Microbial degradation of polyethers

This paper summarizes studies on microbial degradation of polyethers. Polyethers are aerobically metabolized through common mechanisms (oxidation of terminal alcohol groups followed by terminal ether cleavage), well-characterized examples being found with polyethylene glycol (PEG). First the polymer is oxidized to carboxylated PEG by alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases and then the terminal ether bond is cleaved to yield the depolymerized PEG by one glycol unit. Most probably PEG is anaerobically metabolized through one step which is catalyzed by PEG acetaldehyde lyase, analogous to diol dehydratase. Whether aerobically or anaerobically, the free OH group is necessary for metabolization of PEG. PEG with a molecular weight of up to 20,000 was metabolized either in the periplasmic space (Pseudomonas stutzeri and sphingomonads) or in the cytoplasm (anaerobic bacteria), which suggests the transport of large PEG through the outer and inner membranes of Gram-negative bacterial cells. Membrane-bound PEG dehydrogenase (PEG-DH) with high activity towards PEG 6,000 and 20,000 was purified from PEG-utilizing sphingomonads. Sequencing of PEG-DH revealed that the enzyme belongs to the group of GMC flavoproteins, FAD being the cofactor for the enzyme. On the other hand, alcohol dehydrogenases purified from other bacteria that cannot grow on PEG oxidized PEG. Cytoplasmic NAD-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases with high specificity towards ether-alcohol compound, either crude or purified, showed appreciable activity towards PEG 400 or 600. Liver alcohol dehydrogenase (equine) also oxidized PEG homologs, which might cause fatal toxic syndrome in vivo by carboxylating PEG together with aldehyde dehydrogenase when PEG was absorbed. An ether bond-cleaving enzyme was detected in PEG-utilizing bacteria and purified as diglycolic acid (DGA) dehydrogenase from a PEG-utilizing consortium. The enzyme oxidized glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid, as well as PEG-carboxylic acid and DGA. Similarly, dehydrogenation on polypropylene glycol (PPG) and polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) was suggested with cell-free extracts of PPG and PTMG-utilizing bacteria, respectively. PPG commercially available is atactic and includes many structural (primary and secondary alcohol groups) and optical (derived from pendant methyl groups on the carbon backbone) isomers. Whether PPG dehydrogenase (PPG-DH) has wide stereo- and enantioselective substrate specificity towards PPG isomers or not must await further purification. Preliminary research on PPG-DH revealed that the enzyme was inducibly formed by PPG in the periplasmic, membrane and cytoplasm fractions of a PPG-utilizing bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This finding indicated the intracellular metabolism of PPG is the same as that of PEG. Besides metabolization of polyethers, a biological Fenton mechanism was proposed for degradation of PEG, which was caused by extracellular oxidants produced by a brown-rot fungus in the presence of a reductant and Fe3+, although the metabolism of fragmented PEG has not yet been well elucidated.     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in two-phase aqueous extraction using spray columns

Spray columns can be used to isolate and purify proteins using the two-phase aqueous extraction technique based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran. The fractional dispersed phase (PEG) holdup and overall mass transfer coefficients were measured in a 9.7 mm i.d. spray column. We found that the dispersed phase holdup increased with increasing PEG phase velocity. The overall mass transfer coefficients for bovine serum albumin, normalized for the PEG holdup, were found to be independent of the PEG phase velocity. This result was expected, since true mass transfer coefficients do not vary with phase velocity.     

Selective separation of human peripheral platelets,granulocytes and lymphocytes by surface affinity chromatography

Selective separation of human peripheral platelets, granulocytes and lymphocytes was investigated by column liquid chromatography using methoxyethoxymethyl (MEM) bonded-phase columns (25 × 0.9 cm I.D.). Isotonic solutions containing mono- and disaccharides, methyl-α-d-pyranosides and a physiological saline at pH 7.4 were used as the mobile phase. Granulocytes and lymphocytes were separated on the MEM-Cellulofine GH-25 column by elution with 0.3 M d-mannose solution. The isolation of platelets and lymphocytes from human leukocyte-rich plasma was performed with a MEM-Sephadex G25 column and elution with 0.27 M sucrose solution. On the same column platelets could also be collected selectively by elution with 0.31 M methyl-α-d-mannoside at the high recovery of 100%. The isolated cells were viable for more than 90%.     

Plasticization of poly(L-lactide) with poly(propylene glycol)

A new plasticizer for poly(L-lactide) (PLA)-poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) is proposed. The advantage of using PPG is that it does not crystallize, has low glass transition temperature, and is miscible with PLA. PLA was plasticized with PPGs with nominal Mw of 425 and 1000 g/mol. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), long known as a plasticizer for PLA, with nominal Mw of 600 g/mol, was also used to plasticize PLA for comparison. The thermal and tensile properties of PLA and PLA with 5-12.5 wt % of the plasticizers were studied. In blends of PLA with PPGs the glass transition temperature was lower than that of neat PLA. Both PPGs enhanced the crystallizability of PLA albeit less than PEG. All of the plasticizers increased also the ability of PLA to plastic deformation which was reflected in a decrease of yield stress and in an increase of elongation at break. The effect was enhanced by the higher PPG content and also by lower molecular weight of PPG. A phase separation occurred only in the blend containing 12.5 wt % of PPG with higher molecular weight. The evidences of crazing were found in deformed samples of PLA with low plasticizer content, whereas the samples with higher content of plasticizers crystallized due to deformation.     

New biodegradable thermogelling copolymers having very low gelation concentrations

New biodegradable multiblock amphiphilic and thermosensitive poly(ether ester urethane)s consisting of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) blocks were synthesized, and their aqueous solutions were found to undergo a reversible sol-gel transition upon temperature change at very low copolymer concentrations. The multiblock poly(ether ester urethane)s were synthesized from diols of PHB, PEG, and PPG using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate as a coupling reagent. The chemical structures and molecular characteristics of the copolymers were studied by GPC, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and FTIR. The thermal stability of the poly(PEG/PPG/PHB urethane)s was studied by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and the PHB contents were calculated based on the thermal degradation profile. The results were in good agreement with those obtained from the 1H NMR measurements. The poly(PEG/PPG/ PHB urethane)s presented better thermal stability than the PHB precursors. The water soluble poly(ether ester urethane)s had very low critical micellization concentration (CMC). Aqueous solutions of the new poly(ether ester urethane)s underwent a sol-gel-sol transition as the temperature increased from 4 to 80 degrees C, and showed a very low critical gelation concentration (CGC) ranging from 2 to 5 wt %. As a result of its multiblock architecture, a novel associated micelle packing model can be proposed for the sol-gel transition for the copolymer gels of this system. The new material is thought to be a promising candidate for injectable drug systems that can be formulated at low temperatures and forms a gel depot in situ upon subcutaneous injection.     

A new dimension in suspension fusion techniques with polyethylene glycol.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) induces the hybridization of mammalian cells at a much higher frequency when the cells are attached to a substrate during treatment than when the cells are treated in suspension. Since many cell types, e.g., lymphocytes, cannot attach to a substrate, a new technique for the PEG-induced fusion of cells in suspension was developed. This technique, referred to as "pancake fusion," is based on the centrifugation of suspended cells onto a coverslip and the PEG treatment of the cells on the coverslip as if they were attached to a substrate. With this technique, the frequency of hybridization of human white blood cells, which are incapable of attaching to a substrate, can be greatly increased.     

Evaluation of liquid chromatography column retentivity using macromolecular probes. IV. Poly(ethylene glycol) bonded phase

Interaction properties of the novel HPLC silica gel-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) bonded phase were evaluated applying polymeric test substances, viz. polystyrenes, poly(methyl methacrylate)s, poly(ethylene oxide)s and poly(2-vinyl pyridine)s, and eluents of different polarities. Silanols on the silica gel surface are well shielded by the PEG phase, and silanophilic adsorption of macromolecules is suppressed in comparison with most silica C(18) bonded phases. The adsorption of solutes on the -OH groups of the PEG phase seems to be low as well. The partition of macromolecules in favor of the PEG phase is inferior to that observed in case of the silica C(18) phases. The volume of the PEG bonded phase is small and it is supposed that the PEG chains assume flat conformation on the silica gel surface.     

Locomotion of white blood cells: a biophysical analysis

We determined some biophysical properties of human granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes in respect to their locomotion. Granulocytes were exposed to plasma and were allowed to crawl on uncoated or glycol methacrylate coated glass plates. Monocytes did not migrate on uncoated glass, but did so on glycol methacrylated glass. Lymphocytes did not move on glass or glycol methacrylated glass, but moved on plexiglas coverslips. Granulocytes and monocytes showed a pronounced, directed movement towards a lysed erythrocyte (necrotaxis), lymphocytes showed no necrotactic response. The information collected by the granulocytes and monocytes in the necrotactic gradient was between 1 and 2 bits. This small amount of information indicated that the cellular decision in favor of a new direction of migration is based on a mechanism involving instability. We showed that the necrotactic response of granulocytes and monocytes is the product of the chemokinetic activity and the polar order parameter (= McCutcheon index) indicating that the cellular decision for a new direction of migration is independent of the speed of the cell movement. The movement of monocytes can be characterized in a similar way to that of granulocytes: the angle of deviation from a straight line path is nearly a fixed value (+/- 35 degrees). Lymphocytes stay in a restricted area after straight line movement. Particular attention was focused on cellular properties involved in locomotion. The characteristic time of the internal clock controlling the locomotion was 0.9 minutes for granulocytes and 2 minutes for monocytes. We were not able to determine the characteristic time of lymphocytes. We were able to determine the internal program responsible for the change in direction of movement. The directional memory time for granulocytes was 0.9 minutes. Monocytes had two directional memory times, short (2 minutes) and long (greater than 18 minutes). Lymphocytes had a very short directional memory time of 40 seconds. The distribution of the track velocities of migrating granulocytes and monocytes was described by bell shaped curves indicating homogeneous populations of cells. The distribution for lymphocytes had two maxima.     

Isolation of bacteria able to grow on both polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) and their PEG/PPG dehydrogenases

Two bacterial consortia growing on a random copolymer of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol units were obtained by enrichment cultures from various microbial samples. Six major strains included in both consortia were purified and identified as Sphingomonads, Pseudomonas sp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Three of them (Sphingobium sp. strain EK-1, Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida strain EY-1, and Pseudomonas sp. strain PE-2) utilized both PEG and polypropylene glycol (PPG) as a sole carbon source. Four PEG-utilizing bacteria had PEG dehydrogenase (PEG-DH) activity, which was induced by PEG. PCR products from DNA of these bacteria generated with primers designed from a PEG-DH gene (AB196775 for S. macrogoltabida strain 103) indicated the presence of a sequence that is the homologous to the PEG-DH gene (99% identity). On the other hand, five PPG-utilizing bacteria had PPG dehydrogenase (PPG-DH) activity, but the activity was constitutive. PCR of a PPG-DH gene was performed using primers designed from a polyvinyl alcohol dehydrogenase (PVA-DH) gene (AB190288 for Sphingomonas sp. strain 113P3) because a PPG-DH gene has not been cloned yet, but both PPG-DH and PVA-DH were active toward PPG and PVA (Mamoto et al. 2006). PCR products of the five strains did not have similarity to each other or to oxidoreductases including PVA-DH. The paper was edited by a native speaker through American Journal Experts (http://www.journalexperts.com).     

Endorphin content of white blood cells and peritoneal cells in neonatally benzpyrene treated adult rats

White blood cells of rats (lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes and mast cells) contain beta-endorphin. Two months after a single neonatal benzpyrene treatment (imprinting) there is an elevated level of immunoreactive endorphin in the blood and peritoneal cells of female animals and blood cells of males. The endorphin content decreased in the peritoneal cells of males. In the blood, the granulocytes of female, and the lymphocytes of male rats contained the highest amount of endorphin. In the peritoneal fluid also the granulocytes of females contained the highest amount of endorphin, in contrast to males, where the endorphin content of cells decreased and the lowest level of it was present in the lymphocytes. The experiments justify that benzpyrene treatment can durably influence endorphin levels of white blood cells and gives new data to the already known lifelong health destroying effects of perinatal benzpyrene exposition (alterations of hormone receptor binding capacity and sexual behavior).     

Glycosphingolipid patterns of peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes are cell specific

We analyzed the amounts and types of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) from peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes isolated by counter-current elutriation. The three cell types contained different amounts of neutral and acidic GSLs. The highest amount of neutral GSLs (109 micrograms/10(8) cells) was found in granulocytes, with considerably less found in monocytes (11 micrograms/10(8) cells) and lymphocytes (4 micrograms/10(8) cells). The neutral GSLs were composed of four types of lipids, GL1 through GL4 (mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraosylceramide). The highest percentage of GL1 was detected in lymphocytes and the lowest percentage in granulocytes, with the reverse order observed for GL2. GL3 and GL4, which were minor components of the neutral GSLs, were highly cell specific, with lymphocytes containing GL3 and GL4 of the globo series, granulocytes containing GL3 and GL4 of the lacto or neolacto series, and monocytes containing GL3 and GL4 of both types. The acidic GSL, sialosyl hexaosylceramide (lacto-series), was abundant in granulocytes but not in monocytes or lymphocytes. Another ganglioside, GM3, although present in all three cell types, was most abundant in monocytes and lymphocytes, whereas sialosyl paragloboside was higher in granulocytes than in lymphocytes and monocytes. These results indicate that peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes have distinct "GSL fingerprints."     

Fractionation of lymphocytes involved in the generation of cell-mediated cytotoxicity over insolubilized conjugated histamine columns.

Spleen cells from normal BALB/c mice were cultured in vitro with irradiated C57BL/6 stimulating cells. Five days later the T cell-mediated cytotoxic activity of the effector cells was assessed with a 51Cr-release assay that used H-2bEL-4 tumor cells as targets. Before the BALB/c responding lymphocytes were sensitized they were fractionated by passing the spleen cells over insolubilized histamine rabbit serum albumin Sepharose columns (H-RSA-S) or over rabbit serum albumin Sepharose (RSA-S) control columns. Fractionation of cells over the H-RSA-S columns depleted or significantly reduced the cytotoxic potential of the unretained cells. All cytotoxic potential was recovered when the cells that adhered to the H-RSA-S were eluted from the columns. In contrast, no effect on responsiveness was detected after the cells had been fractionated over the control column. The loss of response potential by the cells that did not adhere to H-RSA-S could not be accounted for by removal of macrophages nor by the concentration of cells with suppressor activity in the effluent. These cell fractionation studies raise the possiblity but do not prove that cytotoxic precursor cells may express amine receptors that could be responsible for their retention by insolubilized histamine columns.     

Heterogeneity of human natural killer cell populations.

Natural killing (NK) in human donors was determined by the ability of peripheral blood subpopulations to lyse the myeloid target, K562, in a 2 to 4 hr ⁵¹Cr release assay. The most active cell was a non-T cell which passed through nylon columns (representing 10 to 25% of column passed cells). A second column passed cell population, with characteristics of T lymphocytes (75 to 90% of column passed cells), was also capable of mediating natural killing. Non-T cells which were retained by the nylon columns (45 to 55% of adherent cells) lacked NK activity. However, nylon adherent T cells (45 to 55% of adherent cells) were consistently active in NK assays, illustrating an important subset of NK effector cell often overlooked. Both column passed and adherent T cells were further separated according to their ability to bind IgG or IgM immune complexes, showing that those mediating NK have receptors for IgG (Tγ+) but not for IgM (Tμ+).     

Conversion of fatty aldehyde dimethyl acetals to the corresponding alk-1-enyl methyl ethers (substituted vinyl ethers) during gas-liquid chromatography

The behavior of palmitaldehyde and linolealdehyde and of their dimethyl acetals during gas-liquid chromatography on beta-cyclodextrin acetate (beta-CDX acetate) and ethylene glycol succinate polyester-phosphoric acid (EGSP) columns was studied. The aldehydes were well separated from their dimethyl acetals on the beta-CDX acetate column. However, on the EGSP column the retention times of palmitaldehyde and its dimethyl acetal were identical; a mixture of linolealdehyde and its dimethyl acetal gave a split peak. The aldehydes were recovered unchanged in 80-85% yield by preparative GLC from both columns, but the dimethyl acetals were quantitatively converted to the corresponding alk-1-enyl methyl ethers. The structure of these compounds was elucidated by infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and chemical means. Upon hydrolysis at low temperatures with 100% H(2)SO(4) they yielded the corresponding aldehydes, which were identified as 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones.     

Enhancement of enzymatic production of cyclodextrins by adding polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol

Enzymatic production of cyclodextrins (CDs) from soluble starch was studied using either Bacillus macerans or Bacillus ohbensis cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase). The production yield of CDs was found to be increased up to 1.5–2 times by the addition of low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) or polypropylene glycol (PPG 425) to the reaction medium. Such results were interpreted as being due to a conformational change of the substrate as well as reduction of hydrolytic activity of the enzyme in the presence of these additives.     

Adhesion of human granulocytes and T lymphocytes to vascular endothelial cells after stimulation with Bacteroides fragilis endotoxin and enterotoxin]

The aim of presented study was to estimates the number of human granulocytes and T lymphocytes adhering to 1 mm2 of vascular endothelial cell culture stimulated by Bacteroides fragilis endotoxins (LPS) and enterotoxin (BFT). HMEC-1 cells were activated with bacterial preparations at the concentration of 10 (micrograms/ml for 4 and 24 hours. Granulocytes and T lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy blood donors. The adhesion tests of granulocytes and adhesion tests of resting and activated with PMA (at the concentration of 10 ng/ml) T lymphocytes to the non-stimulated and stimulated by B. fragilis compounds (LPS and BFT) vascular endothelium were performed. The number of viable leukocytes, which adhered to the endothelium, was determined using inverted microscope (magnification 200x). The results were presented as the number of viable cells adhering to 1 mm2 of the endothelial cell culture. The results of experiments indicate that granulocytes and T lymphocytes (resting and after activation with PMA even in greater number) adhere to the endothelial cells stimulated by B. fragilis endotoxins and enterotoxin. B. fragilis toxins are weaker stimulants of human leukocyte adhesion to the HMEC-1 cells than E. coli O55:B5 LPS. B. fragilis LPS and BFT preparations stimulate endothelial cells to the adhesion of granulocytes in similar manner, whereas the activation of vascular endothelium to the adhesion of T lymphocytes is differentiated.     

Glucocorticoid receptors in subpopulations of human lymphocytes defined by monoclonal antibodies

Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) were investigated in subpopulations of lymphocytes identified by monoclonal antibodies. Purified T (OKT3+) and non-T lymphocyte subpopulations were isolated from human peripheral blood using Degalan bead columns coated with rabbit anti-human IgG. Purified subpopulations of OKT4+ and OKT8+ lymphocytes were obtained by coating the nonadherent population (T cells) from the first column with OKT4+ or OKT8+ and pouring it into a second Degalan column, coated with goat anti-mouse IgG. GR content and affinity were analyzed by a whole cell assay with [3H]dexamethasone as tracer. The numbers of GR in lymphocyte subpopulations (OKT3+ cells, non-T cells, OKT4+, and OKT8+ cells) were nearly equal. It is concluded that the differential effects of glucocorticoids on the circulatory kinetics of OKT4+ and OKT8+ cells probably are not related to differences in glucocorticoid receptors of these T-cell subpopulations.     

Trout red blood cells treated with proteases fuse when placed on glass slides

Treatment of trout red blood cells (RBC) with proteases and polyethylene glycol (PEG) either successively or concurrently caused cell fusion. Neither PEG nor protease treatment alone brought about the fusion of cells in suspension. However, incubation of RBC on glass slides with proteases caused extensive fusion.     

Time and cell systems as variables in fusion experiments with polyethylene glycol

Summary Cell hybridization was done between a monolayer of B14-150 Chinese hamster cells and a suspension of either mouse leukemia cells or normal human lymphocytes. Cell contact was obtained by centrifugation of the suspension cells onto the monolayer cells in a culture plate. Cell fusion was done by means of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The optimum time for PEG exposure as well as the yield of hybrid cells differed markedly with the different combinations.     

PEG和DBBF修饰猪血红蛋白及其携氧性质

采用聚乙二醇 (PEG)修饰蛋白质可以增大蛋白质的分子量 ,改善其生物相容性和在生物体内的停留时间。而小分子交联修饰则可以稳定血红蛋白的高级结构 ,改善其对组织的递氧能力。比较了 4种方法活化的PEG衍生物对猪血红蛋白的修饰效率、修饰产物的携氧功能和稳定性等。PEG的分子量、轭合PEG的数量及变构效应物的存在与否都会影响修饰产物的性质 ;考察了双 3,5二溴水杨酸延胡索酸酯 (DBBF)修饰猪血红蛋白的反应条件以及修饰产物的物理特性和携氧能力 ,并进一步采用PEG和DBBF联合修饰猪血红蛋白。结果证明 ,联合修饰产物具有稳定的四聚体结构 ,分子量达 10 70 0 0 ,半饱和氧分压P50 在 3.33kPa左右 ,接近于生理条件下人体红细胞的P50 值。