Immune response to 17 beta-estradiol involved in polymer gels: Antigen specificity and affinity of hybridoma clones

The immunogenic properties of 17 beta -estradiol, immobilized in negatively charged polymer gels, were investigated, and the specificity of antibodies produced was analyzed. The polymer gels developed were composed of a hydro phobic estradiol core surrounded by hydrophilic polyanions as corona. As an immunogen, it was conceived to function via a dual mode, that is as a hapt en-delivery system (prolongation effect) and as a polyelectrolyte adjuvant. Polymer gels containing estradiol appeared to possess a high estradiol-spe cific immunogenicity even without the addition of traditional adjuvants. A comparative study of estradiol trapped in polymer gels versus estradiol con jugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA.E) + Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant (IFA ) mixtures revealed similar immunogenic properties in terms of induction of specific antibodies. Following a short immunization procedure based on the use of 17 beta -estradiol immobilized in polymer gels, we developed 10 spe cific monoclonal antibodies with K-d values ranging between 1.2 X 10(-7) an d 8 X 10(-8) M.