IN VITRO ASSAY OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL TOXINS USING ANTIBODIES AGAINST LETHAL TOXIN NEUTRALIZING FACTOR

B. V. LIPPS(1)

(1)Ophidia Products Inc., 11320 South Post Oak, Suite 203, Houston, Texas 77035 USA.

ABSTRACT:Lethal Toxin Neutralizing Factor (N-LTNF), MW 63.0 kDa, was isolated from opossum serum. After trypsin digestion, the active domain of N-LTNF was isolated and sequenced. The synthetic peptide consisting of ten amino acids was designated as LT-10. N-LTNF and LT-10 inhibited the lethality of animal, plant and bacteria toxins when tested on mice non-immunologically. The antibodies against N-LTNF and LT-10 only reacted immunologically with toxins and not with non-toxic substances. Anti-LTNF and anti-LT-10 reacted immunologically by ELISA test with toxins that were not detected by mouse test, such as cholera toxin and digoxin. Anti-LTNF and anti-LT-10 failed to react immunologically with non-toxic substances, such as nerve growth factor and collagen. Currently, mouse bioassay is in use for toxin detection and assay. Binding affinity of IgG from anti-LT-10 showed a linear relationship with mouse bioassay by ELISA detection limit to some toxins only. This may be due to the fact that anti-LTNF and anti-LT-10 detected the toxins that were not lethal to mouse. Thus, anti-LTNF and anti-LT-10 can be useful in assaying toxins as an alternative to mouse bioassay.

KEY WORDS: antibodies, in vitro assay, lethal toxin neutralizing factor, toxins, venoms.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

B. V. LIPPS - Ophidia Products Inc., 11320 South Post Oak, Suite 203,  Houston, Texas 77035 USA. Fax: 1 713 663-7290 Email  bvl@ophidia.com