Monoclonal antibodies against human fibroblast collagenase and the design of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure total collagenase

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies have been raised against purified human fibroblast collagenase and characterised. One of these antibodies has been used in combination with a polyclonal anticollagenase antibody in a double antibody sandwich ELISA to measure collagenase. The assay range was 2–50 ng/ml collagenase. The assay measures total collagenase, i. e. pro- and active enzyme as well as collagenase in complex with TIMP. The level of collagenase has been measured in sera samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compared with age- and sex-matched controls. The levels measured were: rheumatoid arthritis, 69 ± 29 ng/ml; normal, 49 ± 14 ng/ml.