LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

New ELISA Kit Measures Drug-Induced DNA Breaks

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 07 Sep 2014
Image: H2AX foci following gamma irradiation for measurement of DNA (Photo courtesy of the [US] National Institutes of Health).
Image: H2AX foci following gamma irradiation for measurement of DNA (Photo courtesy of the [US] National Institutes of Health).
A gamma H2AX pharmacodynamic assay kit for the study of double strand DNA breaks through the detection of the phosphorylated histone, gamma-H2AX, is now available for drug developers as well as biotech and other life science researchers.

The ubiquitous histone H2AX is a 14-kDa member of the H2A histone family that contains an evolutionarily conserved SQ motif at the C-terminus in eukaryotes.

Serine 139 within this motif becomes rapidly phosphorylated by kinases to yield a form known as gamma-H2AX in response to double-strand DNA damage and apoptosis.

There are over 21 anticancer drugs that are known to result in gamma-H2AX formation. As a result, gamma-H2AX is an ideal marker to measure molecular responses to a large number of drugs. While many of these drugs have already received regulatory approval, and are currently being used to manage various types of cancers, they are the subject of ongoing clinical studies to evaluate their efficacy when used alone or in combination with molecularly targeted drugs.

While methods such as Western blots and immunohistochemistry are widely used to detect gamma-H2AX, results are difficult to validate to regulatory standards, and the ELISA method is the most quantifiable and easiest assay to validate.

The new AMS Biotechnology (Abingdon, United Kingdom) pharmacodynamic HT gamma-H2AX assay measures gamma-H2AX levels in cellular extracts and phosphorylation of H2AX in response to therapeutic intervention. This assay documents differences in gamma-H2AX levels in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, cultured cells, tissue biopsies, and is expected to be useful in future clinical trials providing one of many needed tools to enable hypothesis-driven preclinical drug design strategies.

The ELISA test utilizes immobilized gamma-H2AX antibodies in the wells of a 96-well plate that capture gamma-H2AX from sample lysates. Incubation with a H2AX detecting antibody, followed by addition of a goat anti-mouse HRP (horseradish peroxidase) conjugate and a chemiluminescent HRP substrate yields relative light units (RLU) that directly correlate with the amount of gamma-H2AX in the sample.

Related Links:

AMS Biotechnology


Gold Member
Hybrid Pipette
SWITCH
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
Alcohol Testing Device
Dräger Alcotest 7000
Autoimmune Liver Diseases Assay
Microblot-Array Liver Profile Kit

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The diagnostic device can tell how deadly brain tumors respond to treatment from a simple blood test (Photo courtesy of UQ)

Diagnostic Device Predicts Treatment Response for Brain Tumors Via Blood Test

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, largely because doctors have no reliable way to determine whether treatments are working in real time. Assessing therapeutic response currently... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Circulating tumor cells isolated from blood samples could help guide immunotherapy decisions (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Identifies Lung Cancer Patients Who Can Benefit from Immunotherapy Drug

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease with limited treatment options, and even newly approved immunotherapies do not benefit all patients. While immunotherapy can extend survival for some,... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New evidence suggests that imbalances in the gut microbiome may contribute to the onset and progression of MCI and Alzheimer’s disease (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Comprehensive Review Identifies Gut Microbiome Signatures Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 6.7 million people in the United States and nearly 50 million worldwide, yet early cognitive decline remains difficult to characterize. Increasing evidence suggests... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Vitestro has shared a detailed visual explanation of its Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device (photo courtesy of Vitestro)

Robotic Technology Unveiled for Automated Diagnostic Blood Draws

Routine diagnostic blood collection is a high‑volume task that can strain staffing and introduce human‑dependent variability, with downstream implications for sample quality and patient experience.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: Roche’s cobas® Mass Spec solution enables fully automated mass spectrometry in routine clinical laboratories (Photo courtesy of Roche)

New Collaboration Brings Automated Mass Spectrometry to Routine Laboratory Testing

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical technique that identifies and quantifies molecules based on their mass and electrical charge. Its high selectivity, sensitivity, and accuracy make it indispensable... Read more