PRODUCTION OF POLYCLONAL AND MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES FOR DETECTION OF SULFONAMIDES

NEOGEN IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTICS WHICH WILLIMPROVE THE HEALTH OF BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS. USING INFORMATION GATHERED FROM PRODUCTION OF ANTIBODIES WHICH RECOGNIZE VARIOUS MYCOTOXINS, SIMILAR PROCEDURES WOULD BE USED TO PRODUCE POLYCLONAL ANTISERUM IN RABBITS AND MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (SECRETED BY STABILIZED HYBRIDOMA CELLLINES) WHICH BIND TO SULFONAMIDES. THE INCORPORATION OF ANTIBIOTICS AND THE SULFONAMIDES IN LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY FEEDS HAS RISEN STEADILY SINCE 1950, AS ANIMAL PRODUCTION HAS EXPANDED AND GROWN. THE CONCERN OVER THE ADDITION OF SUBTHERAPEUTIC DOSES OF ANTIMICROBIALS TO ANIMAL FEED IS GROWING BECAUSE OF THEIR POTENTIAL AS A HUMAN HEALTH HAZARD. CURRENT METHODS FOR ANALYSIS OF SULFONAMIDES ARE LABOR-INTENSIVE, TIME-CONSUMING, AND CAN REQUIRE EXTENSIVE SAMPLE CLEANUP. THEY ALSO DETECT SULFA RESIDUES AT OR NEAR THE TOLERENCE LEVEL OF 0.1 PPM. THE GOALS OF THIS RESEARCH WOULD BE: (1) PRODUCTION OF SENSITIVE ANTIBODIES WHICH COULD BE USED AS ANALYTICAL REAGENTS TO IMPROVE THE ASSAY TIME AND LIMIT OF DETECTABILITY OF SULFONAMIDES IN SAMPLES REQUIRING LITTLE OR NO CLEANUP PRIOR TO ANALYSIS, (2) SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION OF STABILIZED CELL LINES WHICH SECRETE SENSITIVE ANTIBODIES WOULD ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL VARIATION OBSERVED FROM BATCH TO BATCH OF POLYCLONAL ANTIBODY. A HOMOGENEOUS, INFINITE SUPPLY OF ANTIBODY COULD BE OBTAINED FOR USE IN KIT PRODUCTION.