PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY RECOGNIZES METHAMPHETAMINE AND ITS MAJOR METABOLITE

A series of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that react with methamphetami ne-bovine serum albumin (MA-BSA) were established by intrasplenic immu nization method. Among established 36 clones, two typical mAbs, design ated NK-1 and NK-2, were described. The inhibition assay of enzyme-lin ked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis using methamphetamine analogs indicated that NK-1 showed considerable reactivity not only MA-BSA bu t also methamphetamine and its major metabolite, para-hydroxymethamphe tamine (p-hydroxymethamphetamine). The cross-reactivity between NK-1 a nd the methamphetamine analogs with modified alkyl side chain, indicat es that methyl groups of R5 and R7 in the methamphetamine molecules ar e important for the maximum affinity. The length of alkyl side chain o n methamphetamine significantly affected the binding affinity of NK-1. The results may suggest that NK-1 will recognize not only methampheta mine but also the bridge part of the methamphetamine that binds the me thamphetamine molecules to a carrier protein.