HIGHLY SPECIFIC RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR DIGOXIN USING A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY SELECTED FOR LACK OF INTERFERENCE BY DIGOXIN-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN CORD BLOOD SERA

Four digoxin radioimmunoassays (RIA) were evaluated using four antidigoxin monoclonal antibodies (MAb) with different binding specificities for digoxin metabolites and other glycosides. These RIA have been used to measure the apparent digoxin concentrations in the sera of patients treated with digoxin, in cord blood sera and in rat intestine aqueous extracts. Two MAb strongly recognized digoxin-like immunoreactive substances (DLIS) in cord blood sera and in rat intestine aqueous extract. In contrast, one MAb (2C2), which recognizes active digoxin metabolites and does not cross-react with inactive metabolites nor with digitoxin, showed no reactivity with DLIS in the cord blood sera tested. This MAb was used in a new digoxin RIA that was rapid, sensitive, reproducible, and specific for digoxin and its active metabolites.