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Biomedical subjects

A Abuchowski

Publications and source records attributed to A Abuchowski.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Preparation and properties of polyethylene glycol-trypsin adducts.

The covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol of 5000 daltons to non-essential groups on trypsin produces an adduct that no longer precipitates with anti-trypsin antibody. In comparison with trypsin, polyethylene glycol-trypsin preparations show equal or greater activity against N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester, about one-fourth activity against angiotensin II, and little activity against bovine liver catalase. The polyethylene glycol-trypsin adduct dissolves soft blood clots at one-fourth the rate of trypsin. Soybean trypsin inhibitor produces two-thirds inhibition of the adduct under conditions that cause complete inhibition of trypsin.

Angiotensin II↗

Preparation of a non-immunogenic arginase by the covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol.

Methoxypolyethylene glycol of 5000 daltons (PEG) was attached covalently to bovine liver arginase using 2,4,6-trichloro-s-triazine as the coupling agent. The conjugate (PEG-arginase), with PEG attached to 53% of the amino groups, retained 65% of its original enzymatic activity. Mice were injected intravenously with arginase or PEG-arginase for periods of one to three months. The blood-circulating life of PEG-arginase was greatly extended over that of arginase. The half-life of injected arginase at day 30 was less than 1 h, whereas that of the PEG-enzyme was 12 h. Antisera from mice injected with native arginase reacted against arginase but not against PEG-arginase when tested by immunodiffusion. Antisera from animals injected with PEG-arginase reacted neither with native arginase nor PEG-arginase. The data indicate that arginase modified by PEG has been rendered both non-immunogenic and non-antigenic when tested in mice. The injection of PEG-arginase into mice did not induce tolerance toward the native enzyme. Injected PEG-arginase, in the presence of precipitating antibody directed against native arginase, circulated at the same level as in virgin animals. The attachment of PEG to arginase altered its kinetic properties.

Animals↗

Asparaginase production by human clinical isolates of Vibrio succinogenes.

Three human isolates of Vibrio succinogenes produced asparaginase. Apparent Km's were 87,220, and 320 microM. The rate of glutamine hydrolysis was between 2.8 and 3.5% of the rate of asparagine hydrolysis. Asparaginase production was not induced by ammonium ions, and enzyme yields were lower than those obtained with the rumen strain.

Asparaginase↗

Treatment of L5178Y tumor-bearing BDF1 mice with a nonimmunogenic L-glutaminase-L-asparaginase.

An L-glutaminase-L-asparaginase from Achromobacter has been rendered nonimmunogenic by the covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to nonessential amine groups of the enzyme. PEG-L-glutaminase-L-asparaginase exhibits a greatly enhanced half-life in the bloodstream compared to the unmodified enzyme in normal mice, and is effective in prolonging the survival of BDF1 mice inoculated ip with L5178Y cells. PEG-L-glutaminase-L-asparaginase appears rapidly in the blood following ip injection.

Amidohydrolases↗

Effect of covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol on immunogenicity and circulating life of bovine liver catalase.

Methoxypolyethylene glycols of 1900 daltons (PEG-1900) or 5000 daltons (PEG-5000) were covalently attached to bovine liver catalase using 2,4,6-trichloro-s-triazine as the coupling agent. Rabbits were immunized by the intravenous and intramuscular routes with catalase modified by covalent attachment of PEG-1900 to 43% of the amino groups (PEG-1900-catalase). The intravenous antiserum did not yield detectable antibodies against PEG-1900-catalase or native catalase, as determined by Ouchterlony and complement fixation methods, whereas the intramuscular antiserum contained antibodies to both PEG-1900-catalase and catalase. PEG-1900 did not react with either antiserum. Catalase was prepared in which PEG-5000 was attached to 40% of the amino groups (PEG-5000-catalase). This catalase preparation did not react with either antiserum. PEG-1900-catalase retained 93% of its enzymatic activity; PEG-5000-catalase retained 95%. PEG-5000-catalase resisted digestion by trypsin, chymotrypsin, and a protease from Streptomyces griseus. PEG-1900-catalase and PEG-5000-catalase exhibited enhanced circulating lives in the blood of acatalasemic mice during repetitive intravenous injections. No evidence was seen of an immune response to injections of the modified enzymes. Mice injected repetitively with PEG-5000-catalase remained immune competent for unmodieied catalase, and no evidence of tissue or organ damage was seen.

Acatalasia↗

Alteration of immunological properties of bovine serum albumin by covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol.

Methoxypolyethylene glycols of 1900 and 5000 daltons have been attached covalently to bovine serum albumin using cyanuric chloride as the coupling agent. When sufficient polymer is attached, the modified bovine serum albumin appears to lose its immunogenicity in the rabbit and, on intramuscular or intravenous injection, elicits antibodies neither to itself nor to native bovine serum albumin. It does not react with antibodies raised against native bovine serum albumin. Bovine serum albumin to which methoxypolyethylene glycol has been attached exhibits a blood circulating life in the rabbit rather similar to native bovine serum albumin, except that it is not removed from circulation by the eventual development of antibodies. Modified bovine serum albumins which had been iodinated with 125I, or prepared with [14C]cyanuric chloride, were injected intravenously in rabbits. Both labels appeared almost quantitatively in the urine after 30 days. The modified bovine serum albumins showed substantial changes in properties, such as solubility, electrophoretic mobility in acrylamide gel, ion exchange chromatography, and sedimentation, as compared with the unmodified protein.

Animals↗

Mitigation of pulmonary oxygen toxicity in premature lambs with intravenous antioxidants.

Deficiencies of antioxidants and increased free radical generation may explain the high incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. Long-acting antioxidants such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase might modify this process. We delivered 32 premature lambs, 16 pairs of twins, by cesarean section at 125-141 days of gestation (term 146 days) and stabilized them on ventilators in normocapnic hyperoxia for a period of 8 h. One lamb of each twin pair received an intravenous dose of 7,500-50,000 IU/kg of PEG-SOD and of 37,500-1,000,000 IU/kg of PEG-catalase at birth. Their siblings acted as controls. Mean airway pressure, arterial pressure, and heart rate were recorded continuously. Arterial blood gases and pH were obtained every 30 min. After sacrifice, standardized lung biopsies were prepared for quantitative morphometrics and electron microscopy. Administration of PEG antioxidants at birth reduced the influx of neutrophils and macrophages into the lung and damage to arterioles, bronchiolar mucosa, and type II pneumocytes without major changes in alveolar surface area or pulmonary function. These effects were dose-related and detectable even at the lowest doses of PEG antioxidants administered.

Animals↗

Clinical pharmacology of polyethylene glycol-L-asparaginase.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-L-asparaginase, at doses ranging from 500 to 8000 units/m2, was infused iv over 60 min in 31 patients of whom 27 were evaluable pharmacokinetically. The plasma disappearance of PEG-L-asparaginase is described by a monophasic curve with a mean half-life of 357 +/- 243 hr which is much longer than that of the unconjugated enzyme (half-life of approximately 20 hr). The rate of total clearance (128 +/- 74 ml/m2 X day) is much slower than that of L-asparaginase (2196 +/- 1098 ml/m2 X day). The volume of distribution is 2093 +/- 643 ml/m2, which is similar to that of L-asparaginase, indicating that PEG-L-asparaginase is mainly localized in the plasma. No enzyme could be measured in urine samples taken from nine patients for a period of up to 4 days. Additionally, no enzyme was measurable in one patient's pleural fluid obtained at the end of infusion and 6 days after infusion of a 1000-unit/m2 dose; the corresponding concentrations in plasma were 0.64 and 0.62 units/ml, respectively. In general, the plasma enzyme concentrations at the end of the 1-hr infusion and at 14 days after drug administration were proportional to the dose given. However, in two patients, a sudden disappearance of enzyme levels occurred which preceded anaphylactic reactions during subsequent treatment. A third patient developed severe bronchospasm 30 min after the first dose, but his enzyme levels were within the normal range.

Adult↗

Immunosuppressive properties and circulating life of Achromobacter glutaminase-asparaginase covalently attached to polyethylene glycol in man.

The immunosuppressive effects and circulating life of Achromobacter glutaminase-asparaginase (GA) covalently attached to polyethylene glycol (PEG) were examined in human subjects following a single iv dose of 1000 IU/m2. Plasma half-life of PEG-GA was 72 hours. Skin test reactivity to recall antigens (mumps and tuberculin) was lost in all four patients tested. In vitro phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis, "natural killing," and phytohemagglutinin-induced cell cytotoxicity was diminished as long as enzyme levels were detectable. In vivo and in vitro activities returned to normal following total plasma clearance of enzyme.

Aged↗