Abstract
In this project, different immunisation protocols were investigated in order to produce an immune response to truncated GLP-1 (7-36) in mice. GLP-1 (7-36) appears to be a poor immunogen. Mouse-mouse hybridoma cell lines were, however, obtained for GLP-1 (7-36) as well as N- and C-terminal fragments. These fragments have been synthesised using solid phase synthesis. The resulting peptides were pure as assessed by HPLC and FABMS. Some of the monoclonal antibodies were specific for GLP-1 (7-36). Attempts at producing polyclonal antisera gave low titre antibodies which failed to displace GLP-1 (7-36) in a radioimmunoassay. Radiolabelling of GLP-1 (7-36) was studied and the Iodogen method was shown to be superior to the other method tried. Studies, in vitro, with human and rat (RINm5F) insulinoma cells showed that GLP-1 (7-36) stimulated insulin release, the synthetic N- and C-terminal fragments also stimulated insulin release by human insulinoma cells.