Application of a modified version of Habeeb's trinitrophenylation method for the characterization of hapten-protein conjugates in a reversed micellar medium.

We describe here a protocol for determining the epitope density of hapten-carrier conjugates at the nanomolar level. Conjugates of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and hen egg albumin (OVA) were prepared with two model haptens: 4-acetyl benzoic acid (ABA) as a chromophoric carboxylic hapten and cholesterol hemisuccinate (Chol HS) as a carboxylic derivative of a nonchromophoric hydroxylated hapten. Small-scale but valuable haptenization of carriers was achieved (approximately 4.3 nmol with an input molar ratio of hapten to carrier within the range from 50:1 to 100:1) that proved yet compatible with immunogenicity and antibody detection. We used a modified version of the amide bond-generating mixed anhydride method of Erlanger performed in a reversed micellar medium. Microsample aliquots of the coupling reaction (carriers plus activated haptens) or control experiment (carriers plus nonactivated haptens) mixtures were directly subjected to trinitrophenylation in the reversed micellar medium. The results for carrier substitution were strongly correlated (r2=0.94; n=12) with those obtained by other methods such as UV analysis (for ABA) and chromatographic determination (for Chol HS). This method was found directly applicable to other hapten-carrier conjugates coupled by the same procedure, provided that the haptens do not absorb at about 335 and 420 nm (absorption peaks of trinitrophenyl groups). With this simple, rapid, reproducible and low-cost analysis method, the separation of uncoupled hapten and conjugate is unnecessary. This facilitates the optimization of reaction conditions. Finally, using this procedure, kinetic studies of conjugate formation can be carried out in a very simple manner.