Direct determination of theophylline in serum by fluoroimmunoassay using highly specific antibodies

Described is the development of a fluoroimmunoassay for theophylline using a fluorescein labelled derivative of theophylline as tracer and antibodies coupled to magnetizable solid-phase particles. Three approaches are described for the preparation of antibodies for theophylline, of which one produced highly specific, high titre antibodies. The fluoroimmunoassay using these antibodies required a 10 microL sample, reached equilibrium within 5 min, and the results correlated closely with those of an established enzymoimmunoassay method. Potentially interfering endogenous fluorophores from the serum sample were reliably removed at the separation step of the bound and free fractions. There was no significant cross-reactivity with all other structurally related compounds.