Diffusion-in-gel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DIG-ELISA): optimal conditions for quantitation of antibodies.

In the diffusion-in-gel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DIG-ELISA) the quantitation of antibodies is based on their ability to form a diffusion gradient over an antigen-coated polystyrene surface. The antigen-antibody reaction is then visualized by an enzyme-conjugated anti-immunoglobulin. The enzyme-substrate reaction is finally performed by pouring a substrate-containing gel over the polystyrene surface. In this study with bovine serum albumin as antigen and a corresponding rabbit antiserum, the diffusion time of antiserum was shown to be the most critical variable of the method, while the antigen concentration used for coating, the conjugate binding time and the enzyme-substrate reaction time had a minor influence on the quantitation of antibodies. High antibody levels were measured with greater accuracy than low levels, but the standard deviation was below 10%. It was also shown that different sera containing antibodies to Salmonella typhi O LPS, Klebsiella pneumoniae K1 and O4 LPS, Escherichia coli O2 LPS, Yersinia enterocolitica Y3 LPS, cardiolipin and pneumococcus could be quantitated with the same accuracy.