A comparative study of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method and an avidin-biotin complex method for studying polypeptide hormones with radioimmunoassay antibodies.

A highly sensitive immunoenzymatic technic is presented. The method involves three sequential steps: (1) primary antibody, (2) biotin-labeled secondary antibody, and (3) avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex. Avidin, an egg white protein, has four binding sites for the low-molecular-weight vitamin biotin. Many moieties of biotin can be coupled to the peroxidase molecule. Thus, since a relatively large amount of avidin is incubated with biotin-labeled peroxidase, avidin serves as a link between biotin-peroxidase molecules; in turn, biotin-peroxidase serves as a link between avidin molecules. Consequently, this large lattice-like complex with biotin-binding capability can be attracted to the sites of biotin-labeled antibody, producing a superior staining sensitivity. Several commercially available radioimmunoassay antibodies (e.g., antiglucagon, prolactin, gastrin, growth hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone antibodies) were tested for immunohistochemical staining. The unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method fails to stain gastrin or thyroid-stimulating secretory cells when using these antibodies, and a relatively high antibody concentration is required to produce a positive reaction for glucagon, prolactin, and growth hormone. In contrast, the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method successfully demonstrates polypeptide hormones even when antibodies are diluted 20 to 40 times.