Utilization of ELISA technology to measure biological activities of carbohydrates relevant in disease status.

Since its discovery in 1960, ELISA technology has been utilized in an increasing number of biological and biochemical investigations. It has proven to be one of the most powerful tools available for probing recognition processes involving protein/protein, protein/glycoprotein, protein/glycolipid and glycoprotein/glycolipid interactions. This review begins with an introduction that provides an historical perspective on the development of ELISA followed by a description of the different classifications of this assay. One of the fundamental elements of ELISA is the adhesion of a molecule of interest to a solid support, generally a microtiter plate. Recent developments in the area of adhesion and adsorption are also presented. Although ELISA has been used most extensively in studying protein/protein interactions, in the past 10 years there have been a number of advances in ELISA technology that have allowed recognition processes involving carbohydrates to be studied. This review focuses on the use of ELISA in investigating diseases where carbohydrate recognition processes are implicated. Since studies related to the HIV virus have provided a major impetus for the advancement of ELISA technology, this area of research is highlighted.