Development of an affinity silica monolith containing alpha1-acid glycoprotein for chiral separations

Recent advances in chiral selectors immobilization and chiral mobile phase additives in liquid chromatographic enantio-separations: A review

For decades now, the separation of chiral enantiomers of drugs has been gaining the interest and attention of researchers. In 1991, the first guidelines for development of chiral drugs were firstly released by the US-FDA. Since then, the development in chromatographic enantioseparation tools has been fast and variable, aiming at creating a suitable environment where the physically and chemically identical enantiomers can be separated. Among those tools, the immobilization of chiral selectors (CS) on different stationary phases and the chiral mobile phase additives (CMPA) which have been progressed and studied extensively. This review article highlights the major advances in immobilization of CS together with their different recognition mechanisms as well as CMPA as a cheaper and successful alternative for chiral stationary phases. Moreover, the role of molecular modeling tool as a pre-step in the choice of CS for evaluating possible interactions with different ligands has been pointed up. Illustrations of reported methods and updates for immobilized CS and CMPA have been included.

Affinity monolith chromatography: A review of general principles and recent developments

Affinity monolith chromatography (AMC) is a liquid chromatographic technique that utilizes a monolithic support with a biological ligand or related binding agent to isolate, enrich, or detect a target analyte in a complex matrix. The target-specific interaction exhibited by the binding agents makes AMC attractive for the separation or detection of a wide range of compounds. This article will review the basic principles of AMC and recent developments in this field. The supports used in AMC will be discussed, including organic, inorganic, hybrid, carbohydrate, and cryogel monoliths. Schemes for attaching binding agents to these monoliths will be examined as well, such as covalent immobilization, biospecific adsorption, entrapment, molecular imprinting, and coordination methods. An overview will then be given of binding agents that have recently been used in AMC, along with their applications. These applications will include bioaffinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography, and dye-ligand or biomimetic affinity chromatography. The use of AMC in chiral separations and biointeraction studies will also be discussed.

Chiral Monolithic Silica-Based HPLC Columns for Enantiomeric Separation and Determination: Functionalization of Chiral Selector and Recognition of Selector-Selectand Interaction

This review draws attention to the use of chiral monolithic silica HPLC columns for the enantiomeric separation and determination of chiral compounds. Properties and advantages of monolithic silica HPLC columns are also highlighted in comparison to conventional particle-packed, fused-core, and sub-2-µm HPLC columns. Nano-LC capillary monolithic silica columns as well as polymeric-based and hybrid-based monolithic columns are also demonstrated to show good enantioresolution abilities. Methods for introducing the chiral selector into the monolithic silica column in the form of mobile phase additive, by encapsulation and surface coating, or by covalent functionalization are described. The application of molecular modeling methods to elucidate the selector–selectand interaction is discussed. An application for enantiomeric impurity determination is also considered.

Rapid Purification of Immunoglobulin G Using a Protein A-​immobilized Monolithic Spin Column with Hydrophilic Polymers

A rapid purification method was developed for antibody production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using a Protein A-immobilized monolithic silica spin column with hydrophilic polymers. Monolithic silica modified with copolymers of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) showed lower non-specific protein absorption than that modified with a silane reagent. The epoxy group of GMA was converted to an amino group, and Protein A was modified by the coupling reagent. The amount of immobilized Protein A was controlled by changing the ratio of GMA to HEMA and the mesopore size of monolith. A modified monolith disk was fixed to a spin column for rapid antibody purification. The linear curves (for the antibody concentrations over 10 - 300 μg/mL) had a correlation coefficient of >0.999. Our column had various analytical advantages over previously reported columns, including a shorter preparation time (<10 min) and smaller sample volumes for purification with Protein A-immobilized agarose.

An insight into chiral monolithic stationary phases for enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography applications

In this review, three main classes of chiral monolithic stationary phases, namely silica-, organic polymer-, and hybrid-based monolithic stationary phases, are covered. Their preparations, applications, and advantages compared with the conventional-packed and open-tubular capillary columns are discussed. A detailed description of the different types and techniques used for the introduction of chiral selectors into the monolithic matrices such as immobilization, functionalization, coating, encapsulation, and bonding. Special emphasis is given to the recent developments of chiral selectors in HPLC monolithic stationary phases during the past 18 years.

Monolith columns for liquid chromatographic separations of intact proteins: A review of recent advances and applications

In this article we survey 256 references (with an emphasis on the papers published in the past decade) on monolithic columns for intact protein separation. Protein enrichment and purification are included in the broadly defined separation. After a brief introduction, we describe the types of monolithic columns and modes of chromatographic separations employed for protein separations. While the majority of the work is still in the research and development phase, papers have been published toward utilizing monolithic columns for practical applications. We survey these papers as well in this review. Characteristics of selected methods along with their pros and cons will also be discussed.

High performance affinity chromatography and related separation methods for the analysis of biological and pharmaceutical agents

The last few decades have witnessed the development of many high-performance separation methods that use biologically related binding agents. The combination of HPLC with these binding agents results in a technique known as high performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). This review will discuss the general principles of HPAC and related techniques, with an emphasis on their use for the analysis of biological compounds and pharmaceutical agents. Various types of binding agents for these methods will be considered, including antibodies, immunoglobulin-binding proteins, aptamers, enzymes, lectins, transport proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Formats that will be discussed for these methods range from the direct detection of an analyte to indirect detection based on chromatographic immunoassays, as well as schemes based on analyte extraction or depletion, post-column detection, and multi-column systems. The use of biological agents in HPLC for chiral separations will also be considered, along with the use of HPAC as a tool to screen or study biological interactions. Various examples will be presented to illustrate these approaches and their applications in fields such as biochemistry, clinical chemistry, and pharmaceutical research.

A protein-based mixed selector chiral monolithic stationary phase in capillary electrochromatography

A mixed selector CSP combines the enantioselectivities of both individual proteins, thus expanding their application range practically.

Affinity monolith chromatography: A review of general principles and applications

Affinity monolith chromatography, or AMC, is a liquid chromatographic method in which the support is a monolith and the stationary phase is a biological-binding agent or related mimic. AMC has become popular for the isolation of biochemicals, for the measurement of various analytes, and for studying biological interactions. This review will examine the principles and applications of AMC. The materials that have been used to prepare AMC columns will be discussed, which have included various organic polymers, silica, agarose, and cryogels. Immobilization schemes that have been used in AMC will also be considered. Various binding agents and applications that have been reported for AMC will then be described. These applications will include the use of AMC for bioaffinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, dye-ligand affinity chromatography, and immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography. The use of AMC with chiral stationary phases and as a tool to characterize biological interactions will also be examined.

Analysis of stereoselective drug interactions with serum proteins by high-performance affinity chromatography: A historical perspective

The interactions of drugs with serum proteins are often stereoselective and can affect the distribution, activity, toxicity and rate of excretion of these drugs in the body. A number of approaches based on affinity chromatography, and particularly high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC), have been used as tools to study these interactions. This review describes the general principles of affinity chromatography and HPAC as related to their use in drug binding studies. The types of serum agents that have been examined with these methods are also discussed, including human serum albumin, α1-acid glycoprotein, and lipoproteins. This is followed by a description of the various formats based on affinity chromatography and HPAC that have been used to investigate drug interactions with serum proteins and the historical development for each of these formats. Specific techniques that are discussed include zonal elution, frontal analysis, and kinetic methods such as those that make use of band-broadening measurements, peak decay analysis, or ultrafast affinity extraction.

Chromatographic Studies of Protein-Based Chiral Separations

The development of separation methods for the analysis and resolution of chiral drugs and solutes has been an area of ongoing interest in pharmaceutical research. The use of proteins as chiral binding agents in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been an approach that has received particular attention in such work. This report provides an overview of proteins that have been used as binding agents to create chiral stationary phases (CSPs) and in the use of chromatographic methods to study these materials and protein-based chiral separations. The supports and methods that have been employed to prepare protein-based CSPs will also be discussed and compared. Specific types of CSPs that are considered include those that employ serum transport proteins (e.g., human serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, and alpha1-acid glycoprotein), enzymes (e.g., penicillin G acylase, cellobiohydrolases, and α-chymotrypsin) or other types of proteins (e.g., ovomucoid, antibodies, and avidin or streptavidin). The properties and applications for each type of protein and CSP will also be discussed in terms of their use in chromatography and chiral separations.

On-column entrapment of alpha1-acid glycoprotein for studies of drug-protein binding by high-performance affinity chromatography

An on-column approach for protein entrapment was developed to immobilize alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) for drug-protein binding studies based on high-performance affinity chromatography. Soluble AGP was physically entrapped by using microcolumns that contained hydrazide-activated porous silica and by employing mildly oxidized glycogen as a capping agent. Three on-column entrapment methods were evaluated and compared to a previous slurry-based entrapment method. The final selected method was used to prepare 1.0 cm × 2.1 mm I.D. affinity microcolumns that contained up to 21 (±4) μg AGP and that could be used over the course of more than 150 sample applications. Frontal analysis and zonal elution studies were performed on these affinity microcolumns to examine the binding of various drugs with the entrapped AGP. Site-selective competition studies were also conducted for these drugs. The results showed good agreement with previous observations for these drug-protein systems and with binding constants that have been reported in the literature. The entrapment method developed in this study should be useful for future work in the area of personalized medicine and in the high-throughput screening of drug interactions with AGP or other proteins. Graphical abstract On-column protein entrapment using a hydrazide-activated support and oxidized glycogen as a capping agent.

Penetrable silica microspheres for immobilization of bovine serum albumin and their application to the study of the interaction between imatinib mesylate and protein by frontal affinity chromatography

In the current study, novel featured silica, named penetrable silica, simultaneously containing macropores and mesopores, was immobilized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) via Schiff base method. The obtained BSA-SiO2 was employed as the high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) stationary phase. Firstly, D- and L-tryptophan were used as probes to investigate the chiral separation ability of the BSA-SiO2 stationary phase. An excellent enantioseparation factor was obtained up to 4.3 with acceptable stability within at least 1 month. Next, the BSA-SiO2 stationary phase was applied to study the interaction between imatinib mesylate (IM) and BSA by frontal affinity chromatography. A single type of binding site was found for IM with the immobilized BSA, and the hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals interactions were expected to be contributing interactions based on the thermodynamic studies, and this was a spontaneous process. Compared to the traditional silica for HPLC stationary phase, the proposed penetrable silica microsphere possessed a larger capacity to bond more BSA, minimizing column overloading effects and enhancing enantioseparation ability. In addition, the lower running column back pressure and fast mass transfer were meaningful for the column stability and lifetime. It was a good substrate to immobilize biomolecules for fast chiral resolution and screening drug-protein interactions.

High-Performance Affinity Chromatography: Applications in Drug-Protein Binding Studies and Personalized Medicine

The binding of drugs with proteins and other agents in serum is of interest in personalized medicine because this process can affect the dosage and action of drugs. The extent of this binding may also vary with a given disease state. These interactions may involve serum proteins, such as human serum albumin or α1-acid glycoprotein, or other agents, such as lipoproteins. High-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC) is a tool that has received increasing interest as a means for studying these interactions. This review discusses the general principles of HPAC and the various approaches that have been used in this technique to examine drug-protein binding and in work related to personalized medicine. These approaches include frontal analysis and zonal elution, as well as peak decay analysis, ultrafast affinity extraction, and chromatographic immunoassays. The operation of each method is described and examples of applications for these techniques are provided. The type of information that can be obtained by these methods is also discussed, as related to the analysis of drug-protein binding and the study of clinical or pharmaceutical samples.

Analysis of drug interactions with very low density lipoprotein by high-performance affinity chromatography

High-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC) was utilized to examine the binding of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) with drugs, using R/S-propranolol as a model. These studies indicated that two mechanisms existed for the binding of R- and S-propranolol with VLDL. The first mechanism involved non-saturable partitioning of these drugs with VLDL, which probably occurred with the lipoprotein's non-polar core. This partitioning was described by overall affinity constants of 1.2 (±0.3) × 10(6) M(-1) for R-propranolol and 2.4 (±0.6) × 10(6) M(-1) for S-propranolol at pH 7.4 and 37 °C. The second mechanism occurred through saturable binding by these drugs at fixed sites on VLDL, such as represented by apolipoproteins on the surface of the lipoprotein. The association equilibrium constants for this saturable binding at 37 °C were 7.0 (±2.3) × 10(4) M(-1) for R-propranolol and 9.6 (±2.2) × 10(4) M(-1) for S-propranolol. Comparable results were obtained at 20 and 27 °C for the propranolol enantiomers. This work provided fundamental information on the processes involved in the binding of R- and S-propranolol to VLDL, while also illustrating how HPAC can be used to evaluate relatively complex interactions between agents such as VLDL and drugs or other solutes.

Affinity monolith chromatography: a review of principles and recent analytical applications

Affinity monolith chromatography (AMC) is a type of liquid chromatography that uses a monolithic support and a biologically related binding agent as a stationary phase. AMC is a powerful method for the selective separation, analysis, or study of specific target compounds in a sample. This review discusses the basic principles of AMC and recent developments and applications of this method, with particular emphasis being given to work that has appeared in the last 5 years. Various materials that have been used to prepare columns for AMC are examined, including organic monoliths, silica monoliths, agarose monoliths, and cryogels. These supports have been used in AMC for formats that have ranged from traditional columns to disks, microcolumns, and capillaries. Many binding agents have also been employed in AMC, such as antibodies, enzymes, proteins, lectins, immobilized metal ions, and dyes. Some applications that have been reported with these binding agents in AMC are bioaffinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography or immunoextraction, immobilized-metal-ion affinity chromatography, dye-ligand affinity chromatography, chiral separations, and biointeraction studies. Examples are presented from fields that include analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical analysis, clinical testing, and biotechnology. Current trends and possible directions in AMC are also discussed.

Identification and analysis of stereoselective drug interactions with low-density lipoprotein by high-performance affinity chromatography

Columns containing immobilized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were prepared for the analysis of drug interactions with this agent by high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). R/S-Propranolol was used as a model drug for this study. The LDL columns gave reproducible binding to propranolol over 60 h of continuous use in the presence of pH 7.4 0.067 M potassium phosphate buffer. Experiments conducted with this type of column through frontal analysis indicated that two types of interactions were occurring between R-propranolol and LDL, while only a single type of interaction was observed between S-propranolol and LDL. The first type of interaction, which was seen for both enantiomers, involved non-saturable binding; this interaction had an overall affinity (nK(a)) of 1.9 (±0.1) × 10(5) M(-1) for R-propranolol and 2.7 (±0.2) × 10(5) M(-1) for S-propranolol at 37 °C. The second type of interaction was observed only for R-propranolol and involved saturable binding that had an association equilibrium constant (K(a)) of 5.2 (±2.3) × 10(5) M(-1) at 37 °C. Similar differences in binding behavior were found for the two enantiomers at 20 °C and 27 °C. This is the first known example of stereoselective binding of drugs by LDL or other lipoproteins. This work also illustrates the ability of HPAC to be used as a tool for characterizing mixed-mode interactions that involve LDL and related binding agents.

Pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of affinity chromatography: recent trends and developments

Affinity chromatography is a separation technique that has become increasingly important in work with biological samples and pharmaceutical agents. This method is based on the use of a biologically related agent as a stationary phase to selectively retain analytes or to study biological interactions. This review discusses the basic principles behind affinity chromatography and examines recent developments that have occurred in the use of this method for biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis. Techniques based on traditional affinity supports are discussed, but an emphasis is placed on methods in which affinity columns are used as part of HPLC systems or in combination with other analytical methods. General formats for affinity chromatography that are considered include step elution schemes, weak affinity chromatography, affinity extraction and affinity depletion. Specific separation techniques that are examined include lectin affinity chromatography, boronate affinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, and immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. Approaches for the study of biological interactions by affinity chromatography are also presented, such as the measurement of equilibrium constants, rate constants, or competition and displacement effects. In addition, related developments in the use of immobilized enzyme reactors, molecularly imprinted polymers, dye ligands and aptamers are briefly considered.

High-throughput analysis of drug dissociation from serum proteins using affinity silica monoliths

A noncompetitive peak decay method was used with 1 mm×4.6 mm id silica monoliths to measure the dissociation rate constants (kd) for various drugs with human serum albumin (HSA) and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP). Flow rates up to 9 mL/min were used in these experiments, resulting in analysis times of only 20-30 s. Using a silica monolith containing immobilized HSA, dissociation rate constants were measured for amitriptyline, carboplatin, cisplatin, chloramphenicol, nortriptyline, quinidine, and verapamil, giving values that ranged from 0.37 to 0.78 s(-1). Similar work with an immobilized AGP silica monolith gave kd values for amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and lidocaine of 0.39-0.73 s(-1). These kd values showed good agreement with values determined for drugs with similar structures and/or affinities for HSA or AGP. It was found that a kd of up to roughly 0.80 s(-1) could be measured by this approach. This information made it possible to obtain a better understanding of the advantages and possible limitations of the noncompetitive peak decay method and in the use of affinity silica monoliths for the high-throughput analysis of drug-protein dissociation.

CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF DRUG INTERACTIONS IN THE SERUM PROTEOME

The binding of drugs with serum proteins and binding agents such as human serum albumin, α1-acid glycoprotein, and lipoproteins is an important process in determining the activity and fate of many pharmaceuticals in the body. A variety of techniques have been used to study drug interactions with serum proteins, but there is still a need for faster or better methods for such work. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one tool that has been utilized in many formats for these types of measurements. Advantages of using HPLC for this application include its speed and precision, its ability to be automated, its good limits of detection, and its compatibility with a wide range of assay formats and detectors. This review will discuss various approaches in which HPLC can be employed for the study of drug-protein interactions. These techniques include the use of soluble proteins in zonal elution and frontal analysis methods or vacancy techniques such as the Hummel-Dreyer method. Zonal elution and frontal analysis methods that make use of immobilized proteins and high-performance affinity chromatography will also be presented. A variety of applications will be examined, ranging from the determination of free drug fractions to the measurement of the strength or rate of a drug-protein interaction. Newer developments that will be discussed include recent work in the creation of novel mathematical approaches for HPLC studies of drug-protein binding, the use of HPLC methods for the high-throughput screening of drug-protein binding, and the creation and use of affinity monoliths or affinity microcolumns for examining drug-protein systems.

Characterization of drug interactions with serum proteins by using high-performance affinity chromatography

The binding of drugs with serum proteins can affect the activity, distribution, rate of excretion, and toxicity of pharmaceutical agents in the body. One tool that can be used to quickly analyze and characterize these interactions is high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). This review shows how HPAC can be used to study drug-protein binding and describes the various applications of this approach when examining drug interactions with serum proteins. Methods for determining binding constants, characterizing binding sites, examining drug-drug interactions, and studying drug-protein dissociation rates will be discussed. Applications that illustrate the use of HPAC with serum binding agents such as human serum albumin, α(1)-acid glycoprotein, and lipoproteins will be presented. Recent developments will also be examined, such as new methods for immobilizing serum proteins in HPAC columns, the utilization of HPAC as a tool in personalized medicine, and HPAC methods for the high-throughput screening and characterization of drug-protein binding.

Research Spotlight: Research in bioanalysis and separations at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln

The Chemistry Department at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) is located in Hamilton Hall on the main campus of UNL in Lincoln, NE, USA. This department houses the primary graduate and research program in chemistry in the state of Nebraska. This program includes the traditional fields of analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and physical chemistry. However, this program also contains a great deal of multidisciplinary research in fields that range from bioanalytical and biophysical chemistry to nanomaterials, energy research, catalysis and computational chemistry. Current research in bioanalytical and biophysical chemistry at UNL includes work with separation methods such as HPLC and CE, as well as with techniques such as MS and LC–MS, NMR spectroscopy, electrochemical biosensors, scanning probe microscopy and laser spectroscopy. This article will discuss several of these areas, with an emphasis being placed on research in bioanalytical separations, binding assays and related fields.

Bioaffinity chromatography on monolithic supports

Affinity chromatography on monolithic supports is a powerful analytical chemical platform because it allows for fast analyses, small sample volumes, strong enrichment of trace biomarkers and applications in microchips. In this review, the recent research using monolithic materials in the field of bioaffinity chromatography (including immunochromatography) is summarized and discussed. After giving an introduction into affinity chromatography, information on different biomolecules (antibodies, enzymes, lectins, aptamers) that can act as ligands in bioaffinity chromatography is presented. Subsequently, the history of monoliths, their advantages, preparation and formats (disks, capillaries and microchips) as well as ligand immobilization techniques are mentioned. Finally, analytical and preparative applications of bioaffinity chromatography on monoliths are presented. During the last four years 37 papers appeared. Protein A and G are still most often used as ligands for the enrichment of immunoglobulins. Antibodies and lectins remain popular for the analysis of mainly smaller molecules and saccharides, respectively. The highly porous cryogels modified with ligands are applied for the sorting of different cells or bacteria. New is the application of aptamers and phages as ligands on monoliths. Convective interaction media (epoxy CIM disks) are currently the most used format in monolithic bioaffinity chromatography.

Analysis of lidocaine interactions with serum proteins using high-performance affinity chromatography

High-performance affinity chromatography was used to study binding by the drug lidocaine to human serum albumin (HSA) and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP). AGP had strong binding to lidocaine, with an association equilibrium constant (K(a)) of 1.1-1.7 x 10(5) M(-1) at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4. Lidocaine had weak to moderate binding to HSA, with a K(a) in the range of 10(3) to 10(4) M(-1). Competitive experiments with site selective probes showed that lidocaine was interacting with Sudlow site II of HSA and the propranolol site of AGP. These results agree with previous observations in the literature and provide a better quantitative understanding of how lidocaine binds to these serum proteins and is transported in the circulation. This study also demonstrates how HPAC can be used to examine the binding of a drug with multiple serum proteins and provide detailed information on the interaction sites and equilibrium constants that are involved in such processes.

Analysis of drug interactions with high-density lipoprotein by high-performance affinity chromatography

Columns containing immobilized lipoproteins were prepared for the analysis of drug interactions with these particles by high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). This approach was evaluated by using it to examine the binding of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to the drugs propranolol and verapamil. HDL was immobilized by the Schiff base method onto silica and gave HPAC columns with reproducible binding to propranolol over 4-5days of continuous operation at pH 7.4. Frontal analysis experiments indicated that two types of interaction were occurring between R- or S-propranolol and HDL at 37 degrees C: saturable binding with an association equilibrium constant (K(a)) of 1.1-1.9x10(5)M(-1) and nonsaturable binding with an overall affinity constant (n K(a)) of 3.7-4.1x10(4)M(-1). Similar results were found at 4 and 27 degrees C. Verapamil also gave similar behavior, with a K(a) of 6.0x10(4) M(-1) at 37 degrees C for the saturable sites and an n K(a) for the nonsaturable sites of 2.5x10(4)M(-1). These measured affinities gave good agreement with solution phase values. The results indicated that HPAC can be used to study drug interactions with HDL, providing information that should be valuable in obtaining a better description of how drugs are transported within the body.

Evaluation of silica monoliths in affinity microcolumns for high-throughput analysis of drug-protein interactions

Silica monoliths in affinity microcolumns were tested for the high-throughput analysis of drug-protein interactions. HSA was used as a model protein for this work, while carbamazepine and R-warfarin were used as model analytes. A comparison of HSA silica monoliths of various lengths indicated columns as short as 1 to 3 mm could be used to provide reproducible estimates of retention factors or plate heights. Benefits of using smaller columns for this work included the lower retention times and lower back pressures that could be obtained versus traditional HPLC affinity columns, as well as the smaller amount of protein that is required for column preparation. One disadvantage of decreasing column length was the lower precision that resulted in retention factor and plate height measurements. A comparison was also made between microcolumns containing silica particles versus silica monoliths. It was demonstrated with R-warfarin that supports could be used in HSA microcolumns for the determination of retention factors or plate heights. However, the higher efficiency of the silica monolith made this the preferred support for work at higher flow rates or when a larger number of plates are needed during the rapid analysis of drug-protein interactions.

Characterization of drug-protein interactions in blood using high-performance affinity chromatography

The binding of drugs with proteins in blood, serum, or plasma is an important process in determining the activity, distribution, rate of excretion, and toxicity of drugs in the body. High-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC) has received a great deal of interest as a means for studying these interactions. This review examines the various techniques that have been used in HPAC to examine drug-protein binding and discusses the types of information that can be obtained through this approach. A comparison of these techniques with traditional methods for binding studies (e.g., equilibrium dialysis and ultrafiltration) will also be presented. The use of HPAC with specific serum proteins and binding agents will then be discussed, including HSA and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP). Several examples from the literature are provided to illustrate the applications of such research. Recent developments in this field are also described, such as the use of improved immobilization techniques, new data analysis methods, techniques for working directly with complex biological samples, and work with immobilized lipoproteins. The relative advantages and limitations of the methods that are described will be considered and the possible use of these techniques in the high-throughput screening or characterization of drug-protein binding will be discussed.

In-column preparation of a brush-type chiral stationary phase using click chemistry and a silica monolith

Brush-type chiral stationary phases (CSP) have been prepared both from a silica monolith and, separately, from 10 mum porous silica beads via a process of in-column modification including attachment of the chiral selector via copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Azide functionalities were first introduced on the pore surface of each type of support by reaction with 3-(azidopropyl)trimethoxysilane, followed by immobilization of a proline-derived chiral selector containing an alkyne moiety. This functionalization reaction was carried out in dimethylformamide (DMF) in the presence of catalytic amounts of copper (I) iodide. The separation performance of these triazole linked stationary phases was demonstrated in enantioseparations of four model analytes, which afforded separation factors as high as 11.4.