title: Simple and rapid technique for monitoring the quality of meningococcal polysaccharides by high performance size-exclusion chromatography.
abstract: The molecular size of meningococcal polysaccharides is an important physico-chemical parameter which correlates with immunogenicity. This paper describes the experimental conditions for high-performance size-exclusion chromatography on a PL Aquagel-OH 60 column to follow changes in the size distribution and therefore in the distribution coefficient (K(D)) of the meningococcal polysaccharides of groups A, C, Y and W-135 used to formulate anti-Neisseria meningitidis vaccines. The experimental conditions were also found to be suitable for a rapid monitoring of the quality (no group A polysaccharide depolymerization) of the tetravalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Batteriologia e Micologia Medica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy. cris.v.h@iss.it
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Hunolstein
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bottaro
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D005782:Gels; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial