title: Development of highly sensitive and selective antibodies for the detection of the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) by bioisosteric replacement.
abstract: An improved antibody against the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) was developed. The immunogen was designed by the concept of bioisosteric replacement, which led to an excellent polyclonal antibody with extreme selectivity and immunoassays of very good sensitivity. Compounds such as nitroglycerine, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, hexogen (RDX), 2,4,6-trinitroaniline, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, octogen (HMX), triacetone triperoxide, ammonium nitrate, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol and nitrobenzene were tested for potential cross-reactivity. The detection limit of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was determined to be around 0.5 µg/l. The dynamic range of the assay was found to be between 1 and 1000 µg/l, covering a concentration range of three decades. This work shows the successful application of the bioisosteric concept in immunochemistry by exchange of a nitroester to a carbonate diester. The antiserum might be used for the development of quick tests, biosensors, microtitration plate immunoassays, microarrays and other analytical methods for the highly sensitive detection of PETN, an explosive frequently used by terrorists, exploiting the extreme difficulty of its detection.
authors.affiliation: Division 1.5, Protein Analysis, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Strasse 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Almut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.affiliation: Division 1.9, Chemical and Optical Sensing, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Strasse 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biyikal
authors.affiliation: Division 1.9, Chemical and Optical Sensing, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Strasse 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rurack
authors.affiliation: Division 1.5, Protein Analysis, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Strasse 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2767-2029
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Weller
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000276:immunology*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D010417:Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D053834:Explosive Agents; D010417:Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate
keywords: ELISA; Semtex; antibody; bioisosteric replacement; explosives; hapten; immunoassay; security; terrorism