[Intramolecular modification of azisobutyrylinsulin and the use of the modified hormone for the synthesis of polymeric derivatives].

An intramolecular modification of insulin at the alpha-amino group of glycine (A1) and the epsilon-amino group of lysine (B29) was carried out. The modification resulted in a slight alteration of the insulin secondary structure; the modified hormone possessed a biological activity which was practically identical to that of the natural hormone. Therefore the modified insulin can be used as a high molecular weight physiologically active radical inducer for the synthesis of (A1-B29) polyvinylimidazole derivatives. The molecular weight of the covalently linked polymer can be variable. It was shown that the increase in the amount of modifying polymer in the conjugate results in stabilization of the insulin secondary structure concomitant with a decrease of the biological activity and, moreover, of the immunoresponsiveness of the hormone.