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Published on: December 12, 2011
Multicentre collaborative study to calibrate IGF-II by bioassay and immunoassay: establishment of the First WHO
B Rafferty1, P Rigsby, R E Gaines-Das
1Division of Endocrinology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Controls, South Mims, Potters Bar, Herts, UK. brafferty@nibsc.ac.uk
A preparation of recombinant insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) (NIBSC code 96/538) was compared with local standards in bioassays and immunoassays by eight laboratories in four countries to assess its suitability for use as a World Health Organisation (WHO) reference reagent. Estimates of relative potencies for the bioassays gave a geometric mean of 1.04 (0.94--1.16) microg of local standard per microg of 96/538. Estimates of relative immunological activities by immunoassay gave a geometric mean of 1.15 (0.94--1.38) microg of local standard per microg of 96/538. The study provided evidence that a common standard for rhIGF-II would be helpful and that 96/538 was sufficiently stable to serve as a reference reagent. Accordingly 96/538 was established as the First WHO Reference Reagent for IGF-II, human, recombinant, and assigned a unitage of 5000 units per ampoule and on the basis of the immunoassay results a nominal mass content of 5 microg per ampoule.
A preparation of recombinant insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) (NIBSC code 96/538) was compared with local standards in bioassays and immunoassays by eight laboratories in four countries to assess its suitability for use as a World Health Organisation (WHO) reference reagent. Estimates of relative potencies for the bioassays gave a geometric mean of 1.04 (0.94--1.16) microg of local standard per microg of 96/538. Estimates of relative immunological activities by immunoassay gave a geometric mean of 1.15 (0.94--1.38) microg of local standard per microg of 96/538. The study provided evidence that a common standard for rhIGF-II would be helpful and that 96/538 was sufficiently stable to serve as a reference reagent. Accordingly 96/538 was established as the First WHO Reference Reagent for IGF-II, human, recombinant, and assigned a unitage of 5000 units per ampoule and on the basis of the immunoassay results a nominal mass content of 5 microg per ampoule.

