Experimental proof of contamination of blood components by (1→3)-β-D-glucan caused by filtration with cellulose filters in the manufacturing process

The level of (1→)3)-β-D-glucan in blood is a diagnostic index of fungal infection because it is released from the fungal cell wall. However, high levels of plasma (1→3)-β-D-glucan in patients administered blood components may give false positive results. High levels of (1→3)-β-D-glucan have been detected in blood components. We suspected that (1→3)-β-D-glucan from cellulose filters had been eluted into blood components by filtration in the manufacturing process. To investigate the contamination of blood components by (1→3)-β-D-glucan from cellulose filters, in vitro experiments were performed by using six cellulose filters and a nylon filter. Human serum albumin (HSA) solution (100 ml) was flowed through each filter after rinsing with 100 ml of distilled water, and (1→3)-β-D-glucan in each fraction was determined by Fungitec G test MK. The concentration of (1→3)-β-D-glucan eluted from cellulose filters in 100-ml distilled water fractions ranged from 6 to 207 pg/ml, and that of HSA fractions ranged from 33 to 20,784 pg/ml. These data showed that remarkably higher (1→3)-β-D-glucan levels were detected in HSA fractions flowed through cellulose filters in spite of advance rinsing with 100 ml of distilled water. In the case of a nylon filter, (1→3)-β-D-glucan was not eluted in either fraction. These results indicate that (1→3)-β-D-glucan contamination in blood components is caused by filtration with cellulose filters in the manufacturing process.