Analysis of anticholesterol antibodies using hydrophobic membranes

An analytical immunoblotting procedure and a serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the characterization of antibodies to cholesterol are described. Hydrophobic membranes consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are used to immobilize cholesterol for immunodetection by anti-sterol antibodies. To determine whether antibodies to cholesterol were induced after immunization with liposomal cholesterol, we separated total lipid extracts of very-low density lipoproteins by thin layer chromatography (TLC) on silica gel plates and transferred the separated lipid classes to PVDF membranes using isopropanol to facilitate passive diffusion. Lipid transfer was confirmed by exposure of membranes to iodine vapors or by staining of cholesterol with filipin complex. Serum from immunized mice reacted with cholesterol, whereas pre-immune serum or serum from mice injected with control liposomes did not bind. To determine the amount of anti-cholesterol activity in serum, we coated microtiter plates consisting of PVDF membrane wells with cholesterol. The PVDF membrane-based ELISA was found to be more reproducible and four-fold more sensitive than the conventional ELISA on polystyrene plates. These techniques may be useful in the analysis of anti-sterol antibodies and antibodies to other hydrophobic antigens.