title: Preparation and purification of antibodies specific to human neuronal voltage-dependent calcium channel subunits.
abstract: Neuronal voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) each comprising of alpha 1, alpha 2 delta, and beta subunits, are one mechanism by which excitable cells regulate the flux of calcium ions across the cell membrane following depolarisation Studies have shown the expression of several alpha 1 and beta subtypes within neuronal tissue. The comparative distribution of these in normal human brain is largely unknown. The aim of this work is to prepare antibodies directed specifically to selected subunits of human neuronal VDCCs for use in biochemical and mapping studies of calcium channel subtypes in the brain. Previous studies have defined DNA sequences specific for each subunit Comparison of these sequences allows the selection of unique amino acid sequences for use as immunogens which are prepared as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins in E. coli. Polyclonal antibodies raised against these fusion proteins are purified by Protein A chromatography, followed by immunoaffinity chromatography and extensive adsorptions using the appropriate fusion protein-GST Sepharose 4B columns. The resultant antibodies are analysed for specificity against the fusion proteins by ELISA, and by immunofluorescence and Western immunoblot analysis of recombinant HEK293 cells stably transfected with cDNAs encoding alpha 1, alpha 2 delta and beta subunits.
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Centre Ltd., Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Volsen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gillard
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Harpold
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D015220:Calcium Channels; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins