Ovalbumin-like immunoreactivity detected in chicken sensory neurons by antibodies to aldehyde-treated ovalbumin

A method has been developed to raise an antiserum against ovalbumin that can detect this antigen immunohistochemically in chicken sensory ganglia. Ovalbumin-like immunoreactivity has been identified in a subpopulation of chicken dorsal root ganglion neurons by the generation of antibodies to aldehyde-conjugated ovalbumin but not by the antibodies to native ovalbumin, although both antibodies recognize the much higher concentrations of ovalbumin in sections of the oviduct. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that the antigen is more readily detectable in fixed tissue extracts than in fresh tissue extracts. Sensitive immunoblot analysis combined with affinity purification of the antigen, has confirmed that the antigen is of the same molecular weight as ovalbumin. Furthermore, the immunoreactive material elutes at a position identical to native ovalbumin on a molecular sieve column. These findings argue that molecules sensitive to aldehyde fixation may be more readily detected by the use of antisera prepared against aldehyde-modified antigens. The function of the ovalbumin-like antigen in these neurons is unknown.