EVALUATION OF AFFINITY CONSTANTS BY COMPETITIVE-BINDING ASSAYS - REMOVAL OF EMPIRICISM FROM THE MULLER METHOD

A method is described for the quantitative screening of antigen analog s by competitive radioimmunoassay. This analytical procedure is based on an experimental design developed for the comparison of binding affi nities by means of an empirical quantitative expression (Muller, R. (1 980) J. Immunol. Methods 92, 589-601). The present analysis, which all ows retention of the same general approach without sacrifice of thermo dynamic rigor, is illustrated by application to literature results obt ained by radioimmunoassay screening of the interactions between antige n analogs and antibodies elicited in response to (i) a scorpion toxin and (ii) 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.