A rapid non-selective method to generate quadromas by microelectrofusion

Abstract

A simple non-selective methodology was developed and standardized to generate desired hybrid-hybridoma or quadroma secreting bifunctional antibodies. This novel protocol is based on microelectrofusion on a meander chamber using a few hundred cells of each of the two parental hybridomas with no laborious drug selection procedures. Seeding ∼ 10 cells per well in a 96-well microtitre plate after fusion in 200 μl standard medium containing 20% FBS and 10% Origen growth factor generated positive quadromas secreting bispecific antibodies with good stability after the second reclone. Compared to the conventional PEG fusion and other methods this simple protocol is both rapid and economical. Generally, conventional methods to make quadromas and triomas require the introduction of drug selection markers into one or both of the parental cells, a procedure that could take 3–6 months. Utilizing the non-selective microelectrofusion method described here, we have generated several quadromas in a very short time. Further, such a protocol could also be potentially adopted to generate human hybridomas with few B cells isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes enriched by antigen specific panning or affinity microelectrofusions.