[Monoclonal antibodies to alpha-endorphin effective in immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting].

Four mouse monoclonal antibodies (E11, A8, F8, H5) to alpha-endorphin have been produced. The antibodies bind 12.5, 20.6, 9.6, 6.6% of 125I-beta-endorphin and 35.5, 15.1, 12.8, 12.2% of 125I-gamma-endorphin; the binding of 125I-alpha-endorphin being taken for 100%. The binding of antibodies E11, A8, F8 and H5 to 125I-alpha-endorphin was 50% inhibited by unlabeled ligand in concentrations 5, 50, 30 and 35 nM respectively. Using tissue sections of rat pituitary it was shown that antibody E11 can be used for the localization of endorphin producing cells by immunofluorescence. The antibodies F8 and H5 effectively detected endorphin precursor proopiomelanocortin by immunoblotting.