Preparation and Characterization of Polysulfone Affinity Membranes Bearing a Synthetic Peptide Ligand for the Separation of Murine Immunoglobulins

Affinity membranes have been prepared by immobilizing D-PAM, a synthetic ligand that exhibits affinity for the Fc portion of antibodies, onto poliethersulfone microporous membranes. The ligand density has beet? measured and the ligand utilization was evaluated and compared with literature data available for chromatographic beads. The resulting new affinity membranes have been experimentally characterized and tested by using pure murine IgG solutions and mouse serum. Equilibrium and kinetic parameters have been obtained in batch experiments using pure protein solutions. The highest binding capacity measured for murine IgG was 45 mu g/cm(2) obtained at 1.2 mg/mL protein concentration at equilibrium while the maximum static binding capacity calculated with the Langmuir model was 81 mu g/cm(2). The adsorption of murine IgG on the affinity membranes was described using different isotherms: Freundlich and Temkin models have been considered and critically compared with the Langmuir adsorption model. A dynamic binding capacity of 21 mu g/cm(2) was obtained by feeding a solution of 0.3 mg/mL of murine IgG, confirming the results obtained in batch experiments at the same concentration. The affinity membranes considered are endowed with good binding capacity for murine IgG and good selectivity for immunoglobulins and can be considered for the capturing step of an antibody production process.