METHOD FOR EXPANDING PRIMATE B CELLS SELECTIVELY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED MICE AND PRODUCING LARGE NUMBERS OF ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC B LYMPHOCYTES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PRIMATE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for reconstituting immunocompromised mice with primate cells, consisting of the following steps: (a) preparation of an immunocompromised mouse by administration of an antibody against the beta chain of the mouse interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor, more particularly the monoclonal mouse TM-β1 monoclonal antibody and/or gamma irradiation, (b) intraspleen injection of primate cells into the spleen of the pre-treated immunocompromised mouse of step (a), where these primate cells preferably originate from a primate donor and where this primate donor may have been immunised with a well-defined antigen. This method was found to be highly suitable for expanding primate B lymphocytes in an animal model in a rapid, as yet unequalled manner. Other embodiments of this invention relate to immunocompromised mice obtained by the aforesaid method and also the use thereof as animal models, primate B cell culture produced and primate monoclonal antibodies derived therefrom.