Synthesis of new steroid haptens for radioimmunoassay. Part II. 15beta-Carboxyethylmercaptodehydroepiandrosterone bovine serum albumin conjugate. Specific antiserum for solid-phase radioimmunoassay of dehydroepiandrosterone.

Antiserum for radioimmunoassay (RIA) of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) was raised in rabbits with the conjugate obtained by coupling 15beta-carboxyethylmercapto-dehydroepiandrosterone with bovine serum albumin. The antiserum proved to have high affinity and specificity for DHA and showed only minor cross-reaction to androst-5-ene-3beta, 17beta-diol (3.5%). The Rivanol-treated antiserum was covalently coupled to Enzacryl Polyacetal to evaluate its utility in solid-phase RIA.