Monoclonal antibodies specific for carcinoembryonic antigen and produced by two hybrid cell lines.

Abstract

Spleen cells from mice immunized with purified carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), an important tumor marker of human carcinomas, were fused with the mouse myeloma cell line P3-NSI/1-Ag4. Of the 400 hybrids obtained, 2 secreted antibodies reacting specifically with 2 different antigenic determinants present on CEA molecules. They were cloned and established as permanent hybridoma cell lines. These antibodies, which have relatively high affinities and can be produced in unlimited amounts, will be useful for immunochemical characterization of CEA and as a standard reagent for the identification of this antigen in human tissues and body fluids.