Abstract
This study was attempted to generate a monoclonal antibody against human $\alpha$-fetoprotein (AFP) and to produce an immunoassay, recognizing AFP in plasma and amniotic fluid. AFP was purified from human amniotic fluid and used to immunize mice. Spleens were taken from the mice and the cells were fused with mouse myeloma cells (Sp2/0-Ag-14) for the production of monoclonal antibodies by employing the hybridoma technology. As a result, a hybridoma cell line producing anti-AFP monoclonal antibody was cloned out and designated as MabF22. From isotyping analysis, it was found that monoclonal antibody MabF22 was IgG type with IgG1 heavy chain and k light chain. The binding specificity of MabF22 was analyzed by immunoblotting as well as by ELISA. MabF22 was highly specific, reacting with only AFP-containing samples. The binding affinity was determined by ELISA (free-capture mode) and Scatchard analysis. As a result, the value of Kd was 0.8$\times$10$^{-10}$M. The validity of the MabF22 for AFP assay was examined by two kinds of ELISAs, i.e., non-competitive and competitive ELISA. Both assays revealed that MabF22 reacted well with AFP in sample in a concentration-dependent manner. Standard curve and antibody titration curve were obtained by using purified AFP and MabF22. These results indicate that the monoclonal antibody produced in this study would be useful not only for research purposes but also for further development of immune-diagnostic kit for the measurement of AEP concentration.
본 연구에서는 혈장이나 양수에 있는 $\alpha$-fetoprotein (AFP)을 인식 할 수 있는 모노클로날 항체를 제조하고, 모노클로날 항체를 이용한 효소면역분석법을 개발하고자 하였다. 양수로부터 얻은 AFP를 쥐에 주사한 후 비장을 분리하여 종양세포 (Sp2/O-Ag-14)와 융합하였고, 하이브리도마 기술을 이용하여 모노클로날 항체를 제조하였다. 모노클로날 항체를 클로닝하였으며, 생성된 항체를 MabF22로 명명하였고, IgG1 중사슬과 k 경사슬의 isotype을 나타냈다. 또한 immunoblotting 방법과 ELISA로 특이도를 조사한 결과 모노클로날 항체는 AFP와만 반응하였고, 결합 친화상수는 0.8$\times$$10^{-10}$M이었다. 두 종류의 효소면역분석법 -경쟁적 또는 비경쟁적 분석 -을 이용하여 항체의 효용성을 조사하였으며, 두 방법 모두 AFP와 농도에 비례하여 반응하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서 생산된 모노클로날 항체는 연구목적으로 뿐만 아니라 AFP 농도를 측정하기 위한 면역진단시약의 개발에도 유용할 것으로 생각된다.