HEPARINASE

Abstract

The method developed by Monkhouse and Jaques (1950) for the determination of heparin in plasma has been applied to the study of the enzyme, heparinase, first described in 1940 by Jaques. The enzyme can be prepared from rabbit liver by glycerol extraction and precipitation with half-saturated ammonium sulphate. It has a pH optimum 6.0–6.5. Extracts from rabbit kidney, lung, heart, aorta, muscle, intestine, spleen, testis, brain, and blood and beef liver, lung, and blood were inactive. The metachromatic and antithrombin properties of heparin decrease in a parallel fashion under the action of the enzyme. The enzyme also acts on sheep heparin and the synthetic polysaccharide, treburon.