An experimental study on selective elimination of beta 2-microglobulin using immunoadsorption method in patients with...

We studied selective elimination of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) from plasma of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) by using immunoadsorption method. Anti-human beta 2-m antibody of rabbit IgG was coated with cellulose beads, which were filled into a small-column. One gm of cellulose beads contains 5.0 mg of the protein of antibody. Five to 7 ml of plasma samples with 40 to 70 mg/l of beta 2-m were passed through the column at 1.0 ml/10 min and each effluent was then collected by 1.0 ml consecutively. Before and after passing through the column, beta 2-m and other plasma proteins were measured. Plasma beta 2-m concentrations in all the effluent fractions after passing through the column were greatly reduced to 1/100. But no other plasma protein components than beta 2-m varied in concentration. Neither Immune complex (IC) nor rabbit IgG was detected in any effluent fraction. These results indicate that selective and effective elimination of beta 2-m from plasma in patients with CRF was possible by using our method. In addition, since neither IC nor rabbit IgG was detected in the effluent, this method was considered to be clinically applicable.