Antibody Development for Brevetoxin Detection

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a requirement for unique mouse monoclonal antibodies capable of detecting brevetoxin.

Brevetoxins are a group of similar neurotoxic compounds which are tasteless and odorless. Although toxicity can result from inhalational, dermal, or oral exposure, the most common route of exposure is by oral ingestion of contaminated shellfish. Illness from oral ingestion is characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, paresthesias, reversal of hot and cold temperature sensation, vertigo, and ataxia.

The vendor shall provide the NOAA Center for Costal Fisheries and Habitat Research with three separate purified monoclonal antibodies which bind brevetoxin-2, 3. The monoclonal antibodies will be used in their laboratory to detect low levels brevetoxin in environmental samples.

The three monoclonal antibodies to be provided to NOAA by the vendor should:

Bind both brevetoxin -2 and -3 with similar efficiency, i.e. the estimated efficiency with which each monoclonal antibody binds brevetoxin-2 should be within 85% to 100% that at which it binds brevetoxin-3 and vice versa.
Be demonstrated as capable of detecting brevetoxin 2 and brevetoxin 3 at a concentration of 0.3 parts per billion in seawater.
Determine lowest concentration at which each of the monoclonal antibodies provided to NOAA detects brevetoxin-1.

For each of the three monoclonal antibodies meeting the three criteria stated above, the vendor will supply at least 5 milligrams of purified monoclonal antibody. The vendor will also supply 0.5 milligrams of stable (>95% of the label remains attached after 3 months) horse radish peroxidase labeled brevetoxin-2 which can be used in combination with the three monoclonal antibodies to detect low concentrations of brevetoxin in environmental samples.

Further details are available under Solicitation Number: EE-133C-14-RQ-0872. The response deadline is Aug 19, 2014.

Related resources on brevetoxins: