Preparation and characterization of fragments from the N-terminal end of bovine serum albumin under native conditions

Reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide effect on the steroid hormone binding with serum albumin

The interaction of a series of steroid hormones (DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, estradiol) with serum albumin immobilized on porous silica particles and the effect of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide on this interaction were studied using a biochromatographic approach. The determination of enthalpy and entropy changes of this binding indicated that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds predominated the hormone association with albumin. Reactive oxygen species (H(2)O(2) and OH*) increased the hormone binding affinity to albumin. On the other hand, this binding was decreased with the presence of NO*. This variation was due to conformational changes in the binding region explained by the oxidation of some residues such as free thiol and arginine. The thermodynamic analysis showed that free radical affects the van der Waals forces and/or a hydrogen bond of the hormone binding with albumin. These results explained the role of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in the hormone free fraction level in the blood.

Effect of organic solvents on lysozyme-antilysozyme precipitin reaction

The effect of nine organic solvents and urea on hen-eggwhite lysozyme-rabbit antilysozyme precipitin reaction was studied at a ratio of the antigen to the antibody of 1:26 by weight in 70 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. The organic solvents used were dioxane, acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, 1-propanol, propylene glycol, trifluoroethanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol. These solvents invariably caused reduction in the amount of protein precipitated during the antigen-antibody reaction. The concentration of an organic solvent, CM, required for 50% reduction in the precipitin reaction value was determined for each organic solvent. Among the nine organic solvents, dioxane was the most potent inhibitor of the precipitin reaction. The nine organic solvents did not cause irreversible inactivation of the antigen and the antibody, and at concentrations used in this study most of them would be nondenaturing. These solvents seem to destabilize the antigen-antibody complex.