Monoclonal antibodies, trichothecenes

To overcome the difficulties encountered with the bioassays and TLC methods, immunoassays using specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies have been developed for most of the major trichothecene mycotoxins and their metabolites.73 These antibodies have been used to produce simple, sensitive, and specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the mycotoxins. In the presence of the sample matrix, the lower detection limits for identification of trichothecene mycotoxins by RIA is about 2 to 5 ppb73 and by ELISA, 1 ppb.74 We conclude that immunoassays are useful tools for screening biomedical samples for evidence of a biological warfare attack with trichothecene mycotoxins. 

Hart LP, Pestka JJ, Gendloff EH. Method and test kit for detecting a trichothecene using novel monoclonal antibodies. US patent 4772551, September 20 1988. Off Gaz US Pat Trademark Off Pat. 1988 1094 1518. 

Hack, R. Maertlbauer, E. Teiplan, G. A monoclonal antibody to the trichothecene T-2 toxin screening for the antibody by a direct enzyme inununoassay. J. Vet. 

The specificity of monoclonal antibodies make it possible to develop an analytical method for a single mycotoxin, such as aflatoxin Bi in maize and groundnut meal, or aflatoxin Mj in milk and milk products. Even within chemically closely related structures such as the Fusarium trichothecenes there is very little cross-reactivity between a monoclonal raised to a single toxin such as T-2 toxin and other members of the family. Thus, a monoclonal raised against 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol showed negligible cross-reactivity with deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, or T-2 toxin. 

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