EXTRACORPOREAL IMMUNOADSORPTION FROM WHOLE-BLOOD BASED ON THE AVIDIN-BIOTIN CONCEPT - EVALUATION OF A NEW METHOD

This study of 36 rats with rat colon adenocarcinoma transplants was ca rried out to investigate the efficacy of a new method of whole blood i mmunoadsorption (WBIA) in removing biotinylated monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directly from unseparated blood, in order to increase 'the tumo r/normal-tissue uptake ratio', as compared with extracorporeal immunoa dsorption (ECIA) of antibodies from plasma, Compared with the ECIA sys tem, the overall volume of the WBIA system (comprising only a pump, an adsorption column, a drop-chamber and tubings) was less (3.6 vs, 6.2 ml), and procedure duration 2 h less. The 17 rats undergoing the WBIA procedure, started 12 h after i.v. injection of 4.0-4.5 MBq I-125-BR96 -biotin, manifested neither hemolysis nor any other complication; no s igns of organ edema were found at dissection; whole body and blood rad ioactivity values were reduced by 51% and 89.5% respectively, The WBIA method was as effective as ECIA, but technically simpler, safer and m ore reliable.