Immunoassay of the Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Marker PGP 9.5 in Human Tissues

Abstract

An inhibitory, coated-well immunoassay for the neurone-specific protein PGP 9.5 has been devised and used to measure the concentrations of the protein in human tissues. Concentrations of PGP 9.5 between 40 ng/ml and 10 μg/ml could be measured using this assay. In brain PGP 9.5 was present at 100.58 ± 16.18 μg/mg protein. Of the other organs examined only kidney and testis showed significant concentrations of PGP 9.5 (3.97 ± 0.87 μg/mg protein and 3.25 ± 0.36 μg/mg protein, respectively). All other organs contained <2% of the brain level. The tissue levels determined by coated-well immunoassay confirmed the tissue specificity of PGP 9.5 originally determined by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.