Researchers from the Inter-University Centre for Bioscience, Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Kannur University, claim to have isolated a clot-busting enzyme, 50Kilo Dalton, from a marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa KU1 from the coast of Kannur.
Clot busters are enzymes that are used for emergency treatment of ischemic strokes, heart attack or a massive pulmonary embolism.
The new findings were published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules . The study, which lasted for four years, was conducted by Swaroop S. Kumar under the guidance of associate professor A. Sabu and professor M. Haridas, Director of the Inter University Centre for Bioscience.
Dr. Sabu said while there were many enzymes available in the market for clot-busting, the one reported from Kannur University had certain unique features that included little haemolytic property (resulting in very low bleeding on treatment) and less chances of bradykinin-induced neuro-inflammation.
He said bradykinin was a product of blood coagulation system and was pro-inflammatory in character. (Bradykinin reduces blood-brain barrier, and hence, causes neuro-inflammation, which is a serious side-effect of the use of clot busters.)
He claimed that lab experiments proved that the clot-busting enzyme busted bradykinin and, hence, would practically have no side effects. No other clot-buster had both these functions, he added.
Dr. Sabu observed that cardiovascular disorders were on the rise worldwide due to alcohol abuse, obesity, hypertension, raised blood lipids, diabetes, and age-related risks. These aberrations may cause blood clots. Hence, use of fibrinolytic, a process that prevents blood clots from growing and becoming problematic, had become more frequent in hospitals and the utilisation of the new enzyme after required trials would improve the treatment strategy.
The researchers are now in the process of filing a patent on a preparation with the enzyme as the major component for effective management of cardiovascular diseases.
