Fibrinolytic enzyme from snake vernom
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorsFrancis S. Markland, Jr., Nagendranath K. Reddy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A protease moiety having direct fibrinolytic activity which is useful in thrombolytic therapy is isolated from snake venom and shown to comprise a metalloproteinase having a molecular weight of from 25 to 27 kd and an isoelectric point of about 6.5 to 7.0. The moiety is separated from venom by a series of diverse fractionation steps including molecular sieve, ion-exchange and affinity chromatography.
Claims3
A process for the separation of an enzyme from snake venom comprising:
- separating the venom of the Southern Copperhead snake, A.c. contortrix, into molecular weight fractions and selecting the fraction containing proteins having molecular weights of from about 20 to 32 kd;
- and
- extracting a metalloproteinase having a molecular weight of from about 25 to 27 kd, an isoelectric point of 6.5 to 7.0 and exhibiting a direct fibrinolytic activity in the essential absence of plasmin activation from the 20 to 32 kd fraction by a method or methods selected from the group consisting of ion-exchange chromatography, preparative isoelectric focusing and affinity chromatography.
A method for the treatment of thromboembolic disease in a patient, comprising administering to such patient a metalloproteinase isolated from the Southern Copperhead snake, A.c. contortrix and having a molecular weight of from about 25-27 kd and an isoelectric point of 6.5 to 7.0, and characterized by the exhibition of a direct fibrinolytic activity in the essential absence of plasmin activation, said metalloproteinase being administered in the presence of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.