[The development of enzyme immunoassay for prostaglandin F2 alpha]

It has recently been demonstrated that prostaglandins (PGs) play an important role in the ovulation, the onset of menstruation and labor pain and other reproductive phenomena. The purpose of this study is to develop the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for PGF2 alpha to estimate the PGF2 alpha level in body fluids. beta-Galactosidase-PGF2 alpha conjugate and bovine serum albumin-PGF2 alpha conjugate were prepared by a mixed anhydride method. PGF2 alpha was extracted with ethylacetate from an acidified sample. EIA was carried out using a double antibody method. As for the conjugation ratio of PGF2 alpha and beta-Galactosidase, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 were examined. Recovered enzyme activity and sensitivity of the method were better in the enzyme of conjugation ratio 10 than in the other conjugation ratios, 5, 20, 40, 80. Values measured by RIA and EIA were well correlated. The correlation rate was 0.84. The recovery rate was 102.3%. The sensitivity of the standard curve was 5-100 pg/tube. PGF2 alpha in the menstrual blood of the 18 women was determined with the EIA method. The mean value for PGF2 alpha in menstrual blood is 20.9 ng/ml (S.D. = 11.4).