Industrialization possibilities of purified pig sperm hyaluronidase

The goals of the present study were to develop a simple method for obtain highly purified pig sperm hyaluronidase (pHyase) and to assess its activity, function, and safety. In mammals, sperm-specific glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored Hyase assists sperm penetration through the cumulus mass surrounding the egg and aids in the dispersal of the cumulus-oocyte complex. Recently, Purified bovine sperm hyaluronidase (bHyase) has been shown to enhance therapeutic drug transport by breaking down the hyaluronan barrier to the lymphatic and capillary vessels, thereby facilitating tissue absorption. Commercially available Hyase is typically isolated from bovine or ovine; which have several disadvantages, including the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, low homology with human Hyase, and the requirement for relatively complex isolation procedures. This study successfully isolated highly purified pHyase in only two steps, using ammonium sulfate precipitation and fast protein liquid chromatography. The isolated Hyase had activity equal to that of commercial bHyase, facilitated in vitro fertilization, and effectively dissolved high molecule hyaluronic acid. This simple, effective isolation method could improve the availability of pHyase for research and clinical applications.