Sorption capacity of polystyrene plates used in immunoenzyme analysis

The data indicating that the degree of sorption of the antigen onto the plate depends on the duration of this process are presented. As shown in this investigation, the lower the adsorption activity of the plates, the longer the process of the sensitization of plates with the antigen. The process of the sorption of the antigen onto the plates with low adsorption capacity may be accelerated by sensitizing the plates at different temperatures. Besides, the adsorption capacity of the plates was increased by ultraviolet irradiation.     

Sorption properties of polystyrene plates used in immunoenzyme analyses

The capacity of polystyrene carriers used in the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for adsorbing 131I-labeled human serum albumin under different conditions has been studied, and the comparison of the plates manufactured by Dynatech AG (Switzerland) and by the Leningrad Works of Medical Polymers has been made. At the first stages of the reaction the antigen is separated from the carrier and the amount of the desorbed antigen depends on its initial dose and the dilution of the assayed sera. The irregular desorption of the antigen leads to misinterpretation of the results. Comparison of the polystyrene plates has shown that each plate is characterized by individual adsorption capacity, which impedes at present the standardization of EIA-based test systems.     

An immunoassay for dibutyl phthalate based on direct hapten linkage to the polystyrene surface of microtiter plates

Background

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is predominantly used as a plasticizer inplastics to make them flexible. Extensive use of phthalates in both industrial processes and other consumer products has resulted in the ubiquitous presence of phthalates in the environment. In order to better determine the level of pollution in the environment and evaluate the potential adverse effects of exposure to DBP, immunoassay for DBP was developed.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A monoclonal antibody specific to DBP was produced from a stable hybridoma cell line generated by lymphocyte hybridoma technique. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) employing direct coating of hapten on polystyrene microtiter plates was established for the detection of DBP. Polystyrene surface was first oxidized by permanganate in dilute sulfuric acid to generate carboxyl groups. Then dibutyl 4-aminophthalate, which is an analogue of DBP, was covalently linked to the carboxyl groups of polystyrene surface with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). Compared with conjugate coated format (IC₅₀ = 106 ng/mL), the direct hapten coated format (IC₅₀ = 14.6 ng/mL) improved assay sensitivity after careful optimization of assay conditions. The average recovery of DBP from spiked water sample was 104.4% and the average coefficient of variation was 9.95%. Good agreement of the results obtained by the hapten coated icELISA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry further confirmed the reliability and accuracy of the icELISA for the detection of DBP in certain plastic and cosmetic samples.

Conclusions/Significance

The stable and efficient hybridoma cell line obtained is an unlimited source of sensitive and specific antibody to DBP. The hapten coated format is proposed as generally applicable because the carboxyl groups on modified microtiter plate surface enables stable immobilization of aminated or hydroxylated hapten with EDC. The developed hapten coated icELISA can be used as a convenient quantitative tool for the sensitive and accurate monitoring DBP in water, plastic and cosmetic samples.     

Validation and characterization of uninhibited enzyme kinetics performed in multiwell plates

Several systematic errors may occur during the analysis of uninhibited enzyme kinetic data using commercially available multiwell plate reader software. A MATLAB program is developed to remove these systematic errors from the data analysis process for a single substrate-enzyme system conforming to Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Three experimental designs that may be used to validate a new enzyme preparation or assay methodology and to characterize an enzyme-substrate system, while capitalizing on the ability of multiwell plate readers to perform multiple reactions simultaneously, are also proposed. These experimental designs are used to (i) test for enzyme inactivation and the quality of data obtained from an enzyme assay using Selwyn's test, (ii) calculate the limit of detection of the enzyme assay, and (iii) calculate Km and Vm values. If replicates that reflect the overall error in performing a measurement are used, the latter two experiments may be performed with internal estimation of the error structure. The need to correct for the systematic errors discussed and the utility of the proposed experimental designs were confirmed by numerical simulation. The proposed experiments were conducted using recombinant inducible nitric oxide synthase preparations and the oxyhemoglobin assay.     

Improvement of the lectin-antibody enzyme immunoassay of the alphafetoprotein carbohydrate chain for automation with the enzyme immunoassay robot

The lectin-antibody enzyme immunoassay of the alphafetoprotein-L3 carbohydrate chain, a tumor marker of liver cancer, has not been automated. We improved the technique of the assay for automation. Consequently, alphafetoprotein-L3 and total alphafetoprotein were detected with two lectins using an automatic paramagnetic bead handling robot. This indicates that the improved method is potentially applicable to the automated enzyme immunoassay robot.     

Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of ferrocene-theophylline conjugates for use in electrochemical enzyme immunoassay

A series of 8-(ferrocenylalkyl)theophylline conjugates were synthesized for evaluation in a homogeneous, competitive electrochemical immunoassay for theophylline with amperometric detection of the ferrocene label at +320 mV. The electrical signal was amplified via redox cycling with the glucose oxidase/glucose system. The resulting catalytic current was strongly inhibited upon binding of the conjugates to anti-theophylline antibodies such that a large excess of theophylline was required to achieve complete reversal leading to an assay with poor sensitivity in the clinical range. A study of the nonspecific interaction of the antibodies with various ferrocene derivatives indicated that this was reduced when a charged functional group was present on the metallocene ring. Consequently, a conjugate was synthesized with a quaternary ammonium group which when incorporated into the assay resulted in improved sensitivity.     

Sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay of human growth hormone (hGH) in serum and urine using monoclonal antibody-coated polystyrene balls

A sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay for human growth hormone (hGH) using monoclonal antibody is described. A monoclonal anti-hGH IgG-coated polystyrene ball was incubated with hGH and subsequently with affinity-purified rabbit anti-hGH Fab'-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. Peroxidase activity bound to the polystyrene ball was assayed by fluorimetry using 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid as a substrate. The detection limits of hGH in serum and urine were 1.5 ng/l using 20 microliters of serum and 0.2 ng/l using 0.15 ml of urine, respectively. The specificity and assay precision were satisfactory. hGH levels in serum and urine determined by the present sandwich enzyme immunoassay using monoclonal anti-hGH IgG-coated polystyrene balls were well correlated to those determined by the previous sandwich enzyme immunoassay using rabbit anti-hGH IgG-coated polystyrene balls. Levels of hGH in urine collected as first morning voids from healthy subjects aged 19-28 yr were 6.4 +/- 3.2 (SD) ng/g creatinine. However, the present assay gave lower hGH levels than the previous assay. This was at least partly explained by the fact that hGH in urine was less efficiently bound to monoclonal anti-hGH IgG-polystyrene balls than standard hGH, while the binding of hGH in urine and standard hGH to rabbit anti-hGH IgG-coated polystyrene balls was equally efficient. In addition, gel filtration showed that 22K hGH, a major component, in urine was less efficiently bound to monoclonal anti-hGH IgG-coated polystyrene balls than standard 22K hGH. The nature of hGH in serum and urine remains to be investigated.     

Development of enzyme immunoassay for the herbicide chlorsulfuron

Antibodies against the herbicide chlorsulfuron have been raised and characterized. Enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for chlorsulfuron, involving labeled antigen or labeled antibodies, have been developed. The kinetics of antigen-antibody interactions in the EIA systems developed has been studied. Both systems exhibit equal sensitivity (1 ng/ml). The values of the coefficient of variation (CV), determined within the range of chlorsulfuron concentrations 1-100 ng/ml to be measured by the systems, are not in excess of 8%. The possibility of using glucose oxidase as a label in EIAs for chlorsulfuron has been demonstrated. Lack of cross-reactivity with a series of sulfonyl- and arylurea derivatives and triazines makes it possible to recommend the EIA systems developed for chlorsulfuron determination in the environment.     

Reusable immunomagnetic beads in an enzyme immunoassay

Multiple antigen peptides (MAPs) were synthesized according to the epitope sequence of human cytomegalovirus phosphoprotein pp150 and used as antigens to coat the surface of Dynabeads M-450 Tosylactivated covalently. The coating efficiency peaked at 79% when the concentration of MAP8 was 100 μg/ml. Based on the immunomagnetic beads, an enzyme immunoassay was established to detect anti-MAP8 immunoglobulin G in sera of Balb/c mice, which were immunized with MAP8. We showed in this study that, with optimized working conditions, the immunomagnetic beads could be regenerated after removal of the antibody complexes from their surface with 0.2 M citric acid buffer (pH 2.5) and reused at least 16 times without significantly influencing the antibody binding efficiency. The results suggest the possibility of developing reusable immuno-diagnostic kits in the near future. F. C. Han and J. Luo contributed equally. They are co-first author.     

Complementing S-peptide as modulator in enzyme immunoassay

Ribonuclease S-peptide modified with two thyroxinyl groups showed 47% ribonuclease activity in the complementation with S-protein. Rabbit thyroxine antiserum brought about full activation of the complex. The effect can be used for determination of thyroxine concentration in the 0.1 to 0.5 μM range. The result is discussed as a new approach to enzyme immunoassay.     

An enzyme immunoassay of estrone in swine serum

An enzyme immunoassay for estrone in swine serum was established. For this, beta-galactosidase from E. coli was conjugated through estrone-17 (O-carboxymethyl)oxime using a mixed anhydride reaction. The percentage of immunoreactive estrone-17 (O-carboxymethyl)oxime-beta-galactosidase conjugate was estimated to be about 70%. The recovery rate of estrone (25-500 pg) added to 0.05 ml of swine serum averaged 91.4%. The sensitivity of the present enzyme immunoassay was 5 pg/tube. The coefficients of variation (CV) were 5.9-8.2% (within assays) and 4.1-5.9% (between assays), respectively. Estrone values determined by the present enzyme immunoassay were highly correlated with those determined by radioimmunoassay (r = 0.99, P less than 0.005). This method of enzyme immunoassay was determined to be suitable for the routine assay of serum estrone.     

Detection of anti-IgA antibodies using enzyme immunoassay

An enzyme immunoassay is described for the detection of anti-IgA-antibodies in human serum. The principle is based on the binding of the antibodies to IgA-coated polystyrene tubes and their following reaction with peroxidase conjugated Fc-specific anti-human-IgG.     

Modeling of homogeneous cloned enzyme donor immunoassay

One of the most widely used analytical techniques for sensitive detection of biologically and clinically significant analytes is the immunoassay. In recent years direct immunoprobes allowing label-free detection of the interaction between the antibody and the target analyte have proved their capabilities as fast, simple, and nevertheless highly sensitive methods. Cloned enzyme donor immunoassay (CEDIA) homogeneous assay is based on the bacterial enzyme beta-galactosidase, which has been genetically engineered into two inactive fragments, enzyme donor and enzyme acceptor. Reassociation of the fragments in the assay forms active enzyme, which acts on substrate to generate a colored product. A comprehensive kinetic model of CEDIA is developed to aid in understanding this method and to facilitate development of a truly homogeneous version, potentially applicable to a dipstick-type multianalyte point of care analytical device (ChemChip). Although the standard assay involves a two-step process, we also chose to model a single-combined process, which would be simpler to apply in a ChemChip device. From the modeling simulation, we obtain the time courses of the amounts of product and active enzyme, from which the dynamic ranges can be obtained as 10(-6)-10(-7) and 10(-5)-10(-7)M analyte concentration for two-step and single-combined processes under the conditions of the assumed parameters, respectively. A simple one-step immunoassay has the merit of reducing time and cost and has an improved dynamic range.     

Fluorophotometric enzyme immunoassay of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

A method for enzyme immunoassay of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is described, TSH was conjugated with horseradish peroxidase according to periodate oxidation method. Separation of the bound and free was obtained by double-antibody solid-phase technique using Sepharose 4B-anti-rabbit immunogiobulin G (IgG)-geat IgG. The fluorescence reaction using tyramine and hydrogen peroxide as substrates was used for the determination of enzyme activity in order to increase the sensitivity of enzyme immunoassay. The standard curve for serum TSH was satisfactory to recognize TSH concentrations as 0.06 μU/tube. TSH values obtained by this method correlated well with those obtained by radioimmunoassay (r, 0.96). The coefficients of variation were 1.8 to 5.3% (within assay) and 5.1 to 10.5% (between assay). The method is about equal to radioimmunoassay with respect to sensitivity. Since it requires minimal equipment and is less expensive than radioimmunoassay, it is possible to perform routine assays even in laboratories with limited facilities.     

Homogeneous enzyme immunoassay of chenodeoxycholate conjugates in serum.

It is shown that biased answers are given by the mathematical method used by Stein and his colleagues (Hankin B. L. Hankin, W. R. Lieb, and W. D. Stein (1972)Biochim. Biophys. Acta288, 114–126) to calculate $\text{K}{}_{21}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>ic</mtext>}}$, the half-saturation concentration for the entry of glucose into erythrocytes in infinite-cis conditions. A method for calculating $\text{K}{}_{21}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>ic</mtext>}}$ accurately is described and tested. The published estimates of $\text{K}{}_{21}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>ic</mtext>}}$ are low; nevertheless, even when they are revised upwards, the asymmetrical carrier model of glucose transport still fails to satisfy the “rejection criteria” of Hankin et al. (1972).     

Chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay of 8-oxoguanine in DNA.

A test system has been developed to determine 8-oxoguanine in DNA, the most important biomarker of damage to DNA bases by reactive oxygen species. The system is based on a chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay with the use of monoclonal antibodies (mcAB) against 8-oxoguanine. The test involves several stages: 1) immobilization of DNA on nitrocellulose membrane filters using an efficient technique with preliminary formation of a complex with protamine sulfate; 2) formation of antigen--antibody complexes (mcAB with 8-oxoguanine in DNA) with secondary antibodies and with a peroxidase--antiperoxidase complex (PAP method); 3) detection of increased chemiluminescence in a solution of hydrogen peroxide, luminol, and p-iodophenol. The increased chemiluminescence is determined with a conventional liquid scintillation counter for measuring beta-radioactivity. The system was tested by determining 8-oxoguanine formation in DNA upon gamma-irradiation and upon photosensitized oxidation of guanine under visible light in the presence of methylene blue. A linear dose dependence of 8-oxoguanine formation in DNA was shown for gamma-irradiation. The radiation-chemical yield of 8-oxoguanine (G = 0.57 molecule per 100 eV) is convenient to use for calibration of the amount of 8-oxoguanine formed under other conditions. The sensitivity of the method permits the detection of several femtomoles of 8-oxoguanine in a 40 microg sample of DNA.     

An indirect enzyme immunoassay for the mycotoxin citrinin.

An indirect competitive enzyme immunoassay using rabbit antisera could detect citrinin in buffer solutions at 1 to 13 ng/ml (0.05 to 0.65 ng per assay). Cross-reactivity with austdiol, alternariol, ochratoxin A, and deoxynivalenol was < 0.1% relative to citrinin. Recovery of citrinin added to wheat flour at 200 to 2,000 ng/g was 89 to 104%, with a coefficient of variation of 6.9 to 13%.     

Adsorbent polystyrene as an aid in plant enzyme isolation

Porous polystyrene (Amberlite XAD-4) adsorbs hydrophobic and surface-active materials from plant extracts and homogenates. With conventional extraction techniques, these materials tend to bind to proteins by hydrophobic interactions. In some cases covalent modification of protein also occurs. Interfering compounds include phenolics, quinones, terpenes and organic isothiocyanates. Polystyrene complements insoluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVPP, Polyclar AT), and the combination of these two adsorbents produced superior enzyme extracts from the several plant tissues that were tested. Tested procedures are described, and suggestions are given for adapting the procedures to new plant systems with contaminating natural products varying in quantity and in chemical nature.     

Use of soybean peroxidase for the enzyme immunoassay of sulfamethoxipyridazine in milk

An enzyme immunoassay with colorimetric detection of sulfamethoxipyridazine (SMP), the most widely used sulfamide, was developed with the soybean anionic peroxidase as an enzyme marker. The range of SMP detection is 1.3-63.0 ng/ml with a detection limit of 0.4 ng/ml. The root square deviation of detection results did not exceed 6%. It was demonstrated that 0.15% casein added to the working buffer prevented the effect of the milk matrix on the detection. The results obtained demonstrate that the assay developed is promising, displaying a sensitivity that exceeds the maximum permissible concentration of sulfamides in milk (100 microg/l) by several orders of magnitude.