Search

HS628 has been developed as a proposed biosimilar product of originator tocilizumab (Actemra®). An extensive physicochemical and biological characterization was conducted to assess similarity between HS628 and originator tocilizumab. The amino acid sequence was shown to be identical between HS628 and originator tocilizumab. The higher order structure was found to be indistinguishable from originator tocilizumab. Concerning purity and heterogeneity, HS628 was demonstrated to have similar posttranslational modifications, charge heterogeneity, size heterogeneity, and glycosylation to originator tocilizumab. Moreover, HS628 exhibited highly similar binding affinity and antiproliferative activity as well as capability of inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation compared to originator tocilizumab. Taken together, HS628 can be considered as a highly similar molecule to originator tocilizumab in terms of physicochemical and biological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the production of an exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG) by Rhizomucor pusillus A13.36 in submerged cultivation (SmC) in a shaker at 45°C for 96 h. A single pectinase was found and purified in order to analyze its thermal stability, by salt precipitation and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The pectinase has an estimated Mw of approximately 43.5–47 kDa and optimum pH of 4.0 but is stable in pH ranging from 3.5 to 9.5 and has an optimum temperature of 61°C. It presents thermal stability between 30 and 60°C, has 70% activation in the presence of Ca2+, and was tested using citrus pectin with a degree of methyl esterification (DE) of 26%. Ea(d) for irreversible denaturation was 125.5 kJ/mol with positive variations of entropy and enthalpy for that and ΔG(d) values were around 50 kJ/mol. The hydrolysis of polygalacturonate was analyzed by capillary electrophoresis which displayed a pattern of sequential hydrolysis (exo). The partial identification of the primary sequence was done by MS MALDI-TOF and a comparison with data banks showed the highest identity of the sequenced fragments of exo-PG from R. pusillus with an exo-pectinase from Aspergillus fumigatus. Pectin hydrolysis showed a sigmoidal curve for the Michaelis-Menten plot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-mannanase has shown compelling biological functions because of its regulatory roles in metabolism, inflammation, and oxidation. This study separated and purified the β-mannanase from Bacillus subtilis BE-91, which is a powerful hemicellulose-degrading bacterium using a “two-step” method comprising ultrafiltration and gel chromatography. The purified β-mannanase (about 28.2 kDa) showed high specific activity (79, 859.2 IU/mg). The optimum temperature and pH were 65°C and 6.0, respectively. Moreover, the enzyme was highly stable at temperatures up to 70°C and pH 4.5–7.0. The β-mannanase activity was significantly enhanced in the presence of Mn2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Al3+ and strongly inhibited by Ba2+ and Pb2+. Km and Vmax values for locust bean gum were 7.14 mg/mL and 107.5 μmol/min/mL versus 1.749 mg/mL and 33.45 µmol/min/mL for Konjac glucomannan, respectively. Therefore, β-mannanase purified by this work shows stability at high temperatures and in weakly acidic or neutral environments. Based on such data, the β-mannanase will have potential applications as a dietary supplement in treatment of inflammatory processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, few organisms are known to and capable of naturally producing laccases and white rot fungi are one such group. In the present study, three fungal species, namely, Ganoderma lucidum-CDBT1, Ganoderma japonicum, and Lentinula edodes, isolated from their native habitat in Nepal were screened for laccase production, and G. lucidum-CDBT1 was found to express highest levels of enzyme (day 10 culture media showed 0.92 IU/mg total protein or 92 IU/mL laccase activity with ABTS as substrate). Lignin extracted from rice straw was used in Olga medium for laccase production and isolation from G. lucidum-CDBT1. Presence of lignin (5 g/L) and copper sulfate (30 μM) in the media increased the extracellular laccase content by 111% and 114%, respectively. The laccase enzyme produced by G. lucidum-CDBT1 was fractionated by ammonium sulfate and purified by DEAE Sepharose anion exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme was found to have a molecular mass of 43 kDa and exhibits optimal activity at pH 5.0 and 30°C. The isolated laccase was thermally stable for up to 70°C for 1 h and exhibited broad pH stability. The kinetic constants, Km, Vmax, and Kcat, determined using 2,2′-azinobis-(-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) as substrate were found to be 110 μM, 36 μmol/min/mg, and 246 min−1, respectively. The isolated thermostable laccase will be used in future experiments for delignification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) is a small, mitotic growth polypeptide that promotes the proliferation of various cells and is widely applied in clinical practices. However, high efficient expression of native hEGF in Escherichia coli has not been successful, since three disulfide bonds in monomer hEGF made it unable to fold into correct 3D structure using in vivo system. To tackle this problem, we fused Mxe GyrA intein (Mxe) at the C-terminal of hEGF followed by small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) and 10x His-tag to construct a chimeric protein hEGF-Mxe-SUMO-H10. The fusion protein was highly expressed at the concentration of 281 mg/L and up to 59.5% of the total cellular soluble proteins. The fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography and 29.4 mg/L of native hEGF can be released by thiol induced N-terminal cleavage without any proteases. The mitotic activity in Balb/c 3T3 cells is proliferated by commercial and recombinant hEGF measured with methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay which indicated that recombinant hEGF protein stimulates the cell proliferation similar to commercial protein. This study significantly improved the yield and reduced the cost of hEGF in the recombinant E. coli system and could be a better strategy to produce native hEGF for pharmaceutical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AU-rich element binding/degradation factor 1 (AUF1) plays a role in destabilizing mRNAs by forming complexes with AU-rich elements (ARE) in the 3′-untranslated regions. Multiple AUF1-ARE complexes regulate the translation of encoded products related to the cell cycle, apoptosis, and inflammation. AUF1 contains two tandem RNA recognition motifs (RRM) and a Gln- (Q-) rich domain in their C-terminal region. To observe how the two RRMs are involved in recognizing ARE, we obtained the AUF1-p37 protein covering the two RRMs. However, only N-terminal RRM (RRM1) was crystallized and its structure was determined at 1.7 Å resolution. It appears that the RRM1 and RRM2 separated before crystallization. To demonstrate which factors affect the separate RRM1-2, we performed limited proteolysis using trypsin. The results indicated that the intact proteins were cleaved by unknown proteases that were associated with them prior to crystallization. In comparison with each of the monomers, the conformations of the β2-β3 loops were highly variable. Furthermore, a comparison with the RRM1-2 structures of HuR and hnRNP A1 revealed that a dimer of RRM1 could be one of the possible conformations of RRM1-2. Our data may provide a guidance for further structural investigations of AUF1 tandem RRM repeat and its mode of ARE binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolism of cholesterol is critical in eukaryotes as a precursor for vitamins, steroid hormones, and bile acids. Some steroid compounds can be transformed into precursors of steroid medicine by some microorganisms. In this study, the biotransformation products of cholesterol and 16α,17α-epoxypregnenolone produced by Burkholderia cepacia SE-1 were investigated, and a correlative enzyme, hydroxylase, was also studied. The biotransformation products, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-oxocholesterol, and 20-droxyl-16α,17α-epoxypregn-1,4-dien-3-one, were purified by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. The hydroxylase was isolated from the bacterium and the partial sequences of the hydroxylase, which belong to the catalases/peroxidase family, were analyzed using MS/MS analyses. The enzyme showed activity toward cholesterol and had a specific activity of 37.2 U/mg of protein at 30°C and pH 7.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clone and express the γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) synthetase gene pgsBCA in Bacillus subtilis, a pWB980 plasmid was used to construct and transfect the recombinant expression vector pWB980-pgsBCA into Bacillus subtilis WB600. PgsBCA was expressed under the action of a P43 promoter in the pWB980 plasmid. Our results showed that the recombinant bacteria had the capacity to synthesize γ-PGA. The expression product was secreted extracellularly into the fermentation broth, with a product yield of 1.74 g/L or higher. γ-PGA samples from the fermentation broth were purified and characterized. Hydrolysates of γ-PGA presented in single form, constituting simple glutamic acid only, which matched the characteristics of the infrared spectra of the γ-PGA standard, and presented as multimolecular aggregates with a molecular weight within the range of 500–600 kDa. Expressing the γ-PGA synthetase gene pgsBCA in B. subtilis system has potential industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new thermostable, haloalkaline, solvent stable SDS-induced serine protease was purified and characterized from a thermophilic Geobacillus toebii LBT 77 newly isolated from a Tunisian hot spring. This study reveals the potential of the protease from Geobacillus toebii LBT 77 as an additive to detergent with spectacular proprieties described for the first time. The protease was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by Sephadex G-75 and DEAE-Cellulose chromatography. It was a monomeric enzyme with molecular weight of 30 kDa. The optimum pH, temperature, and NaCl for maximum protease activity were 13.0, 95°C, and 30%, respectively. Activity was stimulated by Ca2+, Mg2+, DTNB, β-mercaptoethanol, and SDS. The protease was extremely stable even at pH 13.25, 90°C, and 30% NaCl and in the presence of hydrophilic, hydrophobic solvents at high concentrations. The high compatibility with ionic, nonionic, and commercial detergents confirms the utility as an additive to cleaning products. Kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of protease revealed Km=1 mg mL−1,  Vmax=217.5 U mL−1, Kcat/Km=99 mg mL−1 S−1, Ea=51.5 kJ mol−1, and ΔG⁎=56.5 kJ mol−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating appropriate storage conditions for biopharmaceutical proteins is essential for ensuring their stability and thereby their purity, potency, and safety over their shelf-life. Using a model murine IgG3 produced in a bioreactor system, multiple formulation compositions were systematically explored in a DoE design to optimize the stability of a challenging antibody formulation worst case. The stability of the antibody in each buffer formulation was assessed by UV/VIS absorbance at 280 nm and 410 nm and size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SEC) to determine overall solubility, opalescence, and aggregate formation, respectively. Upon preliminary testing, acetate was eliminated as a potential storage buffer due to significant visible precipitate formation. An additional 24 full factorial DoE was performed that combined the stabilizing effect of arginine with the buffering capacity of histidine. From this final DoE, an optimized formulation of 200 mM arginine, 50 mM histidine, and 100 mM NaCl at a pH of 6.5 was identified to substantially improve stability under long-term storage conditions and after multiple freeze/thaw cycles. Thus, our data highlights the power of DoE based formulation screening approaches even for challenging monoclonal antibody molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovotransferrin is the second most abundant protein (~12-13% of the total egg protein) in egg white after ovalbumin. Ovotransferrin is a potent natural antimicrobial agent as it possesses antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties and is also the major metal binding protein found in egg, which makes it an industrially important protein. Ovotransferrin was extracted from egg white using its metal (iron) binding properties. In the present study, eggs from two different sources were used (fresh local eggs from domestic household source and poultry eggs from shops) to compare the results and Response Surface Methodology was used for the experiment design and data analysis. The following extraction conditions were optimized so as to maximize the yield of ovotransferrin from egg white: ethanol % (v/v) and pH and volume (mL) of 25 mM FeCl3/50 mL of egg white. A maximum yield of ~85 ± 2.5% was obtained near the optimum extraction conditions. The yield was calculated based on the theoretical value (934 mg) of ovotransferrin in 100 mL of 1.5x diluted egg white solution. Our results suggest that efficient downstream processing may reduce the cost of overall production process of this promising enzyme, making it a natural and cost-effective alternative to the existing chemically synthesized antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the major issues in the field of oncology, reported with a higher prevalence rate in women worldwide. In attempt to reveal the potential biomarkers for breast cancer, the findings of differentially glycosylated haptoglobin and osteonectin in previous study have drawn our attention towards glycoproteins of secretome from the MCF-7 cancer cell line. In the present study, further analyses were performed on the medium of MCF-7 cells by subjecting it to two-dimensional analyses followed by image analysis in contrast to the medium of human mammary epithelial cells (HMEpC) as a negative control. Carboxypeptidase A4 (CPA4), alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), haptoglobin (HP), and HSC70 were detected in the medium of MCF-7, while only CPA4 and osteonectin (ON) were detected in HMEpC medium. In addition, CPA4 was detected as upregulated in the MCF-7 medium. Further analysis by lectin showed that CPA4, AAT, HP, and HSC70 were secreted as N-glycan in the medium of MCF-7, with HP also showing differentially N-glycosylated isoforms. For the HMEpC, only CPA4 was detected as N-glycan. No O-glycan was detected in the medium of HMEpC but MCF-7 expressed O-glycosylated CPA4 and HSC70. All these revealed that glycoproteins could be used as glycan-based biomarkers for the prognosis of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galkeun-tang (GKT; Galgen-tang in Chinese and Kakkon-to in Japanese), a traditional herbal formula, has been used for treatment of the common cold. Here, we report in vitro antioxidant and antiadipogenic effects of GKT. GKT increased the activities of scavenging 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. GKT also significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) generation during low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and the electrophoretic mobility of oxidized LDL, indicating inhibitory effects of GKT on Cu2+-mediated oxidation of LDL. Regarding antiadipogenic activity, GKT treatment significantly suppressed lipid accumulation, triglyceride production, and glycerol-3- phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Consistent with this, GKT significantly reduced the secretion of leptin, a major adipokine, in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Overall, our findings suggest that GKT has the potential for antioxidative and antiadipogenic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.-It is recommended that hemoglobin (Hb) A1c (Hb A1c) not be used to assess average glycemia in patients who have altered red blood cell life span. Objective.-To investigate the frequency of reporting an Hb A1c value for Hb variant samples that do not include Hb A. Design.-Hb A1c samples (n ¼ 500) were procured and screened for Hb variants that may affect Hb A1c interpretation (Hb SS, Hb SC, and Hb S-b-thalassemia). Five of each of these samples were tested by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography, immunoturbidimetric assay, second-generation immunoturbidimetric assay, and affinity chromatography. Results.-Eleven (2.2%) homozygous Hb SS, 6 (1.2%) Hb SC, and 5 (1.0%) Hb S-b-thalassemia samples were identified out of the 500 samples tested. Three of 4 instruments investigated in this study are known to not be plagued by analytic interference from these Hb variants but disturbingly reported Hb A1c values in the absence of Hb A. Conclusions.-The improved analytic specificity of Hb A1c platforms has by and large eliminated interferences from the most common heterozygous Hb variants. A consequence, however, is the potential for unintended reporting of Hb A1c results in the presence of homozygous and compound heterozygous Hb variants that lack Hb A and the inability to distinguish those samples not recommended to be used for patient care. The ability to identify samples harboring Hb variants that preclude the utility of Hb A1c may be beneficial in high prevalence populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel aspartic protease with HIV-1 RT inhibitory activity was isolated and characterized from fruiting bodies of the wild mushroom Xylaria hypoxylon. The purification protocol comprised distilled water homogenization and extraction step, three ion exchange chromatographic steps (on DEAE-cellulose, Q-Sepharose, and CM-cellulose in succession), and final purification was by FPLC on Superdex 75. The protease was adsorbed on all the three ion exchangers. It was a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 43 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE and FPLC. Its N-terminal amino acid sequence was HYTELLSQVV, which exhibited no sequence homology to other proteases reported. The activity of the protease was adversely affected by Pepstatin A, indicating that it is an aspartic protease. The protease activity was maximal or nearly so in the pH range 6-8 and in the temperature range 35-60?C. The purified enzyme exhibited HIV-1 RT inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 8.3 μM, but was devoid of antifungal, ribonuclease, and hemagglutinating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a multifunctional serpin. The purpose of this study is to identify PEDF protein forms and investigate their biological activities on tumor cell lines. Methods. Recombinant human PEDF proteins were purified by cation- and anion-exchange column chromatography. They were subjected to SDS-PAGE, IEF, deglycosylation, heparin affinity chromatography, and limited proteolysis. Cell viability, real-time electrical impedance of cells, and wound healing assays were performed using bladder and breast cancer cell lines, rat retinal R28, and human ARPE-19 cells. Results. Two PEDF protein peaks were identified after anion-exchange column chromatography: PEDF-1 eluting with lower ionic strength than PEDF-2. PEDF-1 had higher pI value and lower apparent molecular weight than PEDF-2. Both PEDF forms were glycosylated, bound to heparin, and had identical patterns by limited proteolysis. However, PEDF-2 emerged as being highly potent in lowering cell viability in all tumor cell lines tested, and in inhibiting tumor and ARPE-19 cell migration. In contrast, PEDF-1 minimally affected tumor cell viability and cell migration but protected R28 cells against death caused by serum starvation. Conclusion. Two distinct biochemical forms of PEDF varying in overall charge have distinct biological effects on tumor cell viability and migration. The existence of PEDF forms may explain the multifunctional modality of PEDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a study related to in vitro antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines of a cardanol and a cardol enriched from Thai Apis mellifera propolis. It is stated that propolis was sequentially extracted with methanol, dichloromethane and hexane and the cytotoxic activity of each crude extract was assayed for antiproliferative/cytotoxic activity in vitro against five human cell lines derived from duet carcinoma.