High-throughput isolation of immunoglobulin genes from single human B cells and expression as monoclonal antibodies

J Virol Methods. 2009 Jun;158(1-2):171-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2009.02.014. Epub 2009 Feb 21.

Abstract

Defining human B cell repertoires to viral pathogens is critical for design of vaccines that induce broadly protective antibodies to infections such as HIV-1 and influenza. Single B cell sorting and cloning of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy- and light-chain variable regions (V(H) and V(L)) is a powerful technology for defining anti-viral B cell repertoires. However, the Ig-cloning step is time-consuming and prevents high-throughput analysis of the B cell repertoire. Novel linear Ig heavy- and light-chain gene expression cassettes were designed to express Ig V(H) and V(L) genes isolated from sorted single B cells as IgG1 antibody without a cloning step. The cassettes contain all essential elements for transcriptional and translational regulation, including CMV promoter, Ig leader sequences, constant region of IgG1 heavy- or Ig light-chain, poly(A) tail and substitutable V(H) or V(L) genes. The utility of these Ig gene expression cassettes was established using synthetic V(H) or V(L) genes from an anti-HIV-1 gp41 mAb 2F5 as a model system, and validated further using V(H) and V(L) genes isolated from cloned EBV-transformed antibody-producing cell lines. Finally, this strategy was successfully used for rapid production of recombinant influenza mAbs from sorted single human plasmablasts after influenza vaccination. These Ig gene expression cassettes constitute a highly efficient strategy for rapid expression of Ig genes for high-throughput screening and analysis without cloning.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis*
  • Antibodies, Viral / genetics
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA / isolation & purification*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin*
  • HIV-1 / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Biology / methods*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • DNA