Monoclonal antibody-based ELISA for detection of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin

A monoclonal antibody-based ELISA was developed to detect alpha-toxin present in Clostridium perfringens bacterial cell lysates and cell- free culture supernatants. Monoclonal antibodies against C. perfringens alpha- toxin were produced in hybridoma tissue culture supernatants and in BALB/c mice ascites fluid. The monoclonal antibodies obtained from hybridoma culture supernatant and ascites fluid showed identical antigen specificity, but the latter showed a higher titer, with a 50% endpoint at 1/4,000. The monoclonal antibodies were specific for phospholipase C produced by C. perfringens, but not by Bacillus cereus. The lower limit of phospholipase C detection was 16 ng/ml. The dose-dependent relationship between absorption at 490 nm and concentration of phospholipase C diluted in HEPES (N- 2- hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid) or Trypticase glucose yeast broth fit a four-parameter and a quadratic model, respectively. The monoclonal antibody-based ELISA developed is a rapid, sensitive and specific detection method and can be used for quantitative characterization of C. perfringens alpha-toxin.