| Popis: |
A solid-phase sandwich radioimmunoassay is described which can be used for the detection and quantitative estimation of crude snake venom and a snake neurotoxin in clinical and experimental situations. Rabbit IgG antivenom or antineurotoxin, covalently coupled to a solid phase (CH-Sepharose 4B) is incubated with samples of unknown venom concentration. Venom bound by the solid-phase antibody is detected by reaction with 125I-labelled rabbit IgG antivenom or antineurotoxin ([125I]IgG). The resultant count, T, is the total (specific and non-specific) uptake of [125I]IgG. Non-specific binding, N, is similarly determined, but with normal rabbit IgG bound to the solid phase. A T : N value greater than 1.8 for human serum or urine indicates the presence of venom in a sample (P > 0.95). Positive samples are assayed at several dilutions and the venom present estimated from the specific count (T−N). Levels of 0.4 ng/ml of crude tiger snake venom (TSV) and 0.1 ng/ml of neurotoxin can be reliably detected by this procedure. |
