Simplified microELISA for the quantitation of murine serum amyloid A protein

A simplified microELISA has been developed which permits the rapid quantitation of serum amyloid A protein, SAA, in acute-phase mouse sera. Serum samples are directly diluted without prior denaturation into bicarbonate buffer and coated overnight onto microtiter plates. A rat polyclonal anti-SAA serum is used as the primary antibody followed by an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat anti-rat IgG serum. The specificity of the rat polyclonal serum has been demonstrated on immunoblots from high density lipoprotein preparations from normal and lipopolysaccharide induced acute-phase mouse sera. This assay permits the reproducible quantitation of murine SAA during an inflammatory response.