Measurement of active coagulation factors in Autoplex-T with colorimetric active site-specific assay technology.
Autoplex-T is a partially activated prothrombin complex concentrate used primarily for the treatment of patients expressing factor VIII inhibitors. While Autoplex-T has a demonstrated record of clinical effectiveness, the procoagulant composition of this material has not been reported. This absence of composition data is a reflection of the lack of techniques appropriate for accurately measuring an individual protease such as factor IXa in complex mixtures of similar proteases. The development of Colorimetric Active Site-Specific ImmunoAssay technology (CASSIA) has permitted the accurate analysis of the coagulant enzymes present in Autoplex-T. Ten lots of Autoplex-T were reacted with both biotinylated phenylalanylprolylarginine chloromethylketone and biotinylated glutamylglycylarginine chloromethylketone. Only activated forms of the clotting factors present in Autoplex-T react with the peptide chloromethylketones and were thus separated from the other proteins present in Autoplex-T by adsorption onto streptavidin. The individual proteins bound to streptavidin were then detected with specific antibodies. Mean results from the analysis of ten lots of Autoplex-T (mean values) are as follows: factor Xla, 5.9 nM or 0.8 microg/ml; factor Xa, 46.5 nM or 2.1 microg/ml; factor IXa, 177.8 nM or 11.7 microg/ml; factor VIIa, 68.6 nM or 3.3 microg/ml and factor IIa, 5.3 nM or 0.2 microg/ml. These results are discussed with respect to the mechanism of action of Autoplex-T in the treatment of factor VIII inhibitor patients.