6.13 Clustering of monoclonal antibodies recognizing different members of the WC1 gene family

Mouse L cell lines expressing two different bovine WC1 glycoproteins were produced by transfection of the cells with the corresponding cDNAs. The cell lines were used to analyze the reactivities of 67 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which recognize bovine γ/δ T cells. The results indicated that preliminary clustering of mAbs can be achieved based on their recognition of epitopes expressed on all gene products, or of epitopes encoded by individual members of the gene family. The studies also showed that at least three members of the WC1 gene family are expressed, although it is not yet known how many can be expressed by individual bovine γ/δ T cells. Final clustering of the WC1 mAbs will not be possible until the exact number of expressed gene products is known, and the reactivities of the mAbs with these products have been analyzed.