglycan-containing material comprises free peptidoglycan.

Claim 39

A diagnostic method for detecting the presence of Eubacteria, comprising contacting a specimen with monoclonal antibody produced by a hybridoma selected from the group consisting of hybridomas numbered consecutively from ATCC #HB-8510 through ATCC #HB-8517 under conditions such that an immune-complex between said monoclonal antibody and any eubacterial peptidoglycan in said specimen is formed and detecting said immune complex as indicating the presence of Eubacteria.

Claim 40

A diagnostic method for detecting the presence of Eubacteria, comprising contacting a specimen with monoclonal antibody produced by a hybridoma selected from the group consisting of hybridomas numbered consecutively from ATCC #HB-8510 through ATCC #HB-8517 under conditions such that an immune-complex between said monoclonal antibody and any eubacterial peptidoglycan in said specimen is formed and detecting said immune complex as indicating the presence of Eubacteria.