Murine hybridomas secreting natural monoclonal antibodies reacting with self antigens.

Spleen cells from nonimmunized BALB/c mice were fused with two nonsecreting myeloma lines. The hybrids were selected in HAT medium and screened for Ig production and for antibody activity against actin, tubulin, myosin, thyroglobulin, myoglobin, spectrin, dsDNA, fetuin, and transferrin. Among 161 hybrids secreting Ig, three were found to react with DNA, one with thyroglobulin, and one mainly with myosin. Two of these hybrids could be propagated and further characterized. On the basis of inhibition experiments, one was found to be directed against dsDNA; the other was directed mainly against myosin but at the same time reacted significantly with actin, tubulin, spectrin, and dsDNA. Reactivity with myosin seemed to be concentrated in the light meromyosin subfragment, known to be rich in alpha-helical structure. These results indicate: 1) There are reactive B cell clones directed against self antigens. 2) The antibody specificities found for these antibodies are very similar to those found for natural antibodies in normal human serum and for human monoclonal Ig. 3) The widespread reactivity found for the clone mainly reacting with myosin raises the possibility that the determinant recognized by this antibody is a conformational structure that possibly is associated with alpha-helical structures.