NYMC Faculty Publications
An Analysis of the Biotin-(Strept)Avidin System in Immunoassays: Interference and Mitigation Strategies
Author Type(s)
Faculty
DOI
10.3390/cimb45110549
Journal Title
Current Issues in Molecular Biology
First Page
8733
Last Page
8754
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-31-2023
Department
Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Abstract
An immunoassay is an analytical test method in which analyte quantitation is based on signal responses generated as a consequence of an antibody-antigen interaction. They are the method of choice for the measurement of a large panel of diagnostic markers. Not only are they fully automated, allowing for a short turnaround time and high throughput, but offer high sensitivity and specificity with low limits of detection for a wide range of analytes. Many immunoassay manufacturers exploit the extremely high affinity of biotin for streptavidin in their assay design architectures as a means to immobilize and detect analytes of interest. The biotin-(strept)avidin system is, however, vulnerable to interference with high levels of supplemental biotin that may cause elevated or suppressed test results. Since this system is heavily applied in clinical diagnostics, biotin interference has become a serious concern, prompting the FDA to issue a safety report alerting healthcare workers and the public about the potential harm of ingesting high levels of supplemental biotin contributing toward erroneous diagnostic test results. This review includes a general background and historical prospective of immunoassays with a focus on the biotin-streptavidin system, interferences within the system, and what mitigations are applied to minimize false diagnostic results.
Recommended Citation
Balzer, A. H., & Whitehurst, C. B. (2023). An Analysis of the Biotin-(Strept)Avidin System in Immunoassays: Interference and Mitigation Strategies. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 45 (11), 8733-8754. https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45110549