Oxygen therapeutics: Designs and tests

氧气疗法旨在提高患者对氧气的可用性，例如失血或疾病。这些产品有许多有价值的应用，包括作为传统输血的无菌长期替代品的能力，特别是在血库不易到达的地方。氧气治疗的常见途径是基于化学改变血红蛋白，以产生基于血红蛋白的氧载体（HBOC）。与HBOCs的研究表明，它们可能会导致血压升高。一个可能的原因是与一氧化氮的相互作用，这是负责保持血管放松。另一种可能性是对来自HBOC的氧气突然增加的反应。该研究将产生血红蛋白的特征修饰，以给出定义的HBOC分子。每种都将用于测试与一氧化氮和氧气释放的相互作用。我们将在一个旨在确定血管活性的动物模型中测试这些效应。在另一方面，我们将制备能够添加一氧化氮的HBOC材料，从而潜在地降低血压。设计将使用此信息进行迭代改进。在每个阶段，我们将与用户部门的参与者讨论我们的进展。

Oxygen therapeutics are designed to enhance the availability of oxygen to a patient with a need such as in blood loss or disease. Such products have many valuable applications, including the ability to serve as a sterile, long-term alternative to a conventional transfusion, especially where blood banks are not easily reached. A common route to an oxygen therapeutic is based on chemically altering hemoglobin, to give a hemglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC). Work with HBOCs shows that they may cause elevated blood pressure. One likely reason is that interaction with nitric oxide, which is responsible for keeping blood vessels relaxed. Another possibility is a response to a sudden increase in oxygen from the HBOC. The research will produce characteristic modifications in hemoglobin to give defined HBOC molecules. Each will be used to test interaction with nitric oxide and oxygen release. We will test the effects in an animal model designed to determine vasoactivity. In a further aspect, we will prepare HBOC materials that are capable of adding nitric oxide, potentially reducing blood pressure. Designs will be iteratively improved with this information. At each stage we will discuss our progress with user sector participants.