Isolation of alpaca anti-hapten heavy chain single domain antibodies for development of sensitive immunoassay

Some unique subclasses of Camelidae antibodies are devoid of the light chain, and the antigen binding site is comprised exclusively of the variable domain of the heavy chain (VHH). Although conventional antibodies dominate current assay development, recombinant VHHs have a high potential as alternative reagents for the next generation of immunoassay. We expressed VHHs from an immunized alpaca and developed a VHH-based immunoassay using 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a major metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides as a model system. A phage VHH library was constructed, and seven VHH clones were selected by competitive binding with 3-PBA. The best immunoassay developed with one of these VHHs showed an IC(50) of 1.4 ng/mL (limit of detection (LOD) = 0.1 ng/mL). These parameters were further improved by using the phage borne VHH, IC(50) = 0.1 ng/mL and LOD = 0.01 ng/mL. Both assays showed a similar tolerance to methanol and dimethylsulfoxide up to 50% in assay buffer. The assay was highly specific to 3-PBA and its 4-hydroxylated derivative, 4-hydroxy 3-PBA, (150% cross reactivity) with negligible cross reactivity with other tested structural analogues, and the recovery from spiked urine sample ranged from 80 to 112%. In conclusion, a highly specific and sensitive VHH for 3-PBA was developed using sequences from immunized alpaca and phage display technology for antibody selection.     

Competitive selection from single domain antibody libraries allows isolation of high-affinity antihapten antibodies that are not favored in the llama immune response

Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) found in camelids lack a light chain, and their antigen-binding site sits completely in the heavy-chain variable domain (VHH). Their simplicity, thermostability, and ease in expression have made VHHs highly attractive. Although this has been successfully exploited for macromolecular antigens, their application to the detection of small molecules is still limited to a very few reports, mostly describing low-affinity VHHs. Using triclocarban (TCC) as a model hapten, we found that conventional antibodies, IgG1 fraction, reacted with free TCC with a higher relative affinity (IC(50) 51.0 ng/mL) than did the sdAbs (IgG2 and IgG3, 497 and 370 ng/mL, respectively). A VHH library was prepared, and by elution of phage with limiting concentrations of TCC and competitive selection of binders, we were able to isolate high-affinity clones, K(D) 0.98-1.37 nM (SPR), which allowed development of a competitive assay for TCC with an IC(50) = 3.5 ng/mL (11 nM). This represents a 100-fold improvement with regard to the performance of the sdAb serum fraction, and it is 100-fold better than the IC(50) attained with other antihapten VHHs reported thus far. Despite the modest overall antihapten sdAbs response in llamas, a small subpopulation of high-affinity VHHs is generated that can be isolated by careful design of the selection process.     

Noncompetitive detection of low molecular weight peptides by open sandwich immunoassay

Small peptides with less than 1000 in molecular weight are not considered amenable to sandwich immunoassays due to their difficulty of simultaneous recognition by two antibodies. As an alternative, we attempted noncompetitive detection of small peptides by open sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (OS-ELISA) utilizing the antigen-induced enhancement of antibody VH/VL interaction. Taking fragments of human osteocalcin (BGP), a major non-collagen peptide produced in bone, as model peptides, OS immunoassay was performed using the cloned VH and VL cDNAs from two anti-BGP monoclonal antibodies either recognizing the N- or C-terminal fragment, respectively. When the clones were used for OS-ELISA with immobilized VL fragment and phage-displayed VH fragment, enhanced VH/VL interaction upon BGP addition was observed. Especially the clone for the C-terminal fragment showed a superior detection limit as well as a wider working range than those of competitive assay. The result was reproduced with purified VH-alkaline phosphatase and MBP-VL fusion proteins, where the latter was directly immobilized onto the microplate wells. The minimum detectable fragment was the hexamer including the C-terminus. This simple approach with a single monoclonal antibody with a short measurement time may prove a useful tool in immunodiagnostics as well as in proteomics research.     

Development of a high-affinity anti-domoic acid sheep scFv and its use in detection of the toxin in shellfish

The potential of immunoassays as high-throughput screening tools for the detection of harmful substances in foods will only be realized when convenient methods are available for production of the high affinity antibodies needed for sensitive assay development. Recombinant antibodies offer advantages over traditional monoclonal antibodies in terms of ease of production, much greater antibody repertoire for selection, and versatility. We describe here the development of recombinant antibodies against the common shellfish toxin, domoic acid (DA), utilizing the sheep immunoglobulin system as an effective method for generating high affinity anti-hapten recombinant antibody fragments. A single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) library was generated from a sheep immunized with DA-bovine serum albumin conjugate, and anti-DA scFvs were isolated by phage-display. Three selected scFvs gave I50s of 2.6 to 58 ng/mL (8.3-186 nM) in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Assay optimization with one of these scFvs gave a very reproducible standard curve with a range of 0.3 to 5.6 ng/mL (1.0 to 17.9 nM), a mean limit of quantification (LOQ, defined as the I20) of 0.5 ng/mL (1.6 nM), and a mean I50 of 1.2 ng/mL (3.9 nM). When the assay was used for the analysis of crude methanolic extracts of scallop tissues, results obtained correlated well with standard HPLC assay results (R2, 0.90, n = 40; R2, 0.81, n = 34), although ELISA results were lower than HPLC results. Adjusting the cutoff point for DA concentration accordingly from the regulatory 20 mg/kg, the potential of the sheep scFv-based ELISA for use as a screening assay for DA in shellfish extracts was demonstrated.     

Development of a monoclonal antibody against ochratoxin A and its application in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and gold nanoparticle immunochromatographic strip

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific to ochratoxin A (OTA) was produced from a stable hybridoma cell line, 9C9H9, generated by the fusion of P3/NS1/1-AG4-1 myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from a BALB/c mouse immunized with OTA-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. The 9C9H9 mAb belongs to the immunoglobulin G1 (kappa chain) isotype. A competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cdELISA) and a competitive indirect ELISA were established for antibody characterization. The concentrations causing 50% inhibition of binding of OTA-horseradish peroxidase to the antibody by OTA, OTB, and OTC were found to be 0.32, 0.17, and 0.28 ng/mL, respectively, in the cdELISA. A sensitive and rapid mAb-based gold nanoparticle immunochromatographic strip was also developed using this mAb. This strip has a detection limit of 5 ng/mL for OTA and can be completed in 10 min. Analysis of OTA in coffee samples revealed that data obtained from immunochromatographic strip were in a good agreement with those obtained from cdELISA. The mAb-based cdELISA and immunochromatographic strip assay established in this study were sensitive and accurate for rapid screening of OTA in coffee samples.     

A general method to select antibody fragments suitable for noncompetitive detection of monovalent antigens

Previously, immunological detection of a small hapten was only possible in competitive format, which needed a competitor antigen either labeled by a reporter or attached to a carrier protein. Recently, we proposed the open sandwich (OS) immunoassay, a simple immunoassay that can noncompetitively determine monovalent antigen concentration by measuring the antigen-dependent change in a heavy-chain variable region (VH)/light-chain variable region (VL) interaction of an antibody. However, there was a limitation in the assay that the antibody used should have a suitable property such that the VH/VL interaction would become fairly strong along with the addition of antigen. Here, we devised a phage-based "split-Fv system" to rapidly evaluate and select antibody variable region (Fv) fragments that are suitable to OS immunoassay. When three antibodies raised against endocrine disruptor bisphenol A were tested with this system, all were more or less suitable to OS-ELISA. Among them, the best Fv selected was used to construct fusion proteins of VH tethered to an alkaline phosphatase and a tagged VL that can be site-specifically biotinylated to perform direct OS-ELISA. The results showed that the OS-ELISA detects bisphenol A with higher sensitivity than the corresponding competitive assay, also implying that many antibodies to small haptens have suitable properties for OS-ELISA.     

Development of a creatinine ELISA and an amperometric antibody-based creatine sensor with a detection limit in the nanomolar range

Creatinine-specific antibodies have been generated and used for highly sensitive and specific immunochemical creatinine determinations. Creatinine was derivatized at N3 and coupled to KLH carrier protein. On the basis of this immunogen, monoclonal antibodies were developed by hybridoma technology. Antibodies from various clones have been characterized with BIAcore 2000 with respect to the dissociation constant and specificity. Antibodies of clone B90-AH5 exhibited the lowest dissociation constant (0.74 microM) and the highest specificity for creatinine and were chosen for the development of a competitive ELISA and an amperometric creatinine sensor. The creatinine sensor was constructed by fixing a creatinine-modified membrane on the top of a platinum working electrode which was then incorporated into a stirred electrochemical measuring cell. For creatinine determination the creatinine-containing sample was incubated with B90-AH5 and anti-IgG(mouse)-glucose oxidase conjugate and applied to the measuring cell. After a washing step glucose was added and the produced hydrogen peroxide was registered at Eappl = +600 mV vs Ag/AgCl. The measuring range was 0.01-10 microg/mL. The highest sensitivity for creatinine was achieved at 330 ng/mL (3 microM) and the lower detection limit at 4.5 ng/mL (40 nM). This is far below the relevant clinical range, which is 5-17 microg/mL (44-150 microM) and allows a reliable determination of very low creatinine concentrations in serum, where standard methods cannot be applied. After each measurement the sensor was regenerated with 10 mM HCl without any loss in binding activity.     

Response to cardiac markers in human serum analyzed by guided-mode resonance biosensor

Cardiac markers in human serum with concentrations less than 0.1 ng/mL were analyzed by use of a guided-mode resonance (GMR) biosensor. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin (MYO) were monitored in the serum of both patients and healthy controls. Dose-response curves ranging from 0.05 to 10 ng/mL for cTnI, from 0.1 to 10 ng/mL for CK-MB, and from 0.03 to 1.7 μg/mL for MYO were obtained. The limits of detection (LOD) for cTnI, CK-MB, and MYO were less than 0.05, 0.1, and 35 ng/mL, respectively. Analysis time was 30 min, which is short enough to meet clinical requirements. Antibody immobilization and the hydrophilic properties of the guided-mode resonance filter (GMRF) surface were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by monitoring the peak wavelength shift and water contact angle (CA). Both assays used to evaluate the surface density of the immobilized antibodies, a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a sandwich immunogold assay, showed that the antibodies were successfully immobilized and sufficiently aligned to detect the low concentration of biomarkers. Our results show that the GMR biosensor will be very useful in developing low-cost portable biosensors that can screen for cardiac diseases.     

利用微型生物光学传感器的竞争免疫检测法检测牛奶中氨苄青霉素

利用微型表面等离子体共振的生物传感器测量了残留在牛奶中的氨苄青霉素的浓度.采用竞争抑制试验的方法,即先将定量的单克隆抗氨苄青霉素抗体（3H295）和含氨苄青霉素的牛奶样品混合,样品中氨苄青霉素即与抗体结合,然后将该混合样品通入传感器表面,传感器的表面共价固定了氨苄青霉素分子,通过生物特异相互作用分析,检测样品中剩余的抗体,从而得到氨苄青霉素的浓度.样品的测量时间为10min,最低检测限为2.5 ng/mL,低于欧盟标准4 ng/mL.该检测方法的测量时间短、重复性好,批间测量的变异系数为5.4%,表明该方法能满足实际测量要求.     

One-step homogeneous immunoassay for small analytes

We have developed a one-step, homogeneous noncompetitive immunoassay for small analytes using recombinant antibodies and morphine as the model analyte. A highly specific antibody against the immune complex (IC) formed between an anti-morphine antibody and morphine was selected from a naive scFv phage display library. The in vitro phage library selection procedure avoids the difficulties associated with the production of anti-IC antibodies by animal immunization. The anti-morphine and the anti-IC antibodies were labeled with a pair of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) fluorophores. In the FRET assay the labeled antibodies were incubated with saliva samples spiked with morphine, codeine, or heroin. Within 2 min, 5 ng/mL morphine, which is clearly under the recommended cutoff level, was detected without cross-reactivity to codeine or heroin. This assay principle is also widely applicable to other small analytes.     

Preparation of a single-chain variable fragment and a recombinant antigen-binding fragment against the anti-malarial drugs, artemisinin and artesunate, and their application in an ELISA

Two different recombinant antibodies, a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) and an antigen-binding fragment (Fab), were prepared against artemisinin (AM) and artesunate (AS) and were developed for use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The recombinant antibodies, which were derived from a single monoclonal antibody against AM and AS (mAb 1C1) prepared by us, were expressed by Escherichia coli cells and their reactivity and specificity were characterized. As a result, to obtain sufficient signal in indirect ELISA, a much greater amount of a first antibody was needed in the use of scFv due to the differences of the secondary antibody and conformational stability. Therefore, we focused on the development of the recombinant Fab antibodies and applied it to indirect competitive ELISA. The specificity of the Fab was similar to that of mAb 1C1 in that it showed specific reactivity toward AM and AS only. The sensitivity of the icELISA (0.16 μg/mL to 40 μg/mL for AM and 8.0 ng/mL to 60 ng/mL for AS) was sufficient for analysis of antimalarial drugs, and its utility for quality control of analysis of Artemisia spp. was validated. The Fab expression and refolding systems provided a good yield of high-quality antibodies. The recombinant antibody against AM and AS provides an essential component of an economically attractive immunoassay and will be useful in other immunochemical applications for the analysis and purification of antimalarial drugs.     

Ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for clinical immunoassay using thionine-doped magnetic gold nanospheres as labels and horseradish peroxidase as enhancer

A new signal amplification strategy based on thionine (TH)-doped magnetic gold nanospheres as labels and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as enhancer holds promise to improve the sensitivity and detection limit of the immunoassay for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), as a model protein. This immunoassay system was fabricated on a carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) covered with a well-ordered anti-CEA/protein A/nanogold architecture. The reverse micelle method was initially used for the preparation of TH-doped magnetic gold nanospheres (nanospheres), and the synthesized nanospheres were then labeled on HRP-bound anti-CEA as a secondary antibody (bionanospheres). Sandwich-type protocol was successfully introduced to develop a new high-efficiency electrochemical immunoassay with the labeled bionanospheres toward the reduction of H2O2. Under optimized conditions, the linear range of the proposed immunoassay without HRP as enhancer was 1.2-125 ng/mL CEA, whereas the assay sensitivity by using HRP as enhancer could be further increased to 0.01 ng/mL with the linear range from 0.01 to 160 ng/mL CEA. The developed immunoassay method showed good precision, high sensitivity, acceptable stability and reproducibility, and could be used for the detection of real samples with consistent results in comparison with those obtained by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.     

Development of a low density colorimetric protein array for cardiac troponin I detection

This work presented a rapid, inexpensive, reliable, and flexible quantitative immunoassay for cardiac troponin I (cTnI). The assay was based on the concepts of one-step dual monoclonal antibody "sandwich" principle, the low density protein array, the nanogold probe, and the silver enhancement on the gold particles. The capture antibody (IgG1) coated supporting nitrocellulose membrane and the colloidal gold-labeled detection antibody (cAu-IgG2) were prepared before the detection. The detection procedure involved two steps, i.e., immunoreaction and silver amplification. The assay needs only small amounts of serum samples of patients, The whole detection procedure of the assay could be fulfilled within 40 min (much faster than the routine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that takes usually at least 3 hours for a turnaround test). The detection results could be easily imaged with a simple flatbed scanner or even observed with the naked eye. The assay showed good specific response to cTnI with very little cross-reactivity to the skeletal isoforms of troponin I (sTnl), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and myoglobin (Mb). A cut-off value of 0.3 ng/ml was obtained from a reference control group (200 normal serum samples). 588 patients' serum samples were assayed simultaneously by routine ELISA and this colloidal gold method to test the validity of the method. The data were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS version 11.0 (SPSS Inc.) There was no significant difference between these two assays (P = 0.66 > 0.05). The agreement between this method (> or < 0.3 ng/ml) and ELISA was 86%.     

Immunosensor based on the ZnO nanorod networks for the detection of H1N1 swine influenza virus

This paper presents an immunosensor fabricated on patterned zinc oxide nanorod networks (ZNNs) for detecting the H1N1 swine influenza virus (H1N1 SIV). Nanostructured ZnO with a high isoelectric point (IEP, approximately 9.5) possesses good absorbability for proteins with low IEPs. Hydrothermally grown ZNNs were fabricated on a patterned Au electrode (0.02 cm2) through a lift-off process. To detect the H1N1 SIV, the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was employed in the immunosensor. The immunosensor was evaluated in an acetate buffer solution containing 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) via cyclic voltammetry at various H1N1 SIV concentrations (1 pg/mL-5 ng/mL). The measurement results of the fabricated immunosensor showed that the reduction currents of TMB at 0.25 V logarithmically increased from 259.37 to 577.98 nA as the H1N1 SIV concentration changed from 1 pg/mL to 5 ng/mL. An H1N1 SIV immunosensor, based on the patterned ZNNs, was successfully realized for detecting 1 pg/mL-5 ng/mL H1N1 SIV concentrations, with a detection limit of 1 pg/mL for H1N1 SIV.     

Polyclonal antibody-based noncompetitive immunoassay for small analytes developed with short peptide loops isolated from phage libraries

To date, there are a few technologies for the development of noncompetitive immunoassays for small molecules, the most common of which relies on the use of anti-immunocomplex antibodies. This approach is laborious, case specific, and relies upon monoclonal antibody technology for its implementation. We recently demonstrated that, in the case of monoclonal antibody-based immunoassays, short peptide loops isolated from phage display libraries can be used as substitutes of the anti-immunocomplex antibodies for noncompetitive immunodetection of small molecules. The aim of this work was to demonstrate that such phage ligands can be isolated even when the selector antibodies are polyclonal in nature. Using phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA), a major pyrethroid metabolite, as a model system, we isolated the CFNGKDWLYC peptide after panning a cyclic peptide library on the PBA/anti-PBA immunocomplex. The sensitivity of the noncompetitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) setup with this peptide was 5-fold (heterologous) or 400-fold (homologous) higher than that of the competitive assay setup with the same antibody. Phage anti-immunocomplex assay (PHAIA) was also easily adapted into a rapid and highly sensitive dipstick assay. The method not only provides a positive readout but also constitutes a major shortcut in the development of sensitive polyclonal-based assays, avoiding the need of synthesizing heterologous competing haptens.     

Isolation and characterization of a thermally stable recombinant anti-caffeine heavy-chain antibody fragment

We have isolated and characterized a caffeine-specific, heavy-chain-only antibody fragment (V(HH)) from llama that is capable of being utilized to analyze caffeine in hot and cold beverages. Camelid species (llama and camel) were selected for immunization because of their potential to make heat-stable, heavy-chain-only antibodies. Llamas and camels were immunized with caffeine covalently linked to keyhole limpet hemocyanin, and recombinant antibody techniques were used to create phage displayed libraries of variable region fragments of the heavy-chain antibodies. Caffeine-specific V(HH) fragments were selected by their ability to bind to caffeine/bovine serum albumin (BSA) and confirmed by a positive reaction in a caffeine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (caffeine ELISA). One of these V(HH) fragments (VSA2) was expressed as a soluble protein and shown to recover its reactivity after exposure to temperatures up to 90 degrees C. In addition, VSA2 was able to bind caffeine at 70 degrees C. A competition caffeine ELISA was developed for the measurement of caffeine in beverages, and concentrations of caffeine obtained for coffee, Coca-Cola Classic, and Diet Coke agreed well with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination and literature values. VSA2 showed minimal cross reactivity with structurally related methylxanthines.     

Small-volume detection of Plasmodium falciparum CSP gene using a 50-microm-diameter cavity with self-contained electrochemistry

An electrochemical enzyme-linked immobilized DNA-hybridization assay for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum has been developed. The target molecule was a segment of the repeat sequence of the gene coding for the circumsporozoite (CSP) protein from the AF54087 gene. This analyte offers the possibility of specifically detecting P. falciparum. The assay involves attachment of a biotinylated primary DNA probe via its 5'-amine-terminus to the streptavidin-coated surface of microwells in a 96-well plate. The primary DNA probe (1(0)P, which was of two different sequences we call 1(0)P(a) and 1(0)P(b)) was used to capture the target (T, which was of two different sequences, T1 sequence 481-590 and T2 sequence 472-590 of AF54087 gene for the CSP gene) by hybridization to a complementary sequence on the target. On 1(0)P(a), 47 bases were complementary to T1 and T2 at 543-590, while on 1(0)P(b), 35 bases were complementary to T1 and T2 at 555-590. A secondary DNA probe that contained 36 bases with alkaline phosphatase (2(0)P-AP) label on the 3' end was hybridized to a complementary base sequence on the 5' end of the target. p-Aminophenol, which is enzymatically generated by the immobilized AP from p-aminophenyl phosphate (PAPP), is detected using electrochemistry. The peak current of cyclic voltammograms from a PAPP solution incubated inside the microwells modified with the complete assembly of the assay components gives a linear relationship with the concentration of the target (2-50 ng/mL, where P1 (P1a and P1b) and P2-AP concentrations are 50 ng/mL). A detection limit of 1.4 ng/mL (or 46 pM) of the DNA target was obtained. The signals of the assays were not significantly affected when performed in the presence of human hepatocytes, pig liver, or chicken serum indicating the viability of this assay in real clinical samples.     

Competitive immunoassays for simultaneous detection of metabolites and proteins using micromosaic patterning

New high-throughput immunoassay methods for rapid point-of-care diagnostic applications represent an unmet need and current focus of numerous innovative methods. We report a new micromosaic competitive immunoassay developed for the analysis of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), inflammation biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP), and the oxidative damage marker 3-nitrotyrosine (BSA-3NT) on a silicon nitride substrate. To demonstrate the versatility of the method, both direct and indirect format competitive immunoassays were developed and could be applied simultaneously for single samples. Signals from standard solutions were fit to a logistic equation, allowing simultaneous detection of T4 (7.7-257.2 nM), CRP (0.3-4.2 microg/mL), and BSA-3NT (0.03-22.3 microg/mL). Total assay time including sample introduction, washing, and fluorescence measurement was less than 45 min. Dissociation constants for affinity pairs in the system have been estimated using regression. This proof-of-concept experiment shows that both small and macromolecular biomarkers can be quantified from a single sample using the method and suggests that groups of clinically related analytes may be analyzed by competitive micromosaic immunoassay techniques.     

动物组织中新霉素残留快速检测方法

以兔抗新霉素多抗为包被抗体,以新霉素-HRP连接物为标记物,TMB为显色底物,三氯乙酸提取法为样品前处理方法,建立了一种适用于动物组织中新霉素残留量的竞争性直接酶联免疫快速检测方法.该方法可测定新霉素残留的线性范围为0.6~50.0 ng/mL,线性方程为y=-0.412 7x+1.185 9,相关系数为0.993 6,半抑制率IC50为5.0 ng/mL,板内变异系数小于5.6%,板间变异系数小于5.3%,检出限为0.6 ng/mL,回收率在80%~120%之间.