Preparation of monoclonal antibodies against salivary gland immunogens of femaleRhipicephalus evertsi evertsi

The preparation of monoclonal antibodies raised against antigens of salivary gland extracts of femaleRhipicephalus evertsi evertsi is reported. Nine hybridoma cell lines were established of which eight secreted IgG3 and one IgG1. The immune response was biased towards immunogens unique to the prefed stage of the tick salivary glands by prior cyclophosphamide suppression of the immune response against unfed tick salivary glands. Immunoblots of salivary gland antigens, separated by SDS-PAGE showed reactivity with three of the monoclonal antibodies, all of which had identical specificity for antigens unique to prefed salivary extracts. Each of these monoclonal antibodies identified two prominent bands with relative molecular masses corresponding to 23 and 46 and a third minor band with molecular mass of 70 kDa.