A sensitive and specific ELISA immunocapture assay for rapid quantitation of influenza A/H3N2 neuraminidase protein.

Both HA and NA proteins elicit antibodies which have been shown to be capable of altering the course of infection. Nevertheless, while influenza virus vaccine standardization involves hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) in terms of antigenic characterization, only HA protein quantitation is undertaken. An immunocapture ELISA (EIA) is described for N2 NA quantitation, based on the use of a highly specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) for capturing NA and an anti-NA antiserum for antigen detection. The amounts of NA in samples were deduced from the standard curve established by using purified NA. The NA-EIA is specific and detects as a little as 7 ng/ml. The capture and detector antibodies directed against A/Beijing/32/92 NA were shown to react with H3N2 prototype strains used in current influenza vaccines, provided that an antigenically matched reference NA is used as standard.