Measurement of rabbit apolipoprotein B by use of electroimmunodiffusion and immunonephelometric assays

Background and Purpose: Because of their similarity to humans, rabbits are a good animal model for the study of atherosclerosis associated with high s erum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) values. Two assays were developed to mea sure apolipoprotein B (apoB), the major structural and functional apolipopr otein of LDL in rabbits and to distinguish endogenous LDL in transgenic rab bits from that of human apoB, Methods: Two procedures, an electroimmunoassay (EIA) and an immunonephelome tric assay (INA), along with a goat-origin rabbit antiserum were developed to measure serum apoB concentration in rabbits. Results: Use of either assay resulted in ability to measure rabbit species- specific apoB concentration. Conclusion: These assays should have broad applications: to screen compound s or diets that might lower serum apoB concentrations; to specifically meas ure human apoB concentration in transgenic rabbits; to measure serum apoB c oncentration in rabbits overexpressing other human proteins.