help button home button Endocrine Society JCEM JCEM Call for Nominations for EIC
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Submit a related Letter to the Editor
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Norman, R. J.
Right arrow Articles by Chard, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Norman, R. J.
Right arrow Articles by Chard, T.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 61, 1031-1038, Copyright © 1985 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Monoclonal antibodies to human chorionic gonadotropin: implications for antigenic mapping, immunoradiometric assays, and clinical applications

RJ Norman, T Poulton, T Gard and T Chard

Monoclonal antibodies to intact hCG and free beta-subunit of hCG permit the recognition of different individual antigenic sites on the hCG molecule. At least seven different epitopes may be recognized on the native molecule and a further two on the free beta-subunit. These antibodies were used in a mouse Leydig cell bioassay system to compare the degree of inhibition of hCG-induced testosterone production. Two antibodies were particularly potent at inhibiting hCG action, suggesting that they bind near to the receptor-recognition site on the hCG molecular. One antibody had little effect on biological action and was presumably binding distant from the biologically active site on the hCG. Combinations of monoclonal antibodies in immunoradiometric assays were used to develop highly sensitive and specific assays to intact hCG, free beta-subunit of hCG, and beta-subunit as part of intact hCG. Using these assays it was possible to detect 0.1 ng/ml hCG in the presence of high levels of LH. In 106 serum samples from pregnant woman free beta-subunit was considerably higher in samples with low concentrations of intact hCG, suggesting that free beta-subunit is not a limiting factor in placental production of intact hCG in early pregnancy. Comparison of urinary to serum ratios of hCG and free beta- subunit using specific immunoradiometric assays showed a good correlation for intact hCG but not for free beta subunit which was present in very high concentrations in urine.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
U.-H. Stenman, A. Tiitinen, H. Alfthan, and L. Valmu
The classification, functions and clinical use of different isoforms of HCG
Hum. Reprod. Update, November 1, 2006; 12(6): 769 - 784.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 1985 by The Endocrine Society