title: Monoclonal antibody based radioimmunoassay for the quantitation of the main cat allergen (Fel d I or Cat-1).
abstract: A two-site solid-phase radioimmunoassay has been developed for the quantitation of the main cat allergen, Fel d I or cat allergen 1. The assay is based on two different monoclonal antibodies which recognize different epitopes on the Fel d I molecule; one antibody (C5/24) was immobilized on the solid phase and the other (C5/8) was labeled with 125I, being the allergen molecule sandwiched between them. The assay is specific for the Fel d I molecule and sensitive enough to detect as little as 0.25 ng/ml of allergen. The Fel d I RIA was compared with a radial immunodiffusion technique for the determination of allergen levels in several cat extracts and a good quantitative correlation was found. The same good correlation was found when the results obtained with the Fel d I RIA were compared with the determination of the total allergenic activity by RAST inhibition. The results indicate that the MAb RIA could be very useful in the standardization of allergenic extracts from feline origin.
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology*; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal