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J Virol, May 1998, p. 3762-3772, Vol. 72, No. 5
Centro Nacional de Biotecnología,
Received 27 October 1997/Accepted 20 January 1998
Ten lines of transgenic mice secreting transmissible
gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) neutralizing recombinant monoclonal antibodies (rMAbs) into the milk were generated. The rMAb light- and
heavy-chain genes were assembled by fusing the genes encoding the
variable modules of the murine MAb 6A.C3, which binds an interspecies conserved coronavirus epitope essential for virus infectivity, and a
constant module from a porcine myeloma with the immunoglobulin A (IgA)
isotype. The chimeric antibody led to dimer formation in the presence
of J chain. The neutralization specific activity of the recombinant
antibody produced in transiently or stably transformed cells was
50-fold higher than that of a monomeric rMAb with the IgG1 isotype and
an identical binding site. This rMAb had titers of up to
104 by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and neutralized virus
infectivity up to 104-fold. Of 23 transgenic mice, 17 integrated both light and heavy chains, and at least 10 of them
transmitted both genes to the progeny, leading to 100% of animals
secreting functional TGEV neutralizing antibody during lactation.
Selected mice produced milk with TGEV-specific antibody titers higher
than 106 as determined by RIA, neutralized virus
infectivity by 106-fold, and produced up to 6 mg of
antibody per ml. Antibody expression levels were transgene copy number
independent and integration site dependent. Comicroinjection of the
genomic
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Transgenic Mice Secreting Coronavirus
Neutralizing Antibodies into the Milk
-lactoglobulin gene with rMAb light- and heavy-chain genes
led to the generation of transgenic mice carrying the three transgenes.
The highest antibody titers were produced by transgenic mice that had
integrated the antibody and
-lactoglobulin genes, although the
number of transgenic animals generated does not allow a definitive
conclusion on the enhancing effect of
-lactoglobulin cointegration.
This approach may lead to the generation of transgenic animals
providing lactogenic immunity to their progeny against enteric
pathogens.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Centro Nacional
de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), Department of Molecular and Cell Biology,
Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
Phone and Fax: 341-585-4555. E-mail:
L.Enjuanes{at}cnb.uam.es.
J Virol, May 1998, p. 3762-3772, Vol. 72, No. 5
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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