One-step purification of tissue-type plasminogen activator using affinity chromatography with a special monoclonal antibody under mild conditions

Abstract

We have previously isolated a monoclonal antibody, designated as 1-3-1, specific for tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). We have shown that t-PA dissociates from 1-3-1 in the presence of the lysine analogue 6-aminohexanoic acid (6-AHA). Here we describe a method for the one-step immunoaffinity purification of t-PA from conditioned melanoma cell medium, using 1-3-1 immobilised on Sepharose under mild elution conditions, favourable for t-PA. The yield of t-PA (antigen or total protein) from a 1-3-1-Sepharose column, when eluted using a buffer supplemented with 0.2 M 6-AHA at neutral pH, was as effective as other buffers that involve a strong pH-change, i.e., pH 2-3. However, the enzymatic activity of the t-PA purified with 6-AHA was 25 to 30% higher, as compared with t-PA eluted using a pH change. This resulted in a markedly higher specific activity of t-PA purified with 0.2 M 6-AHA, as compared with t-PA purified using a strong pH-change. The purity of t-PA, purified using the present method, was very high, as determined by gel electrophoresis. An additional advantage of the present procedure is that the mild elution conditions prolong the column life.