The Effect of the Concentration Ratio of Avidin and Biotin on a Single Step Sandwich Enzyme Immunoassay

The interaction between biotin and avidin, used in a single-step enzyme-immunoassay for ferritin determination, has been studied. The antigen is simultaneously bound by an antibody coated to a polystyrene bead and by an antibody coupled to biotin which reacts with avidin conjugated to peroxidase. We have assessed the optimal ratio between avidin, conjugated to peroxidase, and biotin, coupled to antibodies, to give rise to the best signal for a quantitative enzyme-immunoassay. We have found that a careful balance between biotinylated antibody and conjugated avidin is necessary for our purpose and a biotinylated antibody excess should be avoided since it causes a signal decrease. This ratio is uninfluenced by both the presence and the absence of the antigen. Thus, an avidin-biotin single-step methodology, which has proved to be reliable for routine use, was developed.

Effect of antigen/antibody ratio on macrophage uptake, processing, and presentation to T cells of antigen complexed with polyclonal antibodies.

Activation of a galactosidase-specific murine T hybridoma clone and of a human tetanus toxoid-specific T clone by antigen-presenting cells (APC) was used to evaluate the regulatory function of antibodies complexed with the relevant antigen. Complexed antigen, in fact, is taken up with high efficiency thanks to Fc receptors borne by APC. Antibody/antigen ratio in the complexes proved to be a critical parameter in enhancing antigen presentation. Complexes in moderate antibody excess provided optimal T cell activation independently of the physical state of the complexes (precipitated by a second antibody or solubilized by complement). Complexes in extreme antibody excess, on the contrary, did not yield T cell activation although taken up by APC efficiently. The effect of antibodies at extreme excess was observed with substimulatory dose of antigen (loss of potentiation) and with optimal dose of antigen (loss of stimulation). An excess of specific polyclonal antibodies hampers proteolytic degradation of antigen in vitro, supporting the view that a similar mechanism may operate within the APC that have internalized immune complexes in extreme antibody excess. The possibility that immune complex forming in extreme antibody excess may turn off the T cell response is proposed as a regulatory mechanism.

Interference by anti-immunoglobulin G antibodies in immunoradiometric assays of thyrotropin involving mouse monoclonal antibodies.

"Sandwich"-type assays are subject to positive interference by the patient's "heterophile" antibodies. If present, these bind to the animal immunoglobulins in the assay reagents, forming artefactual sandwiches indistinguishable from those formed with the analyte itself. Immunoglobulins from non-immunized animals, added to the assay reagents, can diminish this effect by blocking the patient's antibodies. Elsewhere, we studied several patients with anti-mouse immunoglobulin activity, whose serum gave spuriously high results for thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations. Here we have studied this phenomenon by adding, to pooled zero-TSH serum, antibodies to mouse, goat, and horse immunoglobulins and then assaying TSH by several other sandwich-type assays involving mouse monoclonal antibodies. Assays not supplemented with blocking immunoglobulins from mice or other animals were more susceptible to this effect. When large amounts of antibody were added, the antibody excess diminished the interference. However, the presence of blocking immunoglobulins could reverse such antibody excess, actually enhancing, instead of diminishing, the positive interference. Users should be aware that blocking immunoglobulins may diminish but not necessarily eliminate this problem with such assays.

Monoclonal antibody T101 in T cell malignancies: a clinical, pharmacokinetic, and immunologic correlation

Eight patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL) and five with various other T cell malignancies were treated with mouse monoclonal antibody (MoAb) T101. Doses of 1 to 500 mg were administered weekly over a two-hour period and resulted in one complete remission (convoluted T cell lymphoma) and one partial remission (CTCL). Remission duration was 6 weeks and 3 months, respectively. Frequent toxicities were pruritus, hives, flushing, and shortness of breath. Supraventricular arrhythmias and blood pressure instability were also observed. Complete targeting of peripheral blood T cells was achieved with 1 mg of MoAb in the nonleukemic patients (WBC less than 10,000/microL), and free, bioavailable antibody was present at the next (10-mg) dose level. Even higher doses resulted in substantial antibody excess that persisted for as long as 6 weeks. Serum concentrations of MoAb decreased with increasing number of peripheral blood T cells, and 25 to 35 mg of T101 were required for induction of antibody excess in leukemic patients. Excess antibody induced antigenic modulation, which was of consequence only if MoAb excess persisted to the next treatment. In the original treatment, the rapidly administered MoAb was able to target and remove peripheral blood T cells before the development of antigenic modulation. Antimouse antibodies developed in three patients. Their presence rendered further therapy ineffective and was associated with an anaphylactic reaction in one patient. Development of these antibodies could not be predicted by lymphoproliferative assays. In these assays, however, the T101 protein strongly stimulated the mononuclear cells of the patient who reached the only complete remission of this trial. Immunologic stimulation by the MoAb thus might have played a role in this patient's antitumor response. In summary, therapy with MoAb T101 was specific but only modestly efficacious. Rapid infusion of nonmodulating doses of antibody provided excellent targeting and removal of peripheral blood T cells and might be a valid approach in future trials with immunoconjugated T101.

Monoclonal antibody T101 in T cell malignancies: a clinical, pharmacokinetic, and immunologic correlation

Eight patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL) and five with various other T cell malignancies were treated with mouse monoclonal antibody (MoAb) T101. Doses of 1 to 500 mg were administered weekly over a two-hour period and resulted in one complete remission (convoluted T cell lymphoma) and one partial remission (CTCL). Remission duration was 6 weeks and 3 months, respectively. Frequent toxicities were pruritus, hives, flushing, and shortness of breath. Supraventricular arrhythmias and blood pressure instability were also observed. Complete targeting of peripheral blood T cells was achieved with 1 mg of MoAb in the nonleukemic patients (WBC less than 10,000/microL), and free, bioavailable antibody was present at the next (10-mg) dose level. Even higher doses resulted in substantial antibody excess that persisted for as long as 6 weeks. Serum concentrations of MoAb decreased with increasing number of peripheral blood T cells, and 25 to 35 mg of T101 were required for induction of antibody excess in leukemic patients. Excess antibody induced antigenic modulation, which was of consequence only if MoAb excess persisted to the next treatment. In the original treatment, the rapidly administered MoAb was able to target and remove peripheral blood T cells before the development of antigenic modulation. Antimouse antibodies developed in three patients. Their presence rendered further therapy ineffective and was associated with an anaphylactic reaction in one patient. Development of these antibodies could not be predicted by lymphoproliferative assays. In these assays, however, the T101 protein strongly stimulated the mononuclear cells of the patient who reached the only complete remission of this trial. Immunologic stimulation by the MoAb thus might have played a role in this patient's antitumor response. In summary, therapy with MoAb T101 was specific but only modestly efficacious. Rapid infusion of nonmodulating doses of antibody provided excellent targeting and removal of peripheral blood T cells and might be a valid approach in future trials with immunoconjugated T101.

Binding of IgG and other proteins to microfilters.

We evaluated 10 microfilters for their ability to filter diluted sera without removing immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A, and M, albumin, and transferrin. In general, filters containing cellulose nitrate remove IgG from solution, the amount adsorbed being proportional to the IgG concentration in the solution. With some sera we noted IgA and IgM adsorption to cellulose-nitrate-containing filters, but there was no significant adsorption of albumin or transferrin to any of the filters. We also found that cellulose-nitrate filters adsorbed IgG from antiserum, with consequent loss of titre as seen in a nephelometric assay. Adsorption of IgG was not seen if the filters were prewashed with polyethylene glycol or if the antisera contained polyethylene glycol. With a sufficiently large antibody excess in the nephelometric assay, this loss of titre through filtration becomes undetectable.

Binding of IgG and other proteins to microfilters.

We evaluated 10 microfilters for their ability to filter diluted sera without removing immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A, and M, albumin, and transferrin. In general, filters containing cellulose nitrate remove IgG from solution, the amount adsorbed being proportional to the IgG concentration in the solution. With some sera we noted IgA and IgM adsorption to cellulose-nitrate-containing filters, but there was no significant adsorption of albumin or transferrin to any of the filters. We also found that cellulose-nitrate filters adsorbed IgG from antiserum, with consequent loss of titre as seen in a nephelometric assay. Adsorption of IgG was not seen if the filters were prewashed with polyethylene glycol or if the antisera contained polyethylene glycol. With a sufficiently large antibody excess in the nephelometric assay, this loss of titre through filtration becomes undetectable.

Three different radioiodination methods for human spleen ferritin compared.

We compared three different methods for radioiodination of human spleen ferritin. Tracers prepared by direct oxidative iodination with use of Chloramine T or 1,3,4,6-tetrachloro-3 alpha, 6 alpha-diphenylglycoluril (Iodogen) were structurally altered by the labeling procedure, as was made apparent by gel filtration and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. Tracers prepared by conjugation to radioiodinated N-succinimidyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate retained their structural integrity, as assessed by physicochemical methods. Such tracers bound more than 90% in antibody excess, yielded self-displacement curves parallel to unlabeled ferritin standards, and retained their immunoreactivity for nine weeks. By contrast, immunological activity and stability of tracers prepared by the oxidative methods were less satisfactory. Tracers prepared by using lodogen were unsuitable for use in the ferritin radioimmunoassay because of shallow standard-inhibition curves and poor binding in the absence of added standard. Thus, we found the conjugation procedure to be the most suitable of the three methods for preparation of spleen-ferritin tracers.