Immune polymer

Fig. 2. Diagram illustrating the immune polymer method, Dako s Envision . This is a two step, fast method which allows the use of more dilute primary antibody. The enzyme-containing polymer reagent is "universal" in that it contains antirabbit/mouse immunoglobulins and will bind to rabbit or mouse primary antibodies (A, immunoglobulin , peroxidase enzyme).

Key words Direct assay, Indirect assay, Peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, Immune polymer, DAB chromagen, PBS buffer, TBS buffer... 

Cost rules out almost all alternative materials for long-distance pipe lines it is much cheaper to build and protect a mild steel pipe than to use stainless steel instead - even though no protection is then needed. The only competing material is a polymer, which is completely immune to wet corrosion of this kind. City gas mains are now being replaced by polymeric ones but for large diameter transmission lines, the mechanical strength of steel makes it the preferred choice. 

An affinity sorbent based on WPA-PG carrying immobilized human IgG was applied to the isolation of the first component of the complement (Cl) from human serum and for its separation into subcomponents Clr, Cls and Clq by the one-step procedure [126,127]. Cl was quantitatively bound to the sorbent at 0 °C. The activities of subcomponents Clq and Clr2r2 in the unbound part of the serum were found to be 0.8% and 3.3% of the initial activities in serum. This fraction, therefore, could be used as a R1 reagent for determining the hemolytic activity of Cl. Apparently, the neighboring macromolecules of immobilized IgG resemble to some extent an immune complex, whereas Cl formation is facilitated due to the mobility of polymer chains with the attached IgG macromolecules (Cl is usually dissociated in serum by 30%). After activation of bound Cl by heating (30 °C, 40 min) the activated subcomponent Clr is eluted from the sorbent. Stepwise elution with 0.05 mol/1 EDTA at pH 7.4 or with 0.05 mol/1 EDTA + 1 mol/1 NaCl at pH 8.5 results in a selective and quantitative elution of the activated subcomponent Cls and subcomponent Clq. 

As mentioned in the introduction, various reviews over the last ten years show that many plants contain bioactive polysaccharides. Most of the plants studied were chosen due to their traditional use for different kinds of illnesses where the immune system could be involved. The following section will describe the pectic type polymers from the plants most studied for their structure, and activities related to the structure where possible. 

Black pepper contains several polysaccharides of which one shows a strong effect as an immune enhancer based on the fact that the polymer is an anti-complementary polysaccharide. The polysaccharide has an Mw of approx. 40 kD. It is composed basically of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose and galac-turonic acid, and shows a high binding capacity for the Yariv reagent. This indicates that the side chain of the polymer is of the arabinogalactan type II, which is a common structure for several polysaccharides with an effect on the complement system [70]. 

Compared with tar, which has a relatively short lifetime in the marine environment, the residence times of plastic, glass and non-corrodible metallic debris are indefinite. Most plastic articles are fabricated from polyethylene, polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride. With molecular weights ranging to over 500,000, the only chemical reactivity of these polymers is derived from any residual unsaturation and, therefore, they are essentially inert chemically and photochemically. Further, since indigenous microflora lack the enzyme systems necessary to degrade most of these polymers, articles manufactured from them are highly resistant or virtually immune to biodegradation. That is, the properties that render plastics so durable... 

Kohn, J., Niemi, S. M., Albert, E. C., Murphy, J. C., Danger, R., and Fox, J. G., Single step immunization using a controlled release, biodegradable polymer with sustained adjuvant activity, J. Immunol. Meth., 95. 31-38, 1986. 

Some immunoglobulins such as immune IgG exist only in the basic tetrameric structure, while others such as IgA and IgM can exist as higher order polymers of two, three (IgA), or five (IgM) tetrameric units (Figure 50-10). 

Fig. 1 Immune complex binding activity of pectic polysaccharides (Reproduced with permission from reference 6. copyright 1994 Carbohydrate polymer).

Polyanionic polymers can enter into biological functions by distribution throughout the host and they behave similar to proteins, glycoproteins and polynucleotides which modulate a number of biological responses related to the host defense mechanism. These are enhanced immune responses, and activation of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) macrophages. 

Newman K. (1994). Mannan-oligosaccharides Natural polymers with significant impact on the gastrointestinal microflora and immune system , in Lyon, T.P. Biotechnology in the Feed Industry, Nottingham University Press, Nicolasville, Kentucky, 167-180. 

Raghuvanshi RS, Katare YK, Lalwani K et al (2002) Improved immune response from biodegradable polymer particles entrapping tetanus toxoid by use of different immunization protocol and adjuvants. Int J Pharm 245 109-121... 

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