title: Antibodies specific for nucleic acids and applications in genomic detection and clinical diagnostics.
abstract: Detection of nucleic acids using antibodies is uncommon. This is in part because nucleic acids are poor immunogens and it is difficult to elicit antibodies having high affinity to each type of nucleic acid while lacking cross-reactivity to others. We describe the origins and applications of a variety of anti-nucleic acid antibodies, including ones reacting with modified nucleosides and nucleotides, single-stranded DNA, double-stranded DNA, RNA, DNA:RNA hybrids, locked-nucleic acids or peptide nucleic acid:nucleic acid hybrids. Carefully selected antibodies can be excellent reagents for detecting bacteria, viruses, small RNAs, microRNAs, R-loops, cancer cells, stem cells, apoptotic cells and so on. The detection may be sensitive, simple, rapid, specific, reproducible, quantitative and cost-effective. Current microarray and diagnostic methods that depend on cDNA or cRNA can be replaced by using antibody detection of nucleic acids. Therefore, development should be encouraged to explore new utilities and create a robust arsenal of new anti-nucleic acid antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Winchester Engineering & Analytical Center, Office of Regulatory Affairs, US Food and Drug Administration, 109 Holton Street, Winchester, MA 01890, USA.
authors.forename: Zonglin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Leppla
authors.forename: Baoguang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Elkins
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000276:immunology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA
keywords: R-loop detection; anti-nucleic acids antibodies; apoptotic cells detection; biosensor; cancer detection; hybrid capture; metakaryotic stem cells; miRNA; microarray; sRNA