Production and characterization of monoclonal antibody against recombinant human erythropoietin.

OBJECTIVE: To produce specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) against recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) for development of highly efficient methods for erythropoietin detection in biological fluids. METHODS: rHuEPO was covalently coupled with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the conjugate was used to immunize mice to produce specific mAb against rHuEPO based on hybridoma technology. The obtained F3-mAb was characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), SDS-PAGE and Western blot. RESULTS: The isotype of F3-mAb was found to be IgM with an affinity constant of 2.1 x 10(8) L/mol. The competitive ELISA using the obtained IgM showed a broader linear range and lower detection limit compared with previous work. CONCLUSIONS: The modification of rHuEPO was proved to be successful in generating required specific mAb with high avidity to rHuEPO.

Development of ELISA for metallothionein-II allows determination of heavy metal pollution of fresh water.

Metallothionein (MT), a metal-binding protein induced primarily by heavy metals in vertebrates, is considered a biomarker for environmental heavy-metal contamination. To investigate heavy metal pollution in the freshwater environment, MT-I and MT-II were purified from livers of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) by gel exclusion chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. To detect the purified MT-II, a specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) against crucian carp MT-II was produced from the hybridoma strains by cell-cell fusion. By using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with this mAb, the purified crucian carp MT-II was detected with a high specificity and sensitivity. There was a good correlation between the amount of MT-II in carp livers and the concentration of heavy metals in water. ELISA was then used to evaluated the degree of heavy metal pollution in two freshwater systems. The results indicate that the MT-II content in carp liver tissue can be used as an indicator of environmental heavy-metal pollution.

In vitro cultivation and differentiation of fetal liver stem cells from mice.

During embryonic development, pluripotent endoderm tissue in the developing foregut may adopt pancreatic fate or hepatic fate depending on the activation of key developmental regulators. Transdifferentiation occurs between hepatocytes and pancreatic cells under specific conditions. Hepatocytes and pancreatic cells have the common endodermal progenitor cells. In this study we isolated hepatic stem/progenitor cells from embryonic day (ED) 12-14 Kun-Ming mice with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The cells were cultured under specific conditions. The cultured cells deploy dithizone staining and immunocytochemical staining at the 15th, 30th and 40th day after isolation. The results indicated the presence of insulin-producing cells. When the insulin-producing cells were transplanted into alloxan-induced diabetic mice, the nonfasting blood glucose level was reduced. These results suggested that fetal liver stem/progenitor cells could be converted into insulin-producing cells under specific culture conditions. Fetal liver stem/progenitor cells could become the potential source of insulin-producing cells for successful cell transplantation therapy strategies of diabetes.

Biotin-avidin amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of isoflavone daidzein.

A biotin-avidin amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BA-ELISA) method was developed and optimized for the determination of a weakly estrogenic isoflavone daidzein in serum, urine and Puerariae radix. Specific polyclonal antibody was produced against daidzein by immunization of rabbits with a conjugate of 7-O-(carboxymethyl)-daidzein and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The polyclonal antibody showed specific recognition of daidzein, while cross-reactivities to coumarin, 4-hydroxycoumarin, phenol, and other isoflavones such as puerarin and rutin were all lower than 1%. The linear range of daidzein calibration curve was 0.1-1000ngmL(-1). The detection limit was found to be 0.04ngmL(-1), and the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 7 and 16%, respectively. Human serum and urine samples were spiked with known amounts of daidzein and measured by the established BA-ELISA. Recoveries were between 91 and 107%. Daidzein in P. radix was determined by the BA-ELISA method and HPLC method, and the content of daidzein was determined to be 0.0219 and 0.0194%, respectively. The results indicated that there was a good agreement between the two methods. The established method is very useful for monitoring daidzein in biological samples and traditional Chinese medicine.

Development of an indirect competitive ELISA for the determination of papaverine.

Papaverine (1-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinoline, PAP) is a member of the benzylisoquinoline sub-group of the opium alkaloids. It has been widely used for treating diseases like pulmonary arterial embolism and renal or biliary colic. In this paper, a specific conjugate of mono-demethylated papaverine-O-carboxylmethyl ether (MDMPAP-O-CME) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was synthesized and used as the complete antigen (PAP-BSA), with which we successfully obtained a high-titer anti-PAP polyclonal antibody (pAb) by immunization of rabbits. The anti-PAP pAb showed high affinity to papaverine with an affinity constant (K(aff)) of 7.3x10(7)L/mol. With this antibody, we established a sensitive immunochemical method for the determination of papaverine based on indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The optimal concentrations of the coated antigen (PAP-OVA) and purified pAb used in the ELISA were 5 and 1.2mug/mL, respectively. The cross reactivity of other benzylisoquinoline derived substances, including 1-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-isoquinoline (6-methoxy-papaveroline, MPAPO), morphine (MP) and codeine (CD) were all lower than 1%. The linear range of the calibration curve was 0.1-1000ng/mL. Normal human serum samples were spiked with known amount of papaverine and measured by the ELISA. Recoveries were between 102% and 105%. Papaverine content in a commercial papaverine hydrochloride injection sample was also determined using the established ELISA. Compared with the results given by the control experiment of HPLC, the recoveries of ELISA to detect injection samples were 102-110%. The limits of detection for synthetic serum samples and injection samples of papaverine hydrochloride were 0.25 and 0.06ng/mL, respectively.

Production and characterization of anti-recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) monoclonal antibody.

Anti-rhEPO McAb is valuable for the determination of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) levels for diagnosis of renal anemia and for doping control analysis. In this paper, anti-rhEPO hybridoma was prepared by fusion of SP2/0 murine myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from immunized BALB/c mouse, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to screen the positive hybridoma. The purified McAb was characterized by ELISA, SDS-PAGE, and Western-blotting. Experimental results showed that the subclass and the light chain of anti-rhEPO McAb was IgG1 and kappa light chain. The molecular weight of anti-rhEPO McAb was 166,000 Daltons. The affinity constant (K(aff)) of anti-rhEPO McAb with coated antigen was 5.0 x 10(5)L/mol.

Production and characterization of anti-estrone monoclonal antibody.

OBJECTIVE: Determination of estrone (E1) levels has a significant meaning in evaluating physiological effect and diagnosing some diseases. In order to detect free E1 in biological fluids, a monoclonal antibody specific for E1 was prepared after the complete antigen of E1 was synthesized. The purified monoclonal antibody was fully characterized for later immunoassay. METHODS: 3-O-carboxymethyl ether derivative of E1 was synthesized and in turn coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form complete antigen E1-BSA. A monoclonal antibody (McAb) specific for E1 was produced both in vitro and in vivo by a hybridoma anti-E1. Anti-E1 was prepared by fusion of SP2/0 murine myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from immunized BALB/c mouse. The McAb was characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), SDS-PAGE and Western-blotting. The specificity of the immunoassay was investigated by determining the cross-reactions of E1 analogs when free E1 was detected by competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). RESULTS: Analysis revealed that anti-E1 McAb (E1-McAb) was of the IgG1 type, the molecular weight of E1-McAb was 164,000 daltons. The affinity constant of E1-McAb with coated complete antigen was 8.2 x 10(8) L/mol. The linear range for free E1 determined by CI-ELISA was 10 pg/mL-10 ng/mL. The detection limit was 21.4 pg/mL (defined as twice the standard deviation of the blank). CONCLUSION: The CI-ELISA developed with E1-McAb was both sensitive and specific. The prepared E1-McAb can be used in some immunoassays.

A new competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for determination of estrogenic bisphenols.

Bisphenol A and other hydroxylated diphenylalkanes (generally known as bisphenols) have been identified as potential estrogenic substances. In this paper, a specific polyclonal antibody was produced against these compounds by immunization of rabbits with a conjugate of 4,4-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) valeric acid and bovine serum albumin (BHPVA-BSA). The polyclonal antibody showed specific recognition of the bisphenol structure, while the cross reactions of other common phenolic compounds such as phenol, hydroquinol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were all lower than 1%. The linear range of bisphenol A calibration curve was 1-10 000 ng ml(-1). Real water samples and mouse serum samples were spiked with known amount of bisphenol A and measured by the competitive ELISA. Recoveries were between 92 and 105%. The detection limits were found to be 0.1 ng ml(-1) for real water samples and 2 ng ml(-1) for serum samples. The method is very useful for monitoring bisphenol compounds in environmental and biological samples.