Development of an immunochromatographic strip for the rapid detection of 10 β-agonists based on an ultrasensitive monoclonal antibody

A sensitive monoclonal antibody, 3G10, derived from a mouse immunized with an immunogen of salbutamol hapten conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin was developed against beta-agonists, with a view to establishing a rapid gold nanoparticle immunochromatographic strip. The antibody displayed a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.04ng/mL for salbutamol and simultaneously detected nine other beta-agonists (clenbuterol, cimatero, brombuterol, mabuterol, terbutaline, clenpenterol, carbuterol, mapenterol, pirbuterol) with uniform cross-reactivity. The immunochromatographic strip had cut-off values of 5ng/mL for salbutamol and clenbuterol, 20ng/mL for cimaterol, brombuterol and mabuterol, and 50ng/mL for terbutaline, clenpenterol, carbuterol, mapenterol and pirbuterol. The collective advantages of the newly developed strip, such as high affinity, sensitivity and rapidity, support its utility in detecting beta-agonists from actual biological samples, such as urine.