The International Reference Preparation of Tetracosactide for Bioassay: characterization and estimation of its (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide content by physicochemical and biological methods

1984 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Storring ◽  
G. Witthaus ◽  
R. E. Gaines Das ◽  
W. Stamm

ABSTRACT The preparation and nature of the International Reference Preparation of Tetracosactide for Bioassay (IRP; in ampoules coded 80/590) are described. The IRP was studied by six laboratories in five countries using in-vivo and in-vitro bioassays and various physicochemical methods. The bulk (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide (batch 000179) from which the IRP was prepared contained 10·4% (w/w) acetic acid and 8·3% (w/w) water; its (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide content was estimated to be 71·7% (w/w) by amino acid analysis, 74·2% (w/w) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 77·5% (w/w) by spectrophotometry. (1–24)Corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide accounted for more than 90% (w/w) of the total peptide in the IRP as judged by HPLC, thin-layer chromatography, carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography, isoelectric focusing (IEF) and electrophoresis. The homogeneity of the peptide in the IRP was similar by all methods to that in batch 000179 from which it was prepared. The (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide content of the IRP (with 95% confidence limits), in terms of batch 000179, was found to be 491 μg/ampoule by HPLC and spectrophotometry, 473 (433–513) μg/ ampoule by IEF and 505 (473–539) μg/ampoule by the in-vitro rat adrenocortical cell assay. A comparison in the same bioassay system of the IRP with a laboratory house standard of (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide, which originated from a different manufacturer, gave similar results. Accelerated thermal degradation studies of the IRP by adrenocortical cell assay, HPLC and IEF suggested that more than 99·9% of its original content of (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide would remain after 10 years under normal storage conditions of − 20 °C in the dark. Bioassay estimates of samples of the IRP which had undergone significant degradation were higher than estimates by HPLC, indicating that molecular species other than (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide contributed to their corticotrophic activity. The corticotrophic activity of the IRP was demonstrated by cytochemical bioassay and by in-vivo bioassay as well as by the adrenocortical cell assay. After consideration of these data, the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization established the ampouled preparation, coded 80/590, as the International Reference Preparation of Tetracosactide for Bioassay and assigned to it a potency of 490 i.u./ampoule; thus the i.u. is represented by 1 μg (1–24)corticotrophin-tetracosapeptide. J. Endocr. (1984) 100, 51–60

1985 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Gaines Das ◽  
A. F. Bristow

ABSTRACT Four batches of ampouled materials in ampoules coded 80/558, 81/502, 81/565 and 81/615 were evaluated by 22 laboratories in nine countries in an international collaborative study for their suitability to serve as a replacement for the First International Reference Preparation (IRP) of TSH, Human, for Immunoassay. The ampouled preparations were calibrated by immunoassay and bioassay. The preparation coded 80/558 had satisfactory stability and contained acceptably low levels of contamination with FSH and LH. Estimates of the immunoreactive TSH content of a set of specimens of serum in terms of 80/558 showed agreement in ranking order and no increase in variability compared with estimates made by assay against the First IRP. On the basis of these results, with the agreement of the participants in the study, and with the authorization of the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization, the preparation coded 80/558 was established in 1983 as the Second International Reference Preparation of TSH, Human, for Immunoassay, with a defined potency of 37 mi.u./ampoule. Preparations coded 81/502, 81/565 and 81/615 were found suitable to serve as working standards. J. Endocr. (1985) 104, 367–379


1981 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. STORRING ◽  
A. A. ZAIDI ◽  
Y. G. MISTRY ◽  
BERIT FRÖYSA ◽  
BRIDGET E. STENNING ◽  
...  

The FSH potencies of 12 preparations of highly purified human pituitary FSH, originating from six different laboratories, were determined by in-vivo and in-vitro bioassays and by immunoassay in terms of the First International Reference Preparation of Human Pituitary Gonadotrophins (FSH and LH) for Bioassay (IRP; coded 69/104). The contamination of these FSH preparations with LH was also determined. Estimates of protein content were based on the absorbance at 280 nm of solutions of the preparations, assuming that A1%1 cm 280 = 10. The FSH potencies varied between different preparations from 827 i.u./mg to 13 100 i.u./mg by in-vivo bioassay; from 2930 to 14 600 i.u./mg by in-vitro bioassay and from 1680 to 5690 i.u./mg by immunoassay. The ratios of in-vivo biological activity relative to in-vitro biological activity and to immunoreactivity respectively varied between preparations from 0·06 to 2·3 and from 0·15 to 4·1, and there was a significant positive correlation between each of these ratios and the in-vivo biological potency of the preparations; such differences could be due to varying degrees of sialylation between preparations. On the other hand the ratios of in-vitro biological activity to immunoreactivity between preparations were fairly constant (approx. 2). The excess biological activity relative to immunoreactivity observed, in terms of the IRP, in all these materials is consistent with recent findings of some immunoreactive FSH in the IRP unassociated with biological activity. These data did not demonstrate any significant advantage, in terms of FSH in-vivo biological potency, from the use of fresh-frozen rather than acetone-dried pituitary glands for the isolation of FSH. Contamination of all these preparations with LH appeared to be less than 3% (w/w), as determined by in-vitro bioassay and by immunoassay. The results of this study are discussed in relation to the selection of material for an international reference preparation for immunoassay and attention is drawn to the value of high in-vivo biological FSH potency as a criterion of the identity of a preparation as well as of its freedom from contaminants without FSH biological activity.


1980 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. STORRING ◽  
ROSE E. GAINES-DAS ◽  
D. R. BANGHAM

The preparation and nature of the International Reference Preparation of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) for Immunoassay (IRP), as well as that of a second batch of ampoules (HCG 75/589) prepared identically from the same HCG preparation, are described. A collaborative study of these materials was carried out by 11 laboratories in eight countries, using different bioassay and immunoassay methods. Using the various in-vivo and in-vitro bioassays and receptor assays, the mean log potency estimates for each method within each laboratory of the HCG content of ampoules of the IRP, in terms of the Second International Standard of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin for Bioassay (IS), were homogeneous and gave an overall weighted geometric mean (95% confidence limits) of 650 (632–669) International Units (i.u.)/ampoule. There was considerable heterogeneity of potency estimates of the IRP in terms of the IS both within and between many of the immunoassay systems (reflecting the impurity of the IS), and hence attempts to calibrate the IRP with immunoassay systems of different specificities were invalid. Immunoassay estimates of the HCG content of preparations of serum and urine, in terms of the IRP, showed considerable heterogeneity between assay systems (although the degree of this heterogeneity was no greater than that observed using the IS as standard), but the ranking order between preparations was consistent. Confirmation was obtained that contamination of the IRP with HCG-α and HCG-β subunits was insignificant. Accelerated degradation studies of the IRP stored at increased temperatures suggested that its stability under normal storage conditions would be satisfactory. It was agreed that the IRP was suitable to serve as an international reference preparation for immunoassay, and it was assigned a unitage of 650 i.u./ampoule on the basis of bioassay calibration. Since the ampoules of HCG (75/589) did not differ significantly from the IRP in any of the assay systems studied, it appeared to be equally suitable as a reference preparation. The International Reference Preparations of the α and β Subunits of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin for Immunoassay are also described.


1978 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Storring ◽  
D. R. Bangham ◽  
P. Mary Cotes ◽  
Rose E. Gaines ◽  
S. L. Jeffcoate

ABSTRACT The preparation and nature of the International Reference Preparation of Human Pituitary Luteinizing Hormone for Immunoassay are described. A collaborative assay of this material (coded 68/40) in terms of the International Reference Preparation of Human Pituitary Gonadotrophins (FSH and LH (ICSH)), for Bioassay (coded 69/104) was carried out by twelve laboratories in seven different countries, using different bioassay and immunoassay methods. The weighted combined potency estimate (with 95 % confidence limits) was 52.1 (46.3–58.7) IU/ampoule with male accessory reproductive organ weight gain assays; 80.2 (73.2–87.9) IU/ampoule with ovarian ascorbate depletion assays; 127 (124–129) IU/ampoule with in vitro Leydig cell testosterone production assays; and 124 (121–126) IU/ampoule with testis receptor binding assays. Immunoassay estimates in terms of the same standard were heterogeneous and gave an unweighted mean potency estimate of 33.2 IU with 95% confidence limits of 14.8– 74.4 IU/ampoule. Estimates from different methods gave significantly different results, and the reasons for this are discussed in terms of the differences between the materials being compared and the methods used in the comparison. These data illustrate the conceptual difficulties involved in comparing hetero geneous reference preparations, especially by both bioassay and immunoassay, and some of the causes of inevitable discontinuity of assay results, as described in the 26th Report of the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization. On the basis of these results, and in the interest of maintaining continuity of its unitage, the International Reference Preparation has been allocated a potency of 77 IU/ampoule.


1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (03) ◽  
pp. 645-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
P J Gaffney ◽  
M V Mussett

SummaryAn international collaborative study involving seven laboratories was undertaken to assess the suitability of a freeze- dried preparation of human plasmin to replace the current International Reference Preparation (IRP) for plasmin. Chromogenic and fibrinolytic assays were used by all participating laboratories to assess the potencies of the Proposed International Reference Preparation (PIRP) and two other freeze-dried plasmins, one of human and one of porcine originThe data suggest that the PIRP is a more suitable standard for plasmin than the IRP in that the former binds to fibrin whereas only 50% of the latter binds. The PIRP compared well to other plasmin preparations and the potency assays were independent of the assay procedure and substrate used. Degradation studies indicated that the PIRP was far more stable than the glycerol solution of the IRP, surviving for 12 months at 37° C with no significant loss in either amidolytic or fibrinolytic activity. The International Committee for Thrombosis and Haemostasis (Bergamo, 1982) has recommended the use of this material as a standard and it has been established by the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization as the second International Reference Preparation for Plasmin with a defined potency of 10 International Units of Plasmin per ampoule.


1979 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROSE E. GAINES DAS ◽  
P. MARY COTES

As authorized by the World Health Organization 29th Expert Committee on Biological Standardization, the preparation of human prolactin in ampoules coded 75/504 has been established as the International Reference Preparation (IRP) of human prolactin for immunoassay. From the results of a collaborative study, to which 15 laboratories in nine countries contributed, with the agreement of the participants, the content of each ampoule is defined as 0·650 International Units (i.u.; 650 mi.u.) immunoassay. The results of this collaborative study show that the IRP is adequately stable and suitable for use as a standard for the determination of prolactin in human plasma and serum. Estimates of the prolactin content of human plasma and serum made in the various laboratories have been compared and show good agreement in ranking order, but only fair agreement in the numerical value of the estimates. Numerical agreement is poor between estimates of the human prolactin content of two samples identical except for coding; this shows the difficulty in achieving continuity of estimates when any laboratory calibrates a replacement standard.


1993 ◽  
Vol 128 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan M Zanelli ◽  
Rose E Gaines-Das ◽  
P Corran

The biological potency of calcitonins in clinical use in long-term treatment of Paget's disease of bone and, increasingly, in osteoporosis is usually expressed in international units defined by the relevant World Health Organization international reference preparation. The international reference preparations for porcine and human calcitonins were ampouled in 1970 and stocks are now exhausted. Replacement standards were ampouled in 1989 and have been evaluated and calibrated by an international collaborative study comprising 16 laboratories in 12 countries. Evaluations included high-performance liquid chromatography and in vitro bioassay; calibration of each new ampouled preparation in terms of its international reference preparation was by in vivo rat hypocalcaemia bioassay. On the basis of the results of the study and with the agreement of the participants, replacement standards were established by the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization in 1991: the international standard for porcine calcitonin (ampoule code 89/540), with an assigned potency of 0.8 international units per ampoule, and the international standard for human calcitonin, with an assigned potency of 17.5 international units per ampoule. Both international standards appeared to be sufficiently stable to serve as the international standards for in vivo biological assays. Comparison of the two species of calcitonin in the same hypocalcaemia assay showed that they were approximately equipotent when the doses were given intravenously but that the human peptide was four- to sixfold more potent than porcine calcitonin when doses were given subcutaneously, emphasizing the need to compare "like with like".


1982 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Storring ◽  
A. A. Zaidi ◽  
Y. G. Mistry ◽  
Monica Lindberg ◽  
Bridget E. Stenning ◽  
...  

Abstract. The LH potencies of 12 preparations of highly purified human pituitary LH, from 6 laboratories, were estimated by 2 in vivo bioassays and an in vitro bioassay in terms of the International Reference Preparation of Human Pituitary Gonadotrophins (FSH and LH) for Bioassay (coded 69/104); and by immunoassay in terms of the International Reference Preparation of Human Pituitary Luteinizing Hormone for Immunoassay (IRP; coded 68/40). The LH potencies varied between preparations, including the IRP (68/40), from 864 to 5740 IU/mg by seminal vesicle weight gain (SVW) assay; from 1510 to 11500 IU/mg by ovarian ascorbate depletion (OAAD) assay; from 4490 to 14500 IU/mg by in vitro (testicular interstitial-cell testosterone production) bioassay; and from 2030 to 9180 IU/mg by immunoassay. Estimates of protein content were based on the assumption that the absorbance of LH at 280 nm (A 1% 1 cm) was 6.0. The LH potency of most preparations was highest by in vitro bioassay and lowest by SVW assay. The correlation between activities determined by SVW and OAAD assays was more marked than that between estimates by OAAD assay and in vitro bioassay; there was no correlation between estimates by SVW assay and in vitro bioassay. The slopes of the log dose-response curves of preparations in the OAAD assay were positively correlated with their potencies by OAAD assay and negatively correlated with the slopes of their log dose-response curves in the SVW assay. The qualitative differences between preparations are considered to be a reflection of the heterogeneity of LH and of its modification by different purification procedures. The present data, together with the different patterns of heterogeneity found in some of these preparations by isoelectric focusing in a separate study, suggest that the more basic molecular forms of LH, which are preferentially purified during the isolation of LH free from FSH and TSH, have shorter plasma survival times than the more acidic forms. The LH immunoreactivities of all preparations were significantly correlated with their potencies estimated by each of the in vivo bioassays but not with those estimated by in vitro bioassay. The ratios of in vitro bioactivity (in terms of IRP (68/40)): immunoreactivity varied between preparations from 0.53–1.5. The FSH content of each preparation was less than 2% (w/w) by bioassay and immunoassay. Most preparations were more potent by in vitro bioassay than by in vivo bioassay, which contrasted with, and complemented, findings for purified FSH preparations. This indicated that, as in the case of LH, the more basic molecular species of FSH are associated with lower ratios of in vivo: in vitro bioactivity than are the more acidic species. This study provides the most comprehensive comparison available of the activities of purified preparations of LH isolated from frozen and acetone-dried human pituitary glands in different experienced laboratories. These data are needed for selecting material for an international reference preparation of LH for immunoassay on the basis of high LH potency by in vivo bioassay, recommended by the WHO as a criterion for the identity of the hormone and for its freedom from contaminants. The consequences of the heterogeneity of LH are considered for the purification of the reference material and for the suitability of the latter for the various types of specimens which require LH assays.


1992 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Storring ◽  
R. E. Gaines Das

ABSTRACT The International Standard (IS) for Recombinant DNA-Derived (rDNA) Erythropoietin (EPO) (in ampoules coded 87/684) and three other rDNA EPO preparations in ampoules coded 87/690, 87/696 and 88/574 respectively, were compared with two preparations of highly purified human urinary (HU) EPO and the 2nd International Reference Preparation of Human Urinary Erythropoietin for Bioassay (2nd IRP) by 26 laboratories in 11 countries using a wide range of in-vivo and in-vitro bioassays and immunoassays. These EPO preparations were also compared by electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. Estimates of EPO content in terms of the 2nd IRP by all in-vivo bioassay methods gave combined unweighted geometric means (with 95% fiducial limits) of: 86 (75–99) IU/ampoule for the IS, 81 (70–94) IU/ampoule for 87/690, 58 (48–71) IU/ampoule for 87/696 and 120 (100–143) IU/ampoule for 88/574. Mean estimates of EPO content in terms of the 2nd IRP by in-vitro bioassays (except receptor assays) were larger than, and those by immunoassays were similar to, the mean estimates by in-vivo bioassays. The use of purified rDNA or HU EPO as standards in place of the 2nd IRP reduced the inter-laboratory variability of estimates of purified EPO preparations by in-vivo and in-vitro bioassays and by immunoassays, and reduced the variability of overall mean estimates for each of these preparations between the three types of method. The inter-laboratory variability of immunoassay estimates of human serum EPO was similar whether the 2nd IRP or one of the purified EPOs was used as standard. Significant differences in in-vivo and in-vitro biological, immunological and physicochemical properties were found between these four rDNA EPO preparations and between them and the HU EPO in the two purified preparations and in the 2nd IRP. There were also differences between the immunoreactivities of the two serum EPO samples included in the study, and between them and the immunoreactivities of the purified EPOs. The differences between rDNA EPOs appeared to be related to differences between the cells used for their biosynthesis, but may also be the result of differences in purification methods and of inter-batch variations. Significant differences in assay specificity were observed within each of the three general types of method. The specificity of the in-vivo bioassays was influenced by the route of hormone administration. The specificities of the mouse spleen cell in-vitro bioassays differed from that of the mouse spleen receptor-binding assay. The specificity of one-site immunoassays differed with the type of EPO used as antigen or tracer, with most notable differences between assays using antisera to rDNA and HU EPO. Two-site immunoassays gave significantly lower estimates for serum EPO than one-site immunoassays. On the basis of these results, the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Biological Standardization established the preparation in ampoules coded 87/684 as the International Standard for Recombinant DNA-Derived Erythropoietin with an activity of 86 IU Erythropoietin, rDNA-Derived, per ampoule. It also recommended that the WHO keep under consideration the establishment of separate standards for naturally occurring EPO and for rDNA EPO produced in different cell lines. Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 134, 459–484


1980 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose E. Gaines Das ◽  
Joan M. Zanelli

Abstract. An international reference material is required for bioassays of preparations of synthetic human calcitonin for administration to man and for use in immunoassays. A preparation of synthetic human calcitonin in ampoules coded 70/234 (previously widely used as the MRC Research Standard) has been examined in an international collaborative study involving 7 laboratories in 6 countries. The results of 34 in vivo bioassays with two other preparations of synthetic human calcitonin showed that this preparation was suitable to serve as a standard. With the agreement of the participants in the collaborative study, the batch of ampoules, code 70/234, was established in 1978 by the World Health Organization as the International Reference Preparation of Calcitonin, Human, for Bioassay. The International Unit of human calcitonin was defined as the activity contained in one ampoule of this preparation, thus maintaining continuity of the unit of the research standard.


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