Process for therapeutic dissociation of immune complexes and removal of antigens
First Claim
1. A method for removing antigens from a patient'"'"'s circulatory system, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining blood containing antigens from a patient;
diluting the blood by adding a physiologically compatible electrolyte solution containing low molecular weight constituents of plasma so as to wash off at least a portion of the antigens from cellular components present in the blood prior to plasma separation;
separating a plasma fraction from the cellular components of the diluted blood, said separated plasma containing antigens;
removing the antigens from the plasma;
removing excess plasma fluid without removing substantial amounts of plasma protein so as to reduce the volume of plasma;
mixing the reduceed volume of plasma with the cellular blood components; and
returning the treated blood to the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method for treating blood to remove foreign substances such as immune complexes and free antigen. This is advantageously accomplished by separating a portion of a patient'"'"'s blood as plasma, and acidifying the plasma to a pH below about 3.1 in order to cause the immune complexes to dissociate into antigen and antibody. After removing the antigen, the plasma is returned to the patient. Preferably, the patient'"'"'s blood is substantially diluted prior to plasma separation, thereby substantially increasing the clearance rate of the plasma separator device and also washing off antigens bound to cellular blood components. Also, it is preferred that the plasma fraction is further diluted during the acidification step. Subsequent removal of excess fluid will cause substantial removal of free antigen. In a presently preferred process, the excess fluid volume is reduced by use of an ultrafiltration device capable of passing antigen, but not larger protein constituents of plasma. The resultant plasma solution is advantageously subjected to dialysis to simultaneously remove remaining antigen and to raise the pH back to a physiological level.
47 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for removing antigens from a patient'"'"'s circulatory system, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining blood containing antigens from a patient; diluting the blood by adding a physiologically compatible electrolyte solution containing low molecular weight constituents of plasma so as to wash off at least a portion of the antigens from cellular components present in the blood prior to plasma separation; separating a plasma fraction from the cellular components of the diluted blood, said separated plasma containing antigens; removing the antigens from the plasma; removing excess plasma fluid without removing substantial amounts of plasma protein so as to reduce the volume of plasma; mixing the reduceed volume of plasma with the cellular blood components; and
returning the treated blood to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for removing circulating antigens from a patient'"'"'s circulatory system, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining from a patient blood containing immune complexes; separating a portion of the plasma component of the blood from the cellular components of the blood, said separated plasma containing immune complexes; mixing a sufficient volume of an acid to the separated plasma in order to reduce the pH of the plasma to a pH such that the immune complexes in the plasma will dissociate into respective antigens and antibodies; removing the antigens from the plasma; mixing the treated plasma with the cellular blood components; and returning the treated blood and antibodies contained therein to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for removing circulating antigens from a patient'"'"'s circulatory system, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining from a patient blood containing immune complexes; separating a portion of the plasma component of the blood from the cellular components of the blood, said separated plasma containing immune complexes; mixing a sufficient volume of a weak acid to the separated plasma in order to substantially dilute the concentration of immune complexes per unit of plasma and to reduce the pH of the diluted plasma sufficiently so that the immune complexes in the plasma will dissociate into respective antigens and antibodies; removing the antigens from the plasma; removing excess plasma fluid without removing substantial amounts of plasma protein so as to reduce the volume of plasma; adding a basic material to the reduced volume of plasma so as to raise the pH of the reduced volume of plasma to a physiological pH; mixing the reduced volume of plasma with the cellular blood components; and returning the treated blood and antibodies contained therein to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for removing circulating antigens from a patient'"'"'s circulatory system, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining from a patient blood containing immune complexes; diluting the blood prior to plasma separation by adding a dilution fluid containing low molecular weight constituents of plasma; separating from about 40 percent to about 60 percent of the diluted blood as a plasma fraction from the cellular components of the blood, said separated plasma containing immune complexes; diluting the plasma fraction by addition of an acid solution in order to substantially dilute the concentration of immune complexes per unit of plasma and also to reduce the pH of the diluted plasma sufficiently so that the immune complexes in the diluted plasma will dissociate into respective antigens and antibodies; removing excess plasma fluid without removing substantial amounts of plasma protein so as to reduce the volume of plasma and to simultaneously remove antigens; removing additional antigens from the reduced volume of plasma; adding a basic material to the reduced volume of plasma to raise the pH of thee reduced volume of plasma to a physilological pH; mixing the reduced volume of plasma with the cellular blood components; and returning the treated blood to the patient.
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Specification