Anti-acetylcholinesterase antibodies display cholinesterase-like activity

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) raised against human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was found to have catalytic activity. A similar phenomenon was observed in a polyclonal antibody raised against the same antigen. The antibodies were demonstrated to be pure, and no contamination with either AChE or butyrylcholinesterase was found. Both antibodies hydrolyzed acetylthiocholine, an AChE substrate, and the mAb followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Six other mAb and one other polyclonal antibody showed no evidence of catalytic activity. This development of cholinesterase-like behavior by certain anti-AChE antibodies may have arisen by stable complexation of the enzyme with a substrate or inhibitor during antigen presentation. This phenomenon may have implications for the diagnostic measurement of AChE activity as well as in assessing the immunological reasons for the markedly raised AChE level in developmental conditions such as Hirschsprung's disease.