An attempt to produce an antibody of histamine and histamine derivatives

Three conjugates of different histamine derivatives to bovine serum albumin were prepared, and an attempt was made to determine whether antibody against histamine and histamine derivatives could be produced in rabbits by immunization with these conjugates. Antibody produced by immunization with bovine serum albumin-succinylhistamine conjugate could not recognize the hapten moiety of the immunogen. Immunization of rabbits with conjugate of bovine serum albumin and p-[2-(N alpha-trifluoroacetylhistamine)azo]benzoic acid resulted in the production of antibody to N alpha-trifluoroacetylhistamine. The antibody had a specificity for histamine metabolites and their derivatives. However, the antibody also showed a small but not negligible affinity for trifluoroacetylated serotonin, norepinephrine and aniline, indicating that the antibody specificity was directed mainly to the trifluoroacetamide group. After immunization of rabbits with bovine serum albumin and p-[2-(N alpha-propionylhistamine)azo]benzoic acid conjugate, antibody against N alpha-propionylhistamine could be produced. However, the antibody had a very low affinity even for N alpha-propionylhistamine. Specific antibody to histamine and histamine derivatives could thus not be produced by immunization with the present hapten-carrier conjugates.