Preparation and properties of monoclonal antibodies to the anabolic agent zeranol

Monoclonal antibodies have been produced using two haptens, zeranol-7-hemisuccinate coupled to bovine serum albumin and zeranol-16-carboxypropyl ether coupled to human serum albumin. An assessment of cross-reactivity demonstrated that the monoclonal antibody raised against the 7-hemisuccinate derivative reacted with zeranol (100%), talernol (12%), zearalenone (17%), zearalanone (100%) and alpha- and beta-zearalenol (17% and less than 0.01%, respectively). In contrast the antibodies to the 16-carboxypropyl ether derivative reacted only with zeranol (100%) and also with a alpha-zearalenol (13-16%). All monoclonal antibodies were more specific than the polyclonal antibodies raised to the same haptens by conventional methods using sheep.