Immunoradiometric assay for the determination of E. coli proteins in recombinant dna derived human growth hormone produced at IPEN-CNEN/SP

An immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for the determination of multiple antigens was set up in order to quantify E. coli (ECP) in lots of purified recombinant human growth hormone (rec-hGH). SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting techniques were carried out, in parallel, to confirm the results obtained by IRMA and to provide more information about the contaminants. Anti-ECP antibodies were obtained by rabbit immunization with ECP, which were submitted to the same purification process utilized for rec-hGH with the exception of the last step. A strain-process-specific assay was thus set up. The antiserum obtained was purified through an affinity column prepared with the same ECP used for immunization, this provided an highly sensitive assay (0,03 ng ECP/mL). This IRMA was shown to be specific, not presenting any cross reaction with hGH and studies carried out on precision, accuracy and linearity of response with dilution confirmed its validity as one of the fundamental purity tests for rec-hGH produced at IPEN-CNEN/SP, whose principles can be easily extended to the analysis of other similar products. These studies have also shown that the utilization of an affinity column, prepared with the described anti-ECP antiserum was very effective, providing rec-hGH lots with less then 10 parts per million (0,001%) of contaminating proteins. (author). 45 refs., 15 figs., 11 tabs