Production of an amino acid sequence-specific antiserum against human amyloid A (AA) and serum amyloid A (SAA) protein.

The hydrophilic nonapeptide Ser-Asp-Ala-Arg-Glu-Asn-Ile-Gln-Arg, identical with residues 59-67 of human amyloid protein A (AA) and serum amyloid protein A (SAA), was covalently bound via its carboxyl-terminal end to the carrier-protein keyhole limpet haemocyanin. The complex was injected subcutaneously into ten rabbits. All rabbits produced antisera which, unabsorbed, were specific for AA and SAA. The antisera and their isolated peptide specific antibodies were performance-tested and found to be excellent for demonstration of AA and SAA in immunoblotting and immunohistochemical techniques but unsuitable for immunoprecipitation. Since it is difficult to produce AA- and SAA-specific antisera by procedures earlier described and commercial supplies of good such reagents are unavailable, the easy production of sequence-specific such antisera will facilitate more extended studies of the corresponding antigens for diagnostic and scientific purposes.