Not available outside of the UK & Ireland.

Application

Recombinant hirudin from yeast has been used in mannan-binding lectin serine protease 2 (MASP2) activation assay. It has also been used in pre-treating the nanosheets in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for platelet adhesion assay.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Recombinant hirudin appears to be antigenic. Independent studies have found that 50-70% of patients treated for several days with recombinant hirudin develop at least one hirudin antibody isotype. The antibodies reduce the anticoagulant effect of hirudin, but prolong its plasma half-life by reducing renal filtration.

The anticoagulant, hirudin, is the most potent natural inhibitor of both soluble and clot-bound thrombin. It binds thrombin with high affinity, covering more than 20% of its surface area and occluding both the active site and exosite I (fibrinogen and PAR recognition site). Hirudin blocks thrombus growth and platelet activation. It is not metabolized in the bloodstream of humans and is eliminated unchanged via kidney filtration.

Unit Definition

1 U corresponds to 1 ATU (antithrombin unit; 1 ATU is defined as the amount of inhibitor that neutralizes 1 NIH unit of thrombin).