Vadora E, Dagradi G, Bacchi-Modena A, Salvarani C, Coppola F
Ateneo Parmense Acta Biomed. 1976 Sep-Oct;47(5):517-37.
The steroids, as compounds of low molecular weight, are not immunogenic; however, certain small molecules (haptens) when covalently linked to proteins become antigenic i.e., they provoke the production of unique antibody. If a steroid were covalently copuled to a protein, an artifical antigen would be produced capable of eliciting the formation of antibody with specificity not only for the protein carrier but also for the particular haptenic steroid. The results would be an in vivo production of a tailor made binding sites for any steroid that can be attached as a hapten to a protein by covalent bonds and thus become antigenic. This procedure allow the preparation of steroid specific antisera suitable for clinical use in radioimmunoassay, methods. The Authors report the techniques of preparation of steroid-derivative antigens of Androstenedion, Testosteron, and Progesteron. The three derivative steroid antigens have shown a good antigenic property by eliciting the formation of specifical antisera in 5 out of 6 rabbits used for the immunization. After 10 weeks from the beginning of immunization antisera useful in radioimmunoassay at the diluition 1/300; 1/1600; 1/2000 respectively for Progesteron, Testosteron and Androstenedion were obtained. The standard curves show a good sensitivity suitable for clinical use.
类固醇作为低分子量化合物，没有免疫原性；然而，某些小分子（半抗原）与蛋白质共价连接后会变得具有抗原性，即它们会引发独特抗体的产生。如果一种类固醇与蛋白质共价结合，就会产生一种人工抗原，这种抗原不仅能引发针对蛋白质载体的抗体形成，还能引发针对特定半抗原类固醇的抗体形成。结果将是在体内产生针对任何能够通过共价键作为半抗原附着于蛋白质并因此变得具有抗原性的类固醇的定制结合位点。这个过程可以制备适用于放射免疫分析临床应用的类固醇特异性抗血清。作者报告了雄烯二酮、睾酮和孕酮类固醇衍生物抗原的制备技术。这三种衍生类固醇抗原通过在用于免疫的6只兔子中的5只中引发特异性抗血清的形成，显示出良好的抗原特性。在免疫开始10周后，分别获得了适用于孕酮、睾酮和雄烯二酮放射免疫分析的抗血清，稀释度分别为1/300、1/1600、1/2000。标准曲线显示出适合临床应用的良好灵敏度。
