PREPARATION AND ANTIGENIC PROPERTIES OF DEHYDROEPI-ANDROSTERONE SULFATE-BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN CONJUGATES HAVING A LINKAGE THROUGH THE POSITION IN RING D

Abstract

The preparation and antigenic properties of two different types of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugates in which the hapten is linked to the carrier protein through the C-17 or C-15 position have been described. Antibodies raised against these antigens in rabbits possessed the high affinity (K_a=1.43×10⁹-2.20×10⁹M^-1) to dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Antiserum elicited by immunization with the hapten-15β-BSA conjugate was specific to dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, exhibiting no significant cross-reactivities for other sulfated steroids and no cross-reactions for free steroids and their glucuronides with an exception of 16α-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone 3-sulfate (16.8%).