Production and characterization of monoclonal antibody against recombinant human erythropoietin.

OBJECTIVE: To produce specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) against recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) for development of highly efficient methods for erythropoietin detection in biological fluids. METHODS: rHuEPO was covalently coupled with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the conjugate was used to immunize mice to produce specific mAb against rHuEPO based on hybridoma technology. The obtained F3-mAb was characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), SDS-PAGE and Western blot. RESULTS: The isotype of F3-mAb was found to be IgM with an affinity constant of 2.1 x 10(8) L/mol. The competitive ELISA using the obtained IgM showed a broader linear range and lower detection limit compared with previous work. CONCLUSIONS: The modification of rHuEPO was proved to be successful in generating required specific mAb with high avidity to rHuEPO.

Efficient purification and preconcentration of erythropoietin in human urine by reusable immunoaffinity column.

In this paper, an efficient method is proposed for purification and preconcentration of erythropoietin (EPO) in human urine samples. The EPO-specific immunoaffinity column (IAC) was generated by covalent immobilization of anti-EPO polyclonal antibodies on Sepharose 4B support. The EPO-binding capacity of the IAC was found to be about 2.0 microg (6.6IU) per 1.5 mL of gel and the activity recoveries of EPO at low concentrations of 7.8, 10 and 120 m IU/mL by the IAC were between 78 and 86%. Substantial cleanup effect was observed when the IAC was applied to human urine samples.

Screening of carbohydrate-specific phage antibodies against recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) using a phage display antibody library: preliminary study.

This paper is a preliminary report on development of a screening method for carbohydrate-specific phage antibodies against recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), using a phage display antibody library. rHuEPO was oxidized with sodium periodate or treated with 1,4-dithiothreitol and guanidine hydrochloride for detecting the specificity of obtained phage antibodies. Of 100 phage clones, three initially showed higher carbohydrate-related specificity. One of them (No. 62) bound specifically to the carbohydrate chains of rHuEPO, while the other two (Nos. 63 and 83) might recognize the steric conformation related to both the carbohydrate and the polypeptide chain of rHuEPO. These phage antibodies may serve as useful capture ligands for future development of efficient analytical methods for rHuEPO.

Isolation and characterization of an anti-recombinant erythropoietin single-chain antibody fragment using a phage display antibody library.

The production of a large amount of specific antibodies against erythropoietin (EPO) is necessary for both clinical treatment and doping control. However, the weak immunogenicity of EPO and the side effects of excessive injection make the conventional immunological protocol rather inefficient and time-consuming. In this study, a single-chain antibody fragment of variable region (scFv) against recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) was produced after three rounds of panning a phage display antibody library. The selected scFv-B2 was expressed in soluble form in Escherichia coli DH5alpha F' and purified by His-bond nickel affinity chromatography with a yield of about 1-2 mg of antibody in 1 L of the culture supernatant. The molecular weight of the scFv was estimated to be 29 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the affinity constant was found to be 1.0 x 10(8) L mol(-1) based on a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). The potential ability of the scFvs for immunopurification of rHuEPO from related sample was demonstrated by using a double-antibody sandwich ELISA. The reported method is a very powerful tool to produce specific antibodies for rHuEPO detection demands.

Simultaneous determination of five marker constituents in traditional Chinese medicinal preparation Le-Mai granule by high performance liquid chromatography.

An HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of five marker constituents was established for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicinal preparation Le-Mai granule. The marker constituents were danshensu, protocatechuic acid and protocatechualdehyde from Salviae miltiorrhizae bunge; paeoniflorin from Radix paeoniae rubra and ferulic acid from Rhizoma chuanxiong. Extracted samples were successfully separated on a Diamonsil C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm) at 25 degrees C. The mobile phase was a mixture of methanol and 1.0% acetic acid employing gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Detection was accomplished with a diode-array detector and chromatograms were recorded at 230, 262, 280 and 322 nm. The compounds were identified by comparing their retention times and UV spectra in the 200-400 nm range with authentic standards. Regression equations revealed good linear relationship (correlation coefficients: 0.9993-0.9999) between the peak areas of the constituents and their concentrations. The average recoveries (n=3) were between 96.2 and 102.5%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of the five marker constituents in three lots of Le-Mai granule.

Simultaneous determination of cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA in traditional Chinese medicinal preparations containing Radix salvia miltiorrhiza by HPLC.

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was established for the simultaneous determination of tanshinones in five kinds of traditional Chinese medicinal preparations (TCMPs) containing Radix salvia miltiorrhiza (Chinese herbal name: Danshen). Tanshinones including cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA were successfully separated on a Diamonsil C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm). The mobile phase was a mixture of methanol, tetrahydrofuran, water and glacial acetic acid (20:35:44:1, v/v/v/v), employing isocratic elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Detection was accomplished at 254 nm. The compounds were identified by comparing their retention times and UV spectra in the 200-400 nm range with authentic standards. Regression equations revealed good linear relationship between the peak areas of the constituents and their concentrations (correlation coefficients: 0.9998 for cryptotanshinone, 0.9999 for tanshinone I and 1.0000 for tanshinone IIA). The relative standard deviations (n=6) of retention time and peak area were less than 0.25% and 1.00%, respectively. The recoveries were between 96.2% and 102.5%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of the tanshinones in five kinds of Chinese herbal preparations containing Danshen within 20 min.

Analysis of isoflavone daidzein in Puerariae radix with micelle-mediated extraction and preconcentration.

Nonionic surfactant oligo(ethylene glycol) monoalkyl ether (Genapol X-080) was employed as an alternative and effective solvent for the extraction of daidzein from Puerariae radix for the first time. Optimum experimental conditions were established. With 5% Genapol X-080 (w/v), liquid/solid ratio of 25:1 (mL/g), and ultrasonic-assisted extraction for 45 min, the extraction percentage of daidzein reached the highest value. For the preconcentration of daidzein by cloud-point extraction (CPE), sodium chloride was added to the solution to facilitate the phase separation and increase the preconcentration factor by reducing the volume of the surfactant-rich phase. The preconcentration factor for daidzein was about 13. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analysis of daidzein from P. radix with this established method.

Development and application of a multi-target immunoaffinity column for the selective extraction of natural estrogens from pregnant women's urine samples by capillary electrophoresis.

In this paper, a methodology for the determination of three naturally occurring estrogens (estradiol, estrone and estriol) in pregnant women's urine has been described. The procedure included immunoaffinity column (IAC) extraction of 4 mL of urine sample and subsequent analysis of the extraction by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). A multi-target polyclonal antibody that has high affinity to three estrogens was produced. Then the IAC was developed by coupling polyclonal antibody to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The IAC showed high affinity for these estrogens. Recoveries of three estrogens from human serum matrix were greater than 92% with R.S.D. less than 4.5%. The final elute of urine sample was diluted with running buffer and then quantitated with MEKC. The experimental results demonstrated that IAC was a useful technique for extraction and concentration of estrogens from biological samples. Three estrogens levels in six pregnant women's urine were measured by both the present method and enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA). The results of this method have been found to correlate well with those of ELISA.

Biotin-avidin amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of isoflavone daidzein.

A biotin-avidin amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BA-ELISA) method was developed and optimized for the determination of a weakly estrogenic isoflavone daidzein in serum, urine and Puerariae radix. Specific polyclonal antibody was produced against daidzein by immunization of rabbits with a conjugate of 7-O-(carboxymethyl)-daidzein and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The polyclonal antibody showed specific recognition of daidzein, while cross-reactivities to coumarin, 4-hydroxycoumarin, phenol, and other isoflavones such as puerarin and rutin were all lower than 1%. The linear range of daidzein calibration curve was 0.1-1000ngmL(-1). The detection limit was found to be 0.04ngmL(-1), and the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 7 and 16%, respectively. Human serum and urine samples were spiked with known amounts of daidzein and measured by the established BA-ELISA. Recoveries were between 91 and 107%. Daidzein in P. radix was determined by the BA-ELISA method and HPLC method, and the content of daidzein was determined to be 0.0219 and 0.0194%, respectively. The results indicated that there was a good agreement between the two methods. The established method is very useful for monitoring daidzein in biological samples and traditional Chinese medicine.

Development of an indirect competitive ELISA for the determination of papaverine.

Papaverine (1-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinoline, PAP) is a member of the benzylisoquinoline sub-group of the opium alkaloids. It has been widely used for treating diseases like pulmonary arterial embolism and renal or biliary colic. In this paper, a specific conjugate of mono-demethylated papaverine-O-carboxylmethyl ether (MDMPAP-O-CME) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was synthesized and used as the complete antigen (PAP-BSA), with which we successfully obtained a high-titer anti-PAP polyclonal antibody (pAb) by immunization of rabbits. The anti-PAP pAb showed high affinity to papaverine with an affinity constant (K(aff)) of 7.3x10(7)L/mol. With this antibody, we established a sensitive immunochemical method for the determination of papaverine based on indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The optimal concentrations of the coated antigen (PAP-OVA) and purified pAb used in the ELISA were 5 and 1.2mug/mL, respectively. The cross reactivity of other benzylisoquinoline derived substances, including 1-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-isoquinoline (6-methoxy-papaveroline, MPAPO), morphine (MP) and codeine (CD) were all lower than 1%. The linear range of the calibration curve was 0.1-1000ng/mL. Normal human serum samples were spiked with known amount of papaverine and measured by the ELISA. Recoveries were between 102% and 105%. Papaverine content in a commercial papaverine hydrochloride injection sample was also determined using the established ELISA. Compared with the results given by the control experiment of HPLC, the recoveries of ELISA to detect injection samples were 102-110%. The limits of detection for synthetic serum samples and injection samples of papaverine hydrochloride were 0.25 and 0.06ng/mL, respectively.

Study on the interactions between anti-HIV-1 active compounds with trans-activation response RNA by affinity capillary electrophoresis.

The study on the interactions between two anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (anti-HIV-1) active compounds with trans-activation response (TAR) RNA by affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) with UV absorbance detection is presented. The results showed that the novel active molecules could interact with TAR RNA and inhibit the reproduce process of HIV-1. The binding constants were estimated by the change of migration time of the analytes through the change of concentrations of TAR RNA in the buffer solution. The yielded binding constants of 8.87 x 10(3)M(-1) for active compound C(3) and 8.42 x 10(3)M(-1) for MC(3) at 20.0 degrees C, 0.626 x 10(3)M(-1) and 0.644 x 10(3)M(-1) at 37.0 degrees C, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters Delta H and DeltaS were obtained and shown that both hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction played roles in the binding processes. The results showed that the presented method was an easy and simple method to evaluate the interaction of small molecules with some bioactive materials.

Determination of morphine by capillary zone electrophoresis immunoassay combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

A competitive immunoassay for detecting morphine in bio-samples was established by capillary zone electrophoresis combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection (CZE-LIF). The antigen of morphine was labeled with isothiocyano-fluorescein (FITC) and then incubated with morphine monoclonal antibody and samples. The linear range was 50-1000 ng/mL, which was suitable for clinical and forensic applications. The detection limit can reach 40 ng/mL, based on S/N = 2. The recoveries of morphine from serum were satisfactory.

Production and characterization of anti-recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) monoclonal antibody.

Anti-rhEPO McAb is valuable for the determination of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) levels for diagnosis of renal anemia and for doping control analysis. In this paper, anti-rhEPO hybridoma was prepared by fusion of SP2/0 murine myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from immunized BALB/c mouse, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to screen the positive hybridoma. The purified McAb was characterized by ELISA, SDS-PAGE, and Western-blotting. Experimental results showed that the subclass and the light chain of anti-rhEPO McAb was IgG1 and kappa light chain. The molecular weight of anti-rhEPO McAb was 166,000 Daltons. The affinity constant (K(aff)) of anti-rhEPO McAb with coated antigen was 5.0 x 10(5)L/mol.

Micelle-mediated extraction of tanshinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge with analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography.

The feasibility of employing non-ionic surfactant oligoethylene glycol monoalkyl ether (Genapol X-080) as an alternative and effective solvent for the extraction of tanshinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge was studied for the first time. Various experimental conditions were investigated to optimize the extraction. Under optimum conditions, i.e. 10% Genapol X-080 (w/v), liquid/solid ratio of 20:1 (mlg(-1)), ultrasonic-assisted extraction for 45min, the extraction recovery of the tanshinones reached the highest value. When compared with commonly used solvents, 10% Genapol X-080 yielded almost the same extraction efficiency as methanol and dichloromethane-methanol (1:4). For the pre-concentration of tanshinones by cloud-point extraction (CPE), sodium chloride was added to the solution to facilitate the phase separation and increase the pre-concentration factor by reducing the volume of the surfactant-rich phase.

[Determination of the binding constants of four anti-HIV-1 active compounds with bovine serum albumin by capillary zone electrophoresis].

The binding constants (Kb) of four novel anti-HIV-1 active compounds with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were determined by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with UV detection under condition of phosphate buffer (pH 8.0, 50 mmol/L) at 15 kV running voltage. These molecules were synthesized by computer-simulated design with the property of inhibiting the binding of HIV-1 Tat protein to trans-activation response region (TAR) RNA required for HIV-1 transcription and blocking the HIV replication cycle. The results showed that with the addition of different concentrations of BSA into the buffer solution, the binding constants of four active compounds (IG3, iso-C3, C3, MC3) with BSA could be measured by the change of migration time. The experimental values of Kb were 1.07 x 10(4), 1.34 x 10(4), 8.51 x 10(3) and 9.45 x 10(3) L/mol, respectively. It is an easy and simple method to estimate the interaction of small molecules with biomacromolecules with 1:1 molar binding ratio.

Sensitive ELISA for determination of serum E2 using a new tracer E2-Biotin.

A new tracer conjugate of E2-Biotin, with different spacers, was synthesized at position 3 in the estradiol molecule for first time. Immunoreactivity of the tracer was determined by reacting with the anti-E2 monoclonal antibody. The monoclonal antibodies raised against E2 were characterized for its use in ELISA detection systems of serum E2. The purified antibody has a high affinity and specificity for E2. The antibody and tracer were used for establishing a competitive ELISA for estradiol (E2). The experimental results showed that the dose-response curve of the assay covered a range of 33-20,000 pg/mL (n = 8). The detection limit is 28.3 pg/mL (S/N = 3). The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation for the assay of serum samples ranged from 5.7 to 13.2% and from 5.3 to 10.6%, respectively. Precoated microtiter plates were dried at 4 degrees C and they were stable for up to 3 months.

Direct immunoassay of estrone by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

An immunoassay for estrone (E(1)) in women's serum, based on the competitive reaction between fluorescein-labeled complete antigen and E(1) with limited amount of anti-estrone monoclonal antibody is described. A thermally reversible hydrogel, poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPA), was added to the buffer to improve the reproducibility. With a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detector, the capillary electrophoretic immunoassay (CEIA) can be applied to determine E(1) at a concentration lower than 19.6 pg/mL. The E(1) levels in ten normal women's serum were measured at the range of 118.6-222.0 pg/mL.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of iv injection of polyphase liposome-encapsulated cisplatin (KM-1) in rats.

AIM: The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of cisplatin encapsulated in polyphase liposome (KM-1) were compared with those of free drug in rats. METHODS: The platinum levels in serum and normal organs, after a single dose of iv injection of free or encapsulated cisplatin to rats, were determined by induced coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. RESULTS: Serum platinum concentration-time curve after a single iv dose of KM-1 4.5 mg/kg in rats was fitted with an open three-compartment model. The pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: Vc=0.10 L/kg, T1/2pai=0.3 h, T1/2alpha=3.5 h, T1/2beta=2.7 h, AUC=265 mg.h.L(-1), and CL(s) =0.02 g.L.h(-1). KM-1 was cleared from the circulation much more slowly than free cisplatin. Liver and spleen had the highest concentration of platinum after KM-1 treatment. CONCLUSION: KM-1 remained in the bloodstream longer than its free drug, and was taken mainly by the reticuloendothelial system.

Quantitative elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of hydroxyl radical quenching reactivity of phenolic compounds.

Reported discrepancies have confused the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of antioxidant reactivity somewhat. The consequent problems necessitate systematic investigations on the molecular orbital features of antioxidants and their correlation with antioxidant potentials. In the present work, phenolic compounds as typical antioxidants were selected to investigate their hydroxyl radical-scavenging properties, and the related mechanisms of action were studied theoretically by computational chemistry. A good correlation was observed between antioxidant activity and theoretical parameters, such as O-H bond dissociation energy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), enthalpy of electron transfer (E(a)), chemical hardness (HOMO-LUMO gap), and spin delocalization of the phenoxyl radicals (D(s)(r)). The results demonstrate that the molecular mechanisms regulating the antioxidant action were more complex than hydrogen or electron-transfer processes and explain previous contradictions. Meanwhile, a satisfactory quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was established which should be of predictive value in evaluating or screening hydroxyl radical-scavenging antioxidants.

Determination of antioxidant activity of phenolic antioxidants in a Fenton-type reaction system by chemiluminescence assay.

The hydroxyl radical (*OH) has been implicated in various diseases, and it is therefore important to establish efficient methods to screen hydroxyl radical scavengers for antioxidant therapy. In this paper, a simple chemiluminescence assay was established to evaluate the *OH-scavenging capacity of phenolic compounds. This assay took advantage of the transient property of the Fenton reaction and the reaction between luminol and the hydroxyl radical, and effectively avoided the pro-oxidant action of some phenolic compounds. Fifteen phenolic compounds were assessed for their antioxidant activity in the Fenton reaction system, and even in the case of "pro-oxidants" that were excluded from the widely used deoxyribose (DR) assay. Since it overcomes the challenges that the traditional DR assay encounters, our method has promising applicative values: it is low-cost, time-saving, and reliable. It would also be more favorable than electron spin resonance (ESR) and radiolysis technology, which are known to be expensive and not commonly available to those specialized in free radical biology and medicine.