Interaction of cardiodigin, endogenous inhibitor of Na+,K+-ATPase, with antidigoxin and antidigitoxin antibodies.

The present study was undertaken to further characterize the immunoreactivity of cardiodigin, digitalis-like factor present in mammalian tissues. Guinea-pig heart extracts purified by reverse-phase low pressure and high pressure liquid chromatographies were analysed for their cross-reactivity with antidigitoxin and antidigoxin antibodies. The putative digitalis-like factor showed an affinity about 10 times higher for antidigoxin antibodies than for antidigitoxin antibodies. EC50 ratios (digoxin/digitoxin assay) determined at two purification steps were different from those of digoxin and digitoxin. These results show that cardiodigin presents molecular determinants recognizable by antidigoxin and antidigitoxin antibodies but that it is a chemical entity different from these well known cardioactive steroids.