Immunosensor with a controlled orientation of antibodies by using NeutrAvidin-protein A complex at immunoaffinity layer.

The orientation of antibody was controlled by using NeutrAvidin-protein A complex on the gold surface of SPR biosensor. The surface density of receptor antibody (anti-hIgG) was compared by treatment of receptor antibody to the layer of avidin, NeutrAvidin, protein A, NeutrAvidin-protein A complex and bare gold surface of SPR biosensor. The ligand antibody (hIgG) was injected to each IA layer and the binding ratio of ligand antibody per unit receptor was estimated as a parameter of orientation control. The NeutrAvidin-protein A complex on gold surface of SPR biosensor showed the highest surface density of receptor antibody as well as the binding ratio of ligand antibody per receptor antibody. The NeutrAvidin-protein A complex was also prepared on biotin-labelled SAM, and the binding ratio of ligand per receptor was found to be significantly improved in comparison to the IA layer prepared by chemical coupling of receptor antibody to the SAM layer. The NeutrAvidin-protein A complex which showed the highest efficiency for the binding of ligand antibodies, was applied for the detection of a cancer marker called CEA. By using NeutrAvidin-protein A complex and sandwich assay for signal amplification, sensitivity was improved to be 1.5-fold higher than bare gold surface and the detection of CEA with the detection limit of 30 ng/ml was achieved.

Sequential analysis of multiple analytes using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor.

A sequential analysis method for the analysis of two analytes was developed using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. A sample with both analytes was introduced into the single sensing region and then each analyte was analyzed sequentially. Two detection models were devised for the samples with the following composition: (1) one target analyte resulting in a sensor response without any label and the other analyte with only additional label, (2) both target analytes requiring additional labels for detection. A standard curve for each model was prepared and applied for sequential analysis of anti-bovine serum albumin (anti-BSA) antibodies and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The errors of the sequential analysis of Models 1 and 2 were found to be less than 6%, and this method was therefore acceptable for application. No cross-reaction arising from non-specific binding among the participating antigens and antibodies was shown to occur in Models 1 and 2. For optimization of the analyte binding capacity of immunoaffinity (IA), the concentration ratio of the molecular recognition element at the immobilization step was adjusted. Subsequently, from the measurement of the maximum sensor response (R(max)), optimization of the analyte binding capacity could be made. Using Model 2, the feasibility of sequential analysis was demonstrated by detecting levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human albumin (hA) in healthy human urine, since both proteins are known to be related to abortion and preterm delivery during early pregnancy.

New immobilization method for immunoaffinity biosensors by using thiolated proteins.

A new immobilization method for immunoaffinity (IA) biosensors that ensures the high surface density and the stability of the IA layer was developed. For the immobilization of biomolecules, the molecular recognition protein was first thiolated by covalent conjugation of mercaptopropionic acid, and then the thiolated protein was attached on the gold surface of the transducer. In this work, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and its antibody were used as a model antigen-antibody, and the following properties of the IA layer prepared by thiolated protein were estimated: (i) biological integrity of HRP after the immobilization process by using activity assay, (ii) charge transfer resistance by immobilization, (iii) mass loading by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor, (iv) number of binding sites, and (v) feasibility test for the measurement of capacitive change by the antigen-antibody interaction. Based on these parameters, the immobilization method by using thiolated protein was determined to be feasible for application to IA biosensors.

Development of a biosensor for E. coli based on a flexural plate wave (FPW) transducer.

To fulfill the need for rapid, cost-effective and sensitive methods for the detection of bacteria in medical diagnostics, food technology, biotechnology and environmental monitoring, a development of a bacterial sensor was initiated. Our approach of a biosensor for E. coli is based on an acousto-gravimetric flexural plate wave (FPW) transducer (gravimetric detection limit of less than 6 ng in a 32 microns thick sensitive layer in aqueous media), and an immunoaffinity layer on the transducer membrane for the molecular recognition of the target bacteria. An intermediate layer of covalently coupled poly (acrylic acid) yielded a major reduction of the non-specific binding to the metal surface. Such a biosensor, using antibodies against E. coli K12 and E. coli 15 outer surface antigens, yielded a detection range of 3.0 x 10(5) to 6.2 x 10(7) cells/ml for samples with the corresponding bacteria. To increase the sensitivity further, an amplification method using microspheres coupled with antibodies against E. coli was tested as a sandwich assay, and up to now a five-fold amplification of the signal has been achieved.

Photoaffinity labeling of the ATP transporter of rat liver microsomes.

A photoreactive azido derivative of ATP, 3 (2')-O-(p-azidobenzoyl)-ATP (AB-ATP), was synthesized by the reaction of ATP with N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate (NHS-AB) to photolabel the ATP transporter of rat liver microsomes. AB-ATP specifically inhibited the transport of ATP into microsomes, which indicates that AB-ATP has a high affinity for the ATP transporter, so it can be utilized as a photoaffinity probe for the identification of the ATP transporter in rat liver microsomes. An SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of microsomes photolabeled with [gamma-32P]AB-ATP indicates the presence of four major protein bands with apparent molecular sizes of 97, 56, 53, and 47 kDa. Among these labeled proteins, the 56 kDa protein was completely protected from the photoaffinity labeling by 30 microM ATP but not by the same amount of GTP, which is consistent with the specific labeling of the ATP binding site of the ATP transporter. The specific labeling of the only 56 kDa protein among them was sensitive to the anion transport inhibitor, 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic acid stilbene (DIDS) but not sensitive to the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier inhibitor, atractyloside (ATR). Moreover, the 56 kDa protein was uniquely photolabeled with [gamma-32P]AB-ATP in the highly purified rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) vesicles. These results strongly suggested that the 56 kDa protein represents the ATP transporter of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum (ER).

Modification of short peptides using epsilon-aminocaproic acid for improved coating efficiency in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

The hydrophobicity of short synthetic peptides of 5-10 residues was enhanced for high coating efficiency as antigens in indirect ELISA. To obtain enhanced hydrophobicity, coupling of epsilon-aminocaproic acids to the synthetic peptides was carried out during solid phase peptide synthesis. As a short peptide model, three analogues of a streptavidin binding peptide consisting of 5 amino acid residues were prepared with four epsilon-aminocaproic acid residues. HPLC analysis showed a dramatic increase in hydrophobicity after modification and the modified peptides showed a better adsorption ability than the unmodified peptides in indirect ELISA. The whole process from antigen coating to color development was carried out within 2.5 to 3 h by dissolving the peptide in methyl alcohol and evaporating the solvent in each well of the microplate. As an application of this method, a peptide assumed to function as one of the epitopes of the human 60 kDa Ro/SSA antigen was selected from hydrophilicity, acrophilicity and hydropathy plots. The peptide was synthesized having an epsilon-aminocaproic acid modification at both N and C terminal ends and was tested with 30 sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 20 normal sera and a standard anti-Ro/SSA serum. The ELISA results revealed that the method gave a high signal-to-background ratio without altering the specificity of the assay. Moreover, our process was far simpler and more rapid than conventional methods used in indirect ELISA. Thus this method could be useful in the development of techniques for the diagnosis of SLE.