[Enzyme labeling methods and it's specificities]

Enzyme labeled antigen for use in ELISA of Hapten (steroids, prostanoid, carbohydrate, nucleic acid, peptide, herbicide, insecticide and antibiotic) have usually been prepared by condensation of carboxy group of hapten with amino groups of lysine residue in enzyme. The horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is best suitable as labeling enzyme, therefore it is small molecular, and substrate turnover is much higher compared to the other enzymes. The mixed anhydride and carbodiimide methods have mainly been used the preparation of hapten conjugate BSA, but not satisfactory for enzyme labeling. The N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS: active ester) method is satisfactory with respect to reproducibility and sensitivity. The sensitivity is related to the bridging phenomenon: One of the disadvantages of the homologous labels is that the antibody shows an affinity not only for the Hapten but also for the bridge which connects the Hapten to carrier protein. We have developed a sensitive bridge heterologous EIA for progesterone (P) using geometrical isomers of P-3 (E/Z) (O-carboxymethyl) oxime-N-hydroxysuccinimide esters [ef Ab of P-3 (E) CMO-BSA/P-3 (Z) CMO-HRP]3). The sensitivity of heterologous proved to be higher than a homologous EIA or a conventional RIA. It seem like that a 1:1 steroid-enzyme conjugate is suitable for obtaining a high sensitivity. The avidin-biotin (AB) system provides great versatility, since by conjugation with an appropriate label, the AB assay can be used with any chosen detector. Furthermore, IgG can be labels with biotin without significantly influencing their immunological activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)