Detection of equine antiplatelet and antineutrophil antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was standardised and applied for the detection of antiplatelet and antineutrophil antibodies using a heterologous system consisting of equine platelets or neutrophils and antisera raised in rabbits. The standardised technique consisted of using Immulon type 3 plate, 1 per cent gelatine as a blocking solution, poly-L-lysine buffer as a coating solution, unfixed antigen, 90 microliters test serum, horseradish peroxidase conjugated antibody and o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride as a substrate. The number of unfixed platelets or neutrophils required for optimum detection of antibodies was 250,000 per well. Unfixed cellular antigens were as good as their extracts and superior to paraformaldehyde-fixed antigens in detecting specific antibodies. Microtitre plates coated with platelet or neutrophil antigens could be stored at 4 degrees and -70 degrees C for four to five weeks without significant loss of antigenicity. The ELISA was very sensitive in that antiplatelet antibody was detected up to a titre of 1:204,800 and antineutrophil antibody to a titre of 1:51,200. Some cross-reactivity (1:1600) was detected in antiplatelet and antineutrophil sera for neutrophil and platelet antigens, respectively. Platelet-associated antibody was also detected in extracts from platelets pretreated with 1:2 and 1:8 dilutions of antiplatelet serum. Standardised ELISA detected antiplatelet antibodies in nine and antineutrophil antibodies in three of 100 isologous equine blood typing sera.