Preparation of monoclonal antibody against the common determinants of HBsAg

Subtype-specific monoclonal antibodies are valuable tools for structural analysis of hepatitis B virus surface antigens and epidemiological investigations. Nineteen hybridoma clones producing monoclonal antibodies [MAb] specific for different epitopes of hepatitis B surface antigens [HBsAg] were established from mice immunized with HBsAg of either ayw or adw subtype. The immunizing antigens were purified from serum of carrier individuals or extracts of transgenic plants by affinity chromatography using polyclonal anti-HBs antibody. The specificity of MAbs was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting using a panel of purified HBsAg of given subtypes. Out of the 19 MAbs, 9 were found to be specific for the common "a" determinant, and the remainders were specific for either "d" [n=2], "y" [n=5] or "w" [n=3] subtypic determinants. None of the subtype-specific MAbs displayed cross-reactivity with the other major subtypic epitopes. These MAbs have potential as monospecific reagents for subtyping HBsAg in carrier individuals for epidemiological and experimental investigations