Immunological studies of human constitutive cyclooxygenase (COX-1) using enzyme immunometric assay

Polyclonal antisera and six distinct monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were raised against constitutive cyclooxygenase (COX-1) purified from ram seminal vesicles. Immunoblotting experiments revealed that the polyclonal antisera and 4 of the mAbs strongly recognized human COX in platelet extracts. Different two-site immunometric assays of ram COX-1 were established using different combinations of mAbs. The assays were performed in 96-well microtiter plates coated with one mAb, with another mAb (covalently labeled with acetylcholinesterase (AChE)) as tracer. One combination (solid phase CX-101 + CX-105-AChE) exhibited the best sensitivity, with significant detection of concentrations as low as 23 pg/ml (0.3 fmol/ml of sheep COX-1). Unfortunately, this assay poorly cross-reacted with human COX-1 from platelet extracts. Another combination (solid phase CX-111 + CX-110-AChE) exhibited good recognition of human COX-1 but poor cross-reactivity with ram COX-1. Finally, purified anti-COX-1 IgG coated and CX-110-AChE were chosen as the best compromise since both good sensitivity (limit of detection, 113 pg/ml of ram COX-1) and significant cross-reactivity between COX-1 from both species were observed. In parallel, polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits against a peptide of 12 amino acids corresponding to the aminoterminal part of human COX-1. These polyclonal antibodies were affinity-purified and used in development of another two-site immunometric assay of COX-1 with CX-110-AChE as tracer. These two assays were used to analyze the COX-1 content of human platelets and cultured human umbilical vein cells (HUVEC). The results obtained with each assay were compared in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The validity of both assays was checked by analyzing platelets and HUVEC extracts previously fractionated by molecular sieve chromatography.