earticle

영어

Recent studies have shown the potential therapeutic uses of chondroitinase to recover loss of function in spinal cord injuries by regenerating neuronal growth. Upon injury to the spinal cord there is an up-regulation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG). These CSPG help create an intertwined matrix within the glial scar, which can inhibit the advancement of neuronal growth between the sites of injury. Chondroitinase is able to degrade the chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains on the proteoglycans, thus eliminating obstacles for efficient neuron growth. In various animal models, the use of chondroitinase within injury sites allows the animal to regain the ability to walk. However, due to the instability of this enzyme, administration requires continuous, invasive, injections over a long period of time, which can further aggravate the injured site. Immobilization of chondroitinase onto a nano-solid support system could eliminate some of the problems currently faced, by increasing thermal stability, reducing immune responses, and limiting the migration of the enzyme to other parts of the body. Various methods of enzyme immobilization are used and have been shown to increase the activity of the enzymes in the literature. This technology could eventually be used for efficient treatment of spinal cord injury to recover the loss of function. Carbon nanotubes (cellulose-coated) and gold nanoparticles (citrate-reduced) were used for immobilization of chondroitinase ABC (Proteus vulgaris and Bacteroides thetaitaomicron) in the current study. While performing the immobilization process, we noticed a difference in the action pattern of both Proteus and Bacteroides enzymes. LC-ESI-MS to study the action pattern of these enzymes will be also discussed.