Characterization of adenosine-bovine serum albumin immunogen and its antibodies.

Antibodies to adenosine were elicited in rabbits using a conjugate of adenosine (periodate oxidized) and bovine serum albumin as immunogen. The conjugate was found to be of a higher molecular size than the original protein, apparently due to the cross-linking of albumin molecules by the dialdehydes generated during the periodate oxidation of adenosine. It produced high titres of antibodies, which were 400-fold more reactive to adenosine-trialcohol than to adenosine, when measured by a nitrocellulose filter assay. In addition, a specific elution procedure for the isolation of hapten-specific antibodies is described.