Development and immunochemical evaluation of antibodies Y for the poorly immunogenic polypeptide prothymosin alpha

Since conserved mammalian polypeptides are believed to exhibit enhanced immunogenicity in avian species, hens were immunized against the poorly immunogenic, highly conserved mammalian polypeptide prothymosin alpha (ProTα), i.e. against either non-conjugated ProTα (isolated from bovine thymus) or ProTα conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (ProTα/KLH). The antibodies Y were isolated from the egg yolk and evaluated through suitable dot-blot and ELISA systems in parallel with antibodies G isolated from the antiserum of rabbits immunized against the same immunogens. As revealed, antibodies Y and G of low titer and/or affinity were obtained against non-conjugated ProTα, while antibodies Y against ProTα/KLH had a better apparent titer, could better discriminate between ProTα and the closely related bioactive peptide thymosin alpha 1, and were obtained at much larger quantities than the corresponding antibodies G.