Purification of Novel Neuroregenerative Purine Analog Binding Protein I. PABA Protein Receptor Isolation from Mammalian Nervous Tissue Using Affinity Chromatography. Daniel L. Cooke Honors Thesis Davidson College Department of Biology Dr. A. Malcolm Campbell Dr. John H. Williamson Dr. David M. Brown

Abstract

AIT-082, 4-[[3-(1,6-dihydro-6-oxo-9H-purin-9-yl)-1-oxopropyl]amino]benzoic acid, is a novel purine analog which has displayed neuroregenerative effects in mice (AIT-082, 1997). AIT-082 is a compound composed of two molecules, hypoxanthine and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), linked by a 3-carbon bridge. As a modular study to determine the protein receptor of AIT-082 in rat brain, PABA was covalently coupled to polymer beads for affinity chromatography. PABA served as a ligand to bind and isolate a possible protein receptor from rat brain homogenate. Proteins of 38 kDa and 51 kDa were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Candidates for isolated proteins suggest possible AIT-082 involvement in coenzyme regulation or in neurotransmitter production.

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