Using Induced Immortalized Dendritic Cells to Start an In Vitro Immunization with Antigen-Specific Antibody Production

Abstract Background Current methods of monoclonal antibody production like hybridoma technology rely on laboratory animals and a tedious screening process. Available in vitro methods like Phage Display need expensive equipment and are not practical for small laboratories. Transferring the in vivo immune response into an in vitro setup is a promising approach to producing antigen-specific antibodies quickly and with reduced animal experiments. Results Here, we present an in vitro immunization (IVI) strategy that uses immortal dendritic cells (DCs) from a transgenic irtTA-GBD/T-Ag mouse as a scaffold for an antigen-specific immune reaction in vitro. These cells can be transferred into a reversible immortal period (iniDCs) and increased in long-term culture. Upon deinduction, de-iniDCs can fully mature and start an immune cascade in co-cultivation with naïve T and B lymphocytes at which end antigen-specific antibodies were detectable. Conclusion By using this immortal DC population as the first encounter and presenter of antigens we could establish a reproducible protocol for a new approach that offers a fast and precise way to generate hybridoma cells in a shorter time frame with fewer animal experiments.