Turbidimetric Assay of Staphylococcal Nuclease

A simplified turbidimetric procedure was developed to assay staphylococcal nuclease activity. The ease of performance and sensitivity to nanogram quantities enhance the utilization of the method for the quantitative or qualitative estimation of the enzyme. Unlike plating methods, the turbidimetric procedure affords the differentiation between heat-stable and heat-labile nuclease activity.     

Stable Defined Substrate for Turbidimetric Assay of Endoxylanases

A stable xylan suspension was prepared and characterized. Hydrolysis of the particles converts them into soluble fragments, thereby lowering the turbidity of the suspension. The small volume of the assay mixture, the short incubation time required, and the simplicity of the procedure permit the rapid analysis of many samples. Furthermore, the procedure can be used to assay xylanase activities in the presence of other reducing materials and is also useful for monitoring low-level xylanase activities.     

A Direct Turbidimetric Assay of Pyocine

S ummary . An assay of pyocine based on the turbidimetric measurement of the percentage inhibition of a sensitive indicator strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is described. The tendency of this organism to clump is circumvented in the method which is simple, rapid in performance and has good precision and reproducibility.     

Rapid Assay for Bactericidal Antibodies

Microtiter plates were successfully substituted for tubes in the bactericidal test for opsonic antibodies. This method is efficient and should prove useful for screening large numbers of sera.     

Novel Microarrays for Simultaneous Serodiagnosis of Multiple Antiviral Antibodies

We developed an automated diagnostic system for the detection of virus-specific immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) that was based on a microarray platform. We compared efficacies of our automated system with conventional enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). Viruses were immobilized to microarrays using a radical cross-linking reaction that was induced by photo-irradiation. A new photoreactive polymer containing perfluorophenyl azide (PFPA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate was prepared and coated on plates. Inactivated measles, rubella, mumps, Varicella-Zoster and recombinant Epstein-Barr viruse antigen were added to coated plates, and irradiated with ultraviolet light to facilitate immobilization. Virus-specific IgGs in healthy human sera were assayed using these prepared microarrays and the results obtained compared with those from conventional EIAs. We observed high correlation (0.79–0.96) in the results between the automated microarray technique and EIAs. The microarray-based assay was more rapid, involved less reagents and sample, and was easier to conduct compared with conventional EIA techniques. The automated microarray system was further improved by introducing reagent storage reservoirs inside the chamber, thereby conserving the use of expensive reagents and antibodies. We considered the microarray format to be suitable for rapid and multiple serological diagnoses of viral diseases that could be developed further for clinical applications.     

Lecithin-Agar Assay for Lecithinase Antibodies in Serum

A technique for assay of lecithinase antibodies in serum was developed in this laboratory by using a lecithin-agar plate diffusion procedure based on a combination of described plate assays. Egg yolk lipoprotein composed primarily of lecithin was used as a substrate for reaction with free or non-neutralized lecithinase C after incubation of known amounts of lecithinase C with various dilutions of control and test sera. It was found that the size of the reaction zone was a function of enzyme concentration and inversely proportional to the antibody concentration. Accuracy and precision of the assay were determined. In addition, lecithinase antibody levels in sera from experimentally inoculated rats and rabbits and sera from randomly selected human patients were studied.     

18-氨基酸注射液的动态浊度法检测研究

建立 18 -氨基酸注射液细菌内毒素定量测定方法 ,控制药品质量。采用动态浊度法 ,对 18-氨基酸注射稀释液进行干扰预实验、干扰实验定量检测。结果 18-氨基酸注射液在 8倍稀释时无干扰作用。因此用动态浊度法定量检查 18-氨基酸注射液细菌内毒素的含量 ,结果准确 ,在实际应用中完全可行。     

散射比浊法检测糖化血红蛋白及临床意义

目的:探讨散射比浊法检测糖化血红蛋白的临床应用价值;方法:采用散射比浊法检测糖化血红蛋白,分析其检测的精密度、线性关系、抗干扰能力及相关性分析.结果:散射比浊法批内CV分别为3.1％和4.3％,批间CV分别为3.8％和5.0％;线性关系Y=l.025X+0.024,R2=0.996;胆红素、三酰甘油、尿素抗干扰实验实测值均在可信区间;散射比浊法与色谱法相关性方程为Y=0.968X+0.364,R=0.976,(P＞0.05).结论:散射比浊检测糖化血红蛋白精密度较高,线性关系良好,抗干扰能力强,相关性良好,可适用于基础和临床实验.     

Automated, Quantitative Microhemagglutination Assay for Treponema pallidum Antibodies

An automated, quantitative microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to Treponema pallidum was developed by using T. pallidum-sensitized erythrocytes and an automatic serial-dilution instrument. Reactivity was found in sera from 54 rabbits and 6 chimpanzees infected with T. pallidum. Reactivity was also found in sera from animals infected with T. pertenue, T. carateum, and T. cuniculi. No reactivity was found in sera from 75 normal rabbits or from 129 rabbits immunized with cultivatable treponemes or a variety of other bacteria. In approximately 3 min, 13 twofold serial dilutions of each of 8 preabsorbed sera and the addition of sensitized erythrocytes to each dilution were accomplished automatically. The automated assay can serve as a research tool in quantitating antibodies to pathogenic treponemes, and evaluation of its clinical usefulness seems warranted.     

Automated Microtransfer Technique for the Assay of Poliovirus- and Mumps Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies

Use of an automated apparatus to quantitate mumps virus- and poliovirus-neutralizing antibody is described. The automated titration equipment affords savings in effort, time, and reagents in conducting large-scale surveys for the determination of mumps- and poliovirus-neutralizing antibodies. This technique has been found to be reproducible and gives results comparable to other antibody assay methods.     

Colorimetric Assay System for Screening Antiviral Compounds against Hepatitis B Virus

A highly sensitive, rapid, and accurate assay system was developed for the in vitro evaluation of anti-hepatitis B virus (anti-HBV) agents. Chronic HBV-producing HB611 cells were used in combination with immunoaffinity purification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and hybrid capture detection. HB611 cells were incubated with putative anti-HBV agents for 7 days in 96-well microtiter plates. HBV was purified from HB611 cell culture media using immunoaffinity purification. The HBV DNA was extracted, amplified with PCR, and assayed using a hybrid capture colorimetric method. This assay provided quantitative detection of extracellular HBV DNA from 25 μl of cell culture media. Using the colorimetric method, we found that 50% effective concentration levels of several known anti-HBV agents (HPMPA, PMEDAP, PMEA and others) were similar to those reported in studies using Southern blot analysis. These results demonstrate that this new and easily automated colorimetric assay system can be used for the rapid and accurate assessment of anti-HBV compound selectivity.     

重组马g-干扰素抗病毒活性测定及单克隆抗体抑制活性鉴定

为了测定大肠杆菌和杆状病毒表达的重组马g-干扰素是否具有抗病毒活性, 利用这两种干扰素处理马胎肾细胞(EFK-78), 然后接种表达绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的重组水泡性口炎病毒(VSV*GFP), 观察干扰素对病毒表达GFP的抑制, 测出其抗病毒活性单位分别为1×103 AU/mL、1×105 AU/mL。评价了制备的九株抗重组马g-干扰素单克隆抗体是否可抑制重组马g-干扰素抗病毒活性, 证实其中一株可中和重组马g-干扰素的抗病毒活性。结果表明: 杆状病毒表达的马g-干扰素具有较高的抗病毒活性, 其活性可被一株制备的抗重组马g-干扰素单克隆抗体抑制; 首次获得原核表达的具有抗病毒活性的马g-干扰素。     

A Specific Method for the Detection of Hiochi Bacteria Using an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay System with Anti-hiochi Bacteria Monoclonal Antibodies

Ten standard strains of hiochi bacteria were selected based on the SDS-PAGE patterns of their cellular proteins. We then obtained ten hybridoma systems that secreted highly reactive monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the whole cells of each strain. It was apparent that these MAbs were highly reactive and specific for hiochi bacterial whole cells when using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three MAbs (two against the homo-fermentative hiochi lactobacilli and an MAb against the hetero-fermentative true hiochi bacilli) showed cross-reactivity to some of the other strains of lactobacilli tested. However, the other MAbs did not react with strains other than the immunogen. A sensitive ELISA method for the detection of hiochi bacteria was examined. It was possible to detect the order of 10³ cells of the ten standard strains. Using this procedure and a mixture of the ten MAbs, a detection limit of 10⁴ cells or less could be obtained for 98.2% of the hiochi bacteria isolated from sake brewing factories. Thus, this immunological technique using MAbs specific for hiochi bacteria is a sensitive and rapid detection method for hiochi bacteria, which can be used in the quality control of sake.     

An Innovative Pseudotypes-Based Enzyme-Linked Lectin Assay for the Measurement of Functional Anti-Neuraminidase Antibodies

Antibodies (Ab) to neuraminidase (NA) play a role in limiting influenza infection and might help reduce the disease impact. The most widely used serological assay to measure functional anti-NA immune responses is the Enzyme-Linked Lectin Assay (ELLA) which relies on hemagglutinin (HA) mismatched virus reassortants, or detergent treated viruses as the NA source to overcome interference associated with steric hindrance of anti-HA Ab present in sera. The difficulty in producing and handling these reagents, which are not easily adapted for screening large numbers of samples, limits the routine analysis of functional anti-NA Ab in clinical trials. In this study, we produced influenza lentiviral pseudoparticles (PPs) containing only the NA antigen (NA-PPs) with a simple two-plasmid co-transfection system. NA-PPs were characterized and tested as an innovative source of NA in the NA inhibition (NI) assay. Both swine A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) and avian A/turkey/Turkey/01/2005 (H5N1) N1s within NA-PPs retained their sialidase activity and were specifically inhibited by homologous and N1 subtype-specific, heterologous sheep sera. Moreover, A/California/07/2009 N1-PPs were a better source of NA compared to whole live and detergent treated H1N1 viruses in ELLA, likely due to lack of interference by anti-HA Ab, and absence of possible structural modifications caused by treatment with detergent. This innovative assay is safer and applicable to all NAs. Taken together, these results highlight the potential of NA-PPs-based NI assays to be developed as sensitive, flexible, easy to handle and scalable serological tests for routine NA immune response analysis.     

抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体抗病毒作用的研究

本文报道在内质网和细胞浆内稳定表达抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体,研究抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体抗病毒作用及其抗病毒作用机理。在获得稳定表达抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体的细胞系的基础上,用MTT法检测细胞内表达抗汉坦病毒单链抗体对细胞增殖的影响,证实细胞内抗体的表达不会影响到细胞的生长。不同时间收集病毒感染毒后细胞培养培养上清和细胞裂解物,用ELISA方法检测细胞内外病毒结构蛋白含量的变化,结果表明定位于细胞内质肉和细胞浆内的抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体均能不同程度降低感染细胞上清中的核蛋白含量,但是不能或轻微抑制细胞内汉坦病毒核蛋白的合成。利用病毒微量滴定免疫荧光方法,对细胞内抗体与病毒的增殖关系进行了研究,证实无论在内质网还是在胞质,抗核蛋白细胞内抗体都能够抑制病毒的增殖,具有抗病毒活性。抗汉坦病毒核蛋白细胞内抗体不能抑制病毒结构蛋白的合成,其抗病毒效果是通过抑制病毒的包装而实现。     

Dramatic Potentiation of the Antiviral Activity of HIV Antibodies by Cholesterol Conjugation

The broadly neutralizing antibodies HIV 2F5 and 4E10, which bind to overlapping epitopes in the membrane-proximal external region of the fusion protein gp41, have been proposed to use a two-step mechanism for neutralization; first, they bind and preconcentrate at the viral membrane through their long, hydrophobic CDRH3 loops, and second, they form a high affinity complex with the protein epitope. Accordingly, mutagenesis of the CDRH3 can abolish their neutralizing activity, with no change in the affinity for the peptide epitope. We show here that we can mimic this mechanism by conjugating a cholesterol group outside of the paratope of an antibody. Cholesterol-conjugated antibodies bind to lipid raft domains on the membrane, and because of this enrichment, they show increased antiviral potency. In particular, we find that cholesterol conjugation (i) rescues the antiviral activity of CDRH3-mutated 2F5, (ii) increases the antiviral activity of WT 2F5, (iii) potentiates the non-membrane-binding HIV antibody D5 10–100-fold (depending on the virus strain), and (iv) increases synergy between 2F5 and D5. Conjugation can be made at several positions, including variable and constant domains. Cholesterol conjugation therefore appears to be a general strategy to boost the potency of antiviral antibodies, and, because membrane affinity is engineered outside of the antibody paratope, it can complement affinity maturation strategies.     

Agar Diffusion Method for the Assay of Colicins

An agar diffusion method for the assay of colicins A, B, D, E(2), E(3), and K is described. The assays were performed in large, square pyrex dishes that contained an agar layer seeded with an indicator organism sensitive to the colicin. The samples were applied to the agar in steatite beads positioned in a randomized sequence. The plates were stored at 4 C for 24 hr to allow the colicins to diffuse into the agar. After incubation at 37 C, the activity of each colicin preparation was estimated by measuring the diameter of the zone of inhibition of the growth of the indicator strain around each bead. The results of each assay were subjected to a statistical analysis, which included an analysis of variance and calculation of the theoretical regression and the confidence interval of the assay. The size of the inhibition zones, the form of the regression, and the slope of the regression of the responses were affected by the type and concentration of the agar, the depth of the agar layer, the indicator organism, the indicator inoculum density, and the time allowed for prediffusion of the colicins. Optimal conditions for the assay of each colicin were determined. Using a four-point assay design, the relative colicin concentration of unknown preparations was estimated in terms of a standard preparation of the same colicin. The experimental error of these assays (95% confidence interval) was about +/- 10%.