Effect of trifluoroethanol on antibodies binding properties

The studies on the influence of organic co-solvents on the structure and function of antibodies are of key interest, especially in view of antibodies broad use as recognizing elements in different analytical systems. Here we studied the effect of co-solvent 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) on the ability of anti-ovalbumin monoclonal antibodies to interact with its specific antigen. Antibody affinity to antigen and the rate constants of antibody binding to immobilized antigen were analyzed. Changes in antibody reactivity with incubation time which depended on TFE concentration and temperature were revealed. When treatment of antibodies with TFE was carried out at 0°C, we observed nonlinear, non-monotonous changes of antibody reactivity with initial fast decrease and substantial increase that may be related to the loss of antigen binding reactivity by some part of antibodies at the start but its restoration when the incubation proceeds. Keywords: 2;2;2-trifluoroethanol, antibody affinity, antigen-antibody interaction, monoclonal antibodies, ovalbumin