Production of anti-rubratoxin antibody and its use in a radioimmunoassay for rubratoxin B.

Rubratoxin B was coupled to ovalbumin using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyaminopropyl) carbodiimide HCl (ECDI) in high concentration at pH 8.0. Under these conditions it was possible to couple 13 moles of rubratoxin B per mole of ovalbumin. The conjugate was used for immunization of rabbits, and anti-rubratoxin antibody was produced. A radioimmunoassay for rubratoxin B was developed which could detect 0.1 microgram to 10 microgram of toxin using 0.21 microgram of [14C] rubratoxin (0.47 Ci/mole, 2.0 x 10(9) dpm/microgram) and 0.125 ml of anti-rubratoxin antibody.