A beta-galactosidase linked immunoassay for the analysis of antigens on individual cells

Antibodies conjugated to enzymes such as horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase are widely used to detect antibody binding to individual cells or tissue sections through the deposit of insoluble colored reaction products. However, the presence of endogenous enzyme activity, especially in lymphomyeloid cell populations, necessitates the use of inhibitors which can be shown to decrease the sensitivity of the assay, a particular problem when monoclonal antibodies are used. As no endogenous β-galactosidase activity can be demonstrated in lymphomyeloid cells, a cytoimmunoenzyme assay based on this enzyme should provide a preferable system for cytological investigations of antigens in these cells. Such as assay was developed using azo coupling of 2 alternative substrates with different diazonium salts to produce rapid and specific precipitation of reaction products of different colors. The sensitivity of the β-galactosidase cytoimmunoenzyme assay was shown to be comparable with that of assays using FITC or peroxidase coupled antibodies.     

Oxidation of homovanillic acid as a selective assay for eosinophil peroxidase in eosinophil peroxidase-myeloperoxidase mixtures and its use in the detection of human eosinophil peroxidase deficiency.

Biochemical assays for peroxidase activity do not usually distinguish between different peroxidases. The guaiacol assay, for example, which is one of the most commonly used assays for peroxidase activity, is sensitive to both eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and the peroxidase of neutrophils, i.e., myeloperoxidase (MPO), thus preventing distinction of the two peroxidases in mixed neutrophil-eosinophil populations. In this paper we describe a simple and sensitive method for selective assays of EPO in EPO-MPO mixtures or mixed populations of neutrophils and eosinophils. The method is based on the peroxidase-mediated oxidation of homovanillic acid (HVA) under appropriate assay conditions in which EPO is still very active in catalyzing the reaction whilst MPO-mediated HVA oxidation is almost undetectable. Optimal assay conditions were as follows: pH 10.5, 10 microM hydrogen peroxide, 0.8 mM HVA and an incubation time of 120 min at 37 degrees C. Under these conditions the assay permits EPO activities as low as 0.025 guaiacol U/ml to be measured even in the presence of 0.175 guaiacol U/ml of MPO. In mixed neutrophil-eosinophil cell suspensions the test permits the detection of as few as 5 X 10(3) eosinophils even in the presence of about 700 X 10(3) neutrophils (eosinophils: neutrophils ratio 1:140) with no appreciable interference by the latter cells. The method described here has been applied to studies of human EPO deficiency and proved to be successful in the identification of individuals with partial EPO deficiency, which is not feasible with non quantitative methods (for example, cytochemistry) or unselective biochemical assay of peroxidase activity.     

Regulation of the Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Inflammatory Response by Inhibitors of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism

Abstract

Perturbation of the neutrophil membrane by opsonized zymosan particles activates the cell's “respiratory burst.” Associated with this activation process is the generation of highly reactive oxygen products, including superoxide, and the release of lysosomal enzymes. Membrane activation also stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism and the generation of a wide variety of products through both the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase pathways. In isolated human neutrophils, we have evaluated the effects inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase upon opsonized zymosan stimulated chemiluminescence, superoxide generation, oxygen consumption, and beta-glucuronidase release. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an inhibitor of the lipoxygenase enzyme, suppressed chemiluminescence, superoxide generation, oxygen consumption, and beta-glucuronidase release. Both indomethacin, a cyclcooxygenase inhibitor, and 5,8,11,14 -eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) an inhibitor of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, inhibited all tested neutrophil functions. However, when compared to NDGA, indomethacin and ETYA were considerably less potent. Our observations suggest that the lipooxygenase derived metabolites play a predominant regulatory role in these neutrophil inflammatory functions.     

Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid.

The Premier enzyme immunoassay (Meridian Diagnostics, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) was compared with a latex agglutination assay (CALAS; Meridian) for the ability to detect cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen (CrAg) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A total of 594 specimens (471 serum samples and 123 CSF samples) obtained from 430 patients, most of whom were at risk for or had AIDS, were tested in parallel by both systems. Both tests were independently evaluated for their ability to (i) detect CrAg when used as a screening test and (ii) quantitate the CrAg present when used as a titration assay. Chart review to assess clinical outcome after the time of specimen collection was conducted for all patients. When both assays were used as screening assays, 103 serum samples and 18 CSF samples were positive and 356 serum samples and 104 CSF specimens were negative by both assays (97.8% concordance). Thirteen specimens (12 serum samples, 1 CSF sample) gave discrepant screening results. When the tests were used as semiquantitative assays for titer determinations, the CrAg titers determined by the enzyme immunoassay were generally higher than those obtained with the latex agglutination assay. In summary, results obtained with the enzyme immunoassay correlated well with those obtained with the latex agglutination test for screening for the presence of CrAg and for determining the titer of CrAg in serum or CSF.     

Regulation of the Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Inflammatory Response by Inhibitors of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism

Perturbation of the neutrophil membrane by opsonized zymosan particles activates the cell's “respiratory burst.” Associated with this activation process is the generation of highly reactive oxygen products, including superoxide, and the release of lysosomal enzymes. Membrane activation also stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism and the generation of a wide variety of products through both the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase pathways. In isolated human neutrophils, we have evaluated the effects inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase upon opsonized zymosan stimulated chemiluminescence, superoxide generation, oxygen consumption, and beta-glucuronidase release. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an inhibitor of the lipoxygenase enzyme, suppressed chemiluminescence, superoxide generation, oxygen consumption, and beta-glucuronidase release. Both indomethacin, a cyclcooxygenase inhibitor, and 5,8,11,14 -eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) an inhibitor of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, inhibited all tested neutrophil functions. However, when compared to NDGA, indomethacin and ETYA were considerably less potent. Our observations suggest that the lipooxygenase derived metabolites play a predominant regulatory role in these neutrophil inflammatory functions.     

The utilization of biotin-antibiotin interaction for the detection of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs)

A biotin-antibiotin solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay for the detection and quantitation of the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) is described. The assay utilizes hepatitis B surface antigen as a solid-phase 'capture' reagent and a mixture of biotinylated HBsAg and antibiotin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase as a detector reagent. The assay was compared to a commercial enzyme immunoassay (AUSAB EIA) which used the biotin-avidin system for anti-HBs detection. The two assays were found to measure the same molecules and to correlate well regarding anti-HBs titers.     

Carbodiimide or periodate method to prepare peroxidase hydrazide for its use in immunoassay

Peroxidase hydrazides were prepared by conjugating horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) by carbodiimide or periodate oxidation method. The resulting HRP hydrazides (ADH-HRP) were conjugated to cortisol-21-hemisuccinate (cortisol-21-HS) by forming diimide bonds using the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) carbodiimide mediated reaction. The prepared cortisol-21-HS-ADH-HRP enzyme conjugates were utilized for the development of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for direct estimation of cortisol. To the cortisol antibody coated microtiter wells, standard or serum sample (50 microL), along with 100 microL of cortisol-21-HS-ADH-HRP enzyme conjugate (ADH-HRP used is prepared by either carbodiimide or periodate oxidation method), was incubated for 1 hr at 37 degrees C. Bound enzyme activity was measured by using tetramethyl benzidine/hydrogen peroxide (TMB/H202) as substrate. The sensitivity, specificity, and recovery of the assays were found to be identical when ELISAs were employed with cortisol enzyme conjugates prepared by conjugating cortisol-21-HS to HRP hydrazide, made either by the carbodiimide method or periodate oxidation method.     

Microplate immunocapture assay for plasminogen activators and their specific inhibitors

We report a convenient sensitive enzyme activity assay for urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activators, based on a solid-phase microtitre plate method using readily available polyclonal antibodies. The sensitivities for urokinase (active and proenzyme) and tissue activator were better than 1 ng/ml. The specificity was very high, with no significant contribution of urokinase in tissue activator assays or vice versa. This method is particularly useful for the assay of urokinase proenzyme in samples containing inhibitors. We describe how this assay may also be used to measure specific inhibitors of plasminogen activators, making use of their rapid formation of stable complexes with solid-phase activator. Inhibitors may be assayed in samples containing proenzymes.     

用血红蛋白酶释放法检测巨噬细胞的吞噬能力

以鸡红细胞作为靶细胞,小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞为效应细胞研究了巨噬细胞的吞噬能力。经低渗处理后,血红蛋白酶释放的多少以它氧化邻苯二胺所产生的颜色反应表示吞噬百分比。对红细胞数与OD值关系、不同粘附时间和不同吞噬时间与吞噬能力的关系进行了研究。方法灵敏、可靠、客观,有推广应用的价值。     

Development of flow-through and dip-stick immunoassays for screening of sulfonamide residues

Two formats of membrane-based competitive enzyme immunoassays (flow-through and dip-stick) have been developed for the screening of sulfonamide residues in pig muscle and milk. Membrane was coated with anti-sulfonamide antibody and a sulfonamide hapten D2-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugant was used as the labeled antigen for competitive assay of sulfonamides. Visual detection limits of the flow-through or dip-stick assay were 1-5 microg L(-1) or 1-10 microg L(-1) in buffer for seven sulfonamides, respectively. Assay validation was performed using samples spiked with single sulfonamide, spiked samples were tested using the developed strip assays and results were compared with those obtained by a validated high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) method. Results showed that the two strip assays were correlated well with HPLC, respectively. With assay times of 5 min (flow-through) and 15 min (dip-stick), these rapid tests could offer simple, rapid and cost-effective on-site screening tools to detect sulfonamides in pig muscle (flow-through or dip-stick) or milk (only dip-stick).     

Activity of oxidative enzymes in fungal mycelia from grassland and forest soils

In the vegetation periods of 1994 and 1995, fungus-colonized soil samples from around the base of fruit bodies of basidiomycete fungi were excised. They were collected from fairy rings on grass- and woodlands and from stands of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Control samples devoid of conspicuous mycelia originated from adjacent plots with a comparable vegetation and soil structure. Water extraction and spectrophotometric analysis of fungus-colonized samples indicated the presence of several cellfree polyphenol oxidases, peroxidases, manganese peroxidases, hydroxylases, aromatic-ring cleavage dioxygenases, and esterases as well as active oxygen species. Tests for ligninolytic activity were in part positive. The activities of enzymes involved in the catalysis of H₂O₂, the essential co-substrate of ligninolytic peroxidases, were also detected. Unvegetated control soils contained occasional traces of free polyphenol oxidases and peroxidases. Vegetated control samples were dominated by the activity of guaiacol peroxidase, which is known to be linked with plant tissue. It is concluded that basidiomycetous mycelia grown in the field are associated with the activities of enzymes which directly catalyze the degradation of lignin, some humic material in soil, and aromatic xenobiotics by hydroxylation, oxidation, and cleavage of aromatic ring structures. Further enzymes detected by their activities may be indirectly involved in these degradation processes by forming highly reactive substrate radicals, active oxygen species, and higher-valency metal ions with considerable oxidative capacity.     

Announcement

Immunogenicity is a frequent cause of secondary non‐response to tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. Drug level measurement and detection of antidrug antibodies have been shown to be cost effective and clinically relevant, and a large number of assays are available for these purposes. It is, however, difficult to compare assays and translate results into clinical meaningful information due to different methodological approaches and a lack of assay standardization. We have analysed infliximab drug levels and antidrug antibodies in 107 patient samples using enzyme‐linked immunoassays (ELISA), immunofluorometric assays (IFMA) and reporter‐gene assays (RGA). The RGA gave the lowest results for drug levels, whereas the IFMA detected the highest number of antidrug antibody positive sera. Applying individualized therapeutic ranges to each assay resulted in agreement among all three assays in 74% of samples for drug levels and 98% of samples for antidrug antibodies. We found that TNF inhibitor monitoring assays measure on different scales and that the agreement between quantitative results is limited. However, interassay differences can partially be overcome by assay‐individualized translations of quantities into categories, which also is necessary for a meaningful clinical application. Our data demonstrate that assays should not be used interchangeably and that direct comparison of quantitative drug levels obtained with different assays should be avoided.     

Highly sensitive enzyme immunoassays for antibodies to human tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and lymphotoxin (TNF-beta).

Two 'inverse sandwich' enzyme immunoassays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection and quantification of antibodies to human tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and lymphotoxin (TNF-beta), respectively. In these one-step assays, antibodies present in the sample linked antigen which had been covalently coupled to horseradish peroxidase to antigen bound to a solid phase (microtiter plates). The limits of detection of the assays were lower than those of neutralization bioassays; antibodies to TNF-alpha and TNF-beta being detected at concentrations as low as 2 ng/ml and 0.5 ng/ml, respectively, and no cross-reactivity was observed. The advantages of these ELISAs over other assay methods currently in use for the detection of antibodies include: (i) the convenience of the microtiter plate format and its suitability for testing large numbers of samples; (ii) the absence of radioactive tracers and precipitation steps; (iii) the high stability of the reagents; (iv) the avoidance of second antibodies and, thus, the possibility of testing samples from various species without modification of the assay and (v) the ability to detect low-affinity antibodies due to the absence of competitive reactions. The assays may be used without modification for the detection of antibodies in serum samples from both man and laboratory animals as well as in other samples such as hybridoma supernatants.     

5-Lipoxygenase metabolite 4-HDHA is a mediator of the antiangiogenic effect of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Lipid signaling is dysregulated in many diseases with vascular pathology, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and age-related macular degeneration. We have previously demonstrated that diets enriched in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) effectively reduce pathological retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, in part through metabolic products that suppress microglial-derived tumor necrosis factor-α. To better understand the protective effects of ω-3 PUFAs, we examined the relative importance of major lipid metabolic pathways and their products in contributing to this effect. ω-3 PUFA diets were fed to four lines of mice deficient in each key lipid-processing enzyme (cyclooxygenase 1 or 2, or lipoxygenase 5 or 12/15), retinopathy was induced by oxygen exposure; only loss of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) abrogated the protection against retinopathy of dietary ω-3 PUFAs. This protective effect was due to 5-LOX oxidation of the ω-3 PUFA lipid docosahexaenoic acid to 4-hydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid (4-HDHA). 4-HDHA directly inhibited endothelial cell proliferation and sprouting angiogenesis via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), independent of 4-HDHA's anti-inflammatory effects. Our study suggests that ω-3 PUFAs may be profitably used as an alternative or supplement to current anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for proliferative retinopathy and points to the therapeutic potential of ω-3 PUFAs and metabolites in other diseases of vasoproliferation. It also suggests that cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as aspirin and ibuprofen (but not lipoxygenase inhibitors such as zileuton) might be used without losing the beneficial effect of dietary ω-3 PUFA.     

DIAGNOSIS OF MALARIA BY DETECTION OF PLASMODIAL LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE WITH AN IMMUNODOT ENZYME ASSAY

We have previously demonstrated, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, that the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of malaria parasites is immunologically distinct from the host enzyme. The polyclonal antibodies, produced against the affinity purified plasmodial LDH (pLDH) in rabbits, showed specificity to LDH of malaria parasites. In the present study, these anti-pLDH polyclonal antibodies were used to develop an immunodiagnostic test (immunodot enzyme assay of plasmodial LDH) based on the detection of parasite LDH in patient blood. The immunodot enzyme assay of plasmodial LDH was evaluated using blood samples from patients with malaria or other infections. Out of 502 microscopically positive malaria blood samples, 497 blood samples showed positive immunodot assays of pLDH while all the 423 microscopically negative cases were found negative by our test. The blood samples from other infections and non-endemic controls were negative by the immunodot enzyme assay of pLDH. This LDH based test was also found negative in blood samples of cured patients 7 days after chloroquine treatment. The test is simple to perform, can be read visually, econimal, highly specific with a sensitivity of ～99% and is thus suitable for accurate diagnosis of malaria in field conditions.     

Diagnosis of malaria by detection of plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase with an immunodot enzyme assay

We have previously demonstrated, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, that the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of malaria parasites is immunologically distinct from the host enzyme. The polyclonal antibodies, produced against the affinity purified plasmodial LDH (pLDH) in rabbits, showed specificity to LDH of malaria parasites. In the present study, these anti-pLDH polyclonal antibodies were used to develop an immunodiagnostic test (immunodot enzyme assay of plasmodial LDH) based on the detection of parasite LDH in patient blood. The immunodot enzyme assay of plasmodial LDH was evaluated using blood samples from patients with malaria or other infections. Out of 502 microscopically positive malaria blood samples, 497 blood samples showed positive immunodot assays of pLDH while all the 423 microscopically negative cases were found negative by our test. The blood samples from other infections and non-endemic controls were negative by the immunodot enzyme assay of pLDH. This LDH based test was also found negative in blood samples of cured patients 7 days after chloroquine treatment. The test is simple to perform, can be read visually, econimal, highly specific with a sensitivity of ∼99% and is thus suitable for accurate diagnosis of malaria in field conditions.     

Detection of antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen using the avidin-biotin system

An enzyme avidin-biotin assay for the detection of anti-HBcAg antibody in human sera was developed. The assay uses genetically engineered HBcAg. HBcAg is immobilized on the surface of the wells of microtitre plates and the test serum sample, biotin-labelled HBcAg and streptavidin-labelled horseradish peroxidase are added. The assay was found to be specific and was compared with a commercial radioimmunoassay kit for sensitivity by testing 96 human clinical sera for anti-HBcAg antibody. Both assays gave identical results.     

Application of peroxidase labelled antibody assays for detection of porcine IgG antibodies to hog cholera and bovine viral diarrhea viruses

Rapid, sensitive peroxidase labelled antibody (PLA) assays using microtiter systems, were developed for detection of hog cholera virus (HCV) and cross-reacting bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) antibodies in pig sera. HCV-infected pig kidney cell line (PK 15) prepared in microtiter plates were fixed and used in PLA assays. After inoculation with test serum, bound antibodies (HCV/BVDV) were reacted with either horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated anti-porcine immunoglobulin (H & L) or biotinylated protein A (BPA) and subsequent HRP labelled avidin (A). Positive reactions were easily visualized under an inverted light microscope as foci of brown colored cells after enzyme degradation of hydrogen peroxidase in the presence of amino-ethylcarbazole (AEC). The PLA assays were superior to the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test in detecting anti-HCV antibodies in porcine sera collected early after inoculation of pigs with a lapinized HCV vaccine. The performances of the PLA, IFA and FA neutralization (FAN) tests in measuring the immune response in the vaccinated pigs were comparable. Cross-reacting anti-BVDV antibody, as measured by a microtiter serum neutralization (MTSN) test, was not demonstrable in vaccinated pigs until they were challenged with a virulent HCV, 13 weeks later. The PLA assays relative to the IFA test detected more reactive samples among porcine field sera collected from HC-free pigs in Canada. Of 795 samples, 24 (3.01%) were reactive in the PLA employing HRP anti-porcine IgG, and 21 (2.6%) in the PLA, using BPA-HRP-A. When 324 of these sera were screened by the IFA test (using HC antigen), only one sample (0.30%) was found reactive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Measurement of absolute T cell receptor rearrangement diversity

Anti-drug antibodies are elicited by virtually all therapeutic proteins, and standardized assays are required for clinical monitoring of patients as well as for comparing antibody response to different therapeutic proteins in clinical trials. Velaglucerase alfa and imiglucerase are enzyme replacement therapies for the long-term treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease, a lysosomal storage disease resulting from an inherited deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. We used state-of-the-art tools to develop a panel of assays for detection and characterization of antibody responses to velaglucerase alfa and imiglucerase. Highly-sensitive, direct bridging electrochemiluminescence screening assays were developed using samples from treatment-na?ve individuals with type 1 Gaucher disease to set cut points. A mouse anti-glucocerebrosidase monoclonal antibody used as a calibrator was shown to have similar affinity and binding kinetics for anti-velaglucerase alfa and anti-imiglucerase antibodies. A quantitative radioimmunoprecipitation assay for IgG antibodies was developed to eliminate false-positives from the highly sensitive screening assay. Using 59 samples from treatment-na?ve individuals with type 1 Gaucher disease, the confirmatory cut points were calculated to be 1.42 ng/mL for anti-velaglucerase alfa antibodies and 3.23 ng/mL for anti-imiglucerase antibodies. Isotype-specific indirect electrochemiluminescence assays were developed for IgE, IgA, and IgM subclasses. The IgE subclass assay was shown to be more sensitive than the confirmatory assay using sheep anti-glucocerebrosidase polyclonal antibody cross-linked with fragments specific to human IgE, with cut points for anti-velaglucerase alfa or anti-imiglucerase antibodies determined to be 0.53 and 0.55 ng/mL, respectively. An assay that detects inhibition in vitro of velaglucerase alfa and imiglucerase hydrolysis of a synthetic substrate in the presence of antibodies was developed to test for neutralizing antibodies. Using 52 individual healthy human donor samples and 35 samples from treatment-na?ve individuals with type 1 Gaucher disease, cut points for the velaglucerase alfa and imiglucerase neutralizing antibody assays were determined to be 20%, such that a sample with greater than 20% inhibition of enzyme activity in the presence of antibodies was considered positive for neutralizing antibodies. In conclusion, highly sensitive and equivalent methods were developed and validated to directly compare antibody response to velaglucerase alfa and imiglucerase treatments in patients with Gaucher disease, and may contribute to future internationally standardized assays for antibody detection in patients with Gaucher disease.