The cardiolipin antigen: chemistry and composition.

Cardiolipin, the primary lipid hapten in the antigen suspension used for the detection of antitreponemal antibodies in the sera of syphilitic patients, was successfully coupled to glucose oxidase, peroxidase, and some other enzymes using different crosslinking agents. These complexes were used to replace the pure uncomplexed cardiolipin for the preparation of the antigen suspension. When these suspensions were allowed to react with serum that contained anticardiolipin antibodies the activity of the enzyme was inhibited. In the absence of antibody, no enzyme inhibition was observed.