• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2000

To evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties and tissue distribution of a newly developed recombinant human erythropoietin (GC-rhEPO), we analyzed the plasma and tissue levels of erythropoietin by an ELISA after intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) adminstration to the male rats at the doses of 20, 100, 500 or 2,500 unit/kg. After single IV bolus injection of GC-rhEPO, the plasma concentration was rapidly increased and decreased with two phases with half-lives of 13.4 min and 2.94 hours. AUC was increased dose- dependently but plasma half-lives remained constant regardless of GC-rhEPO doses. Following SC administration, the plasma concentration increased slowly with half-life of 9.2 hours and reached peak at 8 hours. Mean residence time and bioavailability were 18.2 hours and 44%, respectively. After single IV dose of 100 unit/kg, tissue GC-rhEPO level was higher in bone marrow and spleen, while the depletion rate was slower in liver and bone marrow, indicating the higher affinity of GC-rhEPO to bone marrow. Taken together, the experimental results indicate that GC-rhEPO contained the typical pharmacokinetic properties and the tissue distribution patterns inherent to human erythropoietin.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.393-400
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• 1998

As a series of safety studies on DA-3585, a recombinant human erythropoietin, its local irritancy was examined in rabbits after the following treatments; application into the conjunctival sac of the eye(single), subcutaneous injection (single and -day repeated)and intravenous injection (7-day repeated.)In addition, perivascular irritation of DA-3585 was investigated in mice. In the result of ocular irritation test, 10,000IU/ml solution of DA-3585 could be considered as a non-irritating material. The local irritation of DA-3585 by a single and 7-day repeated subcutaneous injection was negligible and not so much different from that of saline. In the vascular irritancy test, macro-and microscopic observations revealed that local irritation of DA-3585 was comparable to that of saline when injected into retroauricular vein of rabbits for 7 consecutive days. Furthermore the perivascular administration of DA-3585 upto the concentration of 10,000 IU/ml did not induce any morphological abnormalities at injection sites. The results obtained from the present study suggest that the local irritancy of DA-3585 is not different from that of saline when injected through intravenous or subcutaneous route for clinical practice.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2009

Erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein hormone produced from primarily cells of the peritubular capillary endothelium of the kidney, is responsible for the regulation of red blood cell production. We have been investigating the roles of glycosylation site added in the biosynthesis and function of recombinant protein. We constructed three EPO mutants ($\Delta$69, $\Delta$105 and $\Delta$69,105), containing an additional oligosaccharide chains. EPOWT and EPO$\Delta$69 were effectively expressed in transient and stably transfected CHO-K1 cell lines. But, it wasn't detected any protein in the culture medium of EPO$\Delta$105 and EPO$\Delta$69,105 mutants. The growth and differentiation of EPO-dependent human leukemic cell line (F36E) were used to measure the cytokine dependency and in vitro bioactivity of rec-hEPO. MTT assay values were increased by survival of F36E cells at 24h. To analysis biological activity in vivo, two groups of ICR-mice (7 weeks old) were injected subcutaneously with 10 IU per mice of rec-hEPO molecules on days 0 and 2. Red blood cell and hematocrit values were measured on 6 days after the first injection. The hematocrit values were remarkably increased in all treatment groups. The pharmacokinetic analysis was also affected in the mice injected with rec-hEPO molecules 2.5 IU by tail intravenous. Protein samples were detected by Western blotting. An EPO$\Delta$69 protein migrated as a broad band with an average apparent molecular and detected slightly high band. Enzymatic N-deglycosylation resulted in narrow band and was the same molecular size. The biological activity of EPO$\Delta$69 was enhanced to compare with wt-hEPO. The half-life was longer than wt-hEPO. The results suggest that hyperglycosyalted recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO$\Delta$69) may have important biological and therapeutic good points.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 1996

The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of DA-3285 (recombinant human erythropoietin, recently manufactured by Research Laboratories of Dong-A Pharmaceutical Company) were studied in the laboratory animals. The plasma, urine, and tissue concentration of DA-3285 were measured by a double-antibody sandwich enzyme immunoassay. After intravenous administration of DA-3285, 20, 100, 500 and 2500 units/kg to rats, the plasma concentrations declined polyexponentially with the terminal half-lives of 2.15, 2.10, 2.31, and 2.35 hr, respectively. Total body clearance (20.7∼26.6 mι/hr/kg) and apparent volume of distribution at steady state (57.2∼70.1 mι/kg) were independent of the dose and AUC increased proportionally with the dose. The renal clearance was much lower than total body clearance, suggesting that extrarenal clearance, presumably metabolism , plays a significant role in elimination of DA-3285. In all rat tissues, the tissue to plasma ratios were smaller than unity, indicating less affinity of DA-3285 to rat tissues and was proved by considerably less value of Vdss. After 3 times a week for consecutive 3 weeks i.v. administration of DA-3285, 100 units/kg to rats, the plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters of DA-3285 were not significantly different from those in a single administration. After s.c. administration to the rat, plasma concentrations of DA-3285 peaked at 6 hr and the extent of bioavailability was 26.7%. In mice, rabbits and dogs, at DA-3285 dose of 100 units/kg, the mean terminal haw-lives were 2.78, 3.05, and 4.01 hr, respectively. Compared with reported data in the literatures, DA-3285 has similar properties to rh-EPO manufactured by other companies in view of pharmacokinetics.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.40-43
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• 1998

The glycosylation pattern of Erythropoietin (EPO), produced by recombinant CHO cells, was studied using the simple and rapid technique of 'Lectin-blotting'. In this experiment we used three different kinds of lectins, MAA(Maackia amurensis agglutinine), RCA(Ricinus communis agglutinine), and DSA(Datura stramonium agglutinine), which bind to the terminal sialic acid, galactose, and the N-acetyllactosamine chain respectively. The lectin-blotting technique was used to analyze the carbohydrate structure of EPO produced in the presence of two physiologically active chemical compounds, ammonium and chloroquine. The effect of the ammonium ion on the glycosylation of EPO was studied because it accumulated in the medium mainly as a by-product of glutamine matabolism. Ammonium chloride significantly inhibited the sialylation of the terminal galactose residue at concentrations of 8mM or more. Chloroquine, a potent inhibitor of glycosylation, inhibited terminal sialylation at concentrations of 100 and 200 $\mu$M, and at a concentration of 300 $\mu$M, also inhibited Nacetyllactosamine chain synthesis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.343-346
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• 1994

In vivo activity of recombinant human erythropoietin (rh-EPO) has been examined using polycythemic model in mice and acute hemorrhage model in rats. The number of reticulocytes in blood stream was increased after a single injection of rh-EPO depending on the dosage of rh-EPO in polycythemy model. It seemed that optimal dose of rh-EPO for polycythemic mice was around 1-10 U/kg. Rh-EPO also showed the effectiveness for increase of reticulocyte numbers both in male and female rats after bleeding. The number of reticulocytes and the change of hemoglobin concentration in the blood stream of normal rats has been examined after injection of rh-EPO. The maximum value of reticulocyte was observed on the 6th day of the injection in these normal rats. In addition, the increase of reticulocyte and the concentration of hemoglobin were dependent on the dosage of rh-EPO. The increase of hemoglobin concentration was continued to the 9th day after injection. In this study, the efficacy of rh-EPO was confirmed in both mice and rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.266-271
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• 1996

A recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, is glycosylated at Asn 24, Asn 38, Asn 83, and Ser 126. After release of the N-linked carbohydrate chains by $peptide-N^{4}-(N-acetyl-{\beta}-glucosaminyl)$ asparagine amidase F, the oligosaccharides were analyzed by FACE (Fluorophore-Assisted Carbohydrate Electrophoresis). The O-linked carbohydrate chain was separated by hydrazine, and analyzed by FACE. The monosacccharide composition of recombinant EPO showed man nose, fucose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and a trace of N-acetylgalactosamine, which are typical monosaccharides in the glycoproteins from the CHO cell. Sequences of N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides were determined. The structure and composition of oligosaccharides attached to recombinant human EPO, expressed in the CHO cell, are identical to the reported oligosaccharide structure in human EPO isolated from urine.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 1996

Efficacy and general pharmacology of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO), were investigated. Efficacy studies were conducted in normal, cisplatin- and acute hemorrhage-induced anemic rats. Normal and anemic animals were treated intravenously with rHu-EPO for 5 days and the changes in the numbers of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct) and reticulocytes (Ret) were examined. In normal rats, rHu-EPO significantly increased RBC, Hb, Hct and Ret at doses of 50∼ 1250 IU/kg/day. Cisplatin-induced anemic rats showed significant increase of RBC, Hb, Hct and Ret in a dose-dependent manner after administration of rHu-EPO (50∼200 lU/kg/day). And in acute hemorrhage-induced anemic rats, rHu-EPO(4∼100 Iu/kg/day) accelerated recovery of anemia with significant increase in Ret. These changes disappeared gradually after cessation of the treatment. The general pharmacological effects of rHu-EPO were investigated in mice, rats, guinea-pigs, rabbits and cats. rHu-EPO had no influences on central nervous, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and blood coagulation system. It also had no influence on the contraction of phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation. rHu-EPO produced significant increase of urine volume at a dose of 7000 IU/kg. These results suggest that rHu-EPO might be useful for the therapy of anemia without serious side effect.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.305-308
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• 1996

The acute toxicity of rHu-EPO, newly developed recombinant erythropoietin, was tested in beagle dogs. rHu-EPO, when administered intravenously at 25, 000 IU/kg, did not cause any death. Also, rHu-EPO did not induce any change of body weight, food intake and clinical signs compared to controls. There were no significant changes in hematological, urine analysis and pathological examination. These results showed that rHu-EPO did not induce any remarkable toxic response and the $LD_50$ was greater than 25, 000 IU/kg in beagle dogs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.315-319
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• 1997

It was discovered that monoclonal anti-erythropoietin (EPO) antibody CFC-6 can neutralize EPO-induced cell activation. To know the binding site of CFC-6, recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) was digested with Glu-C, followed by a separation using high performance liquid chromato graphy (HPLC). Each HPLC fraction was blotted on the nitrocellulose membrane and the membrane was treated with anti-EPO antibody CFC-6 and anti-mouse antibody which is modified with peroxidase. Only one spot showed the color and the fraction was sequenced by Edman degradation. The results suggest that CFC-6 recognizes amino acid sequence V63-W-Q-G-L-A-L-L-S-E72 which is a part of helix II of the EPO molecule. Binding of CFC-6 to EPO may inhibit EPO binding to its receptor, which implies that the antibody binding site and the receptor binding site are close or overlapping.