A rapid one-step radiometric assay for hepatitis B surface antigen utilizing monoclonal antibodies.
A two-site antigen assay for HBsAg has been developed that employs 3 monoclonal antibodies. The antibodies were selected for their high affinity and their particular epitope specificity to establish an assay with a sensitivity for the antigen comparable with that of a conventional assay with heterologous antisera. In addition, by selecting a monoclonal antibody for use as a tracer which does not compete for antigenic binding sites with the solid-phase monoclonal antibodies, it has been possible to perform a two-site assay in a single 1 h incubation step, achieving the same degree of sensitivity. This principle of using monoclonal antibodies in a one-step assay therefore gives advantages of speed and simplicity over assays using heterologous antisera and would be applicable to a variety of antigen assays for which appropriate monoclonal antibodies are available.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens