Production in ascites fluid of biosynthetically labelled monoclonal antibody to Theileria parva sporozoites

A hybridoma cell line has been previously produced which secretes monoclonal antibodies that neutralize sporozoites of T. parva. Cells from this line were injected i/p into pristane-treated BALB/c mice. During the last 4 days of hybridoma cell growth, mice were given 4 daily i/p injections of a mixture of tritiated amino acids to radiolabel the monoclonal antibody being produced in ascites fluid. The specific activity of the antibody obtained was 100 mCi/mmol. The labelled antibody was used to detect, by autoradiography, a surface coat antigen of T. parva sporozoites in cryostat sections of Theileria-infected tick salivary glands. The method allows the preparation of large quantities of biosynthetically radiolabelled immunological probes for the detection of immunoreactive sites in biological specimens.