Specificity of an antibody directed against d-methamphetamine. Studies with rigid and nonrigid analogs

The specificity of an antibody directed against d-(S)-methamphetamine (MA) was determined by competitive binding assay with more than 50 compounds-metabolites, homologs, and analogs of amphetamine. The antibody appears to be specific both for the side chain and the aromatic ring of d-(S)-amphetamine (A). The basic requirements for a compound to be bound to the antibody are (a) an aromatic ring, (b) a basic nitrogen, and (c) a two-carbon chain between the aromatic ring and the nitrogen. A transoid conformation for the phenethylamine skeleton is preferred. The interaction of the antibody with compounds differing from MA or A in side-chain substitutions was directly proportional to the closeness of their structure to MA and/or A. The antibody exhibited greatly reduced affinity for ring-substituted analogs of A; the p-hydroxy metabolite of A did not bind to the antibody. A radioimmunoassay of A is described; it was utilized to study the disposition of A in dogs.