Competitive binding assays for high-affinity binders in the presence of endogenous ligands: application to biotin-binding proteins

Endogenous ligands complicate radioligand-binding assays of high-affinity binding proteins by obscuring binding sites or by diluting the labeled ligand. We have developed a mathematical model for such systems where radioligand and endogenous ligand are structurally identical. Data which relate radioligand binding at equilibrium as a function of sample volume can be plotted such that the concentrations of endogenous ligand and binder are graphically determined; however, a more precise determination may be done by nonlinear regression with the aid of a microcomputer. The method is demonstrated for the assay of biotin-binding proteins in the presence of a range of endogenous biotin concentrations below and above that required to saturate the binding sites.