Poly-N-vinylcaprolactam gel: A novel matrix for entrapment of microorganisms

Summary A new gel-type support poly-N-vinylcaprolactam for microbial cell immobilization is presented. The method allows one to obtain beads of biocatalyst in a single step. The properties of beads obtained using different types of gel stabilizers were compared; the best stabilizer was found to be tannin. The method developed was used for entrapment of viable bacterial cells and fungal spores. The biocatalysts obtained were used for transformations of both hydrophilic (sorbitol, indolyl-3-acetic acid) and lipophilic (cortexolone, hydrocortisone) substrates.Abbreviations PVC poly-N-vinylcaprolactam - ImC immobilized cells - IAA indolyl-3-acetic acid - TLC thin layer chromatography     

Biodegradable microparticles with immobilized peptide for wound healing

Thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP-6) may be successfully used instead of thrombin to stimulate regeneration of damaged tissues. Thrombin application is limited by its high price, instability, and proin-flammatory effect at high concentrations. Immobilization of TRAP-6 into a matrix based on lactic and glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) prevents its destruction by peptidases located in the wound and can also provide controlled release of the peptide. PLGA microparticles with the immobilized peptide were prepared by the double emulgation method. The presence of the immobilized peptide increased the porosity of the microparticle surface detected by scanning electron microscopy. Kinetics of the TRAP-6 release was characterized by a dramatic increase in its concentration in buffer solution (pH 7.5) during the first 2 h after the experiment beginning, and the complete release of the peptide after 20 h. An investigation of TRAP-6 destruction by scanning electron microscopy revealed the increase in the microparticle size and surface porosity already after one day of incubation, and the destroyed microparticles were aggregated by the seventh day of the incubation. Thus, peptide immobilization into PLGA microparticles may be employed for elaboration of a prolonged action preparation with the controlled release of the active agent (peptide).     

Coprecipitation of Pseudomonas fluorescens Lipase with Hydrophobic Compounds As an Approach to Its Immobilization for Catalysis in Nonaqueous Media

The precipitation of N-cetylamine, N-cetylacetamide, hexadecane-1,2-diol, cetyl alcohol, and poly(butyl metacrylate) in acetone–water media in the presence of the lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens was found to be accompanied by the coprecipitation of the enzyme. Within the lyophilized coprecipitates, the lipase exhibits a high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity in the reaction of (1RS)-phenylethanol acetylation with vinyl acetate in t-butyl methyl ether. In order of increasing lipase activity, the coprecipitates can be arranged in the series: cetyl alcohol, poly(butyl metacrylate), hexadecane-1,2-diol, N-cetylamine, and N-cetylacetamide, with the activity 2.5- to 19-fold exceeding the activity of the native enzyme. Immobilization of the lipase on solid supports, such as Celite 545 (physical sorption) and Eupergit C250L (covalent binding), in the presence of hexadecane-1,2-diol was found to increase the esterifying activity of the enzyme.     

Swelling behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels employed as matrices for cell immobilization

Poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels are prepared from aqueous solutions of the polymer by freezing and thawing and are employed as matrices for cell immobilization. The swelling behavior of these macroporous gel carriers in pure water and in solutions of certain compounds (salts, amino acids, and glucose) was studied to elucidate the osmotic properties of the cryogels during long-term exposure to aqueous media. It was shown that after the initial sol fraction was washed out, the residual gel matrix possessed high stability even at extreme pH conditions (acid or alkali concentration up to 1.0 mol l⁻¹) or in the presence of strong chaotropic salts such as sodium rhodanide. Although the macroporous supermolecular structure of the carriers under consideration underwent certain changes as a result of aging processes during prolonged washing of the gel, the high porous morphology of the material was retained.     

Purification of sialic acid binding protein from saprophytic bacteria by hydrophobic-interaction chromatography on butyl-toyopearl and polymer-coated porous glass

Summary Two rigid sorbents with identical nominal hydrophobic functions (Butyl-Toyopearl and poly(N-butylacrylamide)-coated porous glass (Butyl-WPG)) were compared upon chromatographic purification of lectin from Bacillus subtilis. Hydrophobic-interaction chromatography on the Butyl-WPG promotes the better resolution of nonactive contaminants from the active lectin. There were found optimal conditions for HPLC-analysis of purified lectin preparations. One step of chromatography on the butyl-WPG provided a considerable purification of lectin (98% of contaminants were removed), which retained 62,5% of its initial hemagglutinating activity.     

Changes in the currents across sodium channels as affected by blood serum on cultured neuroblastoma cells

Adding of 5% bovine serum to internally perfused voltage-clamped serum deprived neuroblastoma cells rapidly stimulates transient sodium current. This stimulating effect is mainly due to the increase in the peak sodium conductance by almost 24 per cent, on the average. Besides that a modifying effect was observed resulting in the 6 mV shift of the sodium peak conductance curve towards more negative potentials and in the 5 mV shift of steady inactivation curve towards more positive ones. The sign of the latter shift was changed to the opposite under the action of serum thermally pretreated at 100 degrees C. This procedure led also to more than two fold lowering of the stimulating effect. Experiments with serum deprivation demonstrate different degrees of reversibility of the serum effects, the most reversible being the inactivation curve shift. EGF, insulin, dexamethasone, transferrin, ATP, serotonin and their combinations in physiological concentrations failed to give the typical whole serum effects. The serum is supposed to contain at least two active components of unknown nature, one of which being thermoresistant.     

Binding and activation of the first component of human complement on artificial matrices

Artificial sorbents that comprise macroporous glass covered by the copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-substituted acrylamide have been synthesized. Aminoethanol is bound to acrylic acid residue in one sorbent (AE-glass), whereas the other sorbent involves immunoglobulin G with the hexamethylenediamine spacer (IgG-glass). C1q binds specifically to IgG-glass with Ka 4,07(+/- 0,32) X 10(7) M-1. Free energy of the C1q binding to IgG-glass is twice higher than that of its binding to monomeric IgG. This evidences that one C1q molecule associates with two IgG molecules of the sorbent. A weak nonspecific sorption of C1q to AE-glass was found. Both specific (on IgG-glass) and nonspecific (on AE-glass) sorption of the first component of complement activate the classical pathway in human serum as manifested in the consumption of the C4, C2, C3 and C5 components. IgG-glass was employed for C1q isolation from human serum by affinity chromatography, whereas unbound part of serum may be used as a reagent R1q. The yield of highly purified C1q after IgG-glass affinity chromatography and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300 is 63,6%.     

Properties of the sodium channels of the membrane of neuroblastoma clone N18 A-1 cultured cells

Ionic currents through sodium channels of dialyzed mouse neuroblastoma N18 A-1 cells were measured under voltage clamp conditions. The PNa/PK ratio evaluated by reversal potential shifts was 10.4 +/- 0.7. Parameters of steady-state fast inactivation curves (h--V) and peak sodium conductance curves (gNa--V) were determined. The inactivation kinetics had usually a two-exponential time course. The internal perfusion of cells by trypsin and pronase caused a slowing-down of the sodium current falling phase, pronase being more specific in this respect. An external application of the purified scorpion toxin in concentration of 1.42 X 10(-7) M leads to a fast and sharp slowing-down of sodium inactivation. The same toxin in concentration of 5 X 10(-6) M, applied internally was quite unaffective. Experimental results demonstrate similarities in the main features between the sodium channels of neuroblastoma cells and those of other excitable cell membranes.     

Acetylcholinesterase expression and changes in the electrical excitability of neuroblastoma cells during their morphological differentiation induced by an increase in the pH of the medium

Inhibition of cell division and outgrowth of neurites with average rate of 31.5 +/- 4.4 micrometers per hour were observed in neuroblastoma cultures of the Neuro 2a clonal line 24 hours after the increase in the culture medium pH from 7.4 to 8.2. The total neurite length per one cell was about 298 +/- 36 micron in average by the 9-10th days of treatment. Simultaneously, a gradual enhancement of acetylcholinesterase cytochemical appearance took place attaining its maximum level by the same time. The peak sodium conductance, taken as a measure of sodium tetrodotoxin-sensitive potential-dependent channel density, was the same both in nondifferentiated cells grown in suspension or monolayer cultures, and in morphologically differentiated ones. The data lead to a conclusion that biochemical (acetylcholinesterase probe) and electrophysiological (sodium channel density) signs can express independently of morphological differentiation.