RADIO IMMUNOASSAY KITS FOR PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR

THE GOAL OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A HIGHLY SENSITIVE AND SPECIFIC RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR (PAF). PAF IS A LIPID MEDIATOR PRODUCED BY A VARIETY OF INFLAMMATORY CELLS SUCH AS NEUTROPHILS, PLATELETS, MACROPHAGES, EOSINOPHILS, AND VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS. PAF INDUCES A NUMBER OF IN VIVO EFFECTS INCLUDING ACUTE BRONCHOCONSTRICTION AND BRONCHOPULMONARY HYPERREAC-TIVITY ACCOMPANIED BY PLATELET, EOSINOPHIL, AND MACROPHAGE ACTIVATION AND RECRUITMENT. THUS THE ROLE OF PAFIN THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF IMMEDIATE HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS, ESPECIALLY ASTHMA, AND INFLAMMATION IS APPARENT. SPECIFIC AIMS INCLUDE: 1) PREPARATION OF A METABOLICALLY STABLE PAF DERIVATIVE SUITABLY FUNCTIONALIZED FOR PROTEIN CONJUGATION, 2) PREPARATION OF A PAF-PROTEIN CONJUGATE. 3) PRODUCTION OF ANTIBODIES TO THE CONJUGATE BY IMMUNIZATION OF RABBITS, 4) PRODUCTION OF PAF RADIOIMMUNOASSAY KITS FOR COMMERCIAL-IZATION. A LARGE NUMBER OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE DEVELOPING NOVEL AND MORE SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC AGENTS BASED ON PAF INHIBITION OR ANTAGONISM AND THESE KITS ARE EXPECTED TO FIND WIDE APPLICATION.