Abstract: The presence of endotoxin in the outer membrane of cell wall of a Gram-negative bacteria is used to determine bacterial contamination in a biological product. The amount of endotoxin present in a biological product is accurately measured without influence of a limulus reaction-activating substance which causes a false-positive reaction, by a method including the steps of: inactivating the limulus reaction-activating substance, if any, in the biological product, by exposing the biological product to a surfactant at a temperature ranging from the surfactant's freezing point to 50° C.; and measuring the amount of endotoxin present in the biological product, using a limulus reagent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a quantitative determination method for heparan sulfate in body fluid specimens of various chronic diseases, in urine samples of diabetic nephropathy and for diagnosing hepatic diseases and rheumatoid arthritis in blood specimens. And also this method provides a diagnostic tool for judging the condition of diabetic nephropathy, hepatic diseases and rheumatoid arthritis by determination of changes by use of aforementioned quantitative determination of heparan sulfate.

Abstract: A holder has an inner diameter which allows the holder to be fitted onto the outside of a cylinder barrel 2 and is formed into a tubular shape having a length which is substantially equal to that of the cylinder barrel 2. The holder has a flange 73 at the basal end.

Abstract: The present invention provides semi-spherical materials to be worn on the eyeball, such as contact lenses for visual acuity correction or medical treatment use, cornea protecting materials, controlled drug release contact lenses and the like, which comprise, as a main component, a glycosaminoglycan existing in the living body as an extracellular matrix component of connective tissues and satisfy various requirements such as dimentional stability, transparency, surface water wettability, tissue compatibility, oxygen permeability and the like. In other words, the material to be worn on the eyeball has a shape of semi-spherical surface compatible in shape with the mammalian eyeball and has biological and surface-physical compatibilities with ophthalmic tissues and comprises, as a main component, a substantially transparent photocured crosslinked-glycosaminoglycan obtained by allowing photoreactive groups covalently bonded to a glycosaminoglycan to crosslink mutually by photoirradiation.

Abstract: The invention provides a cinnamic acid derivative having a novel spacer introduced into cinnamic acid which is photodimerizable, a cinnamic acid-polysaccharide derivative photocurable with high sensitivity and efficiency obtainable by introducing the above cinnamic acid derivative into a host polysaccharide such as a glycosaminoglycan, and a photocrosslinked cinnamic acid-polysaccharide derivative obtainable by exposing the same cinnamic acid-polysaccharide derivative to ultraviolet light irradiation.

Abstract: A crystallizable, purified chondroitinase ABC having a molecular weight of about 100,000 dalton by the measurement of the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and the measurement by the gel permeation chromatography method, having alanine as the N-terminal amino acid and proline as the C-terminal amino acid is disclosed. A process for the purification of the crystallizable purified chondroitinase ABC comprising removing nucleic acid from an surfactant solution extract obtained from cells of chondroitinase ABC-producing microorganisms and chromatographically treating by concentration gradient elution using a weak cation exchange resin or a strong cation exchange resin is disclosed. A composition comprising a chondroitinase and serum albumin, gelatin, or a nonionic surfactant is used to treat disc displacement. The enzyme is isolate from Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6896.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptide having a primary structure of amino acid sequence shown by Sequence List Sequence No. 1 and DNA encoding for the polypeptide. The polypeptide is obtainable by following steps (1)-(3):Step (1): extracting small granule fraction of homocytes of horseshoe crab with a buffer containing protein denaturing agent and chelating agent,Step (2): subjecting said extract to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography,Step (3): eluting by concentration gradient elution with a hydrophobic organic solvent.Also, the polypeptide is produced by chemical synthesis. The polypeptide has similar chemical structure to defensin and is useful as gargles, disinfectants, antiseptics or antimicrobials.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a sulfated lactosamine oligosaccharide, comprising the step of allowing a sulfotransferase to act on a lactosamine oligosaccharide, the sulfotransferase transferring sulfate group to hydroxyl group at C-6 position of galactose residue in the lactosamine oligosaccharide.

Abstract: A polypeptide of glycosaminoglycan sulfotransferase originating from human and having the following physical and chemical properties:(i) action: sulfate group is transferred from a sulfate group donor to N-acetylgalactosamine residue or galactose residue of glycosaminoglycan;(ii) substrate specificity: sulfate group is transferred to the hydroxyl group position at C-6 of N-acetylgalactosamine residue of chondroitin; and sulfate group is transferred to the hydroxyl group position at C-6 of galactose residue of keratan sulfate; and(iii) molecular weight: about from 50,000 to 55,000 Da.

Abstract: Amino alcohol derivatives with a primary amino group or a substituted amino group influence the synthesis of glycolipids and have antiviral, antitumor, metastasis inhibiting and neural cell growth enhancing functions. The amino alcohol derivatives are useful in preparing 2-acylamino alcohol derivatives.

Abstract: An endotoxin stabilizing agent is provided, which is useful in order to maintain the endotoxin activity of a specimen or a reference standard in a stable state for a prolonged period of time and to prepare an endotoxin reference standard having a reduced intervial variation, being stable for a long time in the form of, in particular, a solution and withstanding repeated use. An endotoxin composition comprising the above-mentioned endotoxin stabilizing agent and endotoxin and a method for assaying endotoxin by using the same are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound which is a glycolipid analog having a novel structure represented by the formula (1): ##STR1## wherein Z represents an imino group, an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; m is an integer of from 3 to 12; and n is an integer of from 4 to 22; and shows a potent activity of inhibiting glycosidase and has potential physiological activities, for example, antiviral activity. The invention also provides a glycosidase inhibitor which comprises said glycolipid analog as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptide having a primary structure of amino acid sequence shown by Sequence List Sequence No. 1 and DNA encoding for the polypeptide. The polypeptide is obtainable by following steps (1)-(3):Step (1): extracting small granule fraction of homocytes of horseshoe crab with a buffer containing protein denaturing agent and chelating agent,Step (2): subjecting said extract to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography,Step (3): eluting by concentration gradient elution with a hydrophobic organic solvent.Also, the polypeptide is produced by chemical synthesis. The polypeptide has similar chemical structure to defensin and is useful as gargles, disinfectants, antiseptics or antimicrobials.

Abstract: An oligosaccharide having an affinity for fibroblast growth factor, which is composed of 8 to 18 monosaccharide residues, wherein a principal disaccharide unit comprising L-iduronic acid 2-sulfate and N-sulfo-D-glucosamine and a process for producing the oligosaccharide comprising digesting heparan sulfate.

Abstract: This invention provides (1) a reagent for endotoxin assay which comprises aprotinin and a limulus amebocyte lysate reagent, (2) a kit for endotoxin assay which comprises the limulus amebocyte lysate reagent and a reagent containing aprotinin, (3) a method for assaying endotoxin in a sample using the limulus amebocyte lysate reagent in which aprotinin is added to the lysate reagent and/or the sample, (4) a method for assaying endotoxin in a serine protease-containing sample using the limulus amebocyte lysate reagent in which the sample is allowed to contact with an aprotinin-immobilized insoluble carrier in advance of endotoxin assay, (5) a carrier for pretreating a serine protease-containing sample on which aprotinin is immobilized, (6) a method for inhibiting factor G activation in which aprotinin is added to the limulus amebocyte lysate reagent and (7) a factor G activation inhibitor which comprises aprotinin as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase for selectively introducing sulfate group into hydroxyl group at C-6 of glucosamine of heparin and heparan sulfate, having the following properties: (i) sulfate group is selectively transferred from a sulfate group donor to hydroxyl group at C-6 of N-sulfoglucosamine residue; (ii) sulfate group is transferred to CDSNS-heparan, but sulfate group is not transferred to chondroitin and chondroitin-4-sulfate; (iii) optimum reaction pH is in a range of pH 6-7; (iv) optimum ionic strength is in a range of 0.1-0.3 M (in the case of sodium chloride); and (v) the enzyme activity is inhibited by dithiothreitol and adenosine-3',5'-diphosphate, and activated by protamine.

Abstract: An injection tool that permits a predetermined dose of a drug to be administered accurately at an intended site of a very small size that is located comparatively deep within the body and which develops comparatively high internal pressure, comprises an injection device comprising an injection barrel and an injection needle that is to be mounted at the distal end thereof, a piercing hollow needle having a connector portion connectible to the injection device and a needle portion that allows the injection needle to be inserted therethrough almost tightly, and an inner needle having a basal portion that fits tightly in the of the piercing hollow needle when the connector portion is not connected to the injection device, connector portion and a solid needle portion that is insertable almost tightly in the needle portion, of the piercing hollow needle when the injection needle is not inserted in the needle portion.

Abstract: Chondrotin 6-sulfotransferase (C6ST), for transferring sulfate group to the hydroxyl group at C-6 position of N-acetylgalactosamine residue or galactose residue of glycosaminoglycan, was purified from a culture liquid of chick embryo chondrocytes to determine its partial amino acid sequences. Partial cDNA of C6ST was amplified from poly(A).sub.+ prepared from the chondrocytes, by means of PCR by using oligonucleotide primers prepared on the basis of the determined sequences. Entire length cDNA of C6ST was obtained from a cDNA library by means of hybridization by using an obtained cDNA fragment as a probe.

Abstract: Heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase having the following properties is obtained from, for example, CHO cells:(i) action: sulfate group is transferred from a sulfate group donor selectively to the hydroxyl group at C-2 position of iduronic acid residue of a sulfate group acceptor;(ii) substrate specificity: sulfate group is transferred to heparan sulfate or CDSNS-heparin, but sulfate group is not transferred to chondroitin, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and keratan sulfate;(iii) optimum reaction pH: about pH 5 to 6.5;(iv) optimum ionic strength: about 50 to 200 mM when sodium chloride is used; and(v) inhibition and activation: the activity of the enzyme is increased by protamine, the activity of the enzyme is inhibited by adenosine-3',5'-diphosphate, and the activity of the enzyme is scarcely affected by dithiothreitol at 10 mM or less.

Abstract: A drug composition comprising a mucopolysaccharide (also referred in the art as a glycosaminoglycan) and a drug which is scarcely soluble in water but soluble in a water-miscible organic solvent, wherein fine crystals or fine particles of the drug is attached on or between the particles of a mucopolysaccharide, and a process for preparing the same. The drug composition of the present invention exhibits greatly improved solubility and a dissolution rate of the drug, and thus greatly improve the drug's bioavailability.