Fc-fragment removal allows the EPO-Fc fusion protein to be detected in blood samples by IEF-PAGE

Autor: Pavel, Postnikov, Grigory, Krotov, Natalia, Mesonzhnik, Yulia, Efimova, Grigory, Rodchenkov
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Zdroj: Drug testing and analysis. 7(11-12)
ISSN: 1942-7611
Popis: EPO-Fc proteins have been under investigation as a potential drug for treating anaemia and have shown larger half-life values than other erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Sodium dodecyl sulfate/sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/SAR-PAGE) methods and subsequent immunoblotting are used for routine anti-doping analysis. This paper reports that EPO-Fc fusion proteins can be detected in serum samples by isoelectric focusing-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (IEF-PAGE) in carrier ampholyte-based gels with a pH 2-6 gradient after removing the Fc part via site-specific IdeS protease cleavage. The IdeS-digested EPO-Fc protein yields three fragments: two Fc fragments and one dimeric EPO-hinge fragment. After IEF-PAGE was followed by double Western blotting with chemiluminescent detection, the dimeric EPO-hinge fragment showed a unique isoelectric pattern, which differed from those of any other currently known analogue of EPO. We observed that the removal of the Fc fragment from EPO-Fc reduced the apparent molecular weight of entire fusion protein and increased its electrophoretic mobility. As a result, the band for the EPO-hinge fragment was located in a region between the rEPO and NESP standards, at which lower amounts of serum proteins are present. Simple and selective protocols for determining the EPO-Fc protein in human serum were developed to extend the methodological anti-doping arsenal. This protocol has been characterized. The limit of detection (LOD) of the IEF-PAGE method was 20 pg, and that of SDS/SAR-PAGE was 15 pg.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: