An investigation into the potential use of nanoparticles as adjuvants for the production of polyclonal antibodies to low molecular weight compounds.

Two nanoparticle based adjuvants were assessed for their ability to produce polyclonal antibodies in rabbits to low molecular weight target analytes, i.e. veterinary drugs banned from use in food producing animals. The nanoparticles, Montanide IMS 251 and amphiphilic poly (γ-glutamic acid) were compared against a mineral oil adjuvant, Montanide ISA 50, which had previously been shown to be successful in producing antibodies to haptens whilst being safe to use with respect to the welfare of the host animals. The adjuvants were assessed for their tendency to cause adverse effects to the host animals and by the quality of the antibodies generated in terms of assay sensitivity. None of the three adjuvants employed in the trial generated any measurable adverse effects in the host animals. While the mineral oil adjuvant produced higher titres of antibodies the nanoparticle adjuvants were found to produce antibodies of statistically comparable sensitivity. Based on IC(50) values, six antisera displayed potential to detect the required level of the target compounds; five of these were produced by rabbits immunised with the two different nanoparticle adjuvants. As antibody sensitivity is the main performance criteria of an analytical immunoassay, it can be concluded that the nanoparticle adjuvants under evaluation are fit for the purpose described in this study.

Screening method for the detection of a range of nitrofurans in avian eyes by optical biosensor.

An immunobiosensor assay was developed for the multi-residue screening of a range of nitrofuran compounds in avian eyes. A polyclonal antibody which binds at least 5 of the major parent nitrofurans was raised in a rabbit after inoculation with a nitrofuran mimic-protein conjugate. Sample homogenates were extracted into 0.1M hydrochloric acid and subjected to clean-up by solid phase extraction and micro-centrifugation prior to biosensor analysis. Validation data obtained from the analysis of 21 fortified samples has shown that the method has a detection capability (CCß) of less than 1 ng eye(-1) for nitrofurazone (NFZ). In addition, cross-reactivity data and the analysis of a smaller number of fortified samples have shown that the method will also detect a range of other major parent nitrofurans including furazolidone (FZD), furaltadone (FTD), nitrofurantoin (NFA) and nifursol (NFS). Intra-assay variation (n=10) was calculated at 12.9% and 10.1% at concentrations of 1 ng eye(-1) and 2 ng eye(-1) NFZ respectively. Inter-assay variation (n=3) was determined to be 10.8% and 4.7% at the same NFZ concentrations respectively. The cross-reactivity profile and validation data for the detection of these nitrofurans are presented together with the results obtained following the analysis of a small number of incurred samples using the developed method.

[Effect of therapeutic agents on the antibody titer and allergic reaction in fowl typhoid-pullorum disease]. / Vliianie na niakoi terapevtichni sredstva vurkhu titura na antitelata i alergichnata reaktsiia pri tif-pulorozata po ptitsite.

Studies were carried out on the effect of furazolidon, spectam, Esb-3 and altabactin on the production of agglutinins and the initiation and development of an allergic response in chickens affected with pullorum disease. It was found that these preparations, when used three times at intervals of 20 days, in the course of 10 days each time at the respective therapeutic rates led to the decrease in the titer of agglutinins in the treated birds as early as the tenth day from the beginning of treatment. This trend remained unchanged during the whole period of treatment. Under the same experimental conditions no inhibition of the allergic reaction in the diseased birds against the lipopolysaccharide allergen of Salmonella gallinarum-pullorum was established.