Preparation of leukotriene B4 antibodies in sheep

The antibody response of eight sheep immunised against leukotriene B4-keyhold limpet haemocyanin (LTB4-KLH) was investigated. Four Suffolk x Mule sheep and two Soay sheep received subcutaneous injections of conjugate over a period of 11-21 weeks, and two Suffolk x Mule sheep received intramuscular and subcutaneous injections for 11 weeks. All eight animals reacted successfully to immunisation and produced antibodies of high affinity and specificity for LTB4. The antiplasma could be used for radioimmunoassay at dilutions of 1/10(5)-1/10(6) and the highest titres were obtained in Soay sheep. Intramuscular immunisation produced a faster but less sustained response than subcutaneous injections. The uniformity of response between animals in relation to the immunisation regime and the physico-chemical similarity of the antibodies suggest that the quality of the conjugate is the most important factor for successful antibody production.