Combining phage display and screening of cDNA expression libraries: a new approach for identifying the target antigen of an scFv preselected by phage display

A potential method for identifying new tumor-specific antibody structures as well as tumor-associated antigens is by selecting scFv phage libraries on tumor cells. This phage display technique involves multiple rounds of phage binding to target cells, washing to remove non-specific phage and elution to retrieve specific binding phage. Although the binding properties of an isolated tumor-specific scFv can be evaluated by ELISA, FACS and immunohistochemistry, it still remains a challenge to define the corresponding antigen. Here, we provide evidence that the target antigen of a given scFv displayed on phages can be detected in an immobilized λ phage cDNA expression library containing thousands of irrelevant clones. The library contained CD30-negative breast-cancer specific cDNA as well as human CD30 receptor cDNA. The interaction of anti-CD30 scFv phages and their target antigen after blotting onto nitrocellulose filters was documented under defined conditions. Screening of different ratios between CD30 receptor and breast cancer specific clones (1:1 and 1:200) revealed that the CD30 antigen could be detected by anti-CD30 scFv phages using at least 5 × 1012 plaque forming units of filamentous phages per blot. These investigations demonstrate that it is possible to detect the target antigen of a preselected scFv displayed on filamentous phages in λ phage cDNA expression libraries.