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Human ceruloplasmin, a copper binding alpha(2)-glycoprotein, was purified by a single-step procedure using acharan sulfate affinity chromatography. Acharan sulfate was immobilized to amine-functionalized agarose matrix through carboxylic acids. Ceruloplasmin in human plasma was obtained from 0.4 M NaCl salt elution and characterized by SDS-PAGE (132 and 125 kDa), isoelectric focusing (pI 4.6), Western blotting, and MALDI-TOF-MS peptide mass fingerprinting. Ceruloplasmin was purified 106 fold with a specific oxidase activity of 0.53 U/mg protein.

Tabanus anticoagulant protein (TAP) was isolated from the whole body of the tabanus, Tabanus bivittatus, using three purification steps (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex gel). The purified TAP, with a molecular weight of 65 kDa, was assessed to be homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 7.9 was determined by isoelectric focusing. The internal amino acid sequence of the purified protein was composed of Ser-Leu-Asn-Asn-Gln-Phe-Ala-Ser-Phe-Ile-Asp-Lys-Val-Arg. The protein was activated by Cu2+ and Zn2+, and the optimal conditions were found to be at pH 3-6 and 40-70 degrees C. Standard coagulation screen assays were used to determine thrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Chromogenic substrate assays were performed for thrombin and factor Xa activity. TAP considerably prolonged human plasma clotting time, especially activated partial thromboplastin time in a dose-dependent manner; it showed potent and specific antithrombin activity in the chromogenic substrate assay. Specific anti-factor Xa activity in TAP was not detected. Overall, this result suggested that TAP has significant anticoagulant activity on blood coagulation system.

Catharsius protease-2 (CPM-2) was isolated from the body of dung beetles, Catharsius molossus, using a three step purification process (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and affinity chromatography on DEAE Affi-Gel blue). The purified CPM-2, having a molecular weight of 24 kDa, was assessed homogeneously by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of CPM-2 was composed of X Val Gln Asp Phe Val Glu Glu Ile Leu. CPM-2 was inactivated by Cu2+ and Zn2+ and strongly inhibited by typical serine proteinase inhibitors such as TLCK, soybean trypsin inhibitor, aprotinin, benzamidine, and alpha1-antitrypsin. However, EDTA, EGTA, cysteine, beta-mercaptoethanol, E64, and elastatinal had little effect on enzyme activity. In addition, antiplasmin and antithrombin III were not sensitive to CPM-2. Based on the results of a fibrinolytic activity test, CPM-2 readily cleaved Aalpha- and Bbeta-chains of fibrinogen and fibrin, and gamma-chain of fibrinogen more slowly. The nonspecific action of the enzyme resulted in extensive hydrolysis, releasing a variety of fibrinopeptides of fibrinogen and fibrin. Polyclonal antibodies of CPM-2 were reactive to the native form of antigen. The ELISA was applied to detect quantities, in nanograms, of the antigen in CPM-2 protein.

The freeze-dried powder of Lumbricus rubellus earthworm was administered orally to rats and its fibrinolytic and antithrombotic effects were investigated. The fibrinolytic activity of plasma was determined by measuring the plasmin activity of the euglobulin fraction and was increased to two-folds of the control at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day and five times with 1 g/kg/day after 4-day administration. The antithrombotic effect was studied in an arterio-venous shunt model of rats. The thrombus weight decreased significantly from 43.2 mg to 32.4 mg at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day after 8-day treatment. The level of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation product (FDP) in serum was elevated in a dose-dependent manner during the treatment period. On the 8th day after administration, the FDP value was increased to 7.7 micrograms/ml compared with the control value of 3.3 micrograms/ml. These results support that earthworm powder is valuable for the prevention and/or treatment of thrombotic conditions.

A saline suspension ofLumbricus rubellus earthworm powder (EWP) was administered to rats (1 g/kg/day) orally for 15 days to evaluate an oral effectiveness for thrombotic disorders. Blood was drawn at 2-day interval after the administration. Several parameters for antithrombotic, anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activities were measured, including platelet aggregation, clotting time, plasmin activity and the levels of FDP (fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products), D-dimer, and t-PA antigen. It did not affect platelet aggregation induced by ADP and collagen but anticoagulant activity (aPTT and TT) was gradually increased to two-folds for the first 5 days of administration and back to normal. Fibrinolytic acitivity of euglobulin fraction was highest on the 11th day after the administration. The level of FDP was elevated to be comparable to the positve control (5-10 mug/ml) after 9-day treatment. Oral administration of the EWP could also reduce the formation of venous thrombus induced with viper venom. Complete blood count (CBC) profiles were within normal ranges except for a slight increase in white blood cells after the oral administration for 15 days. These results suggested that the EWP may be valuable for the prevention and/or treatment of thrombotic diseases.