HIGH SENSITIVE DETECTION OF MELATONIN

1 . A method or immunobiological assay for detecting and/or quantifying melatonin in a sample, the method comprising:

(a) incubating a sample with a predefined amount of a compound comprising a derivative of melatonin, which is a conjugate at position 3 of melatonin's indole ring and wherein said conjugate comprises a linker of at least 2 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the conjugate does not comprise a polypeptide or protein antigen, wherein the derivative is coupled to a carrier, said carrier is further coupled to a particle, or is coating a surface;

(b) binding of the melatonin and/or the compound comprising said melatonin derivative with a melatonin binding molecule, wherein said melatonin binding molecule is immobilized on a surface;

(c) measuring the amount of the compound comprising said melatonin derivative bound to said melatonin binding molecule; and

(d) detecting the presence of melatonin in the sample and/or deducing the amount of melatonin in the sample based on the inverse proportion of the measured amount of the compound comprising said melatonin derivative.

2 . The method or assay of claim 1 , wherein said binding molecule is a melatonin specific antibody.

3 . The method or assay of claim 1 , wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of more than about 20° C., and/or is performed for less than 16 h.

4 . The method or assay of claim 1 , wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of about 20° C. to 25° C., and or is performed for about 0.5 h.

5 . The method or assay of claim 1 , wherein said method or assay is performed in a device allowing magnetic actuation of particles.

6 . The method or assay of claim 1 , wherein said sample is a saliva, blood, serum, plasma, urine, or sweat sample.

7 . A kit of parts for detecting and/or quantifying melatonin, comprising a derivative of melatonin as defined in claim 1 and a melatonin specific antibody.

8 . A method or immunobiological assay for detecting and/or quantifying melatonin in a sample, the method comprising:

(a) providing a compound comprising a derivative of melatonin, wherein the derivative of melatonin is or comprises 3-(2-ethylamidoglutaric acid)-5-methoxyindole (GUS);

(b) incubating a sample on said surface with a predefined amount of a melatonin binding molecule allowing for the binding of the melatonin binding molecule to melatonin and/or the immobilized or immobilizable compound comprising said melatonin derivative;

(c) measuring the amount of said melatonin binding molecule bound to the immobilized compound comprising said melatonin derivative; and

(d) deducing the amount of melatonin in the sample based on the inverse proportion of the measured amount of the melatonin binding molecule.

9 . The method or assay of claim 8 , wherein said binding molecule is a melatonin specific antibody.

10 . The method or assay of 8, wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of more than about 20° C., and/or is performed for less than 16 h.

11 . The method or assay of claim 8 , wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of about 20° C. to 25° C., and or is performed for about 0.5 h.

12 . The method or assay of claim 8 , wherein said method or assay is performed in a device allowing magnetic actuation of particles.

13 . The method or assay of claim 8 , wherein said sample is a saliva, blood, serum, plasma, urine, or sweat sample.

14 . A Kit of parts for detecting and/or quantifying melatonin, comprising a derivative of melatonin as defined in claim 8 and a melatonin specific antibody.

15 . Method or immunobiological assay for detecting and/or quantifying melatonin in a sample, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a compound comprising a derivative of melatonin in an immobilized form on a surface, or in an immobilizable form, wherein the derivative of melatonin is a conjugate at position 3 of melatonin's indole ring, and wherein said conjugate comprises a linker of at least 2 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the conjugate does not comprise a polypeptide or protein antigen, wherein the derivative is coupled to a carrier, said carrier is further coupled to a particle, or is coating a surface;

(b) incubating a sample on said surface with a predefined amount of a melatonin binding molecule thereby allowing for the binding of the melatonin binding molecule to melatonin and/or the immobilized or immobilizable compound comprising said melatonin derivative;

(c) measuring the amount of said melatonin binding molecule bound to the immobilized compound comprising said melatonin derivative; and

(d) deducing the amount of melatonin in the sample based on the inverse proportion of the measured amount of the melatonin binding molecule.

16 . The method or assay of claim 15 , wherein said binding molecule is a melatonin specific antibody.

17 . The method or assay of claim 15 , wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of more than about 20° C., and/or is performed for less than 16 h.

18 . The method or assay of claim 15 , wherein said method or assay has a sensitivity of <10 pg melatonin/ml, is performed at a temperature of about 20° C. to 25° C., and or is performed for about 0.5 h.

19 . The method or assay of claim 15 , wherein said method or assay is performed in a device allowing magnetic actuation of particles.

20 . The method or assay of claim 15 , wherein said sample is a saliva, blood, serum, plasma, urine, or sweat sample.