On-line competitive immunoassay based on capillary electrophoresis applied to monitoring insulin secretion from single islets of Langerhans

Twenty years of islet-on-a-chip: microfluidic tools for dissecting islet metabolism and function

Pancreatic islets are metabolically active micron-sized tissues responsible for controlling blood glucose through the secretion of insulin and glucagon. A loss of functional islet mass results in type 1 and 2 diabetes. Islet-on-a-chip devices are powerful microfluidic tools used to trap and study living ex vivo human and murine pancreatic islets and potentially stem cell-derived islet organoids. Devices developed over the past twenty years offer the ability to treat islets with controlled and dynamic microenvironments to mimic in vivo conditions and facilitate diabetes research. In this review, we explore the various islet-on-a-chip devices used to immobilize islets, regulate the microenvironment, and dynamically detect islet metabolism and insulin secretion. We first describe and assess the various methods used to immobilize islets including chambers, dam-walls, and hydrodynamic traps. We subsequently describe the surrounding methods used to create glucose gradients, enhance the reaggregation of dispersed islets, and control the microenvironment of stem cell-derived islet organoids. We focus on the various methods used to measure insulin secretion including capillary electrophoresis, droplet microfluidics, off-chip ELISAs, and on-chip fluorescence anisotropy immunoassays. Additionally, we delve into the various multiparametric readouts (NAD(P)H, Ca2+-activity, and O2-consumption rate) achieved primarily by adopting a microscopy-compatible optical window into the devices. By critical assessment of these advancements, we aim to inspire the development of new devices by the microfluidics community and accelerate the adoption of islet-on-a-chip devices by the wider diabetes research and clinical communities.

Dual detection high-speed capillary electrophoresis for simultaneous serum protein analysis and immunoassays

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) separates serum proteins into bands whose shape and amplitude can alert clinicians to a range of disorders. This is followed by more specific immunoassays to quantify important antigens and confirm a diagnosis. Here we develop a high-speed capillary electrophoresis (HSCE) platform capable of simultaneous SPE and immunoassay measurements. A single laser excitation source is focused into the detection zone of the capillary to measure both refractive index (SPE) and fluorescence signals (immunoassays). The refractive index signal measures characteristic SPE profiles for human serum separated in 100 mM boric acid (pH 10), 100 mM arginine (pH 11), and 20 mM CHES (pH 10). For the immunoassay, the fluorescence electropherograms reveal that CHES provides the optimal buffer for measuring the immunocomplex and separating it from the free antigen. Immunoassays in CHES yield a LOD of 23 nM and a LOQ of 70 nM for the detection of fluorescein. The high pH reduces protein adsorption but reduces antibody affinity. Preliminary studies carried out in 50 mM barbital at pH 8 show improved stability of the immunocomplex and better separation for immunoassay quantification. Further optimization will open new capabilities for measuring orthogonal diagnostic signals in seconds with HSCE.

High-Speed Capillary Electrophoresis Using a Thin-Wall Fused-Silica Capillary Combined with Backscatter Interferometry

High-speed capillary electrophoresis (HSCE) is implemented using a 10 cm total length fused-silica capillary (50 μm i.d., 80 μm o.d.) combined with refractive index (RI) detection using backscatter interferometry (BSI). The short capillary length reduces analysis time while the ultrathin wall (15 μm) efficiently dissipates heat from the separation channel, mitigating the deleterious effects of Joule heating. The separation capillary is mounted on a temperature-controlled heat sink that stabilizes the temperature to ±0.004 °C. This temperature stabilization improves separation efficiency and enhances RI detection. Ohm's Law plots confirm the superior heat dissipation of the HSCE capillary compared to a similarly prepared conventional CE capillary (50 μm i.d., 363 μm o.d.). The speed and efficiency of HSCE combined with universal RI detection is illustrated through the separation of K⁺, Ba²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺, and Tris⁺ in approximately 30 s, with efficiencies greater than 500 000 plates/m. Run-to-run repeatability is explored using nine consecutive electrokinetic injections of a K⁺, Na⁺, and Li⁺ mixture. The average migration times and %RSD for K⁺, Na⁺, and Li⁺ were measured to be 22.04 s (1.59%), 26.81 s (1.38%), and 29.80 s (2.21%), respectively. Finally, we show that the BSI signal is sensitive to the separation voltage through the Kerr mechanism. This leads to peaks in the electropherogram from the injection process that are useful for precisely defining the start of each separation and quantifying the amount of sample injected onto the capillary.

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassay and aptamer assay: A review

Over the last two decades, the group of techniques called affinity probe CE has been widely used for the detection and the determination of several types of biomolecules with high sensitivity. These techniques combine the low sample consumption and high separation power of CE with the selectivity of the probe to the target molecule. The assays can be defined according to the type of probe used: CE immunoassays, with an antibody as the probe, or aptamer-based CE, with an aptamer as the probe. Immunoassays are generally divided into homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, and homogeneous variant can be further performed in competitive or noncompetitive formats. Interacting partners are free in solution at homogeneous assay, as opposed to heterogeneous analyses, where one of them is immobilized onto a solid support. Highly sensitive fluorescence, chemiluminescence or electrochemical detections were typically used in this type of study. The use of the aptamers as probes has several advantages over antibodies such as shorter generation time, higher thermal stability, lower price, and lower variability. The aptamer-based CE technique was in practice utilized for the determination of proteins in biological fluids and environmentally or clinically important small molecules. Both techniques were also transferred to microchip. This review is focused on theoretical principles of these techniques and a summary of their applications in research.

A microfluidic in-line ELISA for measuring secreted protein under perfusion

Recent progress in the development of microfluidic microphysiological systems such as 'organs-on-chips' and microfabricated cell culture is geared to simulate organ-level physiology. These tissue models leverage microengineering technologies that provide capabilities of presenting cultured cells with input signals in a more physiologically relevant context such as perfused flow. Proteins that are secreted from cells have important information about the health of the cells. Techniques to quantify cellular proteins include mass spectrometry to ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Although our capability to perturb the cells in the microphysiological systems with varying inputs is well established, we lack the tools to monitor in-line the cellular responses. User intervention for sample collection and off-site is cumbersome, causes delays in obtaining results, and is especially expensive because of collection, storage, and offline processing of the samples, and in many case, technically impractical to carry out because of limitated sample volumes. To address these shortcomings, we report the development of an ELISA that is carried out in-line under perfusion within a microfluidic device. Using this assay, we measured the albumin secreted from perfused hepatocytes without and under stimulation by IL-6. Since the method is based on a sandwich ELISA, we envision broad application of this technology to not just organs-on-chips but also to characterizing the temporal release and measurement of soluble factors and response to drugs.

Optimization of a microfluidic electrophoretic immunoassay using a Peltier cooler

Successful analysis of electrophoretic affinity assays depends strongly on the preservation of the affinity complex during separations. Elevated separation temperatures due to Joule heating promotes complex dissociation leading to a reduction in sensitivity. Affinity assays performed in glass microfluidic devices may be especially prone to this problem due to poor heat dissipation due to the low thermal conductivity of glass and the large amount of bulk material surrounding separation channels. To address this limitation, a method to cool a glass microfluidic chip for performing an affinity assay for insulin was achieved by a Peltier cooler localized over the separation channel. The Peltier cooler allowed for rapid stabilization of temperatures, with 21°C the lowest temperature that was possible to use without producing detrimental thermal gradients throughout the device. The introduction of cooling improved the preservation of the affinity complex, with even passive cooling of the separation channel improving the amount of complex observed by 2-fold. Additionally, the capability to thermostabilize the separation channel allowed for utilization of higher separation voltages than what was possible without temperature control. Kinetic CE analysis was utilized as a diagnostic of the affinity assay and indicated that optimal conditions were at the highest separation voltage, 6 kV, and the lowest separation temperature, 21°C, leading to 3.4% dissociation of the complex peak during the separation. These optimum conditions were used to generate a calibration curve and produced 1 nM limits of detection, representing a 10-fold improvement over non-thermostated conditions. This methodology of cooling glass microfluidic devices for performing robust and high sensitivity affinity assays on microfluidic systems should be amenable in a number of applications.

Clinical applications of capillary electrophoresis based immunoassays

Immunoassays have long been an important set of tools in clinical laboratories for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Over the last two decades, there has been growing interest in utilizing CE as a means for conducting immunoassays with clinical samples. The resulting method is known as a CE immunoassay. This approach makes use of the selective and strong binding of antibodies for their targets, as is employed in a traditional immunoassay, and combines this with the speed, efficiency, and small sample requirements of CE. This review discusses the variety of ways in which CE immunoassays have been employed with clinical samples. An overview of the formats and detection modes that have been employed in these applications is first presented. A more detailed discussion is then given on the type of clinical targets and samples that have been measured or studied by using CE immunoassays. Particular attention is given to the use of this method in the fields of endocrinology, pharmaceutical measurements, protein and peptide analysis, immunology, infectious disease detection, and oncology. Representative applications in each of these areas are described, with these examples involving work with both traditional and microanalytical CE systems.

Simultaneous monitoring of insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide secretion from islets of Langerhans on a microfluidic device

A method was developed that allowed simultaneous monitoring of the acute secretory dynamics of insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) from islets of Langerhans using a microfluidic system with two-color detection. A flow-switching feature enabled changes in the perfusion media within 5 s, allowing rapid exchange of the glucose concentrations delivered to groups of islets. The perfusate was continuously sampled by electroosmotic flow and mixed online with Cy5-labeled insulin, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled IAPP, anti-insulin, and anti-IAPP antibodies in an 8.15 cm mixing channel maintained at 37 °C. The immunoassay mixture was injected for 0.3 s onto a 1.5 cm separation channel at 11.75 s intervals and immunoassay reagents detected using 488 and 635 nm lasers with two independent photomultiplier tubes for detection of the FITC and Cy5 signal. RSD of the bound-to-free immunoassay ratios ranged from 2 to 7% with LODs of 20 nM for insulin and 1 nM for IAPP. Simultaneous secretion profiles of the two peptides were monitored from groups of 4-10 islets during multiple step changes in glucose concentration. Insulin and IAPP were secreted in an approximately 10:1 ratio and displayed similar responses to step changes from 3 to 11 or 20 mM glucose. The ability to monitor the secretory dynamics of multiple peptides from islets of Langerhans in a highly automated fashion is expected to be a useful tool for investigating hormonal regulation of glucose homeostasis.

New development in in-capillary electrophoresis techniques for kinetic and inhibition study of enzymes

Enzymes are often quantified by measuring their biological activity. Capillary electrophoresis is gaining its position in this field due to the ongoing trend to miniaturize biochemical assays. The aim of this work was to compare pre-capillary (off-line) and in-capillary electrophoresis techniques for studying enzymatic activity. The β-galactosidase (β-Gal) was chosen as a model enzyme. Each technique was optimized independently in order to decrease analyte consumption (to few tens of nanoliters), incubation time (to few seconds) and analysis time (below 1 min). Several experimental parameters (ionic strength of the background electrolyte (BGE) and of the incubation buffer, incubation time, injected volumes, …) were optimized by following peak efficiencies, resolution and repeatability. To monitor the performance of each technique, the catalytic constants (V(max) and K(m)) of 4-nitro-phenyl-d-galactopyranoside (PNPG) hydrolysis by β-Gal as well as the inhibition constants (K(i) and IC(50)) by a competitive inhibitor 2-nitrophenyl-1-thio-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (ONPTG) were determined. The results obtained were cross compared and were also evaluated by comparison to a standard spectrophotometric method. EMMA proved to be the best technique in terms of sample consumption and speed. The short-end injection was successfully used which speeded-up electrophoretic analysis (<0.8 min). It is a very powerful tool for studying enzymatic inhibition. Usually, the inhibitor is injected in the capillary mixed to the substrate especially when both have similar mobilities. We show in this work, for the first time, that combining at-inlet reaction with EMMA-CE allows enzyme inhibition to be realized without any prior mixing of the substrate and the inhibitor. This approach is very interesting for screening inhibitors, rapidly and without excessive substrate consumption.

Simultaneous capillary electrophoresis competitive immunoassay for insulin, glucagon, and islet amyloid polypeptide secretion from mouse islets of Langerhans

A capillary electrophoresis competitive immunoassay was developed for the simultaneous quantitation of insulin, glucagon, and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) secretion from islets of Langerhans. Separation buffers and conditions were optimized for the resolution of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled glucagon and IAPP immunoassay reagents, which were excited with the 488 nm line of an Ar(+) laser and detected at 520 nm with a photomultiplier tube (PMT). Cy5-labeled insulin immunoassay reagents were excited by a 635 nm laser diode module and detected at 700 nm with a separate PMT. Optimum resolution was achieved with a 20mM carbonate separation buffer at pH 9.0 using a 20 cm effective separation length with an electric field of 500 V/cm. Limits of detection for insulin, glucagon, and IAPP were 2, 3, and 3 nM, respectively. This method was used to monitor the simultaneous secretion of these peptides from as few as 14 islets after incubation in 4, 11, and 20 mM glucose for 6h. For insulin and IAPP, a statistically significant increase in secretion levels was observed, while glucagon levels were significantly reduced in the 4 and 11 mM glucose conditions. To further demonstrate the utility of the assay, the Ca(2+)-dependent secretion of these peptides was demonstrated which agreed with published reports. The ability to examine the secretion of multiple peptides may allow for the determination of regulation of secretory processes within islets of Langerhans.

Microfluidic device for multimodal characterization of pancreatic islets

A microfluidic device to perfuse pancreatic islets while simultaneously characterizing their functionality through fluorescence imaging of the mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) in addition to enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) quantification of secreted insulin was developed and characterized. This multimodal characterization of islet function will facilitate rapid assessment of tissue quality immediately following isolation from donor pancreas and allow more informed transplantation decisions to be made which may improve transplantation outcomes. The microfluidic perfusion chamber allows flow rates of up to 1 mL min(-1), without any noticeable perturbation or shear of islets. This multimodal quantification was done on both mouse and human islets. The ability of this simple microfluidic device to detect subtle variations in islet responses in different functional assays performed in short time-periods demonstrates that the microfluidic perfusion chamber device can be used as a new gold standard to perform comprehensive islet analysis and obtain a more meaningful predictive value for islet functionality prior to transplantation into recipients, which is currently difficult to predict using a single functional assay.

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassays: principles and quantitative applications

The use of CE as a tool to conduct immunoassays has been an area of increasing interest over the last decade. This approach combines the efficiency, small sample requirements, and relatively high speed of CE with the selectivity of antibodies as binding agents. This review examines the various assay formats and detection modes that have been reported for these assays, along with some representative applications. Most CE immunoassays in the past have employed homogeneous methods in which the sample and reagents are allowed to react in solution. These homogeneous methods have been conducted as both competitive binding immunoassays and as noncompetitive binding immunoassays. Fluorescent labels are most commonly used for detection in these assays, but enzyme labels have also been utilized for such work. Some additional work has been performed in CE immunoassays with heterogeneous methods in which either antibodies or an analog of the analyte is immobilized to a solid support. These heterogeneous methods can be used for the selective isolation of analytes prior to their separation by CE or to remove a given species from a sample/reagent mixture prior to analysis by CE. These CE immunoassays can be used with a variety of detection modes, such as fluorescence, UV/Vis absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemical measurements, MS, and surface plasmon resonance.

Analysis of proteins in solution using affinity capillary electrophoresis

Analysis of protein interactions by means of capillary electrophoresis (CE) has unique challenges and rewards. The choice of analysis conditions, especially involving electrophoresis buffers, are crucial and not universal for protein analysis. If conditions for analysis can be worked out, it is possible to utilize CE quantitatively and qualitatively to characterize protein-ligand binding involving unmodified molecules in solution and taking place under physiological conditions. This chapter deals with the most important practical considerations in capillary electrophoretic affinity approaches, affinity CE (ACE). The text emphasizes the most critical factors for successful analyses and has application examples illustrating various types of information offered by ACE-based studies. Also included are step-by-step accounts of the two main classes of experimental design: the pre-equilibration ACE (in the form of CE-frontal analysis (CE-FA)) and mobility shift ACE together with examples of their use. The ACE approaches for binding assays of proteins should be considered when the biological material is scarce, when any kind of labeling is not possible or desired, when the interacting molecules are the same size and when rapid and simple method development is a priority.

New technologies in affinity assays to explore biological communication

The language that cells use to communicate consists of the small molecules, peptides, and proteins that are released into the extracellular environment. To decipher this language, analytical assays are needed that have high selectivity, high sensitivity, and fast temporal resolution. Affinity assays are a group of analytical methodologies that are adept at studying this communication. In this overview, we highlight several examples from the literature on various types of affinity assays used in different platforms to monitor biological communication of peptides and proteins.

Two-color electrophoretic immunoassay for simultaneous measurement of insulin and glucagon content in islets of Langerhans

A multianalyte CE competitive immunoassay using two-color detection was developed to measure insulin and glucagon in islets of Langerhans. Insulin was quantified with FITC-insulin (Ins*) and anti-insulin antibodies (Ins Ab) and glucagon was quantified with Cy5-glucagon (Glu*) and anti-glucagon antibodies (Glu Ab). A 3 mW Ar(+) laser at 488 nm and a 25 mW laser diode at 635 nm were used to excite FITC and Cy5, respectively. Fluorescence was split with a half-silvered mirror and passed through a 520 +/- 20 nm bandpass filter or a 663 nm longpass filter for the detection of insulin and glucagon, respectively. The two-color detection format enabled independent quantitation of both analytes even with concentrations of insulin immunoassay reagents 20-fold higher than glucagon reagents. Simultaneous calibration curves were generated and used to determine insulin and glucagon content in islets of Langerhans. Amounts of insulin and glucagon were 56.6 +/- 3.2 and 1.0 +/- 0.5 ng/islet, respectively. LODs were 7 nM insulin and 3 nM glucagon. The assay will be applicable to fast monitoring of multiple peptides secreted from islets of Langerhans and can be applied to other systems for the quantitation of multiple analytes with large differences in concentrations.

Chemical analysis of single cells

Chemical analysis of single cells requires methods for quickly and quantitatively detecting a diverse array of analytes from extremely small volumes (femtoliters to nanoliters) with very high sensitivity and selectivity. Microelectrophoretic separations, using both traditional capillary electrophoresis and emerging microfluidic methods, are well suited for handling the unique size of single cells and limited numbers of intracellular molecules. Numerous analytes, ranging from small molecules such as amino acids and neurotransmitters to large proteins and subcellular organelles, have been quantified in single cells using microelectrophoretic separation techniques. Microseparation techniques, coupled to varying detection schemes including absorbance and fluorescence detection, electrochemical detection, and mass spectrometry, have allowed researchers to examine a number of processes inside single cells. This review also touches on a promising direction in single cell cytometry: the development of microfluidics for integrated cellular manipulation, chemical processing, and separation of cellular contents.

Capillary electrophoresis immunoassay based on an on-column immunological reaction

An on-column immunological reaction was employed to achieve simple and rapid analysis in an immunoassay based on capillary electrophoresis using semiconductor laser-induced fluorescence detection. Human serum albumin (HSA) labeled with sulfoindocyanine succinimidyl ester (Cy5), a fluorescent compound with an absorption maximum at 649 nm, was used as a fluorescent probe for the immunoassay. In a binding assay, with anti-HSA as the analyte molecule, Cy5-HSA was injected in a capillary column followed by the injection of anti-HSA so as to form individual zones. By applying a potential, the anti-HSA reacted with Cy5-HSA at the boundary between Cy5-HSA and anti-HSA zones, since anti-HSA has a higher electrophoretic mobility than Cy5-HSA. Furthermore, the on-column method enhances the sensitivity by injecting a large volume of the sample. Free Cy5-HSA and its immunocomplex with anti-HSA were separated with less degradation in resolution than that predicted from the injection time of anti-HSA, even when the injection time for anti-HSA was increased. The ratio of the peak area of the complex to that of the total Cy5-HSA (free Cy5-HSA and the complex) increased in proportion to the injection time of anti-HSA. As a result, the detection limit was improved up to eight-fold (the concentration detection limit, 0.007 mg mL(-1), for an injection time of 240 s, compared to that obtained using an off-column sample preparation. Furthermore, the on-column reaction method was applicable to an immunoassay to determine native HSA, in which native HSA and Cy5-HSA react with anti-HSA stepwise. The detection limit in the stepwise reaction immunoassay was 0.005 mg mL(-1), which is 14 times lower than that in an off-column method, with the analysis time less than 10 min as the result of increasing the injection time of native HSA. In addition, the present on-column immunoassay was applied to the sample containing a high concentration of salts for investigating the effect of salts in the sample solution.

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassay

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassay (CEIA) is a developing analytical technique with a number of advantages over conventional immunoassay, such as reduced sample consumption, simpler procedure, easy simultaneous determination of multiple analytes, and short analysis time. However, there are still a number of technical issues that researchers on CEIA have to solve before the assay can be more widely used. These issues include method to improve the concentration sensitivity of the assay, requirement for robust separation strategy for different analytes, and method to increase the throughput of the assay. The approaches to solve these issues are reviewed. Several studies have been devoted to develop general separation strategies for CEIA, and to enhance the sensitivity of detection. The recent development of microchip-based CEIA is encouraging and is likely to address more drawbacks of CEIA, particularly on the throughput issue.

Antigen-antibody interactions in capillary electrophoresis

Immunoreactions in combination with separations by capillary electrophoresis (CE) are increasingly being used to quantitate specific analytes in biological fluids. Both competitive and non-competitive approaches have been used for the purpose and, in selected cases, now compare favorably with conventional quantitative immunoassays with respect to concentration limits of detection. CE is also a useful method to evaluate antigen-antibody binding on-line and offers unique possibilities for binding constant estimates, also for weakly binding antibodies and antibody fragments. In this review we cover recent developments in the use of antigen-antibody interactions in conjunction with CE and conclude that continued development of miniaturization, on-line preconcentration and more sensitive detection schemes will contribute to the further dissemination of CE-based immunoassays building on already established affinity CE approaches.

Homogeneous preparation of fluorescent-derivatized insulin and its application to competitive chromatographic immunoassays

A homogeneously labeled insulin sample was prepared using 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC) as the fluorescent-labeling reagent, and this was successfully applied to a chromatographic immunoassay. This labeled insulin was prepared by tagging all the three amino groups with AQC. Both CE and chromatographic immunoassay experiments indicated that the prepared insulin still kept its immunoaffinity to its antibody. It was observed that appropriate concentrations of acetonitrile (ACN) were efficient in lowering the quenching of the fluorescent signal of tagged insulin, in keeping the dilute, tagged insulin in solution, and in improving its peak shape during a chromatographic immunoassay. The tagged insulin was found to be 20-400 times more sensitive than native insulin detected under ultraviolet detection conditions. A competitive chromatographic immunoassay system was set up and calibrated. The system was used for analyses of an insulin-spiked urine sample, with a 96% recovery obtained.

An evaluation of the detection limits possible for competitive capillary electrophoretic immunoassays

Using a high-affinity antibody for estradiol, thermodynamic and experimental limitations on detection limits for competitive capillary electrophoretic immunoassays were examined. Theoretical modeling of the dose-response curves for such assays allowed for optimization of experimental conditions. Through the examination of experimental and theoretical results generalizations could be made as to the ability of capillary electrophoretic immunoassays to achieve low detection limits. An experimental detection limit of 310 pM, corresponding to 2100 molecules, was achieved. A minimum theoretical detection limit for the antibody of interest was approximated to be 125-525 pM depending on the standard deviation. An overview of the optimization process is given as well as commentary on theoretical predictions.

Analysis of cellular release using capillary electrophoresis and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry

In order to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of learning and memory in the central nervous system, it is necessary to know the neurotransmitters and neuromodulators used in the specific neuronal circuits under study. Methods have been developed to identify the peptides released from single neurons and neuronal clusters from the common neuronal model Aplysia californica. Specifically, solid-phase extraction (SPE), capillary electrophoresis (CE) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) are combined for profiling neuropeptide releasates. A variety of combinations of SPE and CE were coupled off-line with MALDI-TOF-MS to reduce the high physiological salts, to concentrate the analytes, and to reduce the complexity of the mass spectra using separation. With these protocols, peptides and proteins up to 11000 Da were detected in releasates, offering a much wider mass range compared to direct MALDI analysis of the same releasates. A number of expected and unknown neuropeptides, including egg-laying hormone (ELH) and the partially processed delta/gamma-bag cell peptide were observed in the SPE-treated releasates from a single Aplysia-cultured bag cell neuron. However, by adding a CE separation after the SPE step preceding off-line MALDI-TOF-MS detection, the most complete neuropeptide profiles were obtained.

Immunoassay for human serum albumin using capillary electrophoresis-semiconductor laser-induced fluorometry

Capillary electrophoresis combined with semiconductor laser-induced fluorometry was applied to an immunoassay of human serum albumin. Human serum albumin was labeled with a fluorescent molecule (Cy5), which has an absorption maximum at 649 nm. The labeled albumin was purified by ultrafiltration in order to reduce signals, which are unreacted labeling reagent, product, and fragment products derived there from. After the purification, no signal for unreacted labeling reagent and fragment products was detectable in the electropherogram of the labeled albumin. The labeled albumin was then reacted with anti-albumin to form an immunocomplex, which was separated from the excess free albumin. The competitive immunoassay was used in the determination of human serum albumin in a controlled serum sample, using the labeled albumin. The obtained value was found to be 0.21 +/- 0.02 mg/ml, which is in good agreement with other known values.

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassay for insulin antibodies with near-infrared laser induced fluorescence detection

A noncompetitive capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based immunoassay with near-infrared laser induced fluorescence detection (NIR-LIF) for insulin antibodies has been developed. In the assay, insulin was derivatized with a NIR fluorescent dye (NN382; LI-COR). Insulin antibodies were detected via the formation of an immunocomplex. Parameters affecting the separation such as pH, voltage and ionic strength were investigated. Furthermore, it was found that increasing the ramp time of the applied voltage improved the detection limit of the assay by an order of magnitude. The detection limit of the assay was 1.1 nM.

Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassays

This review covers the progress and developments in the field of capillary electrophoresis immunoassay (CEIA) over the past three years. Because many excellent descriptions of the principles of these methods are available (e.g., in the reviews listed in this article), no elementary introduction is given to the field of immunoassays (IAs) or CEIAs. This report focuses exclusively on experimental results, dividing the CEIA papers into the categories of direct, indirect, and microchip electrophoretic immunoassays. In the last section, a brief summary of the current status of the CEIA field is presented.

Rapid simultaneous determination of glucagon and insulin by capillary electrophoresis immunoassays

A rapid capillary electrophoresis (CE) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) competitive immunoassay has been developed for the determination of glucagon in biological mixtures. In the assay, fluorescein-conjugated glucagon is mixed with the sample followed by addition of anti-glucagon. Free and antibody-bound, tagged glucagon could be separated in 3 s using CE to obtain quantitative determination of glucagon with a concentration detection limit of 760 pM. The assay was combined with a previously developed competitive immunoassay for insulin to produce a simultaneous immunoassay for both peptides. The method was used to determine glucagon content of islets of Langerhans.

Ultratrace analysis of drugs in biological fluids using affinity probe capillary electrophoresis: analysis of dorzolamide with fluorescently labeled carbonic anhydrase

This work demonstrates the use of affinity probe capillary electrophoresis (APCE) in the quantitative analysis of drugs in biological fluids at the low pM level. The interaction of human carbonic anhydrase II (HCAII) with the glaucoma drug dorzolamide (Dz) was chosen as a model system. HCAII was labeled at its single cysteine residue using a thiol-specific fluorescein reagent. The peak area of HCAII complexed with the tight-binding drug Dz provided a direct assay of the drug concentration in solution. A charged competitive ligand added to the running buffer was employed in APCE to distinguish Dz-bound from free forms of the HCAII. Using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), the Dz detection limit was 16.5 pM in aqueous solution and 62.5 pM in both urine and plasma. Normalized peak area reproducibility of the drug was within 3.4% RSD. Each analysis was completed within 10 min, including incubation, and consumed only 0.3 pmol of labeled protein. The APCE approach provides an effective method for trace level detection of drugs in biological matrices.

Identification, quantitation, and characterization of biomolecules by capillary electrophoretic analysis of binding interactions

The high resolving power of capillary electrophoresis combined with the specificity of binding interactions may be used with advantage to characterize the structure-function relationship of biomolecules, to quantitate specific analytes in complex sample matrices, and to determine the purity of pharmaceutical and other molecules. We here review recent and innovative methodologies and applications of high resolution affinity electrophoresis within the fields of binding constant determination, structure-activity studies, quantitative microassays, analysis of drug purity and protein conformation, and immobilized affinity ligands. Despite the virtues of these approaches with respect to applicability, resolving power, speed, and low sample consumption, problems remain with respect to analyte identification and low concentration limits of detection. The ongoing development of new detector technologies for capillary electrophoresis such as mass spectrometry, and possibly nuclear magnetic resonance and other spectroscopic methods, is therefore very promising for the continued increased use of affinity capillary electrophoresis.

Use of capillary electrophoresis-based competitive immunoassay for a large molecule

A systematic study on the optimization of capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassay (CEIA) was performed using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and monoclonal anti-BSA. The immunocomplex could not be resolved from free BSA or anti-BSA with UV detection. When fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled BSA (FITC-BSA) was used as tracer, the free and bound FITC-BSA were well separated giving definite peaks with laser induced fluorescence detection. The factors affecting the separation of the free and bound FITC-BSA, including voltage, pH and ionic strength of the running buffer, were systematically analyzed. Competitive CEIAs were demonstrated in uncoated and coated capillaries with whole or Fab fragment of the antibody. The coefficient of variation for the quantification of BSA in coated capillary was less than that in uncoated capillary. This study demonstrated that competitive CEIA could be applied to quantify high-molecular-mass protein in biological fluids.