NON-RADIOACTIVE IMMUNOASSAYS FOR OPIOID PEPTIDES

WE PLAN A SERIES OF SOLID PHASE NON-RADIOACTIVE IMMUNOASSAY KITS FOR SMALL PEPTIDES. PHASE I WILL CONCENTRATE ON LEU-ENKEPHALIN AS A MODEL. THE NEW FORMAT MAY OFFER ADVANTAGES OF LOW COST, SIMPLICITY, SHORTENED ASSAY TIME ANDAMBIENT ASSAY TEMPERATURES. WE CONTEND THAT IMMUNOASSAYS ARE DEPENDENT ON GOOD ANTIBODIES, AND THAT COMMERCIAL ENKEPHALIN ANTIBODIES ARE PLAGUED WITH HIGH CROSS-REACTIVITYBETWEEN LEU- AND MET-ENKEPHALIN. WE WILL INITIATE A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, USING A MOLECULAR DESIGNAPPROACH TO THE IMMUNOGEN. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A LINE OF SPECIFIC, SENSITIVE, NON-RADIOACTIVE ROBUST IMMUNOASSAYS FOR THE MAJOR OPIOID PEPTIDES. WE PLAN A SERIES OF SOLID PHASE NON-RADIOACTIVE IMMUNOASSAY KITS FOR SMALL PEPTIDES. PHASE I WILL CONCENTRATE ON LEU-ENKEPHALIN AS A MODEL. THE NEW FORMAT MAY OFFER ADVANTAGES OF LOW COST, SIMPLICITY, SHORTENED ASSAY TIME ANDAMBIENT ASSAY TEMPERATURES. WE CONTEND THAT IMMUNOASSAYS ARE DEPENDENT ON GOOD ANTIBODIES, AND THAT COMMERCIAL ENKEPHALIN ANTIBODIES ARE PLAGUED WITH HIGH CROSS-REACTIVITYBETWEEN LEU- AND MET-ENKEPHALIN. WE WILL INITIATE A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, USING A MOLECULAR DESIGNAPPROACH TO THE IMMUNOGEN. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A LINE OF SPECIFIC, SENSITIVE, NON-RADIOACTIVE ROBUST IMMUNOASSAYS FOR THE MAJOR OPIOID PEPTIDES.