Development of a recombinant hepatitis B immunoglobulin derived from B cells collected from healthy individuals administered with hepatitis B virus vaccines: A feasibility study

Abstract Background In Japan, plasma with a high concentration of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) antibodies for hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) is almost entirely imported. We aimed to produce recombinant HBIG by isolating immunoglobulin cDNAs against the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Study Design and Methods B cells expressing HBsAg antibodies were obtained from blood center personnel who had been administered HB vaccine booster and then isolated by either an Epstein–Barr virus hybridoma or an antigen‐specific memory B cell sorting method. Each cDNA of the heavy and light chains of the target antibody was cloned into an IgG 1 expression vector and transfected into Expi293F cells to produce a recombinant monoclonal antibody (mAb), which was screened by ELISA and in vitro HBV neutralizing assays. The cross‐reactivity of the mAbs to normal human molecules was evaluated by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Results Antibody cDNAs were cloned from 11 hybridoma cell lines and 204 HBsAg‐bound memory B cells. Three of the resulting recombinant mAbs showed stronger neutralizing activity in vitro than the currently used HBIG. All three bind to the conformational epitope(s) of HBsAg but not to human DNA or cells. Discussion We successfully isolated HBV‐neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from B cells collected from healthy plasma donors boosted against the HBV. To obtain an alternative source for HBIG, HBV‐neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from B cells collected from healthy plasma donors boosted against the HBV may be useful.