Separation of protein antigens of Bordetella bacteria by affinity chromatography

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A process for purifying protein antigens of bacteria of the Bordetella genus comprising contacting a solution containing said protein antigens with a chromatography material comprising a solid support on which is fixed a ligand having an affinity for pertussis toxin, said ligand being a desialyled protein selected from the group consisting of desialyled fetuin and desialyled haptoglobin and collecting or eluting the desired antigens.
2.
The process of claim 1 wherein said ligand is fixed on a polymeric support.
3.
The process of claim 2 wherein said polymeric support is fixed on a porous mineral support.
4.
The process of claim 1 wherein subsequent to contacting said solution with said chromotagraphy material, pertussis toxin is eluted from said material.
5.
The process of claim 1 wherein said solution to be contacted with said chromatography material is a fraction enriched in F-HA and that subsequent to contacting said fraction with said chromatography material a purified solution of F-HA free of pertussis toxin is collected.




Description:
The present invention relates to a new affinity chromatography material and to its use principally in the separation and purification of protein antigens of bacteria belonging to the Bordetella genus.
It is known that the culture of bacteria of the Bordetella genus, for example, Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica, yields the F-HA protein (Filamentous hemagglutinin).
Moreover, the culture of B-pertussis toxin, also yields a protein exotoxin: pertussis toxin, also called LPF or LPF-HA (Leukocytosis Promoting Factor-Hemagglutinin).
These proteins can be employed principally in the preparation of acellular anti-whooping cough vaccines.
The separation and purification of protein antigens of bacteria of the Bordetella genus so as to obtain purified antigens with good yields pose technical problems which are difficult to resolve.
Generally, affinity chromatography techniques are employed in a purification operation