ANTIBODY TO FOLIC-ACID - INCREASED SPECIFICITY AND SENSITIVITY IN ELISA BY USING EPSILON-AMINOCAPROIC ACID MODIFIED BSA AS THE CARRIER PROTEIN

For raising high titre and specific antibody to haptens or drugs, epsi lon-aminocaproic acid modified bovine serum albumin (epsilon-ACA-BSA) was prepared for use as a carrier protein. Folic acid (FA) was coupled to epsilon-ACA-BSA, Imj.BSA and BSA for raising antibodies in rabbits . Enhancement of FA immunogenicity with FA-ACA-BSA was observed. Apart from determination of titre by indirect ELISA, dose-response behaviou r and specificity of these antisera were also compared. FA-ACA-BSA ant ibody showed high sensitivity and specificity. Using this antibody, an ELISA method for the determination of FA was developed. The study pro vides a simple approach to raise highly specific and high titre antibo dy against small molecules.