Antigens labelling, competitive

In a direct immunoassay the immobilized antibody binds to the corresponding antigen. The competitive immunoassay relies upon the competition of the analyte with a labelled analyte for antibody binding. These formats are widely used for high throughput affinity arrays. A sandwich immunoassay is based on the trapping or capture of the analyte by another antibody. In ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assays) the second antibody is conjugated with an enzyme. The bound enzyme labelled antibody is detected by its ability to break down its substrate to a colored product. 

Despite many novel developments in immunoassay design the principles are confined to two broad approaches those that rely on the competition between antigens labelled with a molecule which may be readily observed (for example, a radioisotope) and unlabelled antigens for a limited number of antibody binding sites and those in which the antibody is available in excess and for which there is no competition for binding sites. 

Ag reaction with catalase-labeled antigen. After competitive binding of free and catalase-labeled AFP, the sensor is examined for catalase activity by ampero-metric measurement after addition of H 2O2. AFP can be assayed in the rjuige 10-0.01 ng/mL. 

One of the earliest efforts of qualitative measurement of a protein (human serum albumin) in a microchip-based device was based on bead agglutination in a microchamber (approximately lOjaL). Subsequently, several quantitative immunoassays have been performed using microchip electrophoretic systems that permit separation and quantitation of free- and bound-labeled antigens in competitive assays (see Chapter 5). Most are carried out in channels micro-machined into fused silica substrates. Early work on quantitative assays achieved measurement of cortisol in serum.The assay used cortisol labeled with fluorescein and an argon laser detector at 488 nm and required only 80 pL of a 40x dilution of serum as the sample. Other capillary electrophoresis-based assays for a variety of antibodies have also been developed that include immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM), antibovine serum albumin, and antiestradiol. ... 

Fig. 1 A typical direct capture (above). The immobilised antibody captures the specific analyte from the solution, which results in a decrease in frequency. A typical displacement (centre). The immobilised antibody is displaced from the surface and specifically binds to the free antigen in solution resulting in a frequency increase. A typical direct competition (below). Free antigen and labelled antigen in solution compete for the available binding sites on the immobilised antibodies immobilisation layer, Q nonspecific antigen, antibody, 0 antigen, labelled antigen...

In CE, analysis by immunoassays depends on the principles that the antigen and antibody migrate differently when they are bound compared to when they are free. One of these two compounds (mostly the antigen) is labeled with a fluorescent tag. The unknown sample is mixed with labeled antigen for competitive binding assay and the mixture is separated by CE. The label in the bound fraction (or... 

Figure 4.2 Quantitation of antigen by competitive (inhibition) assay. An antigen is fixed (attached) and binds a specific antibody from solution. However, additional antigen is provided in solution and antibody binding to the bound antigen is reduced in direct proportion to the concentration of free antigen. The bound antibody is then detected by binding a second, labeled (enzyme, isotope, etc.) antibody.

Figure 30 General formats of immunosensors. (a) Noncompetitive (b) competitive and direct (immobilized antibody) (c) competitive and direct (immobilized antigen, labeled antibody) (d) competitive and direct (immobilized antigen, nonlabeled antibody) (e) competitive and indirect (enzyme or liposome-labeled antigen) and (f) sandwich, noncompetitive, and direct.

In an analogous way, the competitive binding of antigen labeled with either a... 

Fig. 9. Immunosensor approaches where A is the analyte, is the labeled analyte, and Y is the antibody, (a) Direct immunosensors where the actual antigen—antibody interaction is measured (b) indirect immunosensors 1 and 2 which utilize formats similar to competitive and displacement...

Enzyme Immunosensors. Enzyme immunosensors are enzyme immunoassays coupled with electrochemical sensors. These sensors (qv) require multiple steps for analyte determination, and either sandwich assays or competitive binding assays maybe used. Both of these assays use antibodies for the analyte of interest attached to a membrane on the surface of an electrochemical sensor. In the sandwich assay type, the membrane-bound antibody binds the sample antigen, which in turn binds another antibody that is enzyme-labeled. This immunosensor is then placed in a solution containing the substrate for the labeling enzyme and the rate of product formation is measured electrochemically. The rate of the reaction is proportional to the amount of bound enzyme and thus to the amount of the analyte antigen. The sandwich assay can be used only with antigens capable of binding two different antibodies simultaneously (53). 

Radioimmunoassay is a competitive protein binding assay which utilizes an antibody as the binding protein. This assay also employs a highly purified antigen which has been radio-labeled (tagged). 

Figure 1 Schematic sequence of the direct and indirect competitive ELISA. The principle difference is that for direct competitive immunoassay, the well is coated with primary antibody directly, and for indirect competitive immunoassay, the well is coated with antigen. Primary antibody (Y), blocking protein (Y), analyte (T), analyte-tracer ( ), enzyme labeled secondary antibody ), color development ( J)...

Based on IgG-bearing beads, a chemiluminescent immuno-biochip has been also realized for the model detection of human IgG. Biotin-labeled antihuman IgG were used in a competitive assay, in conjunction with peroxidase labelled streptavidin59. In that case, the planar glassy carbon electrode served only as a support for the sensing layer since the light signal came from the biocatalytic activity of horseradish peroxidase. Free antigen could then be detected with a detection limit of 25 pg (108 molecules) and up to 15 ng. 

Competitive immunoassays may also be used to determine small chemical substances [10, 11]. An electrochemical immunosensor based on a competitive immunoassay for the small molecule estradiol has recently been reported [11]. A schematic diagram of this immunoassay is depicted in Fig. 5.3. In this system, anti-mouse IgG was physisorbed onto the surface of an SPCE. This was used to bind monoclonal mouse anti-estradiol antibody. The antibody coated SPCE was then exposed to a standard solution of estradiol (E2), followed by a solution of AP-labeled estradiol (AP-E2). The E2 and AP-E2 competed for a limited number of antigen binding sites of the immobilized anti-estradiol antibody. Quantitative analysis was based on differential pulse voltammetry of 1-naphthol, which is produced from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the enzyme substrate 1-naphthyl phosphate by AP-E2. The analytical range of this sensor was between 25 and 500pg ml. 1 of E2. 

FIGURE 16.9 Principle of reagentless amperometric immunosensor based on immobilized antigen, competitive immunological reaction, and direct electrochemistry of HRP label (adapted from [138]). 

In a so-called competitive immunoassay format the antigen competes with a labeled antigen for a limited number of antibody-binding sites. It can be shown that in this case the ultimate sensitivity of the assay (when the [Ab] approaches zero) is dependent on the equilibrium constant K and the reliability of the signal measurement of the bound fraction at zero dose [15],... 

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