Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications - digital archive 

Abstract

Biodegradable hydrogel as a self-degradable system for controlled release of biologically active macromolecules was prepared from the biodegradable poly[N⁵-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-glutamine-stat -N⁵-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-L-glutamine -stat-L-glutamic acid], to which a proteolytic enzyme, papain, was covalently bound. The polymer-enzyme conjugate was crosslinked by radical copolymerization with acrylamide. Significantly improved thermal stability and increased pH optimum of the catalytic activity of conjugated papain was observed. Self-degradation of the hydrogel by the action of encapsulated papain could be triggered by the addition of a low-molecular-weight enzyme activator, such as dithioerythritol.