eLife (Jan 2019)

A toolbox of IgG subclass-switched recombinant monoclonal antibodies for enhanced multiplex immunolabeling of brain

  • Nicolas P Andrews,
  • Justin X Boeckman,
  • Colleen F Manning,
  • Joe T Nguyen,
  • Hannah Bechtold,
  • Camelia Dumitras,
  • Belvin Gong,
  • Kimberly Nguyen,
  • Deborah van der List,
  • Karl D Murray,
  • JoAnne Engebrecht,
  • James S Trimmer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.43322
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

Read online

Generating recombinant monoclonal antibodies (R-mAbs) from mAb-producing hybridomas offers numerous advantages that increase the effectiveness, reproducibility, and transparent reporting of research. We report here the generation of a novel resource in the form of a library of recombinant R-mAbs validated for neuroscience research. We cloned immunoglobulin G (IgG) variable domains from cryopreserved hybridoma cells and input them into an integrated pipeline for expression and validation of functional R-mAbs. To improve efficiency over standard protocols, we eliminated aberrant Sp2/0-Ag14 hybridoma-derived variable light transcripts using restriction enzyme treatment. Further, we engineered a plasmid backbone that allows for switching of the IgG subclasses without altering target binding specificity to generate R-mAbs useful in simultaneous multiplex labeling experiments not previously possible. The method was also employed to rescue IgG variable sequences and generate functional R-mAbs from a non-viable cryopreserved hybridoma. All R-mAb sequences and plasmids will be archived and disseminated from open source suppliers.

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