The specific and rapid assay of inhibin and its clinical applications

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The anti-inhibin polyclonal antibody used in our RIA reacts with inhibin A, inhibin B, and inhibin α-monomer. Our inhibin RIA system estimates the amount of inhibin B more accurately than Monash RIA and the pattern of IR-inhibin during normal cycle reflects both inhibin A and inhibin B. We improved the sensitivity of this assay system by changing the buffer and iodination methods and obtained the minimum detection level with 0.1 IU/ml. Using this assay system, IR-inhibin levels in various clinical samples were measured. Serum IR-inhibin levels of patients with granulosa cells reflect the clinical conditions. IR-inhibin levels dropped below the detectable limit after total removal of the tumor in these patients and increased earlier in the case of relapse than other tumor markers. IR-inhibin increased earlier than inhibin A or inhibin B in the patient who manifested OHSS among women undergoing ovulation induction by ganadotropins. Therefore there is the possibility that IR-inhibin is a good marker of hyperstimulation of the ovaries. IR-inhibin was below the sensitivity level among women over 60 years old. The study of a large number of samples from women over 60 years old is ongoing, in order to determine whether IR-inhibin is suitable as a tumor marker or not.We also developed inhibin A immunofluorometric assay and the study of inhibin A during pregnancy measured by this assay is continuing. The anti inhibin B antibody which was developed was not suitable for immunofluorometric assay.