RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Because of their similarity to humans, rabbits are a good animal model for the study of atherosclerosis associated with high serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) values. Two assays were developed to measure apolipoprotein B (apoB), the major structural and functional apolipoprotein of LDL in rabbits and to distinguish endogenous LDL in transgenic rabbits from that of human apoB. METHODS: Two procedures, an electroimmunoassay (EIA) and an immunonephelometric assay (INA), along with a goat-origin rabbit antiserum were developed to measure serum apoB concentration in rabbits. RESULTS: Use of either assay resulted in ability to measure rabbit species-specific apoB concentration. CONCLUSION: These assays should have broad applications: to screen compounds or diets that might lower serum apoB concentrations; to specifically measure human apoB concentration in transgenic rabbits; to measure serum apoB concentration in rabbits overexpressing other human proteins.
