Keyhole limpet hemocyanin

Keyhole limpet hemocyanin ( Abbreviated KLH Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin ) is a high molecular weight protein complex from the hemolymph of the Great California keyhole screw ( Megathura crenulata ) from the family of the keyhole limpet ( Fissurellidae, English keyhole limpets ) is obtained. KLH is one with a molecular mass of 8 to 32 million daltons of the largest known proteins. Hemocyanins are appearing in blue by copper atoms oxygen-carrying proteins of different mollusks and arthropods.

Use

In order to act as an antigen, to low molecular weight molecules such as peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, certain toxins or drugs to carrier proteins ( in the literature often called a " carrier" hereinafter) can be coupled. Next to ovalbumin ( chicken egg albumin ), and bovine or human serum albumin is a common worm protein KLH in biotechnology carrier protein in the immunization of animals. The coupling of the hapten is carried out in most cases to the carboxyl or amino group of the carrier protein. Binding to carbohydrate moieties, or the formation of disulfide bridges, however, is also possible. By coupling to KLH little or no reactive molecules called haptens, the immune system of the immunized animals are shown as a full antigen immunologically otherwise. In this way, the production of antibodies against these molecules is possible at all, but contains the product obtained from the blood of immunized animals polyclonal immune serum addition to hapten -specific antibodies, even those directed against antigenic determinants of the KLH carrier molecule and a large number of other antibodies which can be attributed to natural antigen contacts of the animals. Increasing the immunogenicity of a hapten is effected by the size of the hapten -KLH and KLH Konjugationskomplexes own strong immunogenicity.

KLH calls in vertebrates produce a strong immune response, both cellular and humoral. In medicine, KLH is therefore used as a nonspecific modulator ( immune stimulator ), which helps the immune competence of a body can be determined.

From the native KLH the Immunocyanin is obtained by splitting into smaller, chemically and physically stable subunits to approximately 400 kD. Immunocyanin the frequency of recurrence of bladder cancer after surgical removal of the tumor through the urethra ( transurethral resection, TUR ) is approved as a drug in the Netherlands, Austria and South Korea to reduce. For this purpose the freeze-dried drug is dissolved and introduced into the previously emptied bladder. Immunocyanin is there to activate in the bladder mucosal cellular and humoral immune response.

Furthermore Immunocyanin as an active amplifier ( adjuvant) is used in immunology research.