Mons N, Danel N, Geffard M
Laboratoire de Neuroimmunologie, IBCN-CNRS, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Brain Res. 1988 Jun 7;451(1-2):403-7. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(88)90793-7.
L-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) was conjugated to different protein carriers with glutaraldehyde (G). During the synthesis of the catecholamine conjugates, precautions were taken in order to preserve the structure of L-DOPA. Reduced and non-reduced conjugates were injected to rabbits according to a specific immunization protocol. Anti-L-DOPA antibody affinity and specificity were evaluated by using ELISA tests. The most immunoreactive compounds were the non-reduced conjugate, L-DOPA = G = BSA and the reduced one, L-DOPA-G-BSA. The other conjugated catecholamines were poorly recognized or not at all. These antisera enabled us to specifically visualize the precursor of the catecholaminergic neurotransmitters which are: dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline in the G-fixed rat brains.
