Efficient production of mouse and rat monoclonal antibodies against the O antigens of Salmonella serogroup C1, using LPS-coated bacteria as immunogen.

A variety of different immunogens and immunisation schemes were investigated for the production of monoclonal antibodies directed against the O antigenic polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella serogroup C1 (O:6,7). Of 12 fusions performed, higher yields of stable, LPS-reactive hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies were achieved in both the mouse and rat when using O:6,7 LPS-coated S. thompson bacteria as immunogens than with live and heat-killed bacteria, or O:6,7-BSA glycoconjugate as immunogens. All of the 17 hybrid clones obtained were shown to bind the O antigens of Salmonella serogroup C1 when tested in ELISA against a set of chemically defined LPS from Salmonella smooth and rough strains. The results are discussed with a view to bettering the immunisation strategy for production of monoclonal antibodies against the LPS antigens of bacteria.