[Polarization fluoroimmunoassay of progesterone]

A quick reliable homogeneous polarization fluoroimmunoassay (PFIA) of progesterone was developed. The assay is carried out with Abbott TDx (USA) polarization fluorometer and it takes 5-7 min to analyze 10 samples by this method. The range of progesterone concentrations determined is 1 to 1000 ng/ml. Fluorescein labeled progesterone-3-carboxymethyloxime which was used as tracer (labeled antigen) during analysis has been synthesized and purified. Two types of PFIA were developed: one making use of rabbit antiserum to progesterone-3-carboxymethyloxime conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), in the other antiserum to progesterone-11-hemisuccinate-BSA (or KLH) is used. Different combinations of the tracer and antibodies were used. The sensitivity of heterologous PFIA (with antibodies to immunogen heterologous to tracer by structure) was higher than that of homologous PFIA. The test is sufficiently sensitive and specific. The method is particularly valuable for determination of progesterone in model solutions (using buffer standards).