SERUM AFFINITY-CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR THE DETECTION OF IGG ALLOANTIBODIESIN A PATIENT WITH HIGH-TITER IGM COLD AGGLUTININS

Background and Objectives: High-titer cold autoagglutinins (CA) interf ere with the detection of alloantibodies against red-blood-cell antige ns. The diagnostic procedure is extremely difficult, especially under pressure of time. It was the purpose of the study to find out whether quantitative IgG purification from serum or plasma by affinity chromat ography facilitates the detection of IgG alloantibodies in the presenc e of high-titer IgM CA. Materials and Methods: Serum: IgM-kappa CA, 0 degrees C titer = 65,000; five anti-IgG reactive alloantibodies. Affin ity chromatography: HiTrap protein G 1-ml affinity column (Pharmacia B iotech, Uppsala, Sweden). Results: All IgG alloantibodies were detecta ble in the eluate after affinity chromatography without interference o f IgM CA. Conclusion: IgG alloantibodies in the presence of high-titer IgM CA can be easily and rapidly detected under routine conditions by quantitative IgG purification from serum or plasma by affinity chroma tography.