Synthetic antigens. Rabbit antibodies against interpolymer of styrene and maleic acid (PSM).

Rabbit antibodies against interpolymer of styrene and maleic acid (PSM) are described. Rabbits immunized with PSM (mol. weight 292,000) produced precipitating and non-precipitating antibodies of IgG class. Interaction of rabbit antibodies with PSM was mainly of electrostatic character. It was found that various low molecular weight compounds resembling structural unit of the polymer inhibited reaction of PSM with antibodies. The reaction was also inhibited by picric acid and epsilon-TNP-aminocaproic acid. It suggested a multifunctional character of antibodies studied. The apparent affinity constant was 2 x 10(5) M-1 for interaction of PSM with the rabbit antibodies. Spectral studies suggested the presence of tyrosine in the combining site of anti-PSM antibodies. Specifically purified antibodies showed no restriction of heterogeneity, in comparison with rabbit IgG containing anti-PSM antibodies.