Abstract
We synthesized a mevalonic acid derivative and conjugated it to the carrier-protein as an antigen. A mouse was immunized with this antigen, and a monoclonal antibody specific to mevalonic acid was obtained. Using this antibody and peroxidase-labeled antigen, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for mevalonic acid was established. The detection range of the assay was 1.5-170 pmol/ test (IC50=15 pmol/ test). The cross-reactivity of the antibody with the mevalonic acid analogs, contained in the biological fluid, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid was less than 0.001%. Pravastatin, an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor, was administered to healthy males (n=9), and the mevalonic acid concentration in their urine samples was measured by this enzyme immunoassay. In all subjects, mevalonic acid excretion was decreased after the pravastatin administration. The values of human urinary mevalonic acid obtained by this assay correlated (r=0.969) with those obtained by the radio-enzyme method
