紫外线辐照聚苯乙烯微孔板用于酶免疫测定的研究与表征

以重组人钙调素（rhCaM）、亲环素（rhCyP）、心磷脂和双链DNA（dsDNA）为包被抗原,建立了检测针对上述4种抗原自身抗体的间接ELISA方法,并对聚苯乙烯微孔板（PS）紫外线（UV）辐照前后进行了对比研究.结果发现：PS板经UV-辐照后,可显著改善酶免疫分析的测定效果,自身抗体的测定敏感度和重复性均有显著提高.原子力学显微镜（AFM）表征结果则提供了改善酶免疫分析的直接证据,抗原分子均匀平铺于UV-辐照的PS基底表面,而未经辐照的PS板则抗原分子的吸附率低,且分布不均并有成团聚集现象.X射线光电子能谱（XPS）分析表明,PS板经UV-辐照后,基底表面发生了氧化并引入了含氧的活性基团,O/C元素比较辐照前提高了6.9倍,改善了对抗原生物分子的亲水和化学反应性能,此亦即UV-辐照PS板改善对抗原分子固定效果的主要原因.     

Egg cannibalism in Helicoverpa armigera on sorghum and pigeonpea

Egg cannibalism by Helicoverpa armigeraHübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae was studied in the laboratory and in the field. In laboratory experiments, first instars were exposed to increasing densities of H. armigera eggs on sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. The number of eggs eaten per larva increasedsignificantly as egg availability increased on both sorghum and pigeonpea. In small cages 21–37% of eggs were eaten on sorghum, 4–12%on pigeonpea. Plant feeding declinedsignificantly on both sorghum and pigeonpea asegg density increased. Cannibalism was greateron sorghum than on pigeonpea while plantfeeding was greater on pigeonpea than onsorghum. Only around 8% of eggs were eaten inlarger cages with sorghum. The response toincreasing egg availability in all experimentswas linear. Immunoassay with an anti-vitellinmonoclonal antibody showed that egg cannibalismoccurs on pigeonpea under field conditions.Seven percent of all larvae had egg protein intheir gut. Cannibalism may make a significantcontribution to H. armigera populationsuppression.     

Detection of HbA1c by boronate affinity immunoassay using bacterial magnetic particles

We have developed a boronate affinity immunoassay system using m-aminophenylboronic acid (mAPB) coupling to bacterial magnetic particles (BMPs). Homobifunctional crosslinker, Bis-(succcimidyl)suberate (BS3), was employed for preparation of mAPB-BMPs conjugates (mAPB-BMPs). Quantities of HbA_1c on mAPB-BMPs were evaluated based on luminescence from alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-Hb antibody (ALP–antibody) binding to HbA_1c on the BMP surface. The binding of HbA_1c to mAPB-BMPs occurred gradually and was almost completed within 10 mm. The coupling reaction is enhanced due to static electric interaction between the positive charges on HbA_1c and negative charges on BMPs. The amount of HbA_1c binding to mAPB-BMPs increased with increasing sodium chloride concentrations in the range of 0–100 mM. However, the amount of Hb binding to mAPB-BMPs also increased in high concentration of sodium chloride. The Hb binding to mAPB-BMPs was detached from mAPB-BMPs when Hb–mAPB-BMPs were washed with low salt buffer. This indicates that Hb is nonspecifically adsorbed onto the surface of mAPB-BMPs in high concentration of sodium chloride. These results suggest that selective separation of HbA_1c using mAPB-BMPs can be achieved with these conditions. A dose–response curve was obtained between luminescence intensity and HbA_1c concentration using a fully automated boronate affinity immunoassay. A linear relationship between luminescence intensity and HbA_1c concentration was obtained in the range of 10–10⁴ ng/ml.     

Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay for Measuring Leptin

Leptin is one of the representative adipocyte-derived protein hormones. Measuring the serum leptin concentration gives an important index for preventing and treating diabetes mellitus and other diseases. We constructed in this study a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) for measuring leptin by using the anti-leptin polyclonal antibody and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The method applies the IgG-conjugated ferrite particle to capture leptin in a sample and the ALP-conjugated Fab fragment to detect the captured leptin. We tested Block ace, CE510, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) for their abilities to block non-specific binding of ALP-conjugated anti-leptin Fab to the ferrite particle and found BSA to be the most effective. The measurable range with this ELISA for leptin was 0.1–1.0 pg/mL of leptin and the detection limit (blank+2SD) was 0.1 pg/mL of leptin. These results demonstrate sufficient sensitivity with our system to measure the serum leptin concentration and its clinical usefulness. The results also suggest that a sensitive enzyme immunoassay can be constructed by using only one polyclonal antibody.     

Extended standard curve stability on the CCD magic lite immunoassay system using a two-point adjustment

Ciba Corning Diagnostics has developed a two-point adjustment algorithm for use with the Magic Lite System which allows for extended stability of a full 7–10 point calibration curve over the life of a kit. This adjustment is accomplished by using a master calibration curve established during manufacturing along with two calibrators for each assay. Most conventional non-automated immunoassays contain anywhere from 6 to 10 calibrators which are included with each run of an assay. Eliminating the need to run full standard curves and using the two-point adjustment algorithm results in significant savings in both labour and reagent usage.     

Catch and measure–mass spectrometry‐based immunoassays in biomarker research

Mass spectrometry-based (MS) methods are effective tools for discovering protein biomarker candidates that can differentiate between physiological and pathophysiological states. Promising candidates are validated in studies comprising large patient cohorts. Here, targeted protein analytics are used to increase sample throughput. Methods involving antibodies, such as sandwich immunoassays or Western blots, are commonly applied at this stage. Highly-specific and sensitive mass spectrometry-based immunoassays that have been established in recent years offer a suitable alternative to sandwich immunoassays for quantifying proteins. Mass Spectrometric ImmunoAssays (MSIA) and Stable Isotope Standards and Capture by Anti-Peptide Antibodies (SISCAPA/iMALDI) are two prominent types of MS-based immunoassays in which the capture is done either at the protein or the peptide level. We present an overview of these emerging types of immunoassays and discuss their suitability for the discovery and validation of protein biomarkers. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biomarkers: A Proteomic Challenge.     

A procedure for quantification of cytokinins as free bases involving scintillation proximity immunoassay

Cytokinins occur in a diversity of forms and determination of their individual levels requires extensive purification. However, determination of the total level of each major base in free, riboside and nucleotide forms would often be adequate. Hence, a methanolysis procedure which releases cytokinin bases from 9-ribosyl derivatives was developed and applied to plant extracts. A simple procedure, involving low pressure column chromatography, for purification of the cytokinin bases in treated extracts, and a scintillation proximity immunoassay for their quantification, were developed. The total level of each cytokinin base [N⁶-(2-isopentenyl)adenine, zeatin and dihydrozeatin] in free and ribosylated forms determined by these methods is reported for several plant tissues and the results are compared with those obtained after additional purification by HPLC. Values for zeatin were not changed by HPLC but isopentenyl-adenine and dihydrozeatin levels were usually reduced indicating the presence of unknown compounds which cross-react in the immunoassay. Modifications to the above purification method to quantify O-glucosyl cytokinins are also described.
The methods described facilitate the quantification of the total amount of each cytokinin base in forms closely associated with cytokinin action, and the detection of cytokinin biosynthesis by labelled precursor incorporation.     

Relationship between gibberellic acid and water amount in the cotton seed

The role of endogenous GA₃ and its application to seed development in two cotton genotypes Hybrid-6 (H-6) (big seeds) and Gujarat cotton 13 (G. Cot) (small seeds) was studied. Kernel and seed coat were subjected to growth analysis in terms of dry weight, water amount, and rates of dry matter accumulation and water uptake. H-6 kernel had manifold higher dry weight and water amount than G. Cot. Seed coat of both genotypes had similar dry weight at maturity, but the maximum rates of dry matter accumulation and water uptake were distinctly higher in H-6. According to growth analysis, development of seed kernel and coat was subdivided into four phases, i.e., cell division, cell elongation, dry matter accumulation and maturation. Endogenous GA₃ level was estimated in kernel and seed coat by indirect ELISA using antibodies raised against GA₃. GA₃ amount per seed components was higher in the seed kernel of H-6 than of G. Cot, except 33 and 36 days after anthesis in kernel. H-6 seed coat had the higher amount of GA₃ during cell division phase than that of G. Cot. Close correlation between in vivo GA₃ level and water amount was recorded in both seed components. With GA₃ or GA₃ + NAA treatments in ovule culture, higher promotion in dry weight, water amount and seed size was noted in G. Cot than in H-6 suggesting that G. Cot is more deficient in endogenous GA₃. The greatest stimulation of parameters studied was obtained in ovule culture with GA₃ + NAA. When GA₃ or GA₃ + NAA was applied, initial significant difference in water amount and seed size was nullified. Data presented in this study indicated that GA₃ regulates cell expansion through the water uptake by cotton seed.     

Future applications of magic lite technology

The features that Magic Lite products offer as an immunoassay delivery system are discussed. The use of paramagnetic particles and acridinium ester labels confers advantages of speed, sensitivity, and stability. The technology has been used to measure analytes of widely varying molecular weights and serum concentrations, indicating its potential to detect the full range of clinically relevant analytes. Initial development efforts have indicated that the advantages of the system can be effectively exploited in an automated instrument.