Experimental and Computational Study of Hyaluronidase Interactions with Glycosaminoglycans and their Ligands.

Covalent conjugation of hyaluronidase with copolymeric glycosaminoglycans (GAG, heparin and dermatan sulfate) considerably inactivates the enzyme, while conjugation with polymeric GAG (chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronan) improves its stability. These effects are associated with structural differences of these GAG caused by С-5 epimerization of glucuronic and iduronic acid residues and different effects of (α[1 - 4] and α[1 - 3] relative to ß[1 - 4] and ß[1 - 3]) glycosidic bonds. Pronounced effects of galactose C-4 epimers (in comparison with glucose) and disaccharide mixture (lactose, cellobiose, maltose) on endoglycosidase activity of hyaluronidase emphasize the importance of its diversified multi-contact microenvironment. For a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating hyaluronidase activity, molecular docking and molecular dynamics were chosen. Stabilization effect of chondroitin ligands on heat inactivation of hyaluronidase was demonstrated. An increase in denaturation temperature by 10-15oC hampers blocking of the active site entrance and prevents the enzyme inactivation. Enzyme-GAG interactions were examined by molecular docking with molecular dynamic elaboration. Gradual chemical modification of hyaluronidase was based on the calculated sequence of preferential binding of GAG. Theoretically, covalent binding of chondroitin sulfate trimers at cs7 or cs7, cs1 and cs5 on the enzyme surface provides complete protection against heparin inhibition. Computational investigation of hyaluronidase microenvironment and interactions which limit the enzyme activity allows identification of the best GAG regulators of hyaluronidase endoglycosidase activity and their experimental verification.

Widening and Elaboration of Consecutive Research into Therapeutic Antioxidant Enzyme Derivatives.

Undiminishing actuality of enzyme modification for therapeutic purposes has been confirmed by application of modified enzymes in clinical practice and numerous research data on them. Intravenous injection of the superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulfate-catalase (SOD-CHS-CAT) conjugate in preventive and medicative regimes in rats with endotoxin shock induced with a lipopolysaccharide bolus has demonstrated that antioxidant agents not only effectively prevent damage caused by oxidative stress (as believed previously) but also can be used for antioxidative stress therapy. The results obtained emphasize the importance of investigation into the pathogenesis of vascular damage and the role of oxidative stress in it. The effects of intravenous medicative injection of SOD-CHS-CAT in a rat model of endotoxin shock have demonstrated a variety in the activity of this conjugate in addition to prevention of NO conversion in peroxynitrite upon interaction with O2 (∙-) superoxide radical. Together with the literature data, these findings offer a prospect for the study of NO-independent therapeutic effects of SOD-CHS-CAT, implying the importance of a better insight into the mechanisms of the conjugate activity in modeled cardiovascular damage involving vasoactive agents other than NO.

Antioxidant enzymes as potential targets in cardioprotection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Enzyme antioxidants: the next stage of pharmacological counterwork to the oxidative stress.

The focus in antioxidant research is on enzyme derivative investigations. Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is of particular interest, as it demonstrates in vivo the protective action against development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus. The reliable association of coronary artery disease with decreased level of heparin-released EC-SOD was established in clinical research. To create a base for and to develop antioxidant therapy, various SOD isozymes, catalase (CAT), methods of gene therapy, and combined applications of enzymes are used. Covalent bienzyme SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate (CHS, chondroitin sulphate) showed high efficacy and safety as the drug candidate. There is an evident trend to use the components of glycocalyx and extra-cellular matrix for target delivery of medical substances. Development of new enzyme antioxidants for therapeutic application is closely connected with progress in medical biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry, and the bioeconomy.

No-reflow phenomenon and endothelial glycocalyx of microcirculation.

The progress in reperfusion therapy dictated the necessity for developing new tools and procedures for adjacent/additional therapy of acute cardiovascular disorders. The adjacent therapy is targeted on the damage of the microcirculation, leading to the unfavorable prognosis for the patients. The no-reflow phenomenon holds special place in the multifactorial etiology of the microcirculation disorders, offering a new challenge in treating the patients associated with ST-segment elevation on ECG at myocardial infarction. One of the numerous causes of no-reflow, the influence of the endothelial glycocalyx of the microcirculation, is analyzed. The results obtained in the studies of the endothelial glycocalyx ultrastructure are generalized, the effect that the fragments of the glycocalyx glycosaminoglycans have on the function of the vascular wall is demonstrated. The trends in searching for correlations between the thickness of the capillary glycocalyx and the cardiovascular disease risk are noted.

Macromolecular ensembles of internal and external fibrinolysis: the resources for enhancement of thrombolysis efficacy.

The results of the search for new plasminogen activators for thrombolytic therapy have been reviewed with analysis of slowdown in this process. The reserves of increasing the effectiveness of thrombolysis are considered and the mechanisms underlying the interactions between plasminogen and its activators with fibrin are described. The domain composition of the fibrinolytic agents and the functional role of their structural elements in fibrinolytic interactions are discussed. The action of fibrin-specific and fibrin-nonspecific plasminogen activators in fibrinolysis has been evaluated. The necessity of the investigation of the regularities of internal and external fibrinolysis has been substantiated. The internal fibrinolysis became the resource for enhancement of thrombolysis efficacy. The approaches to the use of internal fibrinolysis to increase the effectiveness of enzyme therapy (monotherapy with plasminogen or new-made plasminogen activator as well as polytherapy with combination of different plasminogen activators /thrombolysis trigger plus third-generation plasminogen activator of prolonged action/) have been outlined and the relationship between this research and the current tendencies in the improvement of clinical thrombolysis (dose reduction, adjacent therapy, etc.) has been discussed.

Experimental antioxidant biotherapy for protection of the vascular wall by modified forms of superoxide dismutase and catalase.

The antithrombotic activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase are determined by their effects on reactive oxygen species. Modification of these enzymes with chondroitin sulphate enhances the effect due to accumulation of the derivatives on the surface of the vascular wall cells. We have shown that the effects of covalently modified biocatalysts exceed those of native enzymes, free chondroitin sulphate and their mixtures. The superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulphate conjugate markedly reduced the thrombus mass, while the catalase-chondroitin sulphate conjugate predominantly preserved blood flow. The magnitude and duration of the antithrombotic activity of modified enzymes in a rat arterial thrombosis model allows one to expect a considerable protective effect after their combined application. A single-bolus intravenous injection of the combination between superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulphate and catalase-chondroitin sulphate covalent conjugates had a significantly lower antithrombotic effect compared with that of the superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulphate-catalase bienzymic covalent conjugate. This could be explained by different surface distribution of the conjugates in the circulation after their intravenous administration. Biomedical study of this approach promises a new therapeutic strategy of simple and effective protection of the vascular wall against various injuries with the use of the covalent conjugate superoxide dismutase-chondroitin sulphate-catalase. The review analyses the trends of combined application of enzyme preparations to enhance the effect of antioxidant therapy and to develop conjunctive courses of thrombolytic treatment.

The combination of modified antioxidant enzymes for anti-thrombotic protection of the vascular wall: the significance of covalent connection of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities.

Vascular wall protection can be achieved by preventive attachment to the vascular wall of antioxidants and elimination/neutralization of toxic products after their disproportioning. For this purpose we have prepared covalent conjugates between the vascular wall glycosaminglycan chondroitin sulfate (CHS) and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The following conjugates were obtained: SOD-CHS, CAT-CHS and SOD-CHS-CAT. Their anti-thrombotic activity was compared in a rat model of arterial thrombosis by measuring the time of occlusion emergence and thrombus mass. It is noteworthy that the effectiveness of single bolus injections of SOD-CHS/CAT-CHS mixture was much lower than that of the bienzymic SOD-CHS-CAT conjugate. The conjugate SOD-CHS-CAT proved to be anti-thrombotically effective in doses two orders of magnitude lower than the native biocatalysts and an order of magnitude lower than SOD-CHS and CAT-CHS derivatives. For effective anti-thrombotic protection in oxidative conditions it is important to maintain the stable connection of SOD and CAT activity on the vascular wall and the large size of these conjugates. Covalent conjugate SOD-CHS-CAT is the best prospect for pharmaceutical development.

Catalase and chondroitin sulfate derivatives against thrombotic effect induced by reactive oxygen species in a rat artery.

Antithrombotic activity of catalase (CAT) and chondroitin sulfate (CHS) preparations was studied in a rat model of arterial injury induced by ferrous chloride. Equal doses (according to catalytically active CAT) were used to examine the effect of native CAT, CAT-CHS covalent conjugate and mixture of native CAT and free CHS in a ratio corresponding to their contents in the conjugate. The antithrombotic activity of the derivatives was determined by the time during which arterial occlusion developed (occlusion time) and by the mass of the formed thrombus. The antithrombotic activities of the conjugate and mixture were similar and markedly higher than that of native CAT. The conjugate was more effective with respect to deceleration and prevention of arterial occlusion. Small doses of the preparations altered the structure of the formed thrombus, promoting sustained blood flow. Further investigations of the antithrombotic activity of CAT, superoxide dismutase and CHS derivatives have been outlined.

Thrombolysis research--new objectives after a shift of accent.

The methods of increasing the efficacy of thrombolysis under clinical and experimental conditions are have been discussed in the light of analysis of current tendencies in the investigation and development of thrombolytic and adjunctive therapy. Analysis of the data obtained in the search for novel plasminogen activators for thrombolytic enzyme therapy has shown a decrease and depletion of this search. The reserves for further increase in thrombolysis efficiency have been notified. Special attention is paid to the purposes, realms and problems of adjunctive therapy, which is a promising breakthrough area in the effort of increasing the efficacy of thrombolysis.