An avidin-biotin micro-enzymeimmunoassay for monkey chorionic gonadotrophin

Abstract

The avidin-biotin micro-enzymeimmunoassay used antiserum to the β-subunit of sheep LH, biotinylated hCG as tracer and pooled serum from pregnant monkeys as a reference preparation of monkey CG. The assay was validated for specificity, by checking serum samples known to contain high quantities of LH, and false positive results were eliminated to a great extent by prior heating of serum samples at 60°C for 30 min. In 45 bonnet monkeys the test gave 10 true positives, 34 true negatives and 1 false positive, i.e. an accuracy of 97%. The serum profiles of CG, measured by the EIA, in bonnet, cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys during early pregnancy were very similar to those reported for bonnet and rhesus monkeys when a liquid-phase radioimmunoassay was used.