Selection of single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies from a hyperimmunized phage display library for the detection of the antibiotic monensin.

Concerns over the occurrence of the veterinary antibiotic monensin (MW 671Da) in animal food products and water have given rise to the need for a sensitive and rapid detection method. In this study, four monensin-specific single chain variable fragments (scFvs) were isolated from a hyperimmunized phage-displayed library originating from splenocytes of a mouse immunized with monensin conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The coding sequences of the scFvs were engineered in the order 5'-V(L)-linker-V(H)-3', where the linker encodes for Gly(10)Ser(7)Arg. Three rounds of selection were performed against monensin conjugated to chicken ovalbumin (OVA) and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), alternately. In the third round of selection, two different strategies, which differed in the number of washes and the concentration of the coating conjugates, were used to select for specific binders to monensin. A total of 376 clones from round two and three were screened for their specific binding to monensin conjugates and positive clones were sequenced. It was found that 80% of clones from round three contained a stop codon. After removing the stop codon by site-directed mutagenesis, ten binders with different amino acid sequences were subcloned into the vector pMED2 for soluble expression in Escherichia coli HB2151. Four of these scFvs bound to free monensin as determined using competitive fluorescence polarization assays (C-FPs). IC(50) values ranged from 0.031 and 231 microM. A cross-reactivity assay against salinomycin, lasalocid A, kanamycin and ampicillin revealed that the two best binders were highly specific to monensin.

Monoclonal antibody production and immunochemical detection of polyether antibiotics.

Polyether antibiotics such as monensin and salinomycin have been primarily used as coccidiostat and growth promoter. Since residues of these antibiotic in food may pose a health risk for sensitive individuals, their use should be carefully monitored. An immunochemical method was developed for the determination of polyether antibiotic using monoclonal antibody (Mab) produced by immunized mice. Conjugates of monensin, salinomycin and laidlomycin were prepared with bovine serum albumin (BSA), keyhole limpet haemocyanine (KLH) and ovalbumin (OVA) by mixed anhydride method and then used as immunogene to produce Mab. Eight hybridoma cell lines were isolated that produced Mabs that competed with polyether antibiotic-protein conjugates in BALB/c-SP2/0 fusion system. Two hybridoma with higher sensitivity, designated as 4G11F and 1C8F1F, were cultured for mass production and then purified from ascites fluid. Antibiotic-protein conjugates were quantitavely analyzed by using the purified Mabs through a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Long-circulating monensin nanoparticles for the potentiation of immunotoxin and anticancer drugs.

The carboxylic ionophore monensin was formulated into long-circulating nanoparticles with the help of polyethylene glycol/poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) diblock copolymers, in an attempt to enhance the cytotoxicity of a ricin-based immunotoxin, anti-My9, and anticancer drugs like adriamycin and tamoxifen. This study looked into various aspects involving the preparation (using a homogenizer and an EmulsiFlex homogenizer-extrusion device) and lyophilization of long-circulating monensin nanoparticles (LMNP) of particle size < 200 nm in diameter. The particle size of LMNP was reduced from 194 nm to 160 nm by passing the nanoparticles through an EmulsiFlex, before freeze-drying. There was a 4.8-83.7% increase in the particle size of LMNP after freeze-drying, which was dependent upon the manufacturing conditions such as use of the EmulsiFlex for size reduction before freeze-drying, the freezing method (rapid/slow) and the concentration of lyoprotectant (mannitol or trehalose) employed for freeze-drying. LMNP freeze-dried with 2.4% of trehalose showed minimal size change (< 9%) after freeze-drying. Further, the freezing method was found to have negligible effect on the particle size of LMNP freeze-dried with trehalose in comparison with mannitol. The entrapment efficiency of monensin in LMNP was found to be 14.2 +/- 0.3%. The LMNP were found to be spherical in shape and smooth in surface texture as observed by atomic force microscopy. In-vitro release of monensin from LMNP in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) pH 7.4 or PBS supplemented with 10% human serum indicated that there was an initial rapid release of about 40% in the first 8 h followed by a fairly slow release (about 20%) in the next 88 h. In-vivo studies conducted with Sprague-Dawley rats showed that 20% of monensin remained in circulation 4-8 h after the intravenous administration of LMNP. An in-vitro dye-based cytotoxicity assay (MTS/PMS method) showed that there was 500 times and 5 times potentiation of the cytotoxicity of anti-My9 immunotoxin by LMNP (5 x 10(-8) M of monensin) in HL-60 sensitive and resistant human tumour cell lines, respectively. Further, LMNP (5 x 10(-8) M of monensin) potentiated the cytotoxicity of adriamycin in MCF 7 and SW 620 cell lines by 100 fold and 10 fold, respectively, and that of tamoxifen by 44 fold in MCF 7 cell line as assessed by crystal violet dye uptake assay. Our results suggest that it is possible to prepare LMNP possessing appropriate particle size (< 200 nm), monensin content and in-vitro and in-vivo release characteristics with the help of a homogenizer and an EmulsiFlex homogenizer-extrusion device. LMNP can be freeze-dried with minimal increase in particle size by using a suitable concentration of a lyoprotectant like trehalose. Furthermore, LMNP could potentiate the cytotoxicity of immunotoxin, adriamycin and tamoxifen by 5-500 fold in-vitro, which will be further investigated in-vivo in a suitable animal model.

Potentiation of ricin A immunotoxin by monoclonal antibody targeted monensin containing small unilamellar vesicles.

The carboxylic ionophore monensin could be successfully entrapped in small unilamellar vesicles made by the extruder method. Monensin liposomes of size range 100-150 nm were more potent in potentiating ricin A immunotoxin activity in vitro as compared to monensin liposomes of diameter 500 nm or more. These liposomes were further successfully linked to tumor specific monoclonal antibodies with full retention of immunoreactivity. Monoclonal antibody targeted monensin liposomes were 100 times more potent than monensin liposomes in potentiating the activity of ricin A immunotoxins against various tumor cell lines in vitro.

Production of highly specific monoclonal antibodies to monensin and development of a microELISA to detect this antibiotic.

Monensin, a polyether antibiotic of molecular weight 671 Da, was converted into a hemisuccinate and covalently linked to bovine serum albumin via the mixed anhydride method. Using this immunogen, polyclonal anti-monensin antibodies were raised in rabbits and monoclonal antibodies were prepared from mice. The specificity of the anti-monensin antibodies was examined by using several structural analogues as the immunogen and by performing direct binding and competitive microELISA assays on Terasaki plates. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies had a dissociation constant (KD) of 5.5 x 10(-8) M for monensin and reacted with nigericin, an antibiotic structurally related to monensin. In contrast, a mouse monoclonal antibody, 2H8, reacted only with monensin and had a much lower KD = 3 x 10(-8) M for monensin. Monoclonal antibody 2H8 was used to develop a competitive microELISA able to detect as little as 5 ng/ml of monensin in solution which corresponds to 75 pg or 110 fmol of this hapten per Terasaki well.

Preliminary results towards ciguatoxin immunodetection.

Due to the lack of purified ciguatoxin (CTX), monensin was used as a model for developing an enzyme immunoassay to detect CTX. Specific antibodies directed against monensin have been produced in rabbits and mice using a monensin-protein immunogen obtained in bulk quantities. Rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal (MAb) antibodies of high specificity and affinity have been produced. Using MAb 2H8, in a competitive micro-ELISA performed in Terasaki plates, the detection limit for free monensin was 75 pg. No cross-reactivity was detected against CTX but a procedure requiring only 100 micrograms of hapten is under current investigation with a brevetoxin (PbTx-3), another marine toxin with a polyether backbone structure similar to CTX and recently commercially available.

Production of antibodies and development of enzyme immunoassay for determination of monensin in biological samples.

Monensin is converted to monensin bromoacetate, which provides successful coupling to protein and allows production of monensin-specific rabbit antisera. A modified indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed, which is highly sensitive (2 ng/mL) to monensin determination. Monensin recovery was 53-81% at 10 ppb in sera or urine, and 81-130% at 100 ppb in dichloromethane-extracted feces or water. Overall recovery was 98.8% with coefficients of variation from 6 to 52% over the range of monensin concentrations studied. This is the first immunoassay reported for the carboxylic ionophore antibiotics.