Generation of IgM and IgG1 monoclonal antibodies with identical variable regions: comparison of avidity

Generally, IgM antibodies (Abs) produced in a primary immune response show lower affinity for an inducing antigen (Ag) compared with the corresponding IgG Abs that are major switched isotypes formed in the secondary response. An IgM molecule is a pentamer with 10 Ag-binding sites that will contribute to an increase of avidity for an Ag. To estimate the contribution of the pentameric structure to the avidity of an IgM Ab, we generated IgM and IgG1 monoclonal Abs (mAbs) with identical V regions that are specific for 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl (NP) by in vitro class switching of B cells followed by the cell fusion with a mouse myeloma cell line. Compared with an anti-NP IgG1 mAb, the corresponding IgM mAb showed much higher avidity for NP-conjugated bovine serum albumin, which was drastically reduced after being dissociated into monomers.