Radioimmunoassay of apolipoprotein A-i. application of a non-ionic detergent (Tween-20) and solid-phase...

We describe two techniques for radioimmunoassay of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in human plasma, each involving use of a non-ionic detergent, Tween-20, to expose antigenic sites, and one involving "IgG SORB" (a suspension of killed staphylococci) as a solid-phase separator. Tween-20 (3.75 g/L) decreased nonspecific binding and unmasked the antigenic sites on the apoA-I molecule in plasma to the same extent as did a tedious delipidation procedure, without altering the binding affinity between apoA-I and apoA-I antibodies as determined by Scatchard analysis (Ka congruent to 2.83 X 10(8) L/mol). The widely accepted double-antibody immunoprecipitation technique for separating bound and unbound 125I-labeled apoA-I is time-consuming, owing to extended periods of incubation and centrifugation IgG SORB effectively separates bound from unbound 125I-labeled apoA-I and the reaction is complete within 10 min. On comparing concentrations of apoA-I in human plasma by the conventional second-antibody (y) and solid-phase IgG SORB methods (x), we found results by the two techniques to be reasonably identical (r = 0.98, y = 1.2x -- 0.17). The mean concentrations of apoA-I in plasma from 65 normal and five hyperlipidemic patients were 1.33 (SD 0.32) and 0.78 (SD 0.35) g/L, respectively, and apoA-I and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly correlated (r = 0.72, p less than 0.001).