title: Detection of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A using immuno-PCR.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An immuno-polymerase chain reaction (immuno-PCR) has been developed for the sensitive detection of antigens, which greatly extends the detection limits of immunoassays. In the current study, the method was applied to the detection of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A (BTx-A).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anti-BTx-A antibody-DNA conjugates were synthesized using a heterobifunctional cross-linker reagent to covalently link the reporter DNA and the antibodies. The antibody-DNA conjugates with antigens were amplified by PCR, and dose-dependent relationships for each analyte were demonstrated. Detection limits of immuno-PCR for BTx-A (3.33 x 10(-17) mol) exceeded the conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (3.33 x 10(-14) mol) by a 1000-fold enhancement in detection sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of BTx-A antigens by immuno-PCR demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in 100-fold magnitude below the detection limit of ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that the immuno-PCR method could be used to detect a very low level of BTx-A for clinical diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. hancw@pchome.com.tw
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Shaio
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000633:toxicity; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000201:enzymology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A