Interaction of loratadine with serum albumins studied by fluorescence quenching method

The interactions between loratadine and bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) were studied using tryptophan fluorescence quenching method. The fluorescence intensity of the two serum albumins could be quenched 70% at the molar ratio [loratadine]:[BSA (or HSA)]=10:1. In the linear range (0-50 micromol L(-1)) quenching constants were calculated using Stern-Volmer equation. Temperature in the range 298 K-310 K had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the two serum albumins through ANOVA analysis and t-test. Furthermore the conformation changes in the interactions were studied using FTIR spectroscopy.     

Molecular interaction of human serum albumin with paracetamol: Spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies

The interaction between paracetamol and human serum albumin (HSA) under physiological conditions has been investigated by fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) and docking. Fluorescence data revealed that the fluorescence quenching of HSA by paracetamol was the result of the formed complex of HSA–paracetamol, and the binding constant (K_a) and binding number obtained is 1.3 × 10⁴ at 298 K and 2, respectively for the primary binding site. Circular dichorism spectra showed the induced conformational changes in HSA by the binding of paracetamol. Moreover, protein–ligand docking study indicated that paracetamols (two paracetamols bind to HSA) bind to residues located in the subdomain IIIA.     

Interaction of prodigiosin with HSA and β-Lg: Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies

Human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) are both introduced as blood and oral carrier scaffolds with high affinity for a wide range of pharmaceutical compounds. Prodigiosin, a natural three pyrrolic compound produced by Serratia marcescens, exhibits many pharmaceutical properties associated with health benefits. In the present study, the interaction of prodigiosin with HSA and β-Lg was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and computational docking. Prodigiosin interacts with the Sudlow’s site I of HSA and the calyx of β-Lg with association constant of 4.41 × 10⁴ and 1.99 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ to form 1:1 and 2:3 complexes at 300 K, respectively. The results indicated that binding of prodigiosin to HSA and β-Lg caused strong fluorescence quenching of both proteins through static quenching mechanism. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions are the major forces in the stability of PG–HSA complex with enthalpy- and entropy-driving mode, although the formation of prodigiosin–β-Lg complex is entropy-driven hydrophobic associations. CD spectra showed slight conformational changes in both proteins due to the binding of prodigiosin. Moreover, the ligand displacement assay, pH-dependent interaction and protein–ligand docking study confirmed that the prodigiosin binds to residues located in the subdomain IIA and IIIA of HSA and central calyx of β-Lg.     

Interactions of bovine serum albumin with biological buffers,TES, TAPS,and TAPSO in aqueous solutions

The thermal stability of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the aqueous solutions containing the biological buffers, N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (TES), N-[tris(hydroxylmethyl)methyl]-3-aminopropanesulfonic acid (TAPS), and N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]-3-amino-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (TAPSO), was studied by using dynamic light scattering (DLS) at various temperatures and concentration ranges of buffers. It is found that the increase of the buffer concentration enhanced the thermal stability of protein BSA, and the stabilization tendency follows the order of TAPSO > TES ≈ TAPS. In this study, we have also investigated the interactions of BSA with TES, TAPS, and TAPSO by using various techniques, such as UV–vis absorption, fluorescence, and molecular docking. It is revealed that the main interactions between the studied buffers and the peptide moieties of proteins are electrostatic including hydrogen bonds. The results obtained from this series of studies confirmed that the biological buffers, TES, TAPS, and TAPSO can serve as good stabilizers for the globular protein BSA, in the aqueous solutions.     

Double-modified albumins as a tool for antibody purification

A general approach for anti-hapten antibody purification utilizing double-modified albumins is presented. Purification is based on simultaneous modification of an albumin with a hapten (e.g. fluorescein) and desthiobiotin. Three distinct albumins (BSA, HSA and ovalbumin) were modified accordingly and evaluated for their ability to purify the anti-fluorescein mAb from a mixture of commercial preparation and an E. coli cell lysate. The recovered mAb was obtained at relatively high purity (88–95%), in a wide range of target concentrations (0.66–0.02 mg/ml) within a total purification time of ∼ 20 min. Substantial increase in the contamination background did not affect purity.     

Experimental,computational and chemometrics studies of BSA-vitamin B6 interaction by UV–Vis,FT-IR,fluorescence spectroscopy,molecular dynamics simulation and hard-soft modeling methods

The interaction of pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) is investigated under pseudo-physiological conditions by UV–Vis, fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy. The intrinsic fluorescence of BSA was quenched by VB6, which was rationalized in terms of the static quenching mechanism. According to fluorescence quenching calculations, the bimolecular quenching constant (k_q), dynamic quenching (K_SV) and static quenching (K_LB) at 310 K were obtained. The efficiency of energy transfer and the distance between the donor (BSA) and the acceptor (VB6) were calculated by Foster’s non-radiative energy transfer theory and were equal to 41.1% and 2.11 nm.The collected UV–Vis and fluorescence spectra were combined into a row-and column-wise augmented matrix and resolved by multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS). MCR-ALS helped to estimate the stoichiometry of interactions, concentration profiles and pure spectra for three species (BSA, VB6 and VB6-BSA complex) existed in the interaction procedure. Based on the MCR-ALS results, using mass balance equations, a model was developed and binding constant of complex was calculated using non-linear least squares curve fitting. FT-IR spectra showed that the conformation of proteins was altered in presence of VB6. Finally, the combined docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to estimate the binding affinity of VB6 to BSA. Five-nanosecond MD simulations were performed on bovine serum albumin (BSA) to study the conformational features of its ligand binding site. From MD results, eleven BSA snapshots were extracted, at every 0.5 ns, to explore the binding affinity (GOLD score) of VB6 using a docking procedure. MD simulations indicated that there is a considerable flexibility in the structure of protein that affected ligand recognition. Structural analyses and docking simulations indicated that VB6 binds to site I and GOLD score values depend on the conformations of both BSA and ligand. Molecular modeling results showed that VB6–BSA complex formed not only on the basis of electrostatic forces, but also on the basis of π–π staking and hydrogen bond. There was an excellent agreement between the experimental and computational results. The results presented in this paper, will offer a reference for detailed and systematic studies on the biological effects and action mechanism of small molecules with proteins.     

Study of the interaction of human serum albumin with Alstonia scholaris leaf extract-mediated silver nanoparticles having bactericidal property

This study investigates the green synthesis of AgNPs from 1 mM aqueous AgNO₃ using 10% leaf extract of Alstonia scholaris (Chhatim) for its wide antibacterial and medicinal properties. The synthesized AgNPs were duly characterized by UV–vis (UV–vis) spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays spectroscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry. Their antibacterial property was tested against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), and minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.08 nM of AgNPs were obtained, which suggests improved therapeutic efficacy. We report the interaction of human serum albumin (HSA) with this nanoparticle, and this interaction was studied by UV–vis, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopies and zeta potential measurement at room temperature. It was found that the AgNPs form a complex with HSA, which may cause the slightest change in the conformation of HSA. The calculated values of Stern-Volmer quenching constant, binding constant, and binding distance were 1.82 × 10⁷ M⁻¹, 1.58 × 10⁷ M⁻¹, and 3.68 nm, respectively. Therefore, in future, the present study may provide useful information to design a better antibacterial compound by using green synthesized nanoparticles with fewer side effects.     

Comparative serum albumin interactions and antitumor effects of Au(III) and Ga(III) ions

In the present study, interactions of Au(III) and Ga(III) ions on human serum albumin (HSA) were studied comparatively via spectroscopic and thermal analysis methods: UV–vis absorbance spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The potential antitumor effects of these ions were studied on MCF-7 cells via Alamar blue assay. It was found that both Au(III) and Ga(III) ions can interact with HSA, however; Au(III) ions interact with HSA more favorably and with a higher affinity. FT-IR second derivative analysis results demonstrated that, high concentrations of both metal ions led to a considerable decrease in the α-helix content of HSA; while Au(III) led to around 5% of decrease in the α-helix content at 200 μM, it was around 1% for Ga(III) at the same concentration. Calorimetric analysis gave the binding kinetics of metal–HSA interactions; while the binding affinity (K_a) of Au(III)–HSA binding was around 3.87 × 10⁵ M⁻¹, it was around 9.68 × 10³ M⁻¹ for Ga(III)–HSA binding. Spectroscopy studies overall suggest that both metal ions have significant effects on the chemical structure of HSA, including the secondary structure alterations. Antitumor activity studies on MCF7 tumor cell line with both metal ions revealed that, Au(III) ions have a higher antiproliferative activity compared to Ga(III) ions.     

Investigations of interaction mechanism and conformational variation of serum albumin affected by artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin

In this work, binding interactions of artemisinin (ART) and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated thoroughly to illustrate the conformational variation of serum albumin. Experimental results indicated that ART and DHA bound strongly with the site I of serum albumins via hydrogen bond (H-bond) and van der Waals force and subsequently statically quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of serum albumins through concentration-dependent manner. The quenching abilities of two drugs on the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA were much higher than the quenching abilities of two drugs on the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. Both ART and DHA, especially DHA, caused the conformational variation of serum albumins and reduced the α-helix structure content of serum albumins. DHA with hydrophilic hydroxyl group bound with HSA more strongly, suggesting the important roles of the chemical polarity and the hydrophilicity during the binding interactions of two drugs with serum albumins. These results reveal the molecular understanding of binding interactions between ART derivatives and serum albumins, providing vital information for the future application of ART derivatives in biological and clinical areas.     

Exploring the interactions of a Tb(III)–quercetin complex with serum albumins (HSA and BSA): spectroscopic and molecular docking studies

Serum albumins (human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), two main circulatory proteins), are globular and monomeric macromolecules in plasma that transport many drugs and compounds. In the present study, we investigated the interactions of the Tb(III)–quercetin (Tb–QUE) complex with HSA and BSA using common spectroscopic techniques and a molecular docking study. Fluorescence data revealed that the inherent fluorescence emission of HSA and BSA was markedly quenched by the Tb–QUE complex through a static quenching mechanism, confirming stable complex formation (a ground‐state association) between albumins and Tb–QUE. Binding and thermodynamic parameters were obtained from the fluorescence spectra and the related equations at different temperatures under biological conditions. The binding constants (K_b) were calculated to be 0.8547 × 10³ M^?1 for HSA and 0.1363 × 10³ M^?1 for BSA at 298 K. Also, the number of binding sites (n) of the HSA/BSA–Tb–QUE systems was obtained to be approximately 1. Thermodynamic data calculations along with molecular docking results indicated that electrostatic interactions have a main role in the binding process of the Tb–QUE complex with HSA/BSA. Furthermore, molecular docking outputs revealed that the Tb–QUE complex has high affinity to bind to subdomain IIA of HSA and BSA. Binding distances (r) between HSA–Tb–QUE and BSA–Tb–QUE systems were also calculated using the Forster (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) method. It is expected that this study will provide a pathway for designing new compounds with multiple beneficial effects on human health from the phenolic compounds family such as the Tb–QUE complex.     

Molecular interaction of cationic gemini surfactant with bovine serum albumin: A spectroscopic and molecular docking study

Herein, we report the effect of N,N′-bis(dodecyloxycarbonylmethyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,2-ethanediammonium dibromide (dodecyl betainate gemini or DBG) on the structure and function of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by using fluorescence, time resolved fluorescence, circular dichroism and dynamic light scattering techniques. The Stern–Volmer quenching constants K_SV and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters viz ΔH, ΔG and ΔS have been estimated by the fluorescence quenching method. The results indicated that DBG binds spontaneously with BSA through hydrophobic interaction. Time resolved fluorescence data show that the quenching follows the static mechanism pathway. It can be seen from far-UV CD spectra that the α-helical network of BSA is disrupted and its content increases from 71% to 79% at lower concentrations which again decreases to 38% at higher concentration. DLS measurements suggested that hydrodynamic radius (R_h) decreases in the presence of 30 and 40 μM of DBG while it increases when the concentration of DBG was 70 and 100 μM. The molecular docking study indicated that DBG is embedded into subdomain IIA of BSA and binds with the R-914, R-195 and R-217 residues by hydrogen bonding and by hydrophobic interaction.     

An insight to the binding of ellagic acid with human serum albumin using spectroscopic and isothermal calorimetry studies

Ellagic acid (EA), a natural polyphenol evidence several pharmacological benefits. The binding profile of EA with human serum albumin (HSA) has been explored and investigated by Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC), absorbance spectroscopy, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, and modelling studies. The ITC data analysis revealed the binding Constant (K_a), ΔH, ΔS and ΔG values to be 15.5×10⁴M^?1, ?116.2±18.1 Kcal mol^?1, ?366 cal mol^?1K^?1 and ?7.13 Kcal mol^?1 respectively with a unique binding site at HSA. EA effectively quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA by static quenching, whereas TCSPC data also revealed association of dynamic quenching also. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that hydrophobic and mainly hydrogen bonding interaction played important role in stabilizing the HSA-EA complex. It further dictates the binding reaction to be enthalpy driven. The secondary structure of HSA was altered upon binding with EA. CD spectroscopic data indicated the fraction of alpha helicity to be decreased from 52% to 40% upon binding to EA. This study will provide an insight on evaluation of this bioactive interaction during transport and releasing efficiency at the target site in human physiological system since HSA is the most important carrier protein in blood serum.     

Bacterial cellulose nanofibers for albumin depletion from human serum

Cibacron Blue F3GA (CB) was covalently attached onto the bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers for human serum albumin (HSA) depletion from human serum. The BC nanofibers were produced by Acetobacter xylinum in the Hestrin–Schramm medium in a static condition for 14 days. The CB content of the BC nanofibers was 178 μmol/g. The specific surface area of the BC nanofibers was determined to be 914 m²/g. HSA adsorption experiments were performed by stirred-batch adsorption. The non-specific adsorption of HSA on the BC nanofibers was very low (1.4 mg/g polymer). CB attachment onto the BC nanofibers significantly increased the HSA adsorption (1800 mg/g). The maximum HSA adsorption was observed at pH 5.0. The HSA adsorption capacity decreased drastically with an increase of the aqueous phase concentration of sodium chloride. The elution studies were performed by adding 1 M NaCl to the HSA solutions in which adsorption equilibria had been reached. The elution results demonstrated that the binding of HSA to the adsorbent was reversible. The depletion efficiencies for HSA were above 96.5% for all studied concentrations. Proteins in the serum and eluted portion were analyzed by SDS-PAGE for testing the efficiency of HSA depletion from human serum. Eluted proteins include mainly HSA.     

Circulating antibodies directed against “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-like” structures in the sera of cancer patients

Background: An increase in immunoglobulin (Ig) A isotype directed against benzo(a)pyrene (BP) structure has previously been described in sera of cancer patients. In this study, new polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) conjugates were synthesized in order to more closely mimic the endogenous ligands of the cytosolic aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). PAH [benzo(a)pyrene; 1,2-benzanthracene; dibenz[a,c]anthracene; 7,12-dimethylbenza[a]anthracene; benzo(ghi)perylene] were bound to protein carriers such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) via N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Methods: The levels of circulating antibodies (Abs) directed against PAH–NAC conjugates in the sera of cancer patients were evaluated using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with these new conjugates. The avidity (IC₅₀) and specificity of these circulating Abs were assessed via competition experiments. Results: An increase in Ig directed against these PAH–NAC conjugates was found in the sera of cancer patients, irrespective of the state and stage of the tumors. These Ig were principally of the A isotype. Sera from cancer patients had significantly higher optical density (OD) ranges than the controls, p < 0.0001. The ELISA test for breast cancer (n = 155) and ovarian cancer (n = 62) identified 82% and 92% of positive patients, respectively. The percentage positive in the control group (n = 60) was around 5%. Moreover, competition experiments with the different PAH–NAC conjugates and NAC–BSA revealed an estimated avidity of 10^?6 M for the circulating IgA antibodies. Conclusions: The Abs discriminated between the different PAH–NAC conjugates and NAC–BSA. Therefore, these Abs recognize a carcinogenic PAH–NAC structure and not only a BP structure. These markers may be useful in the future for monitoring cancer evolution and recurrence.     

Studies on binding interactions between clenbuterol hydrochloride and two serum albumins by multispectroscopic approaches in vitro

In this study, binding properties of clenbuterol hydrochloride (CL) with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were examined using constant protein concentrations and various CL contents under physiological conditions. The binding parameters were confirmed using fluorescence quenching spectroscopy at various temperatures. The experimental results confirmed that the quenching mechanisms of CL and HSA/BSA were both static quenching processes. The thermodynamic parameters, namely, enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS), were calculated according to the van't Hoff equation, which suggested that the electrostatic interactions were the predominant intermolecular forces in stabilizing the CL–HSA complex, and hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force were the predominant intermolecular forces in stabilizing the CL–BSA complex. Furthermore, the conformational changes of HSA/BSA in the presence of CL were determined using the data obtained from three‐dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Triazolopyridyl ketones as a novel class of antileishmanial agents. DNA binding and BSA interaction

A new series of triazolopyridyl pyridyl ketones has been synthetized by regioselective lithiation of the corresponding [1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine at 7 position followed by reaction with different electrophiles. The in vitro antileishmanial activity of these compounds was evaluated against Leishmania infantum, Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania guyanensis and Leishmania amazonensis. Compounds 6 and 7 were found to be the most active leishmanicidal agents. Both of them showed activities at micromolar concentration against cultured promastigotes of Leishmania spp. (IC₅₀ = 99.8–26.8 μM), without cytotoxicity on J774 macrophage cells. These two compounds were also tested in vivo in a murine model of acute infection by L. infantum. The triazolopyridine derivative 6 was effective against both spleen and liver parasites forms, while 7 was inactive against liver parasites. Mechanistic aspects of the antileishmanial activity were investigated by means of DNA binding studies (UV-titration and viscosimetry). Results have revealed that these active ligands are able to interact strongly with DNA [K_b = 1.14 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ (6) and 3.26 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ (7)]. Moreover, a DNA groove binding has been proposed for both 6 and 7. To provide more insight on the mode of action of compounds 6 and 7 under biological conditions, their interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was monitored by fluorescence titrations and UV–visible spectroscopy. The quenching constants and binding parameters were determined. Triazolopyridine ketones 6 and 7 have exhibited significant affinity towards BSA [K_b = 2.5 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ (6) and 1.9 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ (7)]. Finally, to identify the binding location of compounds 6 and 7 on the BSA, competitive binding experiments were carried out, using warfarin, a characteristic marker for site I, and ibuprofen as one for site II. Results derived from these studies have indicated that both compounds interact at BSA site I and, to a lesser extent, at site II.     

Study on the interactions of mapenterol with serum albumins using multi‐spectroscopy and molecular docking

The interactions of mapenterol with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) have been investigated systematically using fluorescence spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and molecular docking techniques. Mapenterol has a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA and HSA through static quenching procedures. At 291 K, the binding constants, K_a, were 1.93 × 10³ and 2.73 × 10³ L/mol for mapenterol–BSA and mapenterol–HAS, respectively. Electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interactions played important roles in stabilizing the mapenterol–BSA/has complex. Using site marker competitive studies, mapenterol was found to bind at Sudlow site I on BSA/HSA. There was little effect of K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Fe³⁺ on the binding. The conformation of BSA/HSA was changed by mapenterol, as seen from the synchronous fluorescence spectra. The CD spectra showed that the binding of mapenterol to BSA/HSA changed the secondary structure of BSA/HSA. Molecular docking further confirmed that mapenterol could bind to Sudlow site I of BSA/HSA. According to Förster non‐radiative energy transfer theory (FRET), the distances r₀ between the donor and acceptor were calculated as 3.18 and 2.75 nm for mapenterol–BSA and mapenterol–HAS, respectively. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of serum albumin supplementation on in vitro capacitation and fertilization of caprine oocytes

The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of purity and the type of serum albumin on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and cleavage rate of in vitro matured goat oocytes. Ovaries were collected from the local abattoir and transported within 4 h to the laboratory in warm saline (37 °C) containing 100 IU penicillin-G and 100 μg streptomycin sulfate per ml. A total of 2509 cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from 1313 ovaries. Oocytes were matured in TCM-199 medium containing FSH (5 μg/ml), LH (5 μg/ml) and estradiol-17β (1 μg/ml), supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum at 38.5 °C and 5% CO₂ in an incubator under humidified air for 27 h. After 27 h of in vitro maturation (IVM), oocytes were denuded, washed and randomly divided into 4 groups. Group 1 consisted of in vitro matured oocytes (n = 627) co-incubated with sperm in a 50 μl drop of TALP medium containing a 6 mg/ml crystalline bovine serum albumin (BSA) fraction V and 10 μg/ml heparin. Group 2 was comprised of in vitro matured oocytes (n = 470), co-incubated with sperm in a 50 μl drop of TALP medium containing 3 mg/ml crystalline BSA fraction V, 10% estrous goat serum and 10 μg/ml heparin. Group 3 was comprised of in vitro matured oocytes (n = 489) co-incubated with sperm in a 50 μl drop of TALP medium containing a 6 mg/ml fatty acid free BSA and 10 μg/ml heparin. Group 4 consisted of in vitro matured oocytes (n = 422) co-incubated with sperm in a 50 μl drop of TALP medium containing 20% estrous goat serum and 10 μg/ml heparin. After 18 h of co-incubation, the oocyte–sperm mixture was washed in the culture medium 15–20 times and cultured in 50 μl EDM. Cleavage of the in vitro fertilized oocytes were recorded 48 h post-insemination under an inverted phase contrast microscope. The average oocyte recovery rate/ovary and maturation rate was 1.91% and 80.03%, respectively. The cleavage rate in Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and Group 4 was 1.59%, 8.93%, 11.86% and 35.30%, respectively. It could be concluded that the use of fatty acid free albumin resulted in a significantly higher (P < 0.05) cleavage rate, compared to unmodified albumin, and the supplementation of 20% estrous goat serum in the fertilization medium, significantly (P < 0.05) increased the cleavage rate of in vitro matured goat oocytes, compared to defatted albumin.     

Analysis of lidocaine interactions with serum proteins using high-performance affinity chromatography

High-performance affinity chromatography was used to study binding by the drug lidocaine to human serum albumin (HSA) and α₁-acid glycoprotein (AGP). AGP had strong binding to lidocaine, with an association equilibrium constant (K_a) of 1.1–1.7 × 10⁵ M^?1 at 37 °C and pH 7.4. Lidocaine had weak to moderate binding to HSA, with a K_a in the range of 10³ to 10⁴ M^?1. Competitive experiments with site selective probes showed that lidocaine was interacting with Sudlow site II of HSA and the propranolol site of AGP. These results agree with previous observations in the literature and provide a better quantitative understanding of how lidocaine binds to these serum proteins and is transported in the circulation. This study also demonstrates how HPAC can be used to examine the binding of a drug with multiple serum proteins and provide detailed information on the interaction sites and equilibrium constants that are involved in such processes.     

Capillary electrophoresis separation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry characterization of bovine serum albumin–fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugates

A protocol using enzymatic digestion, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and capillary electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) for the investigation of the binding of the fluorescent contact allergen fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to the 66 kDa large protein bovine serum albumin (BSA), as a model system for protein–hapten binding in the skin, is presented. Mass spectra of BSA–FITC digestions, using trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively, provided sequence coverage of 97%. To investigate the number of FITC-bound peptides using CE-LIF separation, three different buffer salts at four different pH levels were evaluated. The use of 20 mM sodium citrate pH 6.5 as well as 20 mM sodium phosphate pH 6.5 or pH 7.5 as background electrolyte revealed high numbers of peptides with at least one bound FITC. The effect of the electrolyte counter ion on MALDI-MS was investigated and was found to have effect on the MALDI spectra signal-to-noise (S/N) at 50 mM but not at 10 mM. Of the 60 theoretical FITC-binding sites in BSA this MALDI-MS protocol presents 30 defined, 28 possible and 2 non-binding sites for FITC.