Epitope monoclonal antibody specificity

When an antigen is injected into an animal, the resulting antibodies are polyclonal, being synthesized by a mixture of B cells. Polyclonal antibodies are directed against a number of different sites (epitopes or determinants) on the antigen and thus are not monospecific. However, by means of a method developed by Kohler and Milstein, large amounts of a single monoclonal antibody specific for one epitope can be obtained. 

Palinski, W., Yla-Herttuala, S., Rosenfeld, M.E., Butler, S.W., Socher, S.A., Parthasarathy, S., Curtiss, L.K. and Witztum, J.L. (1990). Antisera and monoclonal antibodies specific for epitopes generated during oxidative modification of low density lipoproteins. Arteriosclerosis 10, 325-335. 

Woodward, M.P., Young, W.W., and Bloodgood, R.A. (1985) Detection of monoclonal antibodies specific for carbohydrate epitopes using periodate oxidation./. Immunol. Meth. 78, 143-153. 

As explained in this chapter, glutaraldehyde introduces mostly irreversible protein crosslinks that may alter the conformation of the antigen (epitope) molecule. Such extensive crosslinkages become a barrier to the antibody penetration, and thus its accessibility to the epitope is hindered. This impediment becomes a serious problem when monoclonal antibodies specific for only one epitope type are used and/or when epitopes are not located at the surface of the antigen molecule. 

These studies suggest that monoclonal antibodies specific to human albumin may be produced such antibodies will be of value in determining the human origin of blood, tissue, and other body fluids. We have been successful in producing a monoclonal antibody that reacts with an epitope on serum albumin that is specific to samples of human origin. 

Forensic studies suggest that monoclonal antibodies specific to albumin may be used to determine the species of origin of blood stains on archaeological artifacts. A monoclonal antibody that reacts specifically with an epitope on human serum albumin has already been produced. 

W. Palinski, S. Yla-Herttuala, M. E. Rosenfeld, S. Butler, S. A. Socher, S. Parthasarathy, L. K. Curtiss and J. L. Witztum, Antisera and Monoclonal Antibodies Specific For Epitopes Generated During the Oxidative Modification of Low Density Lipoprotein, Arteriosclerosis 10 (1990) 325-333. 

C. J. Padoa, et al., (2003). Recombinant Fabs of human monoclonal antibodies specific to the middle epitope of GAD65 inhibit type 1 diabetes-specific GAD65Abs. Diabetes 52, 2689-2695. 

Immunoassays Developments in the production of monoclonal antibodies have led to the production of monoclonal antibodies specific to HbAjc. These antibodies have been used with a variety of immunoassay platforms to produce automated methods. Care must be taken to determine if the epitope of the antibody is... 

Ziola, B., Gares, S. L., Lorrain, B., Gee, L., Ingledew, W. M., Lee, S. Y. (1999). Epitope mapping of monoclonal antibodies specific for the directly cross-linked mesodiaminopimelic acid peptidoglycan found in the anaerobic beer spoilage bacterium Pectinatuscerevisiiphi-lus. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 45, 779-785. 

Serological techniques can detect target bacteria rapidly in mixtures, but their accuracy depends on the specificity of the antibody used. The use of monoclonal instead of polyclonal antibodies may increase specificity.49,52,58 However, because the same epitope can be present in more than one species, a monoclonal antibody against one species may cross-react with other bacteria.50 For this reason serological methods are not always successful for detection of bacteria in environmental samples and nucleic acid-based methods are now commonly used. 

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 gpl20 (V3 loop) protein Tomato bushy stunt virus in tobacco leaf HIV epitope detected by V3-specific monoclonal antibodies and human sera from HIV positive patients. Immunogenic in mice when delivered parenterally 17... 

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) HVR1 epitope fused to V. cholerae CTB Tobacco leaf Reacted with HRVl-specific monoclonal antibodies and sera from individuals infected with HCV. HVR1 epitope formed fused to CTB was immunogenic in mice when administered nasally. 62... 

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