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Published on: February 17, 2017
Physical characterization of heparin by light scattering
A K Gaigalas1, J B Hubbard, R LeSage
1Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Heparin preparations contain aggregates of molecules, not just individual heparin chains. These stable aggregates, comprising about 50 monomers, impact measurements of heparin size and charge heterogeneity.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Heparin is a widely used anticoagulant drug.
- Understanding heparin's molecular characteristics is crucial for its therapeutic application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the size and charge heterogeneity of a commercial heparin preparation.
- To identify and characterize potential heparin aggregates.
Main Methods:
- Dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS) were employed.
- High-performance exclusion chromatography (HPEC) was used to quantify aggregates.
Main Results:
- A significant portion of the heparin preparation exists as aggregates, not individual molecules.
- These heparin aggregates are stable up to 75°C and composed of approximately 50 heparin monomers.
- Aggregates exhibit a higher scattering intensity than individual heparin molecules.
Conclusions:
- Commercial heparin preparations contain stable, tightly bound aggregates.
- These aggregates contribute to the measured size and charge heterogeneity of heparin.
- Further research is needed to understand the in vivo implications of these heparin aggregates.
