Tests and methods for rapid and quantitative detection of an acetylcholine receptor ligand

Abstract

The present invention provides lateral flow assay devices and methods for detecting nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligands in liquid samples. The device comprises a porous strip with multiple zones, including a sample deposition zone, a test visualization zone containing an immobilized nicotine conjugate, a control zone, and an absorbent zone. A recombinant acetylcholine receptor protein serves as a mobile agent, either pre-deposited on the strip or added to the sample. The recombinant protein comprises a ligand-binding domain of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor conjugated to a visually-detectable reporter forming a receptor-reporter conjugate. When nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligands are present in the sample, they competitively bind to the recombinant receptor protein, reducing binding to the immobilized nicotine conjugate and producing a visually detectable signal inversely proportional to ligand concentration. The invention provides rapid, simple, and field-deployable detection of receptor ligands in environmental samples, including cyanobacterial neurotoxins in surface waters, and biological samples for pharmacological and toxicological applications.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.