Open AccessConfirmation of a false‐positive result associated with a competition inhibition assay used for detecting antibodies to a protein epitope of Mycobacterium leprae
Author(s) -
VADIEE A. R.,
GILLIS T. P.,
SHAN E. J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1990.tb08102.x
Subject(s) - epitope , mycobacterium leprae , monoclonal antibody , antibody , antigen , biology , virology , leprosy , recombinant dna , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene
SUMMARY A competitive antibody‐binding assay (CABA) was developed to detect antibodies in infected armadillos and leprosy patients which compete with an M. leprae‐specific 125 I monoclonal antibody IIIE9 for the species‐specific M. leprae‐IIIE9 epitope on the 65‐kD protein. The results suggest armadillos and leprosy patients produce antibodies thai inhibit the binding of I2S I‐IIIE9 monoclonal antibody to the IIIE9 epitope on crude, native 65‐kD protein preparations. When purified, recombinant 65‐kD protein was substituted for crude antigen, there was no evidence in the CABA of antibody to the IIIE9 epitope. False‐positive results, possibly induced by steric hindrance, are likely to be associated with CABA which incorporate crude cell wall extracts as solid‐phase antigen.