Analytical control procedures of immunoreactivity for IgG and Fab fragments specific to haptens

Fab-bound Colchicine Appears to Adopt Fab Fragment Disposition in Rats

The disposition of colchicine-specific Fab fragments and the effect of Fab fragment administration on the disposition of colchicine were studied in anaesthetized bile duct-cannulated rats. One group of rats (n = 6) received a 125I-Fab dose of 38 mg kg−1 i.v. The plasma disposition was characterized by a volume of distribution of 179 ± 48 mL kg−1, total body clearance of 1·02 ±0·07 mL min−1 kg−1, t½α of 0·17 ± 0·03 h and t½α of 1·3 ± 0·3 h. Fab fragments were in part excreted by the renal route (15·6 ± 6% of the Fab dose), while biliary excretion was a minor route (< 2% of the Fab dose). Two other groups of rats received 15 μg kg−1 colchicine (n = 6) or 15 μg kg−1 colchicine plus 38 mg kg−1 colchicine-specific Fab fragments (n = 6) by intravenous infusion. Pharmacokinetics of colchicine was markedly altered in the Fab-colchicine-treated rats. In this group, distribution volume and total body clearance of colchicine were decreased by factors of 22 and 10, respectively, compared with the values in the colchicine-treated group and were very similar to those of Fab fragments. An 80% reduction of cumulative biliary excretion of colchicine was observed in Fab-colchicine-treated rats (P < 0·01). The fraction of colchicine dose excreted by the urinary route was 38 ± 6·9 and 9 ± 0·7% respectively in Fab-colchicine- and colchicine-treated groups (P < 0·01). These data show that during Fab treatment, colchicine followed the elimination kinetics of Fab fragments. This study supports the view that Fab fragments could be of benefit in acute colchicine poisoning by neutralizing colchicine in the vascular compartment and imposing its elimination kinetics on colchicine.

Immunoreactivity of a new generation of horse F(ab')2 preparations against European viper venoms and the tetanus toxin

The immunoreactivity of the current and the new more purified, pasteurized preparations of horse F(ab')2 against the tetanus toxin and Vipera aspis venom was investigated with a biosensor based on technology using the optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance. Immunoreactivity data were compared with seroneutralization titres to investigate immunoreactivity-immunoprotection efficacy relationships. The association-dissociation rate and affinity constants of the current and the new tetanus toxin-specific F(ab')2 preparations were similar, at about 10(4) M-1 sec-1, 10(-4) sec-1 and 10(8) M-1, respectively. Similar values were found using a solid immunoradiometric assay. To assess the immunoreactivity of V. aspis venom-specific horse F(ab')2, the mol. wt and percentage of the antigenic fractions of V. aspis venom were determined. Western blotting of electrophoresis gels showed four antigenic fractions of V. aspis venom (mol. wts 17,500, 28,500, 32,000 and 60,000), which represented 6, 3.4, 17.7 and 5% of total venom, respectively. Association and dissociation rate constants were in the same range as those of the tetanus toxin-F(ab')2 interactions for each of the four antigenic fractions. Seroneutralization of both tetanus toxin and V. aspis by the corresponding specific F(ab')2 showed that the LD50 mg-1 protein was 1.76-fold and 1.51-fold higher with the new than with the current preparations, respectively. These improvements in efficacy were in close agreement with the higher immunoreactive fraction ratios, which were 2-fold and 1.8-fold higher with the new preparations. These results demonstrate that the removal of non-IgGT immunoglobulins and the pasteurization treatment have no overall influence on F(ab')2 affinity but improve the specific activity of these new antitoxin horse F(ab')2.

Affinity and dose-dependent digoxin Na+K+ATPase dissociation by monoclonal digoxin-specific antibodies

The effect of three monoclonal digoxin-specific antibodies and of polyclonal Digidot as reference on digoxin dissociation from rat brain Na+K+ATPase microsomes was studied to determine the role of the affinity constant (Ka) and dose of the antibody on the rate of digoxin dissociation from Na+K+ATPase. Stoichiometrical doses of 1C10, 6C9, 9F5 IgG, and Digidot (Ka = 6 10(9), 3.1 10(8), 2.5 10(7), and 8.5 10(9) M-1, respectively) resulted in digoxin dissociation related to Ka. When the IgG:digoxin molar ratio increased from 0.25 to 10, digoxin dissociation from Na+K+ATPase sites also increased according to the Hill equation, allowing comparative parameters among the three antibodies to be determined. 1C10 IgG was 2- and 10-fold more efficacious than 6C9 and 9F5, respectively. This in vitro model appears to be a useful predictive screening assay before in vivo experimentation.

Monoclonal digoxin-specific antibodies induce dose- and affinity-dependent plasma digoxin redistribution in rats

The effect of three monoclonal digoxin-specific antibodies on total and free digoxin plasma disposition was studied in rats in order to determine the role of affinity constant (Ka) and dose. Thirty minutes after digoxin infusion, administration of a stoichiometrical dose of the ICIO, 6C9 and 9F5 IgG (Ka = 6 10(9), 3.1 10(8) and 2.5 10(7) M-1, respectively) resulted in a plasma digoxin increase linearly related to Ka. The mean free plasma digoxin was 0.6 +/- 0.4, 7.8 +/- 3.3 and 43 +/- 22% respectively after 1C10, 6C9, and 9F5 IgG infusion in comparison to 70 +/- 9% in the control group. When the IgG:digoxin ratio increased from 1 to 5, plasma digoxin Cmax and AUCT also increased as a function of both affinity (Ka) and dose (N), but not linearly. The product of NKa defined an immunoreactivity factor that was well fitted to the digoxin redistribution parameters (Cmax and AUCT) by a Hill equation.

High-affinity rabbit antibodies directed against methotrexate: production, purification, characterization, and pharmacokinetics in the rat

We describe the production, purification, characterization, and disposition of rabbit polyclonal methotrexate antibodies. These antibodies are prepared for subsequent testing of a drug delivery approach to reduce systemic toxicity upon regional administration of methotrexate. The polyclonal antibodies were raised in New Zealand white female rabbits immunized with a methotrexate-bovine serum albumin conjugate. The anti-methotrexate antibodies were sequestered from rabbit serum through the use of a protein-G affinity column which allowed for purification of up to 100 mg of rabbit IgG in 30-40 min. The extent of purification was demonstrated through SDS-PAGE and calculation of specific binding activity relative to total protein concentration. The purified antibodies have been shown to have high affinity (Keq range: 1.8 x 10(8) to 8.75 x 10(9) M-1) and high selectivity for methotrexate. Preliminary pharmacokinetic studies of the purified antibodies in the rat following a 6 mg/kg intravenous infusion (n = 4) indicate a steady state volume of distribution of 38.0 +/- 11.2 mL kg-1, a systemic clearance of 0.92 +/- 0.67 mL kg-1 h-1 and an elimination half life of 28.9 +/- 7.9 h (mean +/- SD).