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Dowd S, Sharo C, Abdulmalik O, Elmer J. Optimizing the lyophilization of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin. ARTIFICIAL CELLS, NANOMEDICINE, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 52:291-299. [PMID: 38733371 PMCID: PMC11218865 DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2024.2352003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Haemorrhagic shock is a leading cause of death worldwide. Blood transfusions can be used to treat patients suffering severe blood loss but donated red blood cells (RBCs) have several limitations that limit their availability and use. To solve the problems associated with donated RBCs, several acellular haemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) have been developed to restore the most important function of blood: oxygen transport. One promising HBOC is the naturally extracellular haemoglobin (i.e. erythrocruorin) of Lumbricus terrestris (LtEc). The goal of this study was to maximise the portability of LtEc by lyophilising it and then testing its stability at elevated temperatures. To prevent oxidation, several cryoprotectants were screened to determine the optimum formulation for lyophilisation that could minimise oxidation of the haem iron and maximise recovery. Furthermore, samples were also deoxygenated prior to storage to decrease auto-oxidation, while resuspension in a solution containing ascorbic acid was shown to partially reduce LtEc that had oxidised during storage (e.g. from 42% Fe3+ to 11% Fe3+). Analysis of the oxygen equilibria and size of the resuspended LtEc showed that the lyophilisation, storage, and resuspension processes did not affect the oxygen transport properties or the structure of the LtEc, even after 6 months of storage at 40 °C. Altogether, these efforts have yielded a shelf-stable LtEc powder that can be stored for long periods at high temperatures, but future animal studies will be necessary to prove that the resuspended product is a safe and effective oxygen transporter in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Dowd
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Catherine Sharo
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Osheiza Abdulmalik
- Division of Hematology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacob Elmer
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
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Kruczkowska W, Kciuk M, Pasieka Z, Kłosiński K, Płuciennik E, Elmer J, Waszczykowska K, Kołat D, Kałuzińska-Kołat Ż. The artificial oxygen carrier erythrocruorin-characteristics and potential significance in medicine. J Mol Med (Berl) 2023; 101:961-972. [PMID: 37460699 PMCID: PMC10400677 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-023-02350-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The diminishing supply and increasing costs of donated blood have motivated research into novel hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) that can serve as red blood cell (RBC) substitutes. HBOCs are versatile agents that can be used in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. However, many of the RBC substitutes that are based on mammalian hemoglobins have presented key limitations such as instability and toxicity. In contrast, erythrocruorins (Ecs) are other types of HBOCs that may not suffer these disadvantages. Ecs are giant metalloproteins found in annelids, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates. Thus far, the Ecs of Lumbricus terrestris (LtEc) and Arenicola marina (AmEc) are the most thoroughly studied. Based on data from preclinical transfusion studies, it was found that these compounds not only efficiently transport oxygen and have anti-inflammatory properties, but also can be modified to further increase their effectiveness. This literature review focuses on the structure, properties, and application of Ecs, as well as their advantages over other HBOCs. Development of methods for both the stabilization and purification of erythrocruorin could confer to enhanced access to artificial blood resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weronika Kruczkowska
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Mateusz Kciuk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Pasieka
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Lodz, Poland
| | - Karol Kłosiński
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Lodz, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Płuciennik
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jacob Elmer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Klaudia Waszczykowska
- Department of Functional Genomics, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Damian Kołat
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Lodz, Poland
| | - Żaneta Kałuzińska-Kołat
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Narutowicza 60, 90-136, Lodz, Poland.
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Drvenica IT, Stančić AZ, Maslovarić IS, Trivanović DI, Ilić VL. Extracellular Hemoglobin: Modulation of Cellular Functions and Pathophysiological Effects. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1708. [PMID: 36421721 PMCID: PMC9688122 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemoglobin is essential for maintaining cellular bioenergetic homeostasis through its ability to bind and transport oxygen to the tissues. Besides its ability to transport oxygen, hemoglobin within erythrocytes plays an important role in cellular signaling and modulation of the inflammatory response either directly by binding gas molecules (NO, CO, and CO2) or indirectly by acting as their source. Once hemoglobin reaches the extracellular environment, it acquires several secondary functions affecting surrounding cells and tissues. By modulating the cell functions, this macromolecule becomes involved in the etiology and pathophysiology of various diseases. The up-to-date results disclose the impact of extracellular hemoglobin on (i) redox status, (ii) inflammatory state of cells, (iii) proliferation and chemotaxis, (iv) mitochondrial dynamic, (v) chemoresistance and (vi) differentiation. This review pays special attention to applied biomedical research and the use of non-vertebrate and vertebrate extracellular hemoglobin as a promising candidate for hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, as well as cell culture medium additive. Although recent experimental settings have some limitations, they provide additional insight into the modulatory activity of extracellular hemoglobin in various cellular microenvironments, such as stem or tumor cells niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana T. Drvenica
- Group for Immunology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ana Z. Stančić
- Group for Immunology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Irina S. Maslovarić
- Group for Immunology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Drenka I. Trivanović
- Group for Hematology and Stem Cells, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vesna Lj. Ilić
- Group for Immunology, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
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Nascimento ED, Abrantes-Coutinho VE, Oliveira TMBF, Santiago PS, Carvalho FAO. Biorecognition of hydrogen peroxide using a novel electrochemical platform designed with Glossoscolex paulistus giant hemoglobin. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:3729-3739. [PMID: 35338376 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-04020-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The giant extracellular hemoglobin of the annelid Glossoscolex paulistus (HbGp; 3.6 MDa) is a valuable and underexplored supramolecular hemoprotein system for the biorecognition of reactive oxygen species. In this work, an efficient and simple electrochemical platform was designed for analyzing H2O2, using HbGp covalently immobilized on Nafion®-modified glassy carbon electrode, named as HbGp/Nafion/GCE. Voltammetric and spectroscopic studies revealed the importance of prior modification of the electrodic support with the conducting polymer to obtain satisfactory hemoglobin electroactivity, as well as a biocompatible microenvironment for its immobilization. In terms of biological activity, it was observed a greater reactivity of the biomolecule in acidic medium, enabling the detection of the analyte by a quasi-reversible mechanism, whose kinetics was limited by analyte diffusion. In the presence of H2O2, the native structure of hemoglobin (oxy-HbGp (Fe2+)) oxidizes to ferryl-HbGp (Fe4+) and this redox reaction can be monitored on HbGp/Nafion/GCE with a detection limit of 8.5 × 10‒7 mol L-1. In addition to high sensitivity, the electrochemical biosensor also provided reproducible, consistent, and accurate measurements. The electroanalytical method showed an appropriate performance to quantify different levels of H2O2 in milk samples, proving the potential of HbGp/Nafion/GCE for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evair D Nascimento
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luís km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil.,Universidade Federal Do Sul E Sudeste Do Pará, Folha 17, Quadra 04, Lote Especial, Marabá, PA, 68505-080, Brazil
| | - Vanessa E Abrantes-Coutinho
- Centro de Ciência E Tecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Cariri, Avenida Tenente Raimundo Rocha, 1639, Cidade Universitária, Juazeiro Do Norte, CE, 63048-080, Brazil
| | - Thiago M B F Oliveira
- Centro de Ciência E Tecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Cariri, Avenida Tenente Raimundo Rocha, 1639, Cidade Universitária, Juazeiro Do Norte, CE, 63048-080, Brazil
| | - Patrícia S Santiago
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto Avançado de Estudos Do Mar, Campus de Registro, Av. Nelson Brihi Badur, 430 - Vila Tupy, Registro, SP, 11900-000, Brazil
| | - Francisco A O Carvalho
- Universidade Federal Do Sul E Sudeste Do Pará, Folha 17, Quadra 04, Lote Especial, Marabá, PA, 68505-080, Brazil.
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Therapeutic Potential of Hemoglobin Derived from the Marine Worm Arenicola marina (M101): A Literature Review of a Breakthrough Innovation. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19070376. [PMID: 34210070 PMCID: PMC8304559 DOI: 10.3390/md19070376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxygen (O2) is indispensable for aerobic respiration and cellular metabolism. In case of injury, reactive oxygen species are produced, causing oxidative stress, which triggers cell damaging chemical mediators leading to ischemic reperfusion injuries (IRI). Sufficient tissue oxygenation is necessary for optimal wound healing. In this context, several hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers have been developed and tested, especially as graft preservatives for transplant procedures. However, most of the commercially available O2 carriers increase oxidative stress and show some adverse effects. Interestingly, the hemoglobin derived from the marine lugworm Arenicola marina (M101) has been presented as an efficient therapeutic O2 carrier with potential anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties. Furthermore, it has demonstrated promise as a supplement to conventional organ preservatives by reducing IRI. This review summarizes the properties and various applications of M101. M101 is an innovative oxygen carrier with several beneficial therapeutic properties, and further research must be carried out to determine its efficacy in the management of different pathologies.
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Savla C, Munoz C, Hickey R, Belicak M, Gilbert C, Cabrales P, Palmer AF. Purification of Lumbricus terrestris Mega-Hemoglobin for Diverse Oxygen Therapeutic Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:4957-4968. [PMID: 33313397 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Oxygen therapeutics are being developed for a variety of applications in transfusion medicine. In order to reduce the side-effects (vasoconstriction, systemic hypertension, and oxidative tissue injury) associated with previous generations of oxygen therapeutics, new strategies are focused on increasing the molecular diameter of hemoglobin obtained from mammalian sources via polymerization and encapsulation. Another approach towards oxygen therapeutic design has centered on using naturally occurring large molecular diameter hemoglobins (i.e. erythrocruorins) derived from annelid sources. Therefore, the goal of this study was to purify erythrocruorin from the terrestrial worm Lumbricus terrestris for diverse oxygen therapeutic applications. Tangential flow filtration (TFF) was used as a scalable protein purification platform to obtain a >99% pure LtEc product, which was confirmed by size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography and SDS-PAGE analysis. In vitro characterization concluded that the ultra-pure LtEc product had oxygen equilibrium properties similar to human red blood cells, and a lower rate of auto-oxidation compared to human hemoglobin, both of which should enable efficient oxygen transport under physiological conditions. In vivo evaluation concluded that the ultra-pure product had positive effects on the microcirculation sustaining functional capillary density compared to a less pure product (~86% purity). In summary, we purified an LtEc product with favorable biophysical properties that performed well in an animal model using a reliable and scalable purification platform to eliminate undesirable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chintan Savla
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Carlos Munoz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Richard Hickey
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Maria Belicak
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Christopher Gilbert
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Pedro Cabrales
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Andre F Palmer
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Timm B, Abdulmalik O, Chakrabarti A, Elmer J. Purification of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin (LtEc) with anion exchange chromatography. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2020; 1150:122162. [PMID: 32505113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2020.122162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The naturally extracellular hemoglobin (erythrocruorin) of the Canadian nightcrawler, Lumbricus terrestris (LtEc), is a unique oxygen transport protein that may be an effective substitute for donated human blood. Indeed, this ultra-high molecular weight (~3.6 MDa) hemoglobin has already been shown to avoid the side effects associated with previous hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers and its high thermal stability (Tm = 56°C) and resistance to heme oxidation (kox = 0.04 hr-1 × 103 at 20°C) allow it to be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration. However, before it can be tested in human clinical trials, an effective and scalable purification process for LtEc must be developed. We have previously purified LtEc for animal studies with tangential flow filtration (TFF), which allows rapid and scalable purification of LtEc based on its relatively large size, but that type of size-based purification may not be able to specifically remove some impurities and high MW (>500 kDa) contaminants like endotoxin (MW = ~1-4 MDa). Anion exchange (AEX) and immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) are two purification methods that have been previously used to purify mammalian hemoglobins, but they have not yet been used to purify large invertebrate hemoglobins like LtEc. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine if AEX and IMAC resins could successfully purify LtEc from crude earthworm homogenate, while also preserving its macromolecular structure and function. Both processes were able to produce purified LtEc with low levels of endotoxin, but IMAC purification induced significantly higher levels of heme oxidation and subunit dissociation than AEX. In addition, the IMAC process required an additional desalting step to enable LtEc binding. In contrast, AEX produced highly pure LtEc that was not dissociated. LtEc purified by AEX also exhibits similar oxygen binding characteristics (P50 = 27.33 ± 1.82 mm Hg, n = 1.58 ± 0.17) to TFF-purified LtEc (P50 = 28.84 ± 0.40 mm Hg, n = 1.93 ± 0.02). Therefore, AEX appears to be the optimal method for LtEc purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Timm
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Osheiza Abdulmalik
- Div. of Hematology, Abramson Building, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th St. and Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Atis Chakrabarti
- Tosoh Bioscience, LLC, 3604 Horizon Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406, USA
| | - Jacob Elmer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA.
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Rajesh A, Zimmerman D, Spivack K, Abdulmalik O, Elmer J. Glutaraldehyde cross-linking increases the stability of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin. Biotechnol Prog 2017; 34:521-528. [PMID: 29226612 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Since donated red blood cells must be constantly refrigerated, they are not available in remote areas and battlefields. We have previously shown that the hemoglobin of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (LtEc) is an effective and safe substitute for donated blood that is stable enough to be stored for long periods at the relatively high temperatures that may be encountered in remote areas. The goal of this study was to further increase the thermal stability of LtEc by covalently cross-linking LtEc with glutaraldehyde (gLtEc). Our results show that the melting temperatures of the gLtEc samples steadily increase as the molar ratio of glutaraldehyde to heme increases (from Tm = 57°C for native LtEc up to Tm = 68°C at a ratio of 128:1). In addition, while native LtEc is susceptible to subunit dissociation at alkaline pH (8-10), cross-linking with glutaraldehyde completely prevents dissociation of gLtEc at pH 10. Increasing the molar ratio of glutaraldehyde:heme also significantly increased the oxygen affinity of gLtEc, but this effect was decreased by cross-linking gLtEc in the deoxygenated T state. Finally, while gLtEc samples cross-linked at low G:H ratios (e.g., 2:1) exhibited slight increases in oxidation rate in Tris buffer, no significant difference in oxidation rate was observed between native LtEc and the gLtEc samples in Ringer's Solution, which contains antioxidants. Overall, cross-linking LtEc with glutaraldehyde significantly increases its thermal and structural stability without any loss of function, making gLtEc an attractive blood substitute for deployment in remote areas and battlefields. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:521-528, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athul Rajesh
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085
| | - Devon Zimmerman
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085
| | - Kyle Spivack
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085
| | - Osheiza Abdulmalik
- Div. of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center Suite 302F, 3615 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Jacob Elmer
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085
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