Biological activities of polyethylene-glycol immunoglobulin conjugates. Resistance to enzymatic degradation.
Serum IgG has been covalently bonded to polyethylene glycols of either 2000 or 8000 molecular weight to produce immunoglobulin conjugates with 4.4-27.2% of primary amines bonded to polyethylene glycol. Polyethylene glycol immunoglobulin conjugates retain the ability, comparable to native IgG, to bind to a range of protein and microbial antigens, but have a reduced ability to bind to Fc receptors or to fix complement C3. When 6.8% or more of available primary amines are conjugated, IgG-PEG conjugates are impervious to trypsin, and at 14% or more conjugation, more resistant than native IgG to pepsin and chymotrypsin. We suggest that PEG-Ig conjugates may be useful for the oral treatment of various gastrointestinal diseases in which secretory humoral immunity is insufficient.
Cunningham-Rundles
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C
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City, NY 10029.
Zhuo
Z
Z
Griffith
B
B
Keenan
J
J
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010434:Pepsin A / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D003176:Complement C3; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014357:Trypsin; D010434:Pepsin A