Enhanced Performance of Immunoassays with Affinity-Purified Analyte-Enzyme Conjugates as Signal Generators

In a competitive enzyme immunoassay, the performance was tested with different analyte-enzyme conjugates (signal generators) in their binding constants to antibody. Analyte (progesterone)-enzyme (glucose oxidase; GO) conjugates were chemically synthesized and purified by using a gel column with an immobilized antibody to progesterone. In an elution range from the column, four peaks were detected by measuring total enzyme activities. Results from further analysis indicated that the first peak contained mainly unreacted GO while the next three peaks conjugated GO with progesterone. These three conjugate preparations were compared in doseresponse curves along with the unpurified mixture. The purified conjugates showed higher detection capabilities than did the mixture. Especially, the preparation in the second peak next to the free GO peak improved the detection limit five times. This performance was comparable to that of a progesterone-horseradish peroxidase conjugate that has been identified to have one progesterone ligand.