Hapten design and development of an ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay) for the detection of the mercapturic acid conjugates of naphthalene

Measurement of urinary metabolites constitutes a noninvasive method to assess toxic exposure. Naphthalene is a common environmental contaminant showing selective pulmonary toxicity in mice and presumably is involved in development of lung disease in man (Buckpitt, A.K.; Franklin, K.B. Pharmacol. Ther. 1989, 41, 339). A glutathione-based detoxification pathway leads to the formation of the mercapturic acid conjugates [NaphMA 1, (R)-N-acetyl-S-[(1R * ,2R * )-1,2-dihydro-1-hydroxy-2-naphthyl]cysteine and (R)-N-acetyl-S-[(1R * ,2R * )-1,2-dihydro-2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl]cysteine] which are excreted in urine. Herein we report the development of an immunoasay for the specific detection of urinary metabolites.