APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING PROTEINS FROM BLOOD PLASMA

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for reacting a solution of a precipitating medium of alkaline metal chlorides at a fixed rate of delivery with plasma continuously separated from blood, filtering the precipitate formed by the reaction, re­ moving the solution of precipitating medium from the plas­ ma following the use of the medium, adjusting the purified treated plasma, and returning the purified plasma to the blood in an amount equivalent to that of the continuously separated plasma. To enhance the precipitative separating action of alkaline metal chloride on plasma protein without detracting from the advantages of the alkaline metal chlo­ ride, use is made of a solution of precipitating medium com­ prising a mixture of the alkaline metal chloride and an ami­ no acid, the latter being added in an amount sufficient to promote the precipitating effect of the alkaline metal chloride.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: This invention relates to an apparatus which utilizes an agent to separate and remove specific proteins such as immune complexes, immunoglobulins, fibrinogen and other soluble macromolecular proteins from blood plasma. The apparatus is used in removing pathogenic substances from a large quantity of collected blood followed by reinfusion of the blood, and in the purification of plasma by removal of pathogenic substances from a large quantity of pool blood. 2. Description of the Prior Art: It is becoming clear that immunoglobulins, immune complexes, complement, fibrinogen and other soluble macromolecular substances contained in blood play a role in causing autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and other antigenic diseases. These diseases are treated by a plasma exchange process which includes removing plasma containing the harmful substances from the patient's blood and replacing the plasma with a substitute fluid. This process was first used in 1963 for the treatment of macroglobulinemia and since then has been tried in the treatment of many illnesses. With the development in recent years of membrane-type plasma separators, plasma exchange has become simpler and, hence, more widely practiced. However, the wider application of this treatment has been accompanied by increased consumption of the substitute fluids (e.g., FFP, agents made of albumin and the like) the supply of which has, as a result, become limited and higher in cost. An additional problem is that the infusion of a large quantity of human plasma can bring about unwelcome side effects such as hepatitis, allergic reactions and serum sickness. A method now undergoing research for dealing with the foregoing problems is so-called plasma purification or cleansing which, rather than relying upon a substitute fluid, selectively removes the macromolecular proteins causing the particular illness from the patient's blood plasma and reinfuses the patient with his or her own cleansed blood plasma containing albumin and other useful plasma ingredients. Plasma purification processes known so far include a process or removing macromolecular protein from blood plasma by using a membrane having a pore diameter smaller than that of a plasma separating membrane, and a process for the adsoptive removal of macromolecular protein from blood plasma by relying upon an adsorbent. While the former has tentatively shown some efficacy in clinical use and has won some standing as a curative means, the latter is still in the basic research stage and only partial clinical use has been reported. Both processes have drawbacks in that the former exhibits insufficient selectivity in terms of removing specific proteins and the latter is incapable of treating a large quantity of plasma at one time. Thus, neither process is truly adequate. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a more effective and efficient apparatus for purifying blood plasma. EP-A-0 074 610 discloses an apparatus for separating proteins from blood plasma comprising the features as outlined in the opening clause of the newly submitted main claim. However, in this prior art apparatus, the pump wherewith the plasma is forwarded to the plasma separator is a first separate pump 11, and the pump wherewith the treated plasma is transported to the air trap is a second separate pump. This construction requires a high degree of synchronous operation of the two separate pumps and respective controlling means, because otherwise the ratio of the input volume to the output volume is not kept at a constant level. In case synchronicity cannot be provided during the operation of the known apparatus, the transported plasma is subjected to undesired pressure variations. Moreover, the separate pumps and their controlling means require space, power and imply a higher probability of failures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the separation and removal of proteins from blood plasma, which apparatus is improved in terms of structure and function to fractionate various proteins from blood plasma selectively and in large quantities by utilizing a difference in solubility. According to the present invention, this object is attained by providing an apparatus for the separation and removal of proteins from blood plasma comprising the features of the patent claim. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating another preferred embodiment of a blood purifying apparatus according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating flow rate control performed by a control unit in the apparatus of Fig. 1; DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Blood plasma contains proteins of a high molecular weight, such as immune complexes, immunoglobulins and fibrinogen, as well as proteins of a comparatively low molecular weight, such as albumin. There is a need in self-purifying plasma treatment to selectively remove only the proteins of high molecular weight and leave the plasma with the useful proteins of low molecular weight, such as albumin. The inventors have conducted extensive research with regard to media capable of precipitating proteins in plasma and as a result have found that alkaline metal chlorides, particularly sodium chloride, owing to their comparatively weak salting-out action and low solubility, cause specific precipitation solely of the macromolecular proteins such as fibrinogen and immunoglobulins with hardly any precipitation of albumin, even if the medium, say sodium chloride, is added to the plasma in an amount greater than that required for saturation. More specifically, the inventors have discovered that if the sodium chloride added for separating and removing the precipitate formed by mixing the precipitating medium with plasma is maintained in the plasma at an amount above that needed for saturation, then strict control is unnecessary, and that there is no change in the effectiveness of precipitation or in the composition of the precipitate, as well as no change in the properties of the protein, even at the high level of sodium chloride addition. Based on the fruits of this research, the inventors have perfected the present apparatus which is capable of purifying blood by separating solely the macromolecular proteins from a large quantity of blood plasma by on-line implementation of the steps of plasma separation, precipitate formation, removal of the precipitate and recovery of the processed plasma. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a blood purifying system according to an embodiment of the inventive apparatus for the separation and removal of a protein constituent from blood plasma. A blood pump 1 delivers blood collected from a patient into a main conduit 101 made of, e.g., vinyl chloride. The main conduit 101 is connected to a plasma separator 2 which, by centrifugal- or membrane-type separation, separates the blood entering from the conduit into plasma and blood cell fractions. The separated plasma from the separator 2 is fed into a secondary conduit 102, also made of vinyl chloride, by a double roller-type plasma pump 3 which, at the same time, returns processed blood plasma in amount equivalent to the plasma drawn from the patient. A vessel 4 containing a solution of a precipitating medium is connected to a precipitating medium solution pump 5 operatively associated with the plasma pump 3 for delivering the solution of precipitating medium from the vessel 4 at a fixed feed ratio. A mixer 6 receives plasma delivered by the plasma pump 3 and the solution of precipitating medium delivered by the pump 5 for mixing the two together. The outlet of the mixer 6 is connected to a plasma filtering unit 7 for removing a protein fraction which has precipitated inside the mixer 6. The outlet of the plasma filtering unit 7 is in turn connected to a plasma constituent adjusting unit 8 for removing the precipitating medium from the filtered plasma and for adjusting water content and electrolyte. The processed plasma following its adjustment in the adjusting unit 8 is fed by the pump 3 into a plasma mixing unit 9, where the plasma is mixed and rejoined with the concentrated blood comprising the blood cells originally separated from the incoming blood by the plasma separator 2. A control unit 10 acts through the blood pump 1, plasma pump 3 and precipitating medium solution pump 5 to control the amounts of blood, plasma and precipitating medium solution delivered. With the above-described arrangement, the patient's blood introduced from a blood inlet a is cleansed automatically and continuously before being returned to the patient from a blood outlet b . More specifically, blood drawn form the patient is introduced by the blood pump 1 into the plasma separator 1, where the blood is separated into blood cell and plasma fractions. The plasma resulting from the separation is led into the secondary conduit 102 by the plasma pump 3 and flows into the mixing unit 6. Meanwhile, the solution of precipitating medium in the vessel 4 is delivered to the mixing unit 6, in which mixing with the plasma takes place, by the plasma medium solution pump 5 rotated at a fixed ratio in operative association with the plasma pump 3. A precipitate (mainly fibrinogen and globulin fractions) that forms in the mixing unit 6 is filtered out by the plasma filtering unit 7 for precipitate removal. The resulting filtered plasma, which still contains the precipitating medium, is then subjected to dewatering and dialysis processes are performed separately at different stages. Specifically, the plasma filtered by the filtering unit 7 for precipitate removal is fed into a plasma concentrating unit 11 where the plasma is dewatered to a degree no less than the amount of precipitating medium solution added. The dewatering process is performed by a plasma pump 13 operatively associated with the plasma pump 3 and controlled to provide a flow rate equal to or less than that of the plasma pump 3. Next, the concentrated plasma from the concentrating unit 3 is fed into a precipitating medium removal unit 12, where residual precipitating medium is removed and electrolyte adjusted. The resulting plasma is then delivered to the plasma mixing unit 9 by the double roller-type pump 3 in an amount equivalent to that of the plasma collected. The concentrated blood delivered by the plasma separator 2 mixes with the plasma in mixing unit 9, whence the resulting mixture is reinfused into the patient from the blood outlet b . Examples of the solution of the precipitating medium for protein separation are solutions of a variety of salts, namely alkaline metal salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium phosphate and sodium citrate, ammonium salts such as ammonium sulfate, and the like. In particular, when an alkaline metal salt is used, the amount of salt added need not be strictly controlled, for it will suffice if control is exercised such that the amount of salt added is maintained above that necessary for causing the macromolecular proteins to precipitate out of the plasma. In addition, though it is possible to use an organic solvent such as ethanol, an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid or an organic acid such as ascorbic acid, there is the possibility of a change in properties of the proteins when these substances are employed. It is therefore necessary to provide a set-up in which close attention is paid to temperature measurement and control of pH at mixing. The control unit 10 sets and regulates the rotating ratios of the pumps 3 and 5 mainly in dependence upon both the concentration of the precipitating medium solution and the protein that is desired to be removed from the plasma and is adapted to control the average flow rates of these motors so as to mix in an amount of the precipitating medium solution prescribed in accordance with the amount of plasma. For example, if ammonium sulfate is used as the precipitating medium solution, fibrinogen will substantially precipitate at an ammonium sulfate concentration in plasma of about 10 g/dl, and both fibrinogen and -globulin will substantially precipitate at an ammonium concentration in plasma of about 20 g/dl. Therefore, in case of a saturated solution (about 54 g/dl), each of the proteins can be made to precipitate and separate from the plasma if the settings are such as to add the ammonium sulfate at rates of about 23 ml and 59 ml, respectively, with respect to 100 ml of plasma. It takes about 10 to 20 mS for this chemical reaction. Flow rate control of this kind can readily be executed under the control of a microprocessor equipped with the control program of Fig. 2, described later. Any dialyzer configuration will suffice providing that it has a dewatering capability that enables removal of the added amount of precipitating medium solution at less than the usable pressures, as well as a dialyzing capability that enables the concentration of the precipitating medium to be brought below a stipulated value. Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of flow rate control executed by the control unit 10 of Fig. 1. The first step S1 of the flowchart calls for the pump 1 to be driven and controlled at an average delivery rate U (e.g., 60 to 100 ml/min) set as the average flow rate at which blood is to be collected from a patient. The next step S2 calls for the double roller-type pump 3 to be driven and controlled at an average delivery rate S (e.g., 15 to 40 ml/min) determined in relation to the delivery rate U. Next, at a step S3, a rate k at which the solution of precipitating medium is to be delivered is determined in dependence upon the kind of plasma protein to be precipitated, and the pump 5 is driven and controlled at an average delivery rate W (=k S) determined based on k. This is followed by a step S4, at which dewatering is performed to a degree no less than the amount of precipitating medium solution added. To this end, the pump 13 is driven and controlled in operative association with the plasma pump 3 and at an average delivery rate M (≦S), namely at a rate equal to or less than at which the plasma pump 3 is driven. It is then decided at a step S5 whether purification has ended. If the decision here is affirmative, all pumps are stopped; if negative, the control sequence is continued from step S1. In order to avoid too much hemolysis, transmembrane pressure (TMP) is controlled so as not to exceed 45 mmHg. Thus, the invention provides an apparatus capable of highly efficient separation and removal of macromolecular proteins such as immunoglobulins and fibrinogen contained in blood plasma. Preferably, an alkaline metal chloride such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride is used as the protein precipitating medium. A precipitating medium of this type will neither alter the effectiveness of precipitation nor change the properties of the protein in the plasma even if the medium is added to the plasma in large quantities. This provides a high level of stability even when large quantities of plasma are submitted to the purification treatment. In addition, since the precipitating medium selectively precipitates solely the proteins of large molecular weight such as immunoglobulins and fibrinogen but causes almost no precipitation of the useful proteins of low molecular weight such as albumin, the useful constituents (albumin, etc.) can be reinfused into the patient following the self-purification of the patient's blood; hence, a substitute fluid used in plasma exchange treatment is unnecessary. This solves the problems encountered in the prior art, namely the side effects such as hepatitis and allergic reactions, the high cost and the scarcity of substitute fluid supplies. Further, according to the present invention, the process for separating and removing protein consituents from blood plasma can be practiced on-line, thereby shortening overall processing time and reducing the danger of bacterial infection.

Claims: An apparatus for separation and removal of proteins from blood plasma comprising: a main conduit section (101) having a blood inlet (a) for receiving blood and a blood outlet (b) for supplying blood; a plasma separator (2) and a plasma-blood mixing unit (9) interposed in fluid communication in said main conduit section (101) between said blood inlet (a) and said blood outlet (b), with said plasma separator (2) separating plasma from blood introduced from the blood inlet (a); a plasma pump means (3) for delivering the plasma separated by said plasma separator (2) into a secondary conduit (102) at a predetermined delivery rate, and a pump means for delivering treated plasma to said plasma-blood mixing unit (9); a vessel (4) for accommodating an agent for the precipitative separation of proteins from blood plasma; a precipitating medium pump (5) for delivering said agent from the vessel (4); a mixing unit (6) for mixing the delivered plasma and the delivered agent, whereby a precipitate is formed in said mixing unit (6); a plasma filter (7) for removing the precipitate formed in said mixing unit (6), thereby resulting in filtered plasma; a plasma constituent adjusting unit (8) for removing the agent from the filtered plasma and for producing said treated plasma by adjusting the filtered plasma in terms of water content and electrolyte; and a control means (10) for driving and controlling said plasma pump means (3) and said precipitating medium pump (5) so that said plasma pump (3) is operatively associated with said precipitating medium pump (5) to deliver said treated plasma at a rate equivalent to said predetermined delivery rate of said plasma pump (3); said apparatus being characterised in that the plasma pump means (3) for delivering the plasma separated by said plasma separator (2) into the secondary conduit and the pump means (3) for delivering treated plasma to said plasma-blood mixing unit (9) is a single, common double roller-type plasma pump (3); said plasma constituent adjusting unit (8) comprises plasma concentrating means (11) operatively associated with a further plasma pump (13) for removing water from the plasma in an amount equal to or more than the amount of the agent mixed therewith, thereby resulting in concentrated plasma; said further plasma pump (13) being operatively associated with said double roller-type plasma pump (3) for delivering the concentrated plasma from said plasma concentrating means (11) at a flow rate equal to or less than said predetermined delivery rate of said double roller-type plasma pump (3); and a precipitating medium removing means (12) is provided for removing the agent from the concentrated plasma and for adjusting the electrolyte of the concentrated plasma.

Inventors: OHE, HIROAKI, WATANABE, MASAHARU
Applicants: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA TRADING AS TERUMO CORPORATION
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61M1