The influence of splitting off the N-terminal amino acids Bl, B2 and B3 of bovine insulin on the binding of these derivatives to antibodies raised with bovine insulin in guinea pigs and on biologic insulin activities is investigated.In comparison with bovine insulin the standard free energies -AF°i for complex formation between high affinity antibodies Aki and des-Phe Bl -insulin or des-(Phe-Val) Bl " 2 -insulin are reduced to 77 per cent and 76.3 per cent respectively, with a further decrease to 68 per cent for des-(Phe-Val-Asn) Bl " 3 -[Pyr B4 ] insulin.The standard free energy -AF°2 for complex formation between low affinity antibodies Ak2 and des-Phe Bl -insulin drops to 48.4 per cent. Further splitting off of the N-terminal amino acids B2 and B3 completely abolishes the antigen binding to Ak2.
The ability of both des-Phe Bl -insulin and des-(PheVaI) Bl " 2 -insulin to lower the in vivo blood sugar level does not differ significantly from bovine insulin, whereas the in vivo activity of des-(Phe-Val-Asn) Bl " 3 -[Pyr B4 ] insulin decreases to 70±7 per cent. The in vitro biologic activity, tested on isolated fat cells, is slightly reduced to 89±9 per cent for des-Phe Bl -insulin, to 86±3 per cent for des-(Phe-Val) Bl " 2 -insulin and to 68±6 per cent for des-(Phe-Val-Asn) Bl " 3 -[Pyr B4 ] insulin. DIABETES 23:651-56, August, 1974.Lindsay and Shall 16 studied the immunologic and biologic properties of bovine insulin modified by acetylation. Substitution of the N-terminal amino acid of the B-chain phenylalanine (Phe Bl ) by acetyl-, acetoacetyl-and thiazolidine groups led to a large decrease in the immunoreactivity of bovine insulin for insulin antibodies raised in guinea pigs, whereas these substitutions did not affect biologic activities.From the Medical University Clinic, Freiburg i. Br., and Farbwerke Hoechst AG, vorm. Meister Lucius und Bruning, Frankfurt (M)-Hoechst, Germany.