Freeze-dried whole plasma: evaluating sucrose, trehalose, sorbitol, mannitol and glycine as stabilizers

Several groups report stability results for freeze-dried whole plasma intended for use as a transfusion product [Hellstern P, Sachse H, Schwinn H, Oberfrank K. Manufacture and in vitro characterization of a solvent/detergent-treated human plasma. Vox Sang 1992;63:178-185; Trobisch H. Results of a quality-control study of lyophilized pooled plasmas which have been virally inactivated using a solvent detergent method (modified Horowitz procedure). Beitr Infusionsther 1991;28:92-109; Hugler P, Trobish H, Neuman H, Moller, Sirtl C, Derdak M, Laubenthal H. Quality control of three different conventional fresh-frozen plasma preparations and one new virus-inactivated lyophilized pooled plasma preparation. Klin Wochenschr 1991;69:157-161; Krutvacho T, Chuansumrit A, Isarangkura P, Pintadit P, Hathirat P, Chiewsilp P. Response of hemophilia with bleeding to fresh dry plasma. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 1993;24:169-173; Chuansumrit A, Krasaesub S, Angchaisuksiri P, Hathirat P, Isarangkura P. Survival analysis of patients with haemophilia at the International Haemophilia Training Centre, Bangkok, Thailand. Haemophilia 2004;10:542-549]. Plasma coagulation properties are substantially impaired in these freeze-dried plasmas, while pH levels are close to alkaline. In this work, plasma supplemented with 60mM sucrose, trehalose, mannitol, sorbitol or glycine was freeze-dried. The samples were subjected to forced degradation at 40 degrees C for 10 days in order to quickly evaluate the effectiveness of the different stabilizers. Initial PT, APTT and TT values were 14.4+/-0. 5s, 31.4+/-1.5s and 18.3+/-0.6s, respectively. At the end of the degradation period, PT, APTT and TT were substantially prolonged, and were 19.1+/-0. 5s, 43.1+/-0.6s and 26.1+/-1.0s, respectively. In the presence of glycine, at the end of the degradation period, PT, APTT and TT values remained close to the initial values and were 15.5+/-0. 4s, 35.7+/-0.9s and 19.4+/-0.2s, respectively. Percent activities of the coagulation factors V, VII, VIII, IX, X and the coagulation inhibitors protein C, protein S and antithrombin III were recorded. Factors V and VIII were most prone to degradation. Factor V and VIII activities, in control plasma, were approx. 44+/-3.5% and 58+/-2.3%, at the end of storage. In contrast, much higher factor V and VIII activities were maintained in the lyophilized glycine-supplemented plasma: approx. 60+/-3.5% and 74+/-7.0%, correspondingly. The most stable protein was protein C, which showed no signs of degradation under the testing conditions of this study. All tested stabilizers provided protection. Glycine, however, outperformed all tested polyols, providing superior preservation of plasma clotting properties. Thermograms of 60mM glycine in water and 60mM glycine in plasma show that, in the presence of plasma, glycine does not crystallize. The process of freeze-drying caused a complete loss of plasma pCO(2) (gas) and a substantial increase in plasma pH. Citric acid was found to be a suitable pH adjuster for lyophilized/rehydrated plasma.