Assessment of snake antivenom purity by comparing physicochemical and immunochemical methods

 

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Autors: Segura Ruiz, Álvaro, Herrera Vega, María, Villalta Arrieta, Mauren, Vargas Arroyo, Mariángela, Gutiérrez, José María, León Montero, Guillermo
Data de publicació:2013
Descripció:Purity is a characteristic that, together with effectiveness and safety, must be tested to determine the quality of biopharmaceutical products. In therapeutic immunoglobulins, such as human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), purity is evaluated on the basis of physicochemical properties, and is usually assessed by chromatography and electrophoresis. However, in the case of antivenoms these methods fail to discriminate between antibodies towards venom antigens, which constitute the active substance, and antibodies towards non-venom antigens, which are the major impurities in most of the current formulations. The assessment of this aspect of purity requires the use of the immunochemical methods. In this study, it was demonstrated that antivenoms showing physicochemical purity higher than 90% might present immunochemical purity lower than 40%. It is proposed that a comprehensive analysis of antivenom purity should combine physicochemical and immunochemical parameters. In addition, these results are crucial to decide the more appropriate strategies to improve antivenom purity. Taking into account that the current methods of antivenom purification remove most non-antibodies proteins, we propose that efforts must be primarily directed to the improvement of immunization protocols to enhance the antibody response towards venom components in hyperimmunized animals, and secondarily, in the realm of immunoglobulin purification technology.
Pais:Kérwá
Institution:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositorio:Kérwá
Idioma:Inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:kerwa.ucr.ac.cr:10669/104968
Accés en línia:https://hdl.handle.net/10669/104968
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biologicals.2012.11.001
Paraula clau:Snake
Antivenom
Immunization
Purity
Immunoglobulin