TITLE:
Enhanced immuno-detection of shed extracellular domain of HER-2/neu
AUTHORS:
Sinang Chourb, Brian C. Mackness, Leslie R. Farris, Melisenda J. McDonald
KEYWORDS:
HER-2/neu; Shed Extracellular Domain; C-erbB2; Breast Cancer Marker; ELISA; Fluorescent immunoassay; ALYGNSA
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.1 No.4,
December
31,
2009
ABSTRACT: HER-2/neu oncogene is over-expressed and amplified in patients associated with metastatic breast cancer. An increased level (>15 ng/mL) in the shed extracellular domain (sECD-HER 2/neu) is indicative of the potential presence and as-sociated progression of this disease. A fluo-rescent ELISA incorporating the newly devel-oped ALYGNSA antibody-orientation system revealed a 10-fold increase in sensitivity (≤0.63 ng/mL) of sECD-HER 2/neu when compared to a control standard ELISA kit (≤7.5 ng/mL). This enhanced mode of detection has the potential to not only address breast and other cancers per se but also permit an in depth evaluation of “shed extracellular domains”, in general, and the role of these “proteolytic derived factors” in physiological signalling at normal levels.