蛇毒金属蛋白酶Alfimeprase在大肠杆菌中的表达、纯化及活性检测

目的:应用大肠杆菌表达系统表达纤溶性蛇毒金属蛋白酶Alfimeprase。方法:运用PCR技术扩增人工合成的目的基因,引入Nde Ⅰ、EcoR Ⅰ双酶切位点;目的基因经Nde Ⅰ、EcoR Ⅰ双酶切后,克隆到pET22b载体上,然后将重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)进行胞内表达,对获得的包涵体进行体外透析复性;应用纤维蛋白原水解法、纤维蛋白平板法和纤维蛋白层叠法检测复性后蛋白的降纤活性。结果:目的蛋白以包涵体形式在大肠杆菌中获得高表达,复性后的蛋白具有降解纤维蛋白(原)的活性。结论:Alfimeprase包涵体可以通过复性获得活性产物。     

重组海蚯蚓纤溶酶的克隆、表达及活性鉴定北大核心CSCD

纤溶酶在溶栓治疗中起重要作用,能够溶解血凝块的主要成分纤维蛋白。采用RACE方法从海蚯蚓消化道组织中扩增出海蚯蚓纤溶酶编码序列,构建该基因原核表达载体,并进一步构建工程菌表达融合蛋白,经Ni2+树脂柱纯化后通过平板法检测该融合蛋白纤维蛋白酶原激活活性。结果获得海蚯蚓纤溶酶的c DNA序列和氨基酸序列,并成功构建重组表达载体p ET-21a-AFE,表达纯化出融合蛋白,该融合蛋白能够激活纤维蛋白酶原而溶解纤维蛋白。总之,本研究获得了海蚯蚓纤溶酶的c DNA序列和氨基酸序列,并初步证明其具有纤维蛋白酶原激活活性,为临床新型溶栓药物的开发提供实验基础。     

人组织性纤溶酶原激活物衍生物在大肠杆菌硫氧化还原蛋白融合表达系统中的表达

目的:克隆含tPA中355个氨基酸密码子(1-3和176-527氨基酸)的cDNA序列(tPA355),将其在大肠杆菌融合蛋白表达系统中表达,并在体外复性使其具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。方法:采用RT-PCR技术从人黑色素瘤细胞Bowes中克隆出tPA355cDNA,然后在pET32a(+)BL21(DE3)大肠杆菌表达系统中表达,将表达出的融合蛋白Trx-tPA355(Thioredoxin,Trx)包涵体在体外进行变性、复性和纯化以使其具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。结果:测序结果表明本研究克隆的编码tPA中355个氨基酸密码子的cDNA序列与美国专利(公开号:5,587,159)中对应的序列完全一致,将其在pET32a(+)/BL21(DE3)大肠杆菌表达系统中表达可获得稳定表达的融合蛋白Trx-tPA355包涵体,该包涵体占菌体总蛋白的30%左右,此融合蛋白经变性、复性后具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。结论:含tPA中355个氨基酸密码子(1-3和176-527氨基酸)的cDNA在大肠杆菌Trx融合蛋白表达系统中可获得稳定表达,表达的融合蛋白产物在体外经变性、复性后具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。     

重组海蚯蚓纤溶酶的克隆、表达及活性鉴定

纤溶酶在溶栓治疗中起重要作用,能够溶解血凝块的主要成分纤维蛋白。采用RACE方法从海蚯蚓消化道组织中扩增出海蚯蚓纤溶酶编码序列,构建该基因原核表达载体,并进一步构建工程菌表达融合蛋白,经Ni2+树脂柱纯化后通过平板法检测该融合蛋白纤维蛋白酶原激活活性。结果获得海蚯蚓纤溶酶的c DNA序列和氨基酸序列,并成功构建重组表达载体p ET-21a-AFE,表达纯化出融合蛋白,该融合蛋白能够激活纤维蛋白酶原而溶解纤维蛋白。总之,本研究获得了海蚯蚓纤溶酶的c DNA序列和氨基酸序列,并初步证明其具有纤维蛋白酶原激活活性,为临床新型溶栓药物的开发提供实验基础。     

可溶型三聚体血管生长抑制因子Kringle5的克隆,表达,纯化及活性研究

血管生长抑制因子Kringle 5 是目前发现的抑制血管内皮细胞增殖和肿瘤生长的活性最强的纤溶酶原片段,特异性高而毒副作用小,在肿瘤的治疗方面具有潜在的巨大价值和广阔的应用前景。根据K5基因的序列设计PCR引物,通过PCR从已有的克隆载体扩增出人纤维蛋白溶酶原的K5部分基因,将K5基因克隆入原核表达载体pET15b,经序列测定,成功构建了pET15b-K5非融合表达载体。将重组载体导入大肠杆菌中IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE分析目的蛋白主要以可溶形式存在于菌体中,破碎后上清通过阳离子交换层析,纯化获得纯度大于95%的目标蛋白,脱盐后对分子量测定推测形成了三聚体。通过鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜法证明蛋白产物对鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜血管增生有一定的抑制作用。     

血纤蛋白粘附肽与低分子量单链尿激酶融合基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

人工合成了血纤蛋白粘附肽基因,构建了粘附肽与低分子量单链尿激酶cDNA的融合基因,在大肠杆菌中表达了融合基因。融合基因表达产物的抗原性和天然尿激酶相同,并具有尿激酶的溶纤活性和粘附肽的抗纤维蛋白单体聚合的功能。     

人IGF-1在大肠杆菌中的可溶表达和纯化

目的:在大肠杆菌中的可溶表达和纯化人胰岛素样生长因子1(hIGF-1)。方法:根据hIGF-1的氨基酸序列和大肠杆菌密码子偏爱性,利用重叠延伸PCR的方法合成hIGF-1DNA序列,构建表达载体,在大肠杆菌OrigamiB(DE3)中与硫氧还蛋白TrxA融合表达,并通过盐析和镍柱亲合层析进行纯化。结果:SDS-PAGE分析显示,重组融合蛋白以可溶形式存在,分子量约为28kDa,占上清总蛋白的50%以上。经盐析和镍柱亲合层析进行纯化,目标蛋白纯度可达到90%左右。结论:复合干扰素在大肠杆菌中的高效可溶表达。     

水蛭素12肽与低分子量单链尿激酶融合基因的构建、表达及产物特性分析

用化学合成的方法合成了水蛭素12肽基因的编码序列,通过DNA重组技术将水蛭素12肽基因片段与低分子量单链尿激酶cDNA片段连接构建了融合基因。融合基因在大肠杆菌中获得表达。体外实验结果表明,表达的融合蛋白具有溶纤活性和抗凝活性。     

血纤蛋白粘附肽与低分子量单链尿激酶融合产物活性分析

人工合成了血纤蛋白粘附肽基因,构建了粘附肽与低分子量单链尿激酶ｃＤＮＡ的融合基因,在大肠杆菌中表达了融合基因。融合基因表达产物的抗原性和天然尿激酶相同,并具有尿激酶的溶纤活性和粘附肽的抗纤维蛋白单体聚合的功能。     

人组织性纤溶酶原激活物衍生物在大肠杆菌硫氧化还原蛋白融合表达系统中的

目的：克隆含ｔＰＡ中３５５个氨基酸密码子（１－３和１７６－５２７氨基酸）的ｃＤＮＡ序列（ｔＰＡ３５５）,将其在大肠杆菌融合蛋白表达系统中表达,并在体外复性使其具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。方法：采用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ技术从人黑色素瘤细胞Ｂｏｗｅｓ中克隆出ｔＰＡ３５５ ｃＤＮＡ,然后在ｐＥＴ３２ａ（＋）ＢＬ２１（ＤＥ３）大肠杆菌表达系统中表达,将表达出的融合蛋白Ｔｒｘ－ｔＰＡ３５５（Ｔｈｉｏｒｅｄｏｘｉｎ,Ｔｒｘ）包涵体在体外进行变性、复性和纯化以使其具有激活纤溶酶原的生物活性。结果：测序结果表明本研究克隆的编码ｔＰＡ中３５５个氨基酸密码子的ｃＤＮＡ序列与美国专利（公开号：５,５８７,１５９）中对应的序列完全一致,将其在ｐＥＴ３２ａ（＋）／ＢＬ２１（ＤＥ３）大肠杆菌表达系统中表达可获得稳定表达的融合蛋白Ｔｒｘ－ｔＰＡ３５     

Expression of soluble and functional snake venom fibrinolytic enzyme fibrolase via the co-expression of DsbC in Escherichia coli

Fibrolase is a non-hemorrhagic zinc metalloproteinase found in southern copperhead snake venom (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix). It is capable of degrading fibrin clots that result from purified fibrinogen or blood plasma. The DNA of fibrolase was amplified by recursive PCR, and cloned into the pET25b(+) expression vector. The effect of co-expression of signalless versions of catalysts or molecular chaperones FkpA, Skp and DsbC in cytoplasm was examined. When co-expressed with DsbC, compared to the totally insoluble inclusion bodies of fibrolase expressed separately, more than 90 % of recombinant fibrolase was soluble, according to denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. We also determined that FkpA and Skp had no effects on the solubility of target protein when co-expressed with fibrolase in Escherichia coli. Fibrolase was successfully purified using metal ion affinity chromatography and hydrophobic chromatography, and a maximum yield of 20 mg/L fibrolase was obtained. Fibrinolytic activity of recombinant fibrolase was demonstrated using fibrin plate assays and fibrinogen hydrolysis.     

Effect of thrombolysis on myocardial injury: recombinant tissue plasminogen activator vs. alfimeprase

Plasmin-dependent thrombolytic agents are potentially prothrombotic and proinflammatory. Alfimeprase, a zinc-containing metalloproteinase, degrades fibrin directly and achieves thrombolysis independent of plasmin formation. This study examines the hypothesis that thrombolysis in the absence of plasmin generation results in improved myocardial salvage on reperfusion. The thrombolytic effects of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator [rt-PA; 0.022 mg/kg, 1/10 of which was administered as a loading dose; the rest (9/10) was infused over 60 min by intracoronary (ic) administration] or alfimeprase (0.5 mg/kg over 1 min ic) were evaluated in a canine model of arterial thrombosis involving electrolytic injury of the left circumflex (LCX) coronary artery. Both agents induced thrombolysis, with onset of reperfusion being more rapid after alfimeprase compared with rt-PA (1.5 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.1 +/- 2.1 min). In the absence of adjunctive therapy, time to reocclusion after alfimeprase was 3.2 +/- 0.5 min compared with 77.5 +/- 31.9 min with rt-PA. The glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet receptor antagonist CRL-42796 prolonged reperfusion time after thrombolysis with alfimeprase or rt-PA. The effect of each lytic agent on myocardial infarct size was examined in a separate group of dogs subjected to 60 min of LCX coronary artery ligation and 4 h of reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size, expressed as percentage of the risk region, was larger (32.16 +/- 3.95%) after rt-PA compared with alfimeprase (19.85 +/- 3.61%) or that of the saline control group (18.46 +/- 3.34%). rt-PA in contrast to alfimeprase, a direct-acting fibrinolytic agent, is associated with an increase in myocyte reperfusion injury.     

Inhibition of the enzymatic activity of thrombin by concanavalin A

Concanavalin A, a carbohydrate lectin derived from the jack bean, prolongs the thrombin clotting time of human plasma or purified fibrinogen. Prolongation is due to delay in peptide release from fibrinogen. The rate of fibrin monomer polymerization is not affected. Hydrolysis of protamine sulfate by thrombin is inhibited by concanavalin A. All inhibitory effects are prevented by α-methyl-D-mannoside. Concanavalin A does not delay clotting of fibrinogen by reptilase (releases fibrinopeptide A only) or by Ancistrodon contortrix contortrix (releases fibrinopeptide B initially followed by a small amount of A). It is concluded that concanavalin A binds to a carbohydrate on the thrombin molecule thus inhibiting its enzymatic activity.     

Purification of a protein C activator from the venom of the southern copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)

A protease has been purified by ion-exchange chromatography from the venom of Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix (Southern copperhead snake) that can activate the vitamin K dependent protein, protein C. The apparent molecular weight of this protease, determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was 20,000 under nonreducing conditions. Incubation of this protease with plasma resulted in a prolongation of the clotting time and a time-dependent increase in amidolytic activity. Incubation of the protease with purified protein C resulted in an increase in both amidolytic and anticoagulant activity. The protease had no inhibitory effect on thrombin, factor V, fibrinogen, or factor X. It had slight clotting activity toward fibrinogen. The apparent Km of the protease for protein C was 0.28 microM. Calcium ions were observed to inhibit protein C activation with an apparent Ki of 0.2 mM. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, and soybean trypsin inhibitor were observed to inhibit the venom protease. These results suggest that the venom of the Southern copperhead snake contains a protease that is a specific activator of protein C.     

Expression,refolding, and in vitro activation of a recombinant snake venom pro-metalloprotease

Metalloproteases comprise a family of Zn(2+)-endopeptidases that degrade most components of the extracellular matrix. Snake venoms are rich sources of metalloproteases, which also digest fibrinogen as well as fibrin, and in some cases, induce hemorrhage. A few low-molecular weight snake venom metalloproteases (svMPs) have been described as being devoid of hemorrhagic activity, but they have strong direct-acting fibrinolytic activity. This property could be very helpful in thrombosis therapy. ACLF is a fibrinolytic, non-hemorrhagic metalloprotease from the venom of the North American snake Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus. We have developed an expression system for production of a recombinant pro-ACLF from a clone (ACLPREF) isolated from a venom gland cDNA library. The coding region including both the pro-enzyme domain and the mature protein domain was amplified by PCR and subcloned into the pET28a vector and the new plasmid was used to transform BL21(DE3) Escherichia coli cells. Culture of the transformants at 37 degrees C led to the overexpression of an insoluble 48kDa protein after induction with 1.0mM IPTG. The expressed protein was recovered from inclusion bodies with 6M buffered urea and purified by affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions. After dithiothreitol treatment, protein refolding was performed by gradual removal of the denaturing agent by dialysis. The pro-enzyme underwent auto-activation during refolding and it was active on fibrinogen and on a synthetic substrate. To control the activation step, the denaturing agent was rapidly removed to keep the protein in an unprocessed form, followed by later addition of Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) ions. This allowed controlling the enzyme activation, when it is needed.     

Characterization of the kinetic pathway for liberation of fibrinopeptides during assembly of fibrin

The time dependence of the release of fibrinopeptides from fibrinogen was studied as a function of the concentration of fibrinogen, thrombin, and Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro, an inhibitor of fibrin polymerization. The release of fibrinopeptides during fibrin assembly was shown to be a highly ordered process. Rate constants for individual steps in the formation of fibrin were evaluated at pH 7.4, 37 degrees C, gamma/2 = 0.15. The initial event, thrombin-catalyzed proteolysis at Arg-A alpha 16 to release fibrinopeptide A (kcat/Km = 1.09 X 10(7) M-1s-1) was followed by association of the resulting fibrin I monomers. Association of fibrin I was found to be a reversible process with rate constants of 1 X 10(6) M-1s-1 and 0.064 s-1 for association and dissociation, respectively. Assuming random polymerization of fibrin I monomer, the equilibrium constant for fibrin I association (1.56 X 10(7) M-1) indicates that greater than 80% of the fibrin I protofibrils should contain more than 10 monomeric units at 37 degrees C, pH 7.4, when the fibrin I concentration is 1.0 mg/ml. Association of fibrin I monomers was shown to result in a 6.5-fold increase in the susceptibility of Arg-B beta 14 to thrombin-mediated proteolysis. The 6.5-fold increase in the observed specificity constant from 6.5 X 10(5) M-1s-1 to 4.2 X 10(6) M-1s-1 upon association of fibrin I monomers and the rate constant for fibrin association indicates that most of the fibrinopeptide B is released after association of fibrin I monomers. The interaction between a pair of polymerization sites in fibrin I dimer was found to be weaker than the interaction of fibrin I with Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro and weaker than the interaction of fibrin I with fibrinogen.     

Human factor XIa cleaves fibrinogen: effects on structure and function

Factor XIa, the enzymatic form of the factor XI zymogen, is generated as a result of factor XII-dependent surface activation in plasma. Factor XIa degrades high molecular weight kininogen, its cofactor for activation (which binds factor XIa to the surface), as well as cleaves and activates coagulation factor IX. In this report, we present evidence that factor XIa can also cleave fibrinogen and decrease the thrombin-catalyzed formation of the fibrin clot. Furthermore, the products of factor XIa-digested fibrinogen markedly inhibited the rate of polymerization of fibrin monomers. Factor XIa initially cleaved the A alpha-chain of fibrinogen and subsequently degraded the B beta-chain. However, the cleavage sites on both chains were distinct from those susceptible to thrombin. The gamma-chain was degraded only after prolonged incubation with factor XIa. Furthermore, the profile of fibrinogen proteolysis by factor XIa was distinctly different from that of plasmin-catalyzed fibrinogenolysis. Unlike plasmin, factor XIa was not able to cleave the NH2-terminus of the B beta-chain of fibrinogen. Moreover, factor XIa, unlike plasmin, failed to hydrolyze fibrin. Further study of the proteolytic digests of fibrinogen produced by factor XIa may give additional insight into the mechanism of polymerization of this protein.     

Simultaneous isolation of protein C activator,fibrin clot promoting enzyme (fiprozyme) and phospholipase A2 from the venom of the southern copperhead snake

The simultaneous isolation of three enzymes from the southern copperhead snake venom (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix; ACC) is described. The first step is a chromatography of crude venom on a Mono S cation-exchange column at pH 6.5. A fibrin clot promoting enzyme (fiprozyme) that preferentially releases fibrinopeptide B from fibrinogen is isolated from the fraction not binding to the Mono S by a further three-step process. The procedure involves affinity chromatography on Blue Sepharose, gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 and metal–chelate chromatography on Chelating Sepharose. Protein C activator and phospholipase coelute from the Mono S column. They are separated by a gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-200. After this step two enzymes are obtained: a highly purified protein C activator applicable in methods for determination of functional level of protein C (a plasma regulator of hemostasis) and an electrophoretically pure enzyme with the activity of phospholipase A₂.     

Analysis of soluble fibrin complexes by agarose gel chromatography and protamine sulfate gelation.

The molecular makeup of soluble fibrin complexes was studied by gel exclusion chromatography using radio-labelling to characterize individual components in protein mixtures. Products of limited plasmin degradation of fibrinogen and mixtures of fibrinogen and "early" fibrinogen digests formed high molecular weight soluble fibrin complexes upon incubation with thrombin. Purified, nonclottable fragment Y did not incorporate into soluble fibrin complexes, nor could we demonstrate incorporation of fragments D and E as previously described from our laboratory. Thus, under the conditions of these experiments, soluble fibrin complexes have two identifiable components, fibrin monomer and clottable fragment X monomer, although incorporation of native fibrinogen or fragment X unreacted by thrombin into soluble fibrin complexes cannot be excluded. Individual fractions of thrombin-treated early fibrinogen digests isolated by agarose gel chromatography were treated with protamine sulfate at 37 degrees C resulting in precipitation-gelation of greater than 90 per cent of high molecular weight soluble fibrin complexes; whereas, less than 10 per cent of lower molecular weight fibrinogen degradation products precipitated by protamine sulfate. These findings do not support the widely held concept that soluble fibrin complexes incorporate nonclottable degradation products of fibrinogen proteolysis, nor do they support the notion that the so-called paracoagulation reaction induced by protamine sulfate results from the splitting of complexes between fibrin monomer and nonclottable fibrinogen degradation products.     

Isolation of a protein C activator from southern copperhead venom

A protease from the venom of the Southern Copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) that activates protein C was purified to homogeneity by a combination of sulfopropyl (SP)-Sephadex C-50, Sephadex G-150 and Mono-S column chromatography. The purified enzyme is a glycoprotein, and migrated as a single band in sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with an apparent molecular weight of 37,000 under non-reducing conditions. Upon reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol, the enzyme exhibited a Mr of 40,000. The purified enzyme prolonged the clotting time of human plasma in a dose- and temperature-dependent manner. Purified bovine protein C was completely activated within 10 minutes upon incubation with the purified protease at a 1:500 enzyme: substrate ratio. This reaction was markedly inhibited by calcium ions. The purified venom protein C activator had no effect on human fibrinogen.