Preparation of monoclonal antibodies against a derivative of semicarbazide as a metabolic target of nitrofurazone

Monoclonal antibodies (McAb) were produced to detect semicarbazide (SEM), a metabolite as a marker residue of nitrofurazone in animal food production. A carboxyphenyl derivative (CPSEM) of SEM was synthesized following derivatisation with 4-carboxybenzaldehyde (CBA). CPSEM was purified by recrystallization and conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin (OVA) as immunogen or coating antigen, respectively. Hybridomas were obtained by fusing mouse myeloma cells SP2/0 with splenocytes from the mice immunized with CPSEM-BSA. Hybridomas 1F10 and 4F2 secreting antibodies against CPSEM were obtained and subcloned. Ascites of monoclonal antibodies were prepared by injecting 1 × 106 cells of hybridoma 1F10 into mice abdomen. McAb obtained from hybridoma 1F10 was highly specific for CPSEM and had no cross-reaction with various nitrofuran metabolites and a range of veterinary drugs. The sensitivity of the McAb to SEM was 0.01 ng mL−1 and the IC50 value was 1.3 ng mL−1 (SEM in the form of CPSEM). McAb 1F10 is suitable to develop an immunoassay for SEM with sufficient sensitivity for monitoring nitrofurazone residues.