Biopharmacology of enzyme conjugates: vasoprotective activity of supramolecular superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulfate-catalase derivative.

Bienzyme conjugate was obtained by the covalent connection of superoxide dismutase with catalase through endothelial glycocalyx glycosaminoglycan - chondroitin sulfate (SOD-CHS-CAT). This SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate has vasoprotective activity in respect to platelet interactions, tonus of the ring arterial fragment of a rat blood vessel, as well as normalization of hemodynamic parameters in rats and rabbits in conditions of oxidative stress caused by the administration of hydrogen peroxide. The SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate had antiplatelet potential due to its antiaggregation action manifested through the combination of enzyme activities and an acquired supramolecular structure. The influence on arterial fragment tonus was equivalent for SOD and CAT in native and conjugated form. Blood pressure and heart rate were significant and effectively normalized with SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate in rats and rabbits (after hydrogen peroxide administration as a perturbance stimulus). We have discovered the possibility of using the antioxidant bienzyme conjugate in chronic prophylaxis. It is important for a real development of the oral form of the SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate. These results indicate that the development of enzyme conjugates can be medically significant, as a promising approach for the creation of new drugs.

Role of the glycosaminoglycan microenvironment of hyaluronidase in regulation of its endoglycosidase activity.

The glycosaminoglycan microenvironment of testicular hyaluronidase was simulated by multipoint covalent attachment of the enzyme to glycans as a result of benzoquinone activation. The efficiency of their binding was assessed using gel chromatography, ultrafiltration, titration of surface amino groups of the enzyme, electrophoresis, as well as judging by the value of residual endoglycosidase activity and its inhibition with heparin. Copolymer glycosaminoglycans, such as dermatan sulfate and heparin, inactivated the endoglycosidase activity as a result the C-5 epimerization of hexuronic acid. It was shown that glucuronic acid and, to a lesser extent, N-acetylglucosamine determine the specificity of hyaluronidase. The chondroitin-sulfate microenvironment made the enzyme resistant to heparin inhibition because the equatorial orientation of the OH groups is similar to that in hyaluronic acid. Model experiments with dextran and dextran sulfate showed that sulfation of the glycan chain increased its rigidity, thus hampering the stabilizing effect on hyaluronidase. The effect of chondroitin sulfate on the endoglycosidase activity of hyaluronidase had additive character and did not directly affect the small fragment of the active site of the enzyme located at the bottom of a groove. The glycosaminoglycan microenvironment of hyaluronidase, containing an iduronic acid residue, the alpha1-3 and alpha1-4 glycosidic bond, inactivated the hyaluronidase activity of the enzyme, whereas simple polymers (such as gluco- and galactoaminoglycans) potentiated it due to a similar way of linking--beta(1e-4e) and beta(1e-3e). To understand the nature of these interactions in detail, the effect of oligomeric glycosaminoglycan fragments and their derivatives on hyaluronidase should be studied.

Resistance of dextran-modified hyaluronidase to inhibition by heparin.

Properties of native and aldehyde dextran-modified hyaluronidase (with surface amino group modification about 98%) were investigated. Optimal endoglycosidase activity of the native enzyme was observed at 0.15 M NaCl and pH 5.5 and electrostatic interactions influenced the enzyme activity. The inhibitory effect of heparin on hyaluronidase activity slightly differed at pH 5.5 (1.5-fold inhibition) and 7.5 (1.2-fold inhibition). Ionic strength of the reaction medium only slightly influenced the effect of heparin. Modification of hyaluronidase with dextran increased hydrophobic interactions and steric hindrance. Conjugation with dextran increased the resistance of hyaluronidase activity to denaturing agents (urea, guanidinium hydrobromide) and extended the optimal conditions for maximal endoglycosidase activity (pH 4.5-6.5, the range of NaCl concentration from 0.1 to 0.3 M). The conjugation also reduced electrostatic effects on the active site of hyaluronidase and efficacy of heparin inhibition. At pH 7.5 the enzyme was almost insensitive to heparin. The resistance of dextran-modified hyaluronidase to heparin points to approaches for subsequent studies of the heparin-binding site of this enzyme and biomedical trial of the stabilized enzyme for the treatment of acute cardiovascular lesions.

Chemical modification of hyaluronidase regulates its inhibition by heparin.

Chemical modification of surface amino groups of bovine testicular hyaluronidase with aldehyde dextran was conducted. It was found that with the increase of modification degree of hyaluronidase amino groups the value of residual enzymatic catalytic activity is decreased rather monotonously. It turned out that the value of inhibition of enzyme activity by heparin considerably depends on modification degree of enzyme. This dependence is of a threshold character. Sharp conformational changes in the enzyme occurring at 70-90% degree of its modification considerably lowers heparin inhibition. The higher the degree of hyaluronidase modification, the weaker its inhibition by heparin. More completely/deeply modified derivatives of hyaluronidase (modification degree 96-100%) are practically not inhibited by heparin. Thus, chemical conjugation of hyaluronidase with aldehyde dextran regulates the value of enzyme inhibition by heparin. Hyaluronidase modification becomes an informative tool to study the mechanism of inhibition of its enzyme activity and an efficient means for the development of new therapeutic preparations improving tissue permeability during cardiovascular injuries.

New thrombolytic strategy: bolus administration of tPA and urokinase-fibrinogen conjugate.

Increased efficacy of thrombolytic therapy requires a comprehensive search for new and novel therapeutic strategies. Many new modified forms of plasminogen activators have been obtained by means of chemical and biological synthesis. However, clinical findings demonstrate that the reperfusion level achieved during thrombolysis remains the same for various thrombolytic agents, irrespective of an extensive search for an "ideal" thrombolytic. Thrombolytic therapy may be complicated by treatment delays, cumbersome schemes of preparation and administration, and hemorrhagic and rethrombotic events. These limitations may be overcome, at least in part, by applying combined thrombolysis with plasminogen activators exhibiting complementary actions and different pharmacokinetic profiles. The combined action of native thrombolytics allows the use of lower doses and simplified schemes of administration, yielding encouraging results in experimental models. Long-acting forms of plasminogen activators are being developed and tested in combination with tissue-type plasminogen activator as a trigger of thrombolysis. The combination of short- and long-acting plasminogen activators appears promising and potentially eligible for bolus administration to patients. On the basis of our own experimental results and data in the literature, we suggest a new thrombolytic strategy connected with the single injection of a combination of complementary and pharmacokinetically different plasminogen activators.

Antithrombotic activity of the superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulfate complexes in a rat model of arterial injury.

Individual antithrombotic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and sodium chondroitin sulfate (CHS) as well as the activities of covalent and noncovalent complexes of SOD with CHS were compared in a rat model of arterial thrombosis induced by ferrous chloride. Covalent conjugate of SOD with CHS exerted the most potent antithrombotic effect, which was associated with adsorption of the conjugate on the glycocalyx of the vascular wall cells and stability of the covalent bond between CHS and SOD subunits. Theoretical and practical directions in the investigation of SOD and CHS preparations are outlined.

Covalent modification of superoxide dismutase subunits by chondroitin sulfate.

The interaction of superoxide dismutase with sodium chondroitin sulfate was studied. The enzyme easily forms both enzyme associations and non-covalent complexes with chondroitin sulfate in solution. The enzyme was chemically modified with benzoquinone-activated chondroitin sulfate. The electrophoresis and ultrafiltration data indicate the formation of covalently modified derivatives of superoxide dismutase. Almost half of the superoxide dismutase subunits were covalently bound to chondroitin sulfate; the modified subunit retained the ability to form dimers with the native subunit. The modified superoxide dismutase possesses high residual catalytic activity and is promising for biomedical investigations.

Modification of catalase by chondroitin sulfate.

Catalase was chemically modified by sodium chondroitin sulfate using the benzoquinone binding method. Thus, 40-42% of the catalase preparation was modified. Treatment of catalase and superoxide dismutase with benzoquinone-activated chondroitin sulfate results in a bienzymic conjugate with electrophoretically heterogenous composition. The yield of the products and their residual catalytic activity indicate that the method can be used for the preparation of modified catalase and the bienzymic conjugate to study their efficiency in vivo.

Venous thrombolysis by tissue-type plasminogen activator in conjunction with the urokinase-fibrinogen covalent conjugate. Effects of potentiation and faster action in dogs.

Conjunctive administration of the tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and the urokinase-fibrinogen covalent conjugate (UK-Fbg) was studied by the example of venous thrombosis in dogs. Comparing the effect of separate use of the two components, we observed the potentiation of thrombolytic effect induced by an i.v. bolus infusion administration of the tissue-type plasminogen activator (1 and 4 mg, respectively) combined with a bolus administration 15 min after the first injection of the 25,000 IU UK-Fbg. Faster-action and potentiation effects of thrombolysis were observed with the same administration scheme when the t-PA was used as bolus infusion (1 and 1 mg, respectively) combined with a bolus of the 250,000 IU fibrinogen-modified urokinase. The findings indicate an approach to the development of efficient thrombolytic compositions.

Immobilization of enzymes on slowly soluble carriers.

The preparation and some properties of microspheres composed of oxidized polysaccharides and some vinyl polymers are described. The microspheres contain immobilized enzyme and can be slowly solubilized in water solutions, thereby releasing active a enzyme into the surrounding medium. The kinetic characteristics of the immobilized enzyme bound with a fragment of matrix after complete solubilization are unchanged, but the enzyme exhibits high thermostability. These preparations could have a wide range of medical applications, e.g., to form a drug "depot" directly in an affected organ.