Development of a novel C1q immunoadsorbent for removal of circulating immunecomplexes: quantitative isolation of hepatitis B virus surface antigen and immunecomplexes.

A technique for large scale production of human C1q from plasma by affinity chromatography on an anti-C1q column is described. Affinity purified C1q was covalently coupled to a newly developed agarose polyacrolein microsphere beads immunoadsorbent. This immunoadsorbent was utilized for quantitative removal of artificially formed bovine serum albumin (BSA)-anti-BSA immune complexes (IC). The C1q affinity column was then used for the isolation of immunecomplexes containing hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) from serum of an HBsAg carrier. Identical columns may be utilized for quantitative removal of a variety of IC from blood of patients with infectious and autoimmune diseases, as well as neoplastic diseases. Furthermore, dissociated immunecomplexes will provide an additional source for purification of specific antigens.