Abstract
Ota, K. REMOVAL OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS BY EXCHANGE BLOOD TRANSFUSION UTILIZING PHPSOLUTION. Polyethylene glycol conjugate of pyridoxalated human hemoglobin solution (PEP) is an oxygen carrier without containing any corpuscular components. In the present study, we performed exchange blood transfusion in rats, using PHP solution as a replacement fluid. Changes in IgG, IgA and IgM concentrations were examined in order to assess the possibility of the removal of immunologic substances. After the procedure, body weight transiently decreased, but gradually returned to normal level within three weeks after the procedure. The serum level of IgG, IgA and IgM decreased to less than 10%, 25%, and 25% respectively of the baseline, but gra-dually returned to normal level concurrently with the recovery of body weight. The results suggest that exchange blood transfusion with PEP solution may be useful for the preoperative removal of naturally preformed antibodies in xenotransplantation.
