Drug-immobilized particles and a process of purifying proteins

Abstract

The invention includes a microsphere comprising styrene-glycidyl methacrylate polymer, and methods for isolation, purification and identification of receptors to a specific compound possessing physiological activity. In addition, the invention provides proteins isolated and purified using the microspheres of the invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A microsphere which is prepared by coupling a substance possessing physiological activity to a styrene-glycidyl methyacrylate polymer through a spacer, wherein at least one functional group of any of the substance possessing physiological activity, the polymer or spacer is converted to another type of functional group.  
     
     
         2 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is on the particle.  
     
     
         3 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is on the spacer.  
     
     
         4 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is on the substance possessing physiological activity.  
     
     
         5 . The microsphere according to the  claim 1 , wherein the spacer is an ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether derivative.  
     
     
         6 . The microsphere of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer consists of units of styrene and glycidyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         7 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is an epoxide.  
     
     
         8 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is covalently bound to a nucleophile.  
     
     
         9 . The microsphere according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional group is converted to a hydroxy group, amino group, thiol group or carboxyl group.  
     
     
         10 . A microsphere comprising a substance possessing physiological activity, a polymer and a spacer, wherein at least one functional group of any of the substance possessing physiological activity, the polymer or spacer is converted to another type of functional group.  
     
     
         11 . A process of preparing a microsphere comprising coupling a substance possessing physiological activity to a styrene-glycidyl methyacrylate polymer through a spacer, wherein at least one functional group of any of the substance possessing physiological activity, the polymer or spacer, is converted to another type of functional group.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is on the particle.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is on the spacer.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is on the substance possessing physiological activity.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is an epoxide.  
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is covalently bound to a nucleophile.  
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the functional group is converted to a hydroxy group, amino group, thiol group or carboxyl group.  
     
     
         18 . A process of isolating a substance that can adhere to a substance possessing physiological activity from a mixture containing the substance, comprising contacting the mixture with a microsphere prepared by coupling the substance possessing physiological activity to a polymer through a spacer, and isolating the substance from the mixture, wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of DM852, H-9, DQ2511 and KF49389 and derivatives thereof.