Measurement of human high density lipoprotein apolipoprotein A-1 in serum by radioimmunoassay.

A sensitive and specific double antibody radioimmunoassay for the major apolipoprotein (apo A-I) of human serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) was developed. Initial studies indicated that direct measurements of apo A-I concentration in whole untreated sera or isolated high density lipoprotein fractions yielded variable results, which were lower than those obtained in the corresponding samples which had been subjected to delipidation. Subsequently, it was observed that heating diluted sera or HDL for 3 hr at 52 degrees C prior to assay resulted in maximal increases in apo A-I immunoreactivity to levels comparable to those found in the delipidated specimens. This simple procedure permitted multiple sera to be assayed efficiently with full recovery of apo A-I.