The aim of this study was to characterize autoantibodies produced in vitro by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of patients affected with multiple sclerosis (MS). We studied supernatants from man-mouse hybridomas established by fusion of PBL from 6 MS patients (group I) and from 13 individuals free of any neurological pathology (group II) with the mouse myeloma cell line P3X63 Ag8-653. They were screened for human IgG or IgM production by ELISA. Autoantibody activity against lymphocytes was studied by cell-binding ELISA. Anti-tissue reactivity was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) on human cerebellum and peripheral nerve as well as on a panel of 8 non-nervous tissues. Additional ELISA tests were performed on 4 purified cellular antigens. Among 522 supernatants in group I, 13.7% contained Ig, mainly IgM, as compared to 25% among 1212 supernatants in group II; 8.3% in group I and 6.7% in group II contained anti-tissue autoantibodies. Antibodies against purified cellular antigens were found in 6% of the supernatants in group II versus 7% in group II. One human monoclonal anti-astrocyte antibody from group I was further studied. This IgM lambda (SAN-7) was particularly polyreactive and recognized glial fibrillar acid protein and other intermediate filaments, as well as tubulin and myosin. Moreover, cross-reactivity was observed with a hapten (TNP-BSA).