Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Hycult Biotech
(
2009
)
located in Udden, The Netherlands, makes and markets antibodies and
immunoassays for innate immunity and related fields. The company specializes in comple-
ment, neutrophil proteins, and acute-phase proteins (APP). They indicate that they are
focused on the progress of research in the area of inflammation and cell damage caused
by pathogens and oxidation factors. They claim that one of their aims is to move their
products from research to diagnostic testing, for example, APP and serum protein levels
change in response to inflammation and are therefore useful indicators of stress and disease.
However, the functions of APPs according to them remain largely unresolved. Nevertheless,
some roles of the APPs have been postulated that include regulation of inflammation
processes. For example, the elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) relates to a number of dis-
eases including atherosclerosis, RA, and sepsis. This makes APPs an important indicator of
inflammation. Also mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is another well-characterized protein
which activates the lectin complement pathway and is an important element in innate
immunity.
Hycult Biotech also makes products related to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is involved in
many diseases, such as atherosclerosis, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer disease. It is also
important in the ageing process. However, reactive oxygen species (ROS) may also be bene-
ficial, and may be used by the immune system to attack and kill pathogens. Hycult Biotech
points out that detection or measurement of oxidation markers is helpful to assess oxidant
activity and to monitor the effectiveness of the oxidant system. Hycult Biotech states that
superoxide and other free radicals contribute along with inflammation, radiation, and carcin-
ogen exposure to DNA damage. Antibodies and assays for the detection of DNA adducts are
valuable markers for studies on DNA damage. Since nitrotyrosine is a stable end-product of
peroxynitrite oxidation, Hycult Biotech indicates that its assessment in plasma concentration
is a useful marker of NO-dependent damage
in vivo
.
Enzo Life Sciences GmbH located in Lorrach, Germany makes detection kits for ROS and
for reactive nitrogen species (NOS). These kits are FDA approved, cost about 150-200 Euros,
and the tests take about 15-30 min. A discussion with a sales director of Enzo indicated that
the tests take about 1-1.5 years to develop, and the costs for development depend on where
they are developed. For example, the tests are cheaper to develop in the United States. Once
again, as indicated above, the tests are for research purposes only.
Enzo Life Sciences claims that their detection kit directly monitors ROS and NOS in live
cells. Free radicals and other reactive species play important roles in many physiological
and pathophysiological processes. These free radicals in cells can damage proteins, DNA,
and lipids. However, at lower concentrations they also serve as second messengers in cellular
signaling, and play a beneficial role. Thus, detection methods are required to determine the
