A unique epitope on human serum albumin recognized by monoclonal antibody HSA-1: a probe for identification of the human origin of blood or tissue.

A panel of monoclonal antibodies was raised against human serum albumin from fusions of BALB/c splenocytes and SP2/0-Ag14 murine myeloma cells. This panel was screened against purified albumins from 21 species including chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan. A monoclonal antibody (HSA-1) specific for human albumin was identified. The epitope recognized by HSA-1 was shown to be conserved in all human blood samples tested. A double antibody ELISA assay was developed using biotinylated HSA-1 as the specific probe for human albumin. This assay was capable of detecting as little as 30 nanograms or less albumin/ml. This assay was used to verify the presence of human albumin in blood, tissue extracts, and other body fluids. These results show that the HSA-1 monoclonal antibody can be used in determining the human origin of blood, tissue, and a variety of other body fluids.