title: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for beta-endorphin and its antibodies.
abstract: An Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is described for use in the determination of beta-endorphin antibody titers, as well as for the quantitation of naturally occurring levels of beta-endorphin in plasma and other bodily fluids. The ability of the assay to accommodate unpurified samples containing small concentrations of beta-endorphin was improved through the use of affinity purified antibodies in conjunction with a competitive inhibition ELISA. The problem of non-specific binding of beta-endorphin during competitive inhibition assays was circumvented through a two-step process in which the plate was first coated with BSA, followed by a second plate coating with poly-lysine (MW4000). The second coating with poly-lysine was found necessary in order to eliminate intermolecular void spaces following initial plate treatment with BSA. Following these procedures enabled quantitation of beta-EP at a level as low as 10 pmoles per microtitre plate well.
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002021:Buffers; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010969:Plastics; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D002021:Buffers; D004723:Endorphins; D010969:Plastics; D001615:beta-Endorphin