Development, validation, and application of a single-tube radioimmunoassay for cholic and chenodeoxycholic conjugated bile acids in human serum.

A single-tube radioimmunoassay for both cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid conjugates in serum is based on the use of [1-(14)C]glycocholic acid and [H-3H]glycochenodeoxycholic acid as tracers. The assay was shown to be specific, sensitive, accurate, and precise (CV = 13% at low concentrations, 5.5% at higher concentrations) when used for serum samples from subjects and patients with increased bile acid in the serum because of liver disease, and results correlate well with those by gas chromatography (r = .99).