Selective adsorbent for the removal of immunoglobulin E in bronchial asthma.

Agar-gel resin with tryptophan as ligand was synthesized as an adsorbent for the removal of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in bronchial asthma. Factors affecting the adsorption properties of the adsorbent, such as the different kind of amino acid linked to the carrier, NaOH concentration and amount of epichlorohydrin used in activation, were studied in detail. The effect of spacer on the adsorption capacity was also investigated. Results showed that the agar-tryptophan adsorbent with a spacer could enhance the adsorption capacity to 70.73% (1309.403IU/g agar-gel), which was higher than that without spacers (53%). The selectivity and hemocompatibility of the adsorbent were also examined, which showed good selectivity for IgE and satisfactory blood compatibility.