ULTRAFILTRATION STUDIES OF STEROID-PROTEIN BINDING

1961 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. CHEN ◽  
I. H. MILLS ◽  
F. C. BARTTER

SUMMARY A method is described for determination of the extent of protein binding of steroids by ultrafiltration after addition of radioactively-labelled steroid tracers of high specific activity. Results obtained with specifically labelled 14C-steroids did not differ significantly from those with steroids randomly labelled with tritium. A number of steroids have been studied with this technique. The 'S' shaped curve obtained with some corticosteroids by plotting percentage ultrafilterable against steroid added to the plasma confirmed the presence of the corticosteroid-binding protein which has greater affinity for steroid than albumin. This method of plotting the ultrafiltration data afforded a method of assessing the amount of binding protein (or the number of sites). Cortisone, 17-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone, cortisol, and Δ1 cortisol showed this type of curve. Binding of aldosterone, progesterone and 17-ketosteroids occurred to the same extent in plasma as in 5% albumin. The ultrafilterable fraction of these steroids in plasma was constant over a wide range of total steroid concentration. Binding of testosterone was greater with plasma than with albumin, and did not decrease upon addition of large amounts of testosterone.

2011 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 1217-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pathik Vyas ◽  
Anthony A O'kane ◽  
E Ager ◽  
S Crooks ◽  
C Elliott ◽  
...  

Abstract A collaborative study was conducted on an inhibition-based protein-binding assay using the Biacore Q™ biosensor instrument and the Biacore Qflex™ Kit Vitamin B12 PI. The samples studied included infant formula, cereals, premixes, vitamin tablets, dietary supplements, and baby food. The collaborative study, which involved 11 laboratories, demonstrated that the assay showed an RSDr of 1.59–27.8 and HorRat values for reproducibility of 0.34–1.89 in samples with levels ranging from ppm to ppb. The assay studied is a label-free protein binding-based assay that uses the principle of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to measure the interaction between vitamin B12 and a specifc binding protein. A Biacore Q biosensor uses this principle to detect binding directly at the surface of a sensor chip with a hydrophilic gold-dextran surface. The instrument passes a mixture of prepared sample extract and binding protein solution across a covalently immobilized vitamin B12 chip surface, and the response is given as free-binding protein as the mixture binds to the immobilized surface. This technique uses the specifcity and robustness of the protein-ligand interaction to allow minimal sample preparation and a wide range of matrixes to be analyzed rapidly. The reagents and accessories needed to perform this assay are provided as the ready-to-use format “Qflex Kit Vitamin B12 PI.” The method is intended for routine use in the quantitative determination of vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) in a wide range of food products, dietary vitamin supplements, and multivitamin premixes.


1985 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 1706-1709 ◽  
Author(s):  
H L Kaihola ◽  
K Irjala ◽  
J Viikari ◽  
V Näntö

Abstract We evaluated a new, highly sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for thyrotropin (TSH) in serum. This direct immunometric "sandwich"-type assay involves two monoclonal antibodies against TSH, one immobilized, the other labeled with europium. Extremely high specific activity of the label and the use of labeled antibody in large excess make the method sensitive enough to measure TSH values falling below the normal reference interval. The standard curve is nearly linear over a wide range of TSH concentrations (standard concentrations range from 0.25 to 324 milli-int. units/L). The lowest concentration detectable was 25 micro-int. units/L. The CV for the assay was less than 6% at 0.5 milli-int. unit/L or higher, 11.3% at 0.1 milli-int. unit/L. For a CV of 10% the lower limit of the working range would be around 0.1 milli-int. unit/L. The interassay CV was 6.7 to 11.8% for TSH concentrations of 0.31 to 19.6 milli-int. units/L. The 95% confidence interval for sera from 111 healthy persons was 0.6-3.8 (range 0.3-3.8) milli-int. units/L. For hyperthyroid patients and thyroid cancer patients treated with thyroxin after thyroidectomy, serum TSH values were all below the reference interval (most were less than 25 micro-int. units/L).


1968 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. O'Grady

1. A method involving the use of triple-labelled derivatives has been developed for the determination of total oestrone and oestradiol in the plasma of the domestic fowl. The double-labelling technique devised by Svendsen (1960) for the determination of free oestrogens in human plasma was modified to enable the total oestrogen recovery to be determined for each sample. 2. [6,7−3H2]Oestradiol-17β is added to the plasma samples (1–10ml.), which are hydrolysed with acid and the phenolic steroids then extracted and partially purified. The extract is esterified with iodobenzene-p[35S]-sulphonyl chloride of high specific activity. After addition of standard oestrogen [131I]iodobenzene-p-sulphonates the esters are finally purified by paper chromatography. 3. The oestrogens are determined by comparing the 3H/35S and 131I/35S ratios in the purified esters with similar ratios of appropriate standards. 4. With this procedure the recoveries of oestrone and oestradiol after hydrolysis were 70–85% and 72–84% respectively, and after hydrolysis and preliminary purification 38–53% and 39–51% respectively. With this procedure up to 500ng. of oestradiol can be determined. The sensitivity of the technique for oestrone is 3·0ng. and for oestradiol 2·1ng. 5. The ranges of oestradiol and oestrone concentrations found in six plasma samples were 8·3–21·4ng./ml. and 15·2–31·6ng./ml. respectively.


1974 ◽  
Vol 29 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. H. Trautmann ◽  
A. Schuler ◽  
M. Suchý ◽  
H.-K. Wipf

Abstract A method is presented permitting the qualitative and quantitative determination of all three presently known hormones (JH1-3). The determination is based on the method of radioactive isotope dilution, whereby a very small known amount of tritium-labelled JH-1 is added to the ether extract of the particular species. The addition of radioactive JH-1 permits the isolation of all three hormones, because of their similar behaviour during the chosen work up. The quantitative determination was carried out by gas chromatography and the identification was confirmed with the help of retention-times and GC-MS combination. The method was checked by using an extract of Hyalophora cecropia. For the first time methyl 10,11-epoxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-2-trans-6-trans-dodecadienoate (JH-3) could also be identified as the juvenile hormone of Melo­lontha melolontha. In Vanessa io larvae, Tenebrio molitor larvae and adults and in Musca domestica larvae none of the three known hormones could be detected. The preparation of JH-1 labelled with tritium in the methyl group of the ester was accomplished with very high specific activity (4.34 Ci/mmol) of the tritiated acid with diazomethane.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1725-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironao Wakabayashi ◽  
Philip J. Fay

Abstract We recently identified an acidic-rich segment in the A1 domain of factor VIII (residues 110-126) that functions in the coordination of Ca2+, an ion necessary for cofactor activity (Wakabayashi et al., J. Biol. Chem.279:12677–12684, 2004). Using Ala-scanning mutagenesis, it was determined that replacement of residue E113 with Ala yielded a factor VIII point mutant that possessed an ~2-fold increased affinity for Ca2+ as compared with wild type, suggesting that this residue did not directly contribute to Ca2+ coordination but rather modulated the affinity of the ion at this site. Furthermore, the E113A factor VIII possessed twice the specific activity of wild type as determined by a one-stage clotting assay. This increased activity was not likely a result of increased affinity for Ca2+, since assays were performed at saturating Ca2+ levels. Saturation mutagenesis at position 113 revealed that substitution at this position with relatively small, nonpolar residues were well-tolerated, whereas replacement with a number of polar or charged residues was detrimental to activity. Ala-substitution yielded the greatest activity increase of ~2-fold and this level was observed over a wide range of factor VIII concentrations. Time course experiments of factor VIII activation following reaction with thrombin revealed similar rates of activation and inactivation of E113A as observed for the wild type. Interestingly, results from factor Xa generation assays using purified reactants showed the mutant possessed <10% greater specific activity than wild type and yielded similar values for Km for substrate factor X, kcat for factor Xa generation and Kd for factor IXa. Thus the single amino acid substitution minimally altered cofactor structure or inter-molecular interactions relating to its participation in factor Xase. These results indicate that mutations within this Ca2+ coordination site may selectively enhance cofactor specific activity as measured in a plasma-based assay compared to activity determined in a purified system. The enhanced activity observed for E113A factor VIII may derive from a subtle alteration in conformation affecting a yet to be identified functional parameter.


1987 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Cookson ◽  
J. Glover

ABSTRACT The disappearance of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) from plasma in fully grown male Japanese quail can be described as a first order process with a rate constant of 0·178 ± 0·013/h (mean±s.e.m., n = 8), which represents a half-life of 3·90 h. A small amount of [125I]T4 in relation to total circulating T4 was injected i.v. into Japanese quail and plasma samples were taken at appropriate time-intervals for the determination of residual plasma radioactivity. The rate of disappearance of [125I]T4 was subsequently equated to the turnover rate of the endogenous hormone. Previous methods were modified to overcome problems arising from possible disturbance of plasma T4 metabolism, recirculation of radiolabelled iodide, and to purify the [125I]T4 from the plasma samples. By using labelled T4 of very high specific activity, the amount of [125I]T4 administered was kept much smaller than has been used in previous studies on Japanese quail, thus limiting any interference with plasma T4 dynamics. To minimize any disturbance of plasma T4 metabolism, only four blood samples were taken, at three-hourly intervals after the injection of [125I]T4. The rapid turnover of T4 produced a large amount of labelled inorganic iodide, the re-entry of which into the plasma T4 pool was inhibited by s.c. administration of sodium thiocyanate 1 h before injection of[125I]T4. Assay of the true [125I]T4 turnover was significantly improved over that used in previous studies by purifying the [125I]T4 from the plasma samples chromatographically. The samples were applied to small Sephadex G-25 columns with sodium hydroxide (0·1 mol/l) as the eluant. This simple procedure clearly separated the [125I]T4 from the other radioiodinated plasma components such as free iodide, non-hormonal iodinated proteins and triiodothyronine (T3), thus enabling a more accurate assessment of the residual labelled T4 concentration in the plasma and hence the T4 half-life. The future application of this method to the study of plasma T4 turnover under various experimental conditions is discussed and the possible involvement of T4 turnover studies in the assessment of T4 to T3 conversion is considered. J. Endocr. (1987) 114, 191–198


1996 ◽  
Vol 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Schubert-Bischoff ◽  
Werner Lutze ◽  
Boris E. Burakov

ABSTRACTOn April 25, 1986, the nuclear reactor Unit 4 (RBMK) at Chernobyl, Ukraine, exploded. Besides molecular species, the fallout contained particles of relatively high specific activity (hot particles) with a wide range of chemical compositions. The composition of a hot particle bears information about its genesis. Particle sizes ranged from a few to 100s of micrometers. Data on a hot particle, found in Berlin, Germany, is presented and discussed in context with earlier measurements on other particles to understand their genesis. The chemical composition was determined by electron probe micro analysis. Our particles are either reactor fuel (one) or fission product alloys (nine). The alloys were formed during normal reactor operation. Strongly varying concentrations of Fe and Ni suggest that at least some of our particles reacted with molten structural material of the reactor. The particles were mobilized by fuel oxidation or fuel dust generation during the accident. The fission product composition can only be explained if we assume that the alloys remained in the solid state in the course of the accident. Some particles may have been ejected during the explosion, others later while the reactor was burning. Activities (103Ru and 106Ru, originally up to 160,000 Bq) of our ten year old particles were re-measured but were no longer detectable. No long-lived γ-emitters were found. The 99Tc activity was calculated and found to only lBq. The γ -spectrum of the fuel particle still shows 137Cs (1 Bq) and 60Co (<1 Bq).


1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. CHARD ◽  
M. J. KITAU ◽  
J. LANDON

SUMMARY A simple and rapid method is described for labelling oxytocin with 131I at a high specific activity. This method is compared with those of previous workers. A satisfactory antiserum has been raised by direct intra-lymph node injection of oxytocin adsorbed to carbon microparticles. A number of methods for separating antibody-bound from free oxytocin are described, and reasons given for preferring a procedure using ammonium sulphate precipitation. These data form the basis for developing a radioimmunoassay intended for the determination of oxytocin in human plasma.


2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (34) ◽  
pp. 10605-10610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Dadashipour ◽  
Yuko Ishida ◽  
Kazunori Yamamoto ◽  
Yasuhisa Asano

Hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL) catalyzes the degradation of cyanohydrins and causes the release of hydrogen cyanide (cyanogenesis). HNL can enantioselectively produce cyanohydrins, which are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and is used as an important biocatalyst in industrial biotechnology. Currently, HNLs are isolated from plants and bacteria. Because industrial biotechnology requires more efficient and stable enzymes for sustainable development, we must continuously explore other potential enzyme sources for the desired HNLs. Despite the abundance of cyanogenic millipedes in the world, there has been no precise study of the HNLs from these arthropods. Here we report the isolation of HNL from the cyanide-emitting invasive millipedeChamberlinius hualienensis, along with its molecular properties and application in biocatalysis. The purified enzyme displays a very high specific activity in the synthesis of mandelonitrile. It is a glycosylated homodimer protein and shows no apparent sequence identity or homology with proteins in the known databases. It shows biocatalytic activity for the condensation of various aromatic aldehydes with potassium cyanide to produce cyanohydrins and has high stability over a wide range of temperatures and pH values. It catalyzes the synthesis of (R)-mandelonitrile from benzaldehyde with a 99% enantiomeric excess, without using any organic solvents. Arthropod fauna comprise 80% of terrestrial animals. We propose that these animals can be valuable resources for exploring not only HNLs but also diverse, efficient, and stable biocatalysts in industrial biotechnology.


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