[Properties, function and serum concentration of human hemopexin]

Griseofulvin causing hyperhemopexinemia and hepatic proliferation in mice: an in vivo and in vitro study

Concentrations of hemopexin, a porphyrin-binding serum protein synthesized exclusively in the liver, increased significantly and concomitantly with levels of erythrocyte and liver protoporphyrin and coproporphyrin in mice made porphyric with 1% griseofulvin in the feed. Liver weights of porphyric mice increased remarkably. In comparison with controls, the ratio of the weight of normal to porphyric livers was at 10 days 1:2.1, at 21 days 1:2.8, and at 46 days 1:3.8. This increase in liver size was accompanied by increased cell division. The hepatic hyperplastic tissue fragments survived in vitro for several weeks and could be subcultured. The cultured cells, like those of the original liver, showed intense protoporphyrin fluorescence in the cytoplasm.

[Isolation and physical chemical properties of rat hemopexin]

Rat hemopexin was purified by a procedure involving three different steps : ammonium sulfate precipitation, rivanol precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography with concave gradient of molarity. Purity of the preparation was checked by three different methods : analytical ultracentrifugation, immunoelectrophoresis and acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The principal physical properties were studied. The amino acid and carbohydrate composition was determined and compared with that of human and rabbit hemopexin.