A rapid, sensitive two-site immunometric assay for TSH using monoclonal antibodies: investigation of factors affecting optimisation.

Twenty-three monoclonal antibodies specific for human thyrotropin (TSH) have been prepared and characterised. Four different epitopes have been identified, 3 of which are sufficiently distinct to allow simultaneous binding of the corresponding antibodies. Only 1 epitope is expressed on free TSH beta-subunit. The best antibodies have affinities for TSH approaching 10(11) M-1 and cross-reactions with lutropin and chorionic gonadotropin of 0.2% or less. A 2-site immunoradiometric assay for TSH was established using 2 monoclonal antibodies, one of which was absorbed to plastic tubes and the other labelled with 125I. Several parameters affecting assay performance were investigated, including conditions for adsorption of antibodies to various plastics, selection of antibody combinations, concentration of labelled antibody and incubation protocol. The optimised assay covered a working range of 1-60 mU/1 (0.17-10 ng/ml) TSH in a 4 h, single incubation protocol, with no significant interference from other glycoprotein hormones at their maximum physiological or pathological concentrations.