title: Preparation of anti-melatonin antibodies and antigenic properties of the molecule.
abstract: Anti-melatonin antibodies of high titer and good sensitivity were obtained by coupling melatonin to bovine serum albumin with formaldehyde and by immunizing rabbits with multifocal intra-dermal injections. A systematic study of cross-reactions with 14 compounds (indole, aromatic and imidazole derivatives) showed that the antibody had a high specificity for melatonin, low reactivities with 6-hydroxymelatonin and N-acetylserotonin and no detectable reactivity with 12 other derivatives. The roles of the indole nucleus and the side chain in the determination of the antigenic properties of the molecule are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens; D002417:Cattle; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D008550:Melatonin