Method for selectively removing virus and leukocytes eliminating material and eliminating apparatus

Abstract

It is intended to provide a method whereby a virus and leukocytes can be simultaneously eliminated from virus-containing blood and platelets can be recovered at a high yield, and a material and an apparatus therefor. A water-soluble carrier having surface which is capable of capturing a virus and leukocytes in blood but allows the permeation of platelets therethrough is brought into contact with virus-containing blood. Thus the virus and leukocytes can be simultaneously removed from the blood while platelets can be recovered at a high yield.

1 . A method for selectively and simultaneously removing viruses and leukocytes from blood, comprising a step of bringing virus-containing blood into contact with a material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes, which comprises a water-insoluble carrier having a surface which captures viruses and leukocytes in blood and allows platelets in blood to permeate therethrough.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virus-containing blood is brought into contact with the material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes by using an adsorption method and/or a filtration method.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of mixing the virus-containing blood with an anticoagulant, and a step of bringing the virus-containing blood mixed with the anticoagulant into contact with the material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes at a flow rate of 10 ml/min or more, and less than 100 ml/min.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the leukocytes to be removed include at least lymphocytes.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the leukocytes to be removed include at least autoreactive T cells.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes has at least a hydroxyl group and a polyethylene glycol group on the surface.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes has a capability of increasing the concentration of an activated complement C3a in blood by five times or more after being brought into contact with the blood.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble carrier is fibrous.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the carrier for removing leukocytes is a nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the viruses are hepatitis C viruses.  
     
     
         11 . A platelet-permeable material for selectively and simultaneously removing viruses and leukocytes from blood, comprising a water-insoluble carrier having a surface which captures viruses and leukocytes in blood and allows platelets in blood to permeate therethrough.  
     
     
         12 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 11 , wherein the carrier has a terminal hydrophilic group at least on the surface.  
     
     
         13 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 12 , wherein the terminal hydrophilic group is a hydroxyl group and/or a polyethylene glycol group.  
     
     
         14 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 12 , wherein the carrier has a terminal hydrophobic group at least on the surface.  
     
     
         15 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 14 , wherein the terminal hydrophobic group is an alkyl group.  
     
     
         16 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 13 , wherein the percentage of the terminal hydrophilic group present on the surface of the carrier is 2% or more, and less than 100%, and the percentage of the terminal hydrophobic group present on the surface of the carrier is 0.1% or more, and less than 70%.  
     
     
         17 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 16 , wherein the terminal hydrophilic group on the surface of the carrier includes a methoxydiethylene glycol group at a percentage of 5% or more, and less than 30%, and a 2-hydroxyisobutyl group at a percentage of 5% or more, and less than 40%, and the terminal hydrophobic group on the surface of the carrier includes a methyl group at a percentage of 40% or more, and less than 60%.  
     
     
         18 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 11 , wherein the concentration of an activated complement C3a after the material is brought into contact with blood is five times or more of the concentration before the material is brought into contact with blood.  
     
     
         19 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 11 , wherein the carrier is a nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         20 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 19 , wherein the carrier is a nonwoven fabric with an average fiber diameter of 2.0 mm or more, and less than 50.0 mm.  
     
     
         21 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 19 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has a bulk density of 0.10 g/cm3 or more, and less than 0.45 g/cm3.  
     
     
         22 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 19 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has a specific surface area of 0.01 m2/g or more, and less than 4.0 m2/g.  
     
     
         23 . The platelet-permeable material for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 11 , wherein the viruses are hepatitis C viruses.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes, comprising a container having a blood inlet section and a blood outlet section in which the material according to  claim 11  is placed, and means for preventing the material from escaping from the container.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus for selectively removing viruses and leukocytes according to  claim 24 , wherein the viruses are hepatitis C viruses.