Splenocytes of Mice with Induced Immunological Tolerance to Plant Antigens for Construction of Hybridomas Secreting Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus-Specific Antibodies

(...) Conventional immunization of adult mice over a period of time with multiple injections of immunogens resulted in about 3-12% of hybridomas being TSWV-specific. The selection of virus-specific hybridomas may best be achieved when mice, which have been rendered immunologically tolerant to normal host antigens, are immunized at the age of 5 wk. This method is useful in the generation of hybridomas for antigens that are difficult to purify or concentrate and in the preparation of hybridomas to minor distinct epitopes that are difficult to separate