• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.71-79
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was undertaken to identify fibrinolytic proteases from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom and to characterize a major fibrinolytic protease purified from the venom. Methods : The venom was subjected to chromatography using columns of Q-Sepharose and Sephadex G-75. The molecular weights of fibrinolytic proteases showing fibrinolytic zone in fibrin plate assay were determined in SDS-PAGE (Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) The effects of inhibitors and metal ions on fibrinolytic protease and the proteolysis patterns of fibrinogen, gelatin, and bovine serum albumin were investigated. Results : 1) The fibrinolytic fractions of the three peaks isolated from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained two polypeptides of 46 and 59 kDa and three polypeptides of 32, 18, and 15 kDa and a major polypeptide of 54 kDa, respectively. 2) The fibrinolytic activity of the purified protease of 54 kDA was inhibited by metal chelators, such as EDTA, EGTA, and 1,10-phenanthroline, and disulfhydryl-reducing compounds, such as dithiothreitol and cysteine. 3) Calcium chloride promoted the fibrinolytic activity of the protease, but mercuric chloride and cobalt(II) chloride inhibited it. 4) The fibrinolytic protease cleaved preferentially A${\alpha}$-chain and slowly B${\beta}$-chain of fibrinogen. It also hydrolyzed gelatin but not bovine serum albumin. Conclusions : The Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained more than three fibrinolytic proteases. The major fibrinolytic protease was a metalloprotease which hydrolyzed both fibrinogen and gelatin, but not bovine serum albumin.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.52-62
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• 2022

Objectives: Snake venom is a complex mixture of various pharmacologically active substances, such as small proteins, peptides, and organic and mineral components. This paper aims to identify and analyse the proteins in common venomous snakes, such as Gloydius blomhoffii (G. blomhoffii) and Agkistrodon acutus (A. acutus), in Korea. Methods: We used mass spectrometry, electrophoresis, N-terminal sequencing and in-gel digestion to analyse the proteins in these two snake venoms. Results: We identified eight proteins in G. blomhoffii venom and four proteins in A. acutus venom. The proteins detected in G. blomhoffii and A. acutus venoms were phospholipase A₂, snake venom metalloproteinase and cysteine-rich secretory protein. Snake C-type lectin (snaclec) was unique to A. acutus venom. Conclusion: These data will contribute to the current knowledge of proteins present in the venoms of viper snakes and provide useful information for investigating their therapeutic potential.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was undertaken to isolate a fibrinolytic enzyme from the snake venom of Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus and to investigate its enzymatic characteristics and hemorrhagic activity as a potential pharmacopuncture agent. Methods: The fibrinolytic enzyme was isolated by using chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and fibrin plate assay. The characteristics of the enzyme were investigated using fibrin plate assay, protein hydrolysis analysis, and hemorrhage assay. Its amino acid composition was determined. Results: The fibrinolytic enzyme with the molecular weight of 32kDa (FE-32kDa) from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus showed a fibrin hydrolysis zone at the concentration of 0.2 mg/mL in the fibrin plate assay. The fibrin hydrolysis activity of the enzyme was inhibited completely by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethyleneglycoltetraacetic acid (EGTA), and 1, 10-phenanthroline, thiothreitol and cysteine, and partially by phenylmethanesulfonylfluoride (PMSF). Metal ions such as $Fe^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$ inhibited the fibrin hydrolysis completely, but $Zn^{2+}$ enhanced it. FE-32kDa hydrolyzed ${\alpha}$-chain but did not hydrolyze ${\beta}$-chain and ${\gamma}$-chain of fibrinogen. High-molecular-weight polypeptides of gelatin were hydrolyzed partially into low-molecular-weight polypeptides, but the extent of hydrolysis was limited. FE-32kDa induced hemorrhage beneath back skin of mice at the dose of $2{\mu}g$. Conclusions: FE-32kDa is a ${\alpha}$-fibrin(ogen)olytic metalloprotease that requires $Zn^{2+}$ for fibrinolytic activity and causes hemorrhage, suggesting that the enzyme is not appropriate for use as a clinical pharmacopuncture.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.46-54
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• 2013

Objective: This study was undertaken to isolate a fibrin(ogen)olytic enzyme from the snake venom of Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus and to investigate the enzymatic characteristics and hemorrhagic activity of the isolated enzyme as a potential pharmacopuncture agent. Methods: The fibrinolytic enzyme was isolated by using chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and fibrin plate assay. The characteristics of the enzyme were determined by using fibrin plate assay, protein hydrolysis analysis, and hemorrhage assay. Its amino acid composition was determined. Results: The fibrin(ogen)olytic enzyme with the molecular weight of 27 kDa (FE-27kDa) isolated from G. b. siniticus venom consisted of two heterogenous disulfide bond-linked polypeptides with the molecular weights of 15 kDa and 18 kDa. When more than $20{\mu}g$ of FE-27kDa was applied on the fibrin plate, fibrinolysis zone was formed as indicating its fibrinolytic activity. The fibrinolytic activity was inhibited completely by phenylmethanesulfonylfluoride (PMSF) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and partially by thiothreitol and cysteine. Metal ions such as $Hg^{2+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$ inhibited the fibrinolytic activity completely, but $Mn^{2+}$ did not. FE-27kDa preferentially hydrolyzed ${\alpha}$-chain of fibrinogen and slowly hydrolyzed ${\beta}$-chain, but did not hydrolyze ${\gamma}$-chain. High-molecular-weight polypeptides of gelatin were hydrolyzed partially into polypeptides with molecular weights of more than 45 kDa. A dosage of more than $10{\mu}g$ of FE-27kDa per mouse was required to induce hemorrhage beneath the skin. Conclusion: FE-27kDa was a serine proteinase consisting of two heterogeneous polypeptides, hydrolyzed fibrin, fibrinogen, and gelatin, and caused hemorrhage beneath the skin of mouse. This study suggests that the potential of FE-27kDa as pharmacopuncture agent should be limited due to low fibrinolytic activity and a possible side effect of hemorrhage.