Chromatographic separation of gram quantities of immunoglobulins from porcine colostrum against transmissible gastroenteritis virus

Abstract Similar immunoglobulin (Ig) classes were obtained from porcine colostral whey by either column or batch chromatographic procedures; a stepwise buffer elution technique was used. Specific transmissible gastroenteritis virus neutralizing antibody was found in the 4 major fractions eluted comprising of IgG 1 , IgG 2 , IgA, and IgM. The IgG 1 and IgG 2 were essentially homogeneous, and the IgA- and IgM-rich fractions had to be recycled several times through Sephadex G-200 to obtain pure IgA and IgM that had specific virus neutralizing activities per mg of protein of 342.1 and 302.4, compared with 7.6 for IgG. By a combination of the batch chromatographic procedure and gel filtration, gram amounts of specific Ig could be fractionated from the same colostrum.