125I protein A: applications to the quantitative determination of fluid phase and cell-bound IgG.

An improved method for the preparation of 125I-labelled Protein A (125I PA) of high specific and functional activity is described. 125I PA has been used in combination with purified rabbit IgG bound to a solid support to develop a competitive binding assay capable of detecting Protein A or human, rabbit and guinea pig IgG at the nanogram level. An optimal set of assay conditions was established and levels of IgG measured in normal human, rabbit and strain-2 guinea pig serum. 125I PA has also been used to detect IgG anti-Forssman antibody bound to sheep erythrocytes and to line-1 and line-10 tumor cells and as an indirect assay for tumor associated antigen in the ascitic fluid of tumor-bearing guinea pigs.