A new procedure for haptenizing adenosine leading to a more specific radioimmunoassay method.

Adenosine was coupled to human serum albumin by two different procedures that preserved the purine and ribose rings. The conjugates were evaluated for antigenicity in rabbits and guinea pigs. A conjugate containing 2'(3')-O-succinoyladenosine failed to elicit antibodies, whereas one containing laevulinic acid (O2', 3'-adenosine-acetal) elicited antibodies in all animals injected. The affinity and specificity of binding of adenosine to three selected antisera were evaluated. Dissociation constants of 31-187 nM were observed. Displacement of adenosine binding to all antisera by adenine 5'-nucleotides, adenine, inosine and hypoxanthine required more than 1000-fold higher concentrations than of adenosine itself. Similar affinities for adenosine and 2'-deoxyadenosine were observed. By exploiting the high specificity of the antisera, a radioimmunoassay method was established that was capable of detecting down to 1 pmol of adenosine (20 nM) in unfractionated heart perfusates and cell extracts. The acetal-mediated coupling procedure is applicable to other biologically important cis-diols.