Serum-Free BLV gp51 Antigen Purification for ELISA Diagnostics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for purifying the BLV gp51 antigen for ELISA assays are labor-intensive, expensive, and prone to contamination, leading to false positive results due to the use of bovine serum in cell culture media, which complicates the rapid and effective diagnosis of enzootic bovine leukemia.

Innovation Solution

The production of purified BLV gp51 antigen is achieved using culture media completely devoid of bovine serum, specifically utilizing media like HyQ SFM4MegaVir, HyQ PF-Vero, and Gibco OptiPRO SFM, followed by ultrafiltration, dialysis, and purification on a DEAE-Sepharose FE column, resulting in a highly pure antigen for use in ELISA assays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bovine serum is used in cell culture media to produce gp51 antigen, then the antigen production is supported by available nutrients and growth factors, but the antigen becomes contaminated with bovine antibodies leading to false positive results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantigen purityVSAvoidculture media availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes bovine serum from the cell culture media composition, extracting the harmful component that causes contamination. This is achieved by formulating media without FCS while maintaining essential nutrients and growth factors through alternative sources, thereby eliminating bovine antibody contamination in the gp51 antigen preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If traditional purification methods (precipitation, extraction, centrifugation, chromatography) are used to purify gp51 antigen, then antigen purity is improved, but the process becomes labor-intensive and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantigen purityVSAvoidpurification process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of bovine serum contamination into a beneficial selective purification approach. By using media without bovine serum, the contamination issue is prevented at the source, and the purification process is simplified to primarily involve ultrafiltration and dialysis rather than complex chromatographic procedures, reducing both labor and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If avian serum is used instead of bovine serum in cell culture media, then bovine antibody contamination is eliminated, but a large quantity of avian antigens must be removed through additional purification steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantigen purityVSAvoidpurification time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adopts a disposable approach by using serum-free media formulations that are specifically designed for single-use in cell culture. This eliminates the need for complex removal procedures of avian or other foreign serums, as the media contains no such contaminants to begin with, thereby saving time and simplifying the purification process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach eliminates contamination and reduces the complexity of antigen purification, enabling accurate and efficient diagnostics of enzootic bovine leukemia by providing a reliable, highly pure gp51 antigen for ELISA assays.

Implementation Method 1

purification on a DEAE-Sepharose FE column

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon exchange chromatography: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 2

followed by ultrafiltration, dialysis, and purification

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrafiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 3

followed by ultrafiltration, dialysis, and purification

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDialysis: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS8529909B2Method for the production and purification of bovine leukemia virus GP51 surface glycoprotein in the absence of bovine serum
Publication Date: 2013.09.10 INST IMMUNOLOGII I TERAPII DOSWIADCZAL NEJ PAN

AI summary

The subject of the present invention is a method of obtaining purified BLV gp51 antigen as well as a novel ELISA assay using said antigen. The present invention is useful in the diagnosis of enzootic leukaemia in cattle.