Antibodies for use in determining hemoglobin A.sub.1c

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies specific for the glucosylated N-terminal peptide residue in Hb A.sub.1c, a method for producing such antibodies, hybridoma cell lines secreting such antibodies and a method for their production, and immunoassay methods and reagent systems using such antibodies for the determination of Hb A.sub.1c in human blood samples. The monoclonal antibodies are secreted by hybridomas obtained from the fusion of a myeloma cell and a lymphocyte which has been taken from an animal, preferably a mouse, immunized with a synthetic peptide immunogen and which produces antibody specific for the glucosylated N-terminal peptide residue in Hb A.sub.1c. The synthetic peptide immunogen comprises an N-terminal plucosylated peptide residue having at least 2 amino acid units corresponding to the N-terminus of the beta-subunit of human hemoglobin and an immunogenic carrier to which the glucosylated peptide residue is linked. The immunoassay involves treatment of the blood sample to expose the glucosylated N-terminal peptide epitope and detection thereof by binding of the specific monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof.

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