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U Lövgren

Publications and source records attributed to U Lövgren.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Design of non-competitive flow injection enzyme immunoassays for determination of haptens: application to digoxigenin.

A theoretical model immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) was adapted to provide a non-competitive flow injection enzyme immunoassay for haptens and used as a guide in studying the effects of different parameters on the sensitivity, precision and dynamic range of the assay. As well as the concentration of the antibody-enzyme conjugate, the affinity constant, the run time through the affinity column, the homogeneity of the antibody population and purity of the antibody-enzyme conjugate were all shown to be important parameters in the optimisation of the assay. The findings were used to design an optimised enzyme flow injection immunoassay for the model compound digoxigenin in standard solutions. A linear calibration curve was established in the range 0.38-7.7 fmol of digoxigenin, resulting in a precision of 14.8% RSD at 1 fmol and 3.7% RSD at 7.7 fmol. Antibody fragments reacting with digoxigenin and labelled with alkaline phosphatase, (Fab-AP) were used to convert 4-methyl umbelliferyl phosphate to a fluorescent product measured downstream. The sample throughput was 15 h-1 and over 60 injections were possible before regenerating the affinity column.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Competitive flow injection enzyme immunoassay for steroids using a post-column reaction technique.

Two types of flexible, sensitive and rapid competitive flow injection enzyme immunoassay were developed and evaluated for their potential use in the bioanalysis of steroids. Instead of the more typical approach where the signal is generated from antibody-bound hapten-enzyme conjugate, the non-bound fraction passing through the affinity column was allowed to react with an enzyme substrate from a merging channel in a post-column reaction system. The enzyme product (p-aminophenol or 4-methyl umbelliferol) was amperometrically or fluorometrically detected. Several parameters known to affect signal generation in the immunoassay were evaluated, including flow rate through the affinity column and through the reaction coil, the length of the reaction coil and of the affinity column. In the pre-incubation approach, where samples were mixed with enzyme conjugate and antibodies before injection, a sample throughput as high as 20 h(-1) was possible. The signal precision was about 1% (RSD) for cortisol (0.6-80 pmol) and 2% (RSD) for budesonide (0.02-12.5 pmol). In the displacement assay for cortisol, enzyme-labelled analyte was displaced from the affinity column when the sample was injected into the flow. A standard curve was obtained with a signal precision of 4-20% for 12.5-1250 pmol injected. The same instrumental set-up was used in both types of immunoassay, and thus a highly flexible system was obtained. A simple replacement of the affinity column from protein G in the pre-incubation approach to a column containing primary antibodies in the displacement assay was needed.

Budesonide↗

Biocompatible sample pretreatment for immunochemical techniques using micellar liquid chromatography for separation of corticosteroids.

Micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) using Tween 20 as surfactant was evaluated as a biocompatible sample pretreatment preceding immunoassay in order to obtain an increased selectivity of the assay and a simplification of the sample pretreatment procedure. Different stationary phases and chromatographic conditions were studied for the separation of budesonide and cortisol and some steroids known to interfere in immunoassay of these compounds. The separation was dependent on several parameters, for example, temperature, the concentration of Tween 20, pH and ionic strength of the mobile phase, and nature of the stationary phase. A precolumn venting system was used, which allowed for 140 direct injections of 25 microliters of human blood plasma, without loss of chromatographic performance. Results obtained from the coupling of MLC to an immunoassay for cortisol illustrates the selectivity which can be obtained, and that simplification of the sample pretreatment is possible using this technique.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Determination of drugs in biosamples at picomolar concentrations using competitive ELISA with electrochemical detection: application to steroids.

A competitive ELISA with electrochemical detection in a flow injection system (FIA) has been developed for determinations of the steroid drug budesonide in biological samples. Plasma samples were cleaned from interfering and cross-reacting compounds by two pretreatment steps consisting of a solid-phase extraction and a liquid chromatography fractionation. The enzyme label was alkaline phosphatase, which was used with p-aminophenyl phosphate (PAPP) as a substrate. The product, p-aminophenol, was detected electrochemically at a glassy carbon electrode at 250 mV (vs Ag/AgCl). The limited stability of both the substrate and the product influenced the performance of the method and had to be taken into account in the procedure by a normalization with time. Budesonide could be quantified in plasma samples down to 10 pM. The major sensitivity-limiting factor was the amperometric background response, probably due to spontaneous hydrolysis of PAPP to p-aminophenol.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗