Detection of Infertility-related Neutralizing Antibodies with a Cell-free Microfluidic Method

Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 20:5:16551. doi: 10.1038/srep16551.

Abstract

The unwanted emergence of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against an endogenous or a therapeutic protein can result in deficiency diseases or therapy failure. Here, we developed a cell-free microfluidic method for the sensitive detection and quantification of nAbs in human serum that are associated with infertility. We used cell-derived vesicles containing the luteinizing hormone (LH)/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHHCGR) to detect nAbs against LH. The method exploits the entire cellular signal amplification mechanism, and facilitates the detection of as little as 0.44 nM of LH-nAb (Kd 1.5 nM) in human serum matrix within only 15 minutes. In addition, dose-response curves can be generated in less than 2 hours to evaluate the nAB concentration and dissociation constant. The developed system is devoid of problems associated with cell-based assays and we believe that this simple effect-directed analysis can be used in clinical environments, and is adaptable to other hormones or cytokines and their respective nAbs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Cell-Derived Microparticles / immunology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Infertility / blood
  • Infertility / immunology*
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods
  • Luteinizing Hormone / immunology
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Receptors, LH / immunology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Receptors, LH
  • Luteinizing Hormone