Abstract: The invention concerns human monoclonal antibodies of the IgG isotype against human pancreatic islet cells which can be obtained by immortalizing human lymphocytes of prediabetics or diabetics, treating the culture supernatant of the immortalized cells with a conjugate of antibodies against human Fc &ggr; and a label, subsequently treating with human immunoglobulin, incubating with immobilized human pancreatic islet cells identifying an immortalized human cell culture which produces an antibody against pancreatic islet cells via determination of the label bound to the immobilized islet cells, isolating a human immortalized cell which produces this antibody, propagating this immortalized cell and isolating the monoclonal antibody produced by these cells. The invention also concerns a process for the isolation of an islet cell antigen to which such antibodies bind as well as a method for the determination of antibodies against an islet cell antigen of the pancreas.

Abstract: The invention concerns human monoclonal antibodies of the IgG isotype against human pancreatic islet cells which can be obtained by immortalizing human lymphocytes of prediabetics or diabetics, treating the culture supernatant of the immortalized cells with a conjugate of antibodies against human Fc .gamma. and a label, subsequently treating with human immunoglobulin, incubating with immobilized human pancreatic islet cells identifying an immortalized human cell culture which produces an antibody against pancreatic islet cells via determination of the label bound to the immobilized islet cells, isolating a human immortalized cell which produces this antibody, propagating this immortalized cell and isolating the monoclonal antibody produced by these cells.The invention also concerns a process for the isolation of an islet cell antigen to which such antibodies bind as well as a method for the determination of antibodies against an islet cell antigen of the pancreas.