Is it true that small molecules can not be detected by the immunoassay kit?

Small molecules include peptides, native small molecules, chemically synthesized small molecules and so on. They are widely used in medicine, pesticides and other fields. The gas chromatography and liquid chromatography are commonly used to quantitatively measure target small molecules. However, there are many disadvantages, such as time-consuming, high cost and so on. Could small molecules be detected by immunoassay kit?

All immunoassay kits employ the specific reaction of antigen and antibody. How to produce the antibody specific to small molecule is the key for the preparation of immunoassay kit for small molecule. Because of low molecular weight, simple structure and so on, small molecules are classified as hapten in immunology. Haptens have reactionogenicity but lack of immunogenicity. Simply, they can not elicit an immune response to produce antibodies but can bind to the corresponding antibodies. With the development of antibody preparation technology, the antibody preparation technology for small molecules has been showing a diversified development trend (shown in the image below).

1. The traditional antibody preparation technology for small molecules. 

Small molecules can not directly stimulate the body to produce antibodies. How to solve it? Complete antigen can be obtained as the haptens are conjugated with carrier proteins. These proteins, such as OVA, BSA, KLH and so on, have strong immunogenicity. After conjugation and immunization, the host animal can be stimulated to produce specific antibody for small molecules. The specific antibodies can be harvested by antigen affinity purification. This traditional technology is suitable for most small molecules, but some difficulties still exist because of various factors, such as unsuitable conjugates, immature immunization technique and so on.

2.The genetic engineering antibody technology for small molecules

For some small molecules, it is very difficult to get specific antibody by the traditional technology. In some case, the titer is too low to meet the standards for polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies products. The genetic engineering technology gives us a new way to produce antibodies specific for small molecules. The technological core is acquiring the target gene of antibody from gene libraries by   phage display technology and ribosome display technology, etc. Protein expression system can be used to harvest the recombinant antibody or reconstructed antibody. At present, the published gene sequence information of antibodies can not only provide an information platform for antibody reconstruction, but also a new way for the preparation of small molecule specific antibody.

  Can small molecules be detected by the immunoassay kit? the answer is ”yes”. Although there are some difficulties still exist in the antibody preparation for small molecule, please don't say "NO" to it in the slight of continuous development of antibody preparation technology.

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