Application of polyvinylpyrrolidone as a carrier for kallikrein.

Kallikrein covalently attached to polyvinylpyrrolidone was prepared. The kinetic parameters, the molecular weight and the blood pressure depressor effect of kallikrein and kallikrein bound to polyvinylpyrrolidone are compared. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed a mean molecular weight of 110 000 dalton for kallikrein bound to polyvinylpyrrolidone. The specific activity of kallikrein-PVP was 4.6 times lower when compared with native kallikrein, however K-M was only slightly different. The maximal reduction and the duration of the decrease of mean arterial blood pressure were statistically not different from each other when kallikrein and kallikrein-PVP were injected in amounts of the same esterolytic activity.