Protein dynamic binding capacities on ion exchange resins are typically expected to decrease with increasing conductivity and decreasing protein charge. There are, however, conditions where capacity increases with increasing conductivity and decreasing protein charge. Capacity measurements on two different commercial ion exchange resins with three different monoclonal antibodies at various pH and conductivities exhibited two domains. In the first domain, the capacity unexpectedly increased with increasing conductivity and decreasing protein charge. The second domain exhibited traditional behavior. A mechanism to explain the first domain is postulated; proteins initially bind to the outer pore regions and electrostatically hinder subsequent protein transport. Such a mechanism is supported by protein capacity and confocal microscopy studies whose results suggest how knowledge of the two types of IEX behavior can be leveraged in optimizing resins and processes. ß
Effects of pH and conductivity on the ion exchange chromatographic purification of an antigen-binding antibody fragment (Fab) of pI 8.0 were investigated. Normal sulfopropyl (SP) group modified agarose particles (SP Sepharose TM Fast Flow) and dextran modified particles (SP Sepharose XL) were studied. Chromatographic measurements including adsorption isotherms and dynamic breakthrough binding capacities, were complemented with laser scanning confocal microscopy. As expected static equilibrium and dynamic binding capacities were generally reduced by increasing mobile phase conductivity (1-25 mS/ cm). However at pH 4 on SP Sepharose XL, Fab dynamic binding capacity increased from 130 to 160 (mg/mL media) as mobile phase conductivity changed from 1 to 5 mS/cm. Decreasing protein net charge by increasing pH from 4 to 5 at 1.3 mS/cm caused dynamic binding capacity to increase from 130 to 180 mg/mL. Confocal scanning laser microscopy studies indicate such increases were due to faster intraparticle mass transport and hence greater utilization of the media's available binding capacity. Such results are in agreement with recent studies related to ion exchange of whole antibody molecules under similar conditions.
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