Process for production of hydroxocobalamin

Abstract: A process for the production of hydroxocobalamin comprising the steps of: (1) putting a solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ contact with a divinylbenzene/styrene copolymer resin so that the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is adsorbed in the resin; (2) washing the resin with purified water or aqueous washing solution at a temperature between 30°C and 70°C so as to remove purities; (3) extracting the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ adsorbed on the resin with an aqueous solution containing at least 25% by of a lower alcohol, so as to obtain an elute containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂; (4) irradiating the elute with a light so as to convert Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ to hydroxocobalamin; and (5) treating the hydroxocobalamin-containing solution from step (4) with an inorganic adsorbent and recovering the hydroxocobalamin.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel process for production of hydroxocobalamin. 2. Related Art Various cobalamin - series compounds including hydroxocobalamin are mainly derived from Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ produced by fermentation. It is known in the art that the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is optically converted to hydroxocobalamin (see, Vitamin Science (II) Water Soluble Vitamin, P 493, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin). It has been believed, however, that direct isolation and purification of hydroxocobalamin from Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂, which is present in a very low concentration among various impurities is very difficult, because hydroxocobalamin is highly reactive and unstable. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 39-18148 (GB 1012360) describes "the case wherein hydroxocobalamin is directly produced from a fermentation broth is very difficult because hydroxocobalamin is highly reactive and hydroxocobalamin easily binds to other ions present in a solution ... ", and this is generally recognized in the art. Therefore, hydroxocobalamin is obtained from Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ produced by fermentation by a process comprising the steps of conversion of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ to stable cyanocobalamin, purification of the cyanocobalamin, and conversion of the purified cyanocobalamin to hydroxocobalamin (see, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 39-18148, and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 46-14664 (USP 3448099)). However, the process wherein hydroxocobalamin is obtained from Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ through cyanocobalamin is not advantageous with respect to yield, production cost and the like, because this process needs a lot of complex steps wherein Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is first converted to cyanocobalamin; the cyanocobalamin is isolated and purified by several steps; the purified cyanocobalamin is converted to hydroxocobalamin, and finally the hydroxocobalamin is isolated and purified. GB-A-2 088 383 discloses a process for separating vitamin B₁₂ in pure form in which a vitamin B₁₂-containing liquid is contacted with a resin selected from (A) divinylbenzene/styrene copolymer and (B) a copolymer of divinylbenzene/styrene/ an unsaturated ester of an aromatic polycarboxylic acid. DE-A-1 670 193 refers to a process for preparation hydroxocobalamin starting from an acid cyanocobalamin solution by hydrogenation in contact with a granulated zinc and subsequently contacting with oxidizing gases. The acid cyanocobalamin solution is diluted with an organic solvent which is mixable with water. Microbial Technology 2nd Ed. vol.1, p.497-519 describes the extraction of endocellular Co-enzyme B₁₂ in the cold by an acetone-water mixture or at 80 °C to 100 °C a short time by a 2 % phenol aqueous solution or an ethanol-water mixture, followed by adsorption of Co-enzym vitamin B₁₂ in the aqueous organic solution onto an adsorbend carrier and elution with an alcoholic aqueous solution. Accordingly, the present invention provides a very simple process comprising a small number of steps for the isolation and purification of hydroxocobalamin from Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ produced by fermentation, which comprises a particular combination of a few steps including an optical conversion step of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ to hydroxocobalamin, which has been believed to be impossible in the art. Thus, the present invention relates to a process for the production of hydroxocobalamin comprising the steps of: (1) putting water at 60 to 95 °C into contact with cells obtained by culturing a vitamin B₁₂-producing microorganism so as to obtain a solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂. (2) putting the solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ into contact with a divinylbenzene/styrene copolymer resin so that the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is adsorbed in the resin; (3) washing the resin with a washing solution selected from purified water, ion-exchanged water, an aqueous solution containing 0.1 to 1.0 % by weight of an acid, or an aqueous solution containing 5 to 20 % of a lower alcohol at a temperature between 30 and 70 °C so as to remove impurities. (4) extracting the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ adsorbed on the resin with an aqueous solution containing at least 25 % of a lower alcohol, so as to obtain an elute containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂; (5) irradiating the elute with a light having a wave length of 300 to 800 nm so as to convert Co-enzyme type vitamine B₁₂ to hydroxocobalamin; and (6) treating the hydroxocobalamin-containing solution from step (4) with silica gel or alumina and recovering the hydroxocobalamin. A solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ used as a starting material of the present process is obtained by fermentation using a vitamin B₁₂-producing microorganism. The vitamin B₁₂-producing microorganisms include, but are not limited to, those belonging to the genus Propionibacterium , Streptomyces , Arthrobecter , Corinebacterium , Rhodopseudomonas , Mycobacterium , Pseudomonas , or the like. A solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is, for example, a culture supernatant or filtrate obtained by eliminating microbial cells from a fermentation broth obtained by aerobically or unaerobically culturing said producer microorganism; an extract obtained by extracting microbial cells of the producer microorganism with an extracting agent such as water or an aqueous extracting agent; a solution obtained by disrupting microbial cells of the producer microorganism with a conventional means such as a mechanical means or ultrasonication, or the like. According to the present invention, it is preferable that an extract be obtained by culturing a vitamin B₁₂-producing microorganism, separating the cultured cells in a conventional means, and optionally washing the cells with purified water such as water purified with an ion exchanger, and extracting the cells with purified water such as water purified with an ion exchanger at an elevated temperature, preferably at 60°C to 95°C, for example, 80°C. Next, the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂-containing solution thus obtained is contacted with a divinylbenzene/styrene type copolymer resin so that the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is adsorbed on the resin. The divinylbenzene/styrene type copolymer resin is a copolymer resin obtained from divinylbenzene, styrene or functional derivative thereof as main monomer components, or a copolymer resin derived from divinylbenzene, styrene or functional derivative thereof as main components, and incorporating an aromatic polycarboxylate unsaturated alkyl ester represented by the formula: wherein R is an unsaturated C₈ - C₁₀ alkyl having a carbon-carbon double bond, and n being 2 or 3. This resin is sometimes abbreviated as a DST resin. These resins are generally obtained by copolymerising the above-mentioned monomers with a known radical initiator. Preferably, styrene or a functional derivative thereof comprises 30 to 80%, preferably 45 to 70% by weight of the resin and the aromatic polycaboxylate/unsaturated alkyl ester comprises, if any, 0.1 to 30% by weight preferably 1 to 10% by weight of the resin. Particular DST resins include, for example, Amberlite® XAD-2, XAD-4 and XAD-2000, Diaion® HP20, Sepabeads® SP207 and SP825, and the like. According to the present process, contacting the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ with the resin adsorbent can be carried out using any means that ensures sufficient contact thereof. For example, a batch system wherein the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂-containing solution is mixed with the resin adsorbent and optionally the mixture is agitated to ensure sufficient contact, or a column chromatography system wherein an appropriate column is filled with the resin adsorbent and the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂-containing solution is passed through the column. In the case of the batch system, the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂-containing solution is adjusted to a suitable pH value, for example a pH value of about 5 to 8, preferably a pH value of about 7, and to the solution is added a suitable amount of the resin adsorbent, for example about 1 to 50% by volume of the resin adsorbent, and the mixture is gently agitated for about 10 minutes to 2 hours, usually about 20 minutes to an hour. The temperature during the adsorption is preferably lower than room temperature although room temperature may be used. For example, the temperature during adsorption may be between about 10°C and 30°C. The column chromatography system for the adsorption can be carried out by passing the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂-containing solution through a column filled with a resin adsorbent under the same pH and temperature conditions as for the batch system described above. According to the present invention, the resin on which Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ has been adsorbed is washed with a washing agent to remove impurities and maintain the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ adsorbed on the resin. The impurities to be removed include those derived from the culture broth, for example, salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids such as sodium propionate, sodium butylate and sodium pentanoate, amino acids such as glutamic acid, aspartic acids, proline, leucine, alanine, sugars such as glucose, fructose, ribose and galactose, as well as bases comprising nucleic acids, such as adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymidine and uracil, and the like. The washing increases the purity of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ eluted from the resin adsorbent in a subsequent elution step. The washing agent is preferably purified water. The purified water is, for example, water purified by an ion exchanger and having a specific resistance of 100 × 10⁴ ohm·cm, prepared by passing water through a column filled with an ion exchange resin, such as Amberlite® IR-120 B and Amberlite® IRA-410. The purified water is used to wash the resin absorbent at a temperature between 30°C and 70°C, preferably between about 45°C and 55°C. Alternatively, the washing agent may be an aqueous solution of an acid such as acetic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, boric acid, hydrochloric acid or the like, having a concentration of 0.1 to 1.0% by weight, at a temperature between 30°C and 70°C, preferably between about 45°C and 55°C. Moreover, an aqueous solution of a lower alcohol having a low concentration, for example a methanol, ethanol or isopropanol aqueous solution having a concentration of 5 to 20%, such an 20% aqueous methanol, 10% aqueous ethanol, 5% aqueous isopropanol or the like, may be used for the washing. The washing agent may be selected depending on the nature and amount of the impurities, the kind of the resin adsorbent, and the like. According to the present invention, the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ adsorbed on the washed resin was eluted with an eluting agent so as to obtain an active fraction containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ but not containing impurities. As the eluting agent, any agent that desorbs and elutes the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ from the resin adsorbent, and does not interfere with irradiation with light in a subsequent conversion step. The eluting agent may be an aqueous solution of a lower alcohol such as methanol, ethanol or isopropanol, or a mixture thereof, having a concentration of at least 25%. Preferably, the eluting agent is an aqueous solution of methanol having a concentration of 25 to 90%, most preferably 50%. The elution can be carried out at room temperature although an elevated or lowered temperature may be used if desired. For example, an elution temperature is between about 20°C and 60°C. Since the elute thus obtained contains Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ in a substantially purified form, the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ can be converted to hydroxocobalamin by irradiation of light. The light for irradiation is ultraviolet or visible light, for example, having a wave length of 300 to 800 nm. As a source of the light having such a wave length, a high pressure mercury arc lamp, a fluorescent lamp or the like can be used. The irradiation is continued until the disappearance of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is confirmed by sepectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography or the like. For example the irradiation is carried out with a 400 W high pressure mercury arc lamp for 20 to 40 minutes. Other conditions for the irradiation, such as the concentration of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ in a reaction medium, the kind of medium, temperature etc. are not critical. The concentration of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ in a medium to be irradiated is preferably up to 50 mM, more preferably 0.1 to 10 mM. The kind of medium is canveniently the same as that used in the precedent step. The temperature is preferably 5°C to 30°C. Since hydroxocobalamin in a solution thus obtained is highly reactive and unstable, it cannot be subjected to a lot of purification steps. Therefore, according to the present invention, immediately after the irradiation, the irradiated hydroxocobalamin solution is put into contact with an inorganic adsorbent to remove impurities such as those present prior to the irradiation and those generated by the irradiation such as adenosine-5'-aldehyde. As the inorganic adsorbent, silica gel, alumina or the like may be used, with alumina being preferable. The adsorption is preferably carried out by passing an irradiated solution through a column filled with the inorganic adsorbent and recovering a flow-through fraction. Alternatively, in a batch process, an irradiated solution may be added to the inorganic adsorbent, and after mixing the mixture the adsorbent is removed by a conventional procedure such as filtration, centrifugation or the like so as to recover a purified hydroxocobalamin solution. The treated solution is concentrated for hydroxocobalamin according to conventional procedure such as evaporation under reduced pressure, membrane separation or the like, and hydroxocobalamin crystallized so as to recover hydroxocobalamin. For example, the concentrated solution of hydroxocobalamin is adjusted to a pH value of about 4.0, and acetone is added to the pH adjusted solution so as to crystallize hydroxocobalamin, which is then recovered at a purity of at least 95%. EXAMPLE Next, the present invention is further explained by Example, but is not limited to the said Example. 480 liters of a culture broth cantaining 25 mg/l of Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂, obtained by fermentation using a Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ producing microorganism, Propionibacteriom Shermanii IFO12391, was centrifuged to recover the cells. The cells were thoroughly washed with purified water and extracted with 400 liters of water at 80°C to obtain 400 liters of an extract containing crude Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂. The extract was passed through a column filled with 6 liters of a divinylbenzene/styrene type copolymer resin, Amberlite® XAD2000 so that Co-enzymetype vitamin B₁₂ is adsorbed on the resin. 250 liters of water purified by ion exchanger were continuously passed through the column at a temperature of 60°C so as to wash out the impurities. Next, Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ was eluted with 28 liters of a 50% aqueous methanol. The elute was irradiated with a 400 W high pressure mercury arc lamp for 20 minutes to convert Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ to hydroxocobalamin. The irradiated elute was passed through a column filled with 750 ml of alumina, to recover a flow-through fraction, which was then concentrated to 750 ml under reduced pressure. The concentrate was adjusted to a pH value of 4.0 with acetic acid, and 3.9 liters of acetone were added to the pH-adjusted concentrate, which was then allowed to stand at 5°C for 24 hours so as to crystallize the hydroxocobalamin. 3.7 g of hydroxocobalamin were obtained at a purity of at least 95%. According to the present invention, high purity hydroxocobalamin can be obtained by a small number of steps from a culture broth containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ without through cyanocobalamin.

Claims: A process for the production of hydroxocobalamin comprising the steps of: (1) putting water at 60 to 95 °C into contact with cells obtained by culturing a vitamin B₁₂-producing microorganism so as to obtain a solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂. (2) putting the solution containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ into contact with a divinylbenzene/styrene copolymer resin so that the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ is adsorbed in the resin; (3) washing the resin with a washing solution selected from purified water, ion-exchanged water, an aqueous solution containing 0.1 to 1.0 % by weight of an acid, or an aqueous solution containing 5 to 20 % of a lower alcohol at a temperature between 30 and 70 °C so as to remove impurities. (4) extracting the Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂ adsorbed on the resin with an aqueous solution containing at least 25 % of a lower alcohol, so as to obtain an elute containing Co-enzyme type vitamin B₁₂; (5) irradiating the elute with a light having a wave length of 300 to 800 nm so as to convert Co-enzyme type vitamine B₁₂ to hydroxocobalamin; and (6) treating the hydroxocobalamin-containing solution from step (4) with silica gel or alumina and recovering the hydroxocobalamin.

Inventors: HIRAYAMA TAKAYUKI, KIYOTA TAKASHI, HIRAYAMA, TAKAYUKI, KIYOTA, TAKASHI
Applicants: NIPPON OIL CO LTD, NIPPON OIL CO. LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C07H23
IPC codes: C07H23, C12P19, C12R1