Sensitive Detection of Viral Antigens with a New Method, "Laser Magnet Immunoassay"

• Published in: MICROBIOLOGY and IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 35; no. 9; pp. 717 - 727
• Main Authors: Mizutani, Hiroko, Suzuki, Miwako, Mizutani, Hiromichi, Fujiwara, Koichi, Shibata, Shuichi, Arishima, Koichi, Hoshino, Mitsutoshi, Ushijima, Hiroshi, Honma, Hitoshi, Kitamura, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.1991; Center For Academic Publications Japan; Center for Academic Publications Japan
• Subjects: Antibodies; Antigens, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Ferrosoferric Oxide; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIV - immunology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Immunoassay - methods; Iron; Lasers; Latex; Magnetics; Microbiology; Microspheres; Orthomyxoviridae - immunology; Oxides; Sensitivity and Specificity; Techniques used in virology; Virology; Scanning electron microscopy; Interference fringe; Microsphere; Retroviridae; Hybridoma; Monoclonal antibody; Immunological method; Virus; Antigen; Magnetite; High sensitivity; Laser; Lentivirinae; Human immunodeficiency virus; Detection; Magnetic field; Entrapped microorganism; Method study
• ISSN: 0385-5600; 1348-0421
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1991.tb01605.x

A new method, “laser magnet immunoassay”(LMIA), has been developed for sensitive detection of viral antigens. Target viruses captured on microbeads were made to react with antibodies labeled with magnetite particles. In a magnetic field, magnetically labeled antigens dispersed in water were attracted to and concentrated at one point on the surface, resulting in the lifting up of a small surface area. A laser beam which was incident on the point reflected, making an interference fringe. The intensity of the fringe indicates the amount of the magnetite conjugated with antigen. A very low concentration of antigens, such as 5 particles of influenza virus and 0.1pg/ml of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) p24 antigen in human serum, could be detected by this method. Application of this method to diagnoses of viral diseases in early stages is discussed.