Anticoagulant blood factor deficiencies (protein C)

Anti-coagulant proteins are essential to maintain blood hemostatis for the supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissue cells and for the removal of toxic by-products from metabolism. Hereditary or acquired deficiencies of Protein C, Protein S, or Antithrombin III can lead to disease states such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with the possibility of producing lung emboli. Phenomena named Factor V Lieden can produce a similar pathologic condition. Anti-coagulant deficiencies, including Factor V Lieden, are HIDDEN blood conditions that can allow blood clot development, especially with trauma to the tissue and circulatory system. It is proposed that all children between ages twelve to fourteen be checked hereditary deficiencies and Factor V Lieden complications. This would require the development of inexpensive assay equipment12. The present research focuses on the low cost production of Zymogen Protein C via purification from blood plasma Cohn Fraction IV-1. This process is difficult due to the several Homologous Vitamin K dependent proteins in the blood coagulation cascade. Traditional chromatography (ion exchange) cannot achieve the desired separation. Some more exotic technologies are very expensive so our work proposes to use Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC). It is hoped to produce a lower cost product that can be used prophylactic ally to treat Protein C deficiencies and possibly other coagulation problems.