Radioimmunoassay of bile acids in tissue, bile, and urine

Two commercially available (Abbott Labs.) radioimmunoassays for determination of conjugated cholic acid and sulfoglycolithocholic acid in serum have been modified for bile acid measurements in alcoholic tissue extracts, bile, and urine. The specificity of both radioimmunoassays has been determined with regard to 27 free and conjugated bile acids. After filtration, bile acids can be measured in urine and bile without prior extraction. Tissue is homogenized and the bile acids are extracted into methanol. Urinary excretion by 64 healthy humans was 2.09 (SD 1.09) mumol of conjugated cholic acid and 8.44 (SD 8.03) mumol of sulfated glycolithocholic acid per 24 h. In liver from 10 patients with various noncholestatic liver disease, the mean concentration of conjugated cholic acid was 32.4 (SD 15.9) nmol/g wet weight. In the liver of 27 male Wistar rats, the concentration of conjugated cholic acid was 41.3 (SD 11.7) nmol/g of tissue, of sulfoglycolithocholic acid 5.1 (SD 2.3) nmol/g of tissue.