The Binding of Bispecific Monoclonal Antibodies to the Solid Phase-Adsorbed Antigens

The ability of bispecific antibodies (Babs) formed by fusion of hybridomas and parent monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to interact with the solid phase-adsorbed antigens was studied. Mabs specific to the three different antigens [horseradish peroxidase (HRP), human IgG (hIgG), and human myoglobin (Mb)] as well as Babs with the double specificity [antimyoglobin/antiperoxidase (anti-Mb/HRP) and anti-human IgG/antiperoxidase (anti-hIgG/HRP)] were used. It was shown by radioimmunological and immunoenzyme assays that parent Mabs bind to solid phase-adsorbed antigens considerably more effectively than Babs. The observed equilibrium binding constant (K _a) of antiperoxidase parental Mabs to immobilized HRP is 21 and 38 times higher than K _afor Babs binding sites (anti-Mb/HRP and anti-hIgG/HRP, respectively) to peroxidase. It was calculated that about 90–95% of all bound parental antiperoxidase Mabs were associated with immobilized HRP bivalently, and only about 5–10% were bound monovalently. On the contrary, parental Mabs against hIgG bind to the sorbed antigen essentially only monovalently. It was also shown that the avidity of anti-Mb/HRP Babs significantly increased when two antigens, Mb and HRP, were simultaneously adsorbed on the solid phase. These data imply that Babs bearing an enzyme-binding site (for example, binding to HRP) cannot be more effective than standard conjugates (e.g., enzyme-conjugated antibodies) in heterogeneous noncompetitive immunoassays.     

Effect of conditions of monoclonal antibody adsorption on antigen-binding activity

The dependence of the antigen-binding activity of immobilized antibodies on pH of a saturating buffer has been investigated. We analyzed 28 monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) produced by various hybridomas to three virus antigens, i.e., the nuclear p23 protein of hepatitis C virus (C core protein p23), p24 protein of HIV 1, and the surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg). Antibodies were adsorbed on the surfaces of immune plates in acidic (pH 2.8), neutral (pH 7.5), and alkaline (pH 9.5) buffers. The binding of labeled antigens, i.e., biotinylated or conjugated with horseradish peroxidase, with immobilized antigens was tested. It was shown that 10 out of 28 analyzed MCAs (36%) considerably better preserved their antigen-binding activity if their passive adsorption was carried out on the surface of polystyrene plates in an acidic buffer (pH 2.8). This approach allowed constructing a highly sensitive sandwich method for HBsAg assay with a minimal reliably determined antigen concentration of 0.013–0.017 ng/ml. The described approach may be recommended for the optimization of sandwich methods and solid-phase competitive methods.     

Triple-site antigen capture ELISA for human myoglobin can be more effective than double-site assay

Using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against human myoglobin (Mb), we have shown that the sensitivity of antigen-capture ELISA can be significantly increased by simultaneous immobilization of two cooperating capture monoclonal antibodies on a solid phase. This method ("triple-site ELISA") uses three monoclonal antibodies to different epitopes of the same antigen (two capture/one tracer) unlike the traditional double-site assay using one capture and one tracer monoclonal antibody. We developed double- and triple-site ELISA for Mb by varying the capture and tracer monoclonal antibodies. Triple-site assays showed 4-6-fold increase in sensitivity compared to the double-site assays. A model for this effect is suggested; according to the model, in triple-site ELISA, high-affinity cyclic configurations can be formed by an antigen, two capture monoclonal antibodies, and the surface of the solid phase.     

Analysis of bispecific monoclonal antibody binding to immobilized antigens using an optical biosensor

The interaction between two different monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and their corresponding bispecific antibodies (Babs) with immobilized antigens was investigated using an optical biosensor (IAsys). The analyzed panel of affinity-purified antibodies included two parental Mabs (one of which was specific to human IgG (hIgG), and another one to horseradish peroxidase (HRP)), as well as Babs derived thereof (anti-hIgG/HRP). Babs resulting from the fusion of parental hybridomas bear two antigen-binding sites toward two different antigens and thus may interact with immobilized antigen through only one antigen-binding site (monovalently). Using an IAsys biosensor this study shows that the bivalent binding of Mabs predominates over the monovalent binding with immobilized HRP, whereas anti-hIgG parental Mabs were bound monovalently to the immobilized hIgG. The observed equilibrium association constant (K _ass) values obtained in our last work [1] by solid-phase radioimmunoassay are consistent with those constants obtained by IAsys. The K _ass of anti-HRP Mabs was about 50 times higher than that of anti-HRP shoulder of Babs. The dissociation rate constant (k _diss) for anti-HRP shoulder of Babs was 21 times higher than k _diss for anti-HRP Mabs. The comparison of the kinetic parameters for bivalent anti-HRP Mabs and Babs derived from anti-Mb/HRP and anti-hIgG/HRP, allowed to calculate that 95% of bound anti-HRP Mabs are bivalently linked with immobilized HRP, whereas only 5% of bound anti-HRP Mabs are monovalently linked. In general, the data obtained indicate that Babs bearing an enzyme-binding site may not be efficiently used instead of traditional antibody–enzyme conjugates in the case of binding of bivalent Mabs.     

Single-step sandwich immunoassay of myoglobin with bifunctional monoclonal antibodies.

Two protocols for sandwich antigen-capture ELISA of human myoglobin were compared. In the first (routine) variant, 14D6 monoclonal antibodies conjugated to horseradish peroxidase were used as the secondary antibodies. Bifunctional antibodies specific for myoglobin/peroxidase were used as the secondary antibodies in the second variant. The myoglobin-binding site of the bifunctional antibodies was similar to that of the 14D6 antibodies, and the second antigen-binding site of the bifunctional antibodies was bound to horseradish peroxidase. When comparing standard calibration curves, the effective concentration of the bifunctional antibodies and that of antibodies conjugated to horseradish peroxidase were made equal. It is shown that the use of bispecific antibodies as the secondary antibodies does not improve the quality of the parameters tested, i.e., the sensitivity of the assay does not increase and the slope of the calibration curve remains constant.     

Analysis of Serotonin Transporter in Human Platelets by Immunoblotting Using Site-Specific Antibodies

We have produced a panel of site-specific antibodies recognizing different regions of the human serotonin transporter (SERT). This panel included: 1) monoclonal antibodies 23C5 (mAbs 23C5) to the C-terminal region (amino acid residues 597-630); 2) polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) to the N-terminal region (amino acid residues 69-83); 3) pAbs to the region (amino acid residues 86-100) in the beginning of the first transmembrane domain (TMD). The antibodies were produced using recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides (containing certain sequences of SERT) as antigens. These antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography, conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and used for immunoblotting analysis of SERT in extracts of human platelets. Sodium dodecyl sulfate extracts were prepared under conditions preventing non-specific proteolytic degradation of the proteins. In platelet extracts, all antibodies were able to detect the 67 kD protein, apparently corresponding to full-length SERT molecule (its theoretical mass is about 70 kD). These antibodies also detected several polypeptides of smaller size (56, 37, 35, 32, 22, and 14 kD), apparently corresponding to N-terminal, C-terminal, and non-terminal SERT fragments. Specificity of immunostaining was confirmed by preincubation of HRP-labeled anti-SERT antibodies with excess of corresponding antigen, which resulted in disappearance of protein band staining. It is suggested that SERT undergoes a programmed proteolytic cleavage (processing) resulting in formation of several SERT-derived polypeptides of smaller size. It is possible that one of the cleaved SERT species is required for serotonin transport activity. Possible sites for specific proteolysis may be located in the region near TMD1 and in the intracellular loop between TMD4 and TMD5.