USE OF O-BETA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYL-D-XYLOSES FOR THE PREPARATION OF COMPOSITIONS AND SOLUTIONS INTENDED TO THE EVALUATION OF INTESTINAL LACTASE, AND PRODUCTION PROCESS

Abstract: There is disclosed the use of O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, particularly 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, and 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, for the preparation of compositions and solutions intended to the evaluation of the intestinal lactase, which present an affinity to the substantially enhanced lactase. There is also disclosed a process for producing O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, comprising: reacting a D-xylose and a substrate of β-D-galactopyranoside in the presence of an enzyme β-galactosidase, in an aqueous medium buffered to a pH comprised between 5.0 and 9.0 and at temperature between 4 and 37°C; deactivating the β-galactosidase by heating at 100°C when reaching the maximum yield of formation of disaccharides detected through thin layer chromatography, and isolating the formed disaccharides through filtration in a packed column with a thinner selected between water and water/ alcohol.

Description: The deficiency or low activity in intestinal lactase which results in an insufficient or even zero capacity for digesting lactose, is rare as regards a congenital metabolical error, though it is a common syndrome in human adults. With the greater part of mammals, an acute decrease of the lactase activity exists from the moment of weaning. In humans with ancestors who have depended on a substantial consumption of milk or lacteous products during a long time, this decrease is less frequent. On the other hand, the deficiency or low activity in intestinal lactase is quite frequent in babies who are nursing. The present invention is comprised in the field of bloodless evaluation methods of intestinal lactase acitivity. The determination of the intestinal lactase activity is of importance in paedriatrics and gastroenterology and may be directly carried out, parting from a mucous sample, or indirectly, parting from the level of glucose in the blood or from the expired hydrogen, after the administration of a dose to the individual. Conventional direct determination has the disadvantage of constituting a complex and expensive method since it requires specific instruments and very specialized personal for the technique of extraction of the sample which must be submitted to subsequent analysis, apart from its being disagreeable nad not lacking in danger to the individual. The indirect determination has the advantage of being a technique involving blood, which requires the extraction of blood by a specialied person before the sample may be analyzed, apart from being complex and susceptible to errors, due to the existance of glucose originating from the digestion of other food taken by the individual, and of endogenous glucose which might have been mobilized. Other methods of determination of the intestinal lactase are based on the fact that specific disaccharides are, based on their affinity to the lactase, susceptible of acting as substrate of the lactase and transform, by the action of the enzyme, into specific monosaccharides which are absorbed easily by the intestine and eliminated through urine. Thus, the methods disclosed in Spanish Patentes ES-P-478590 and ES-P-482073, are based on the evaluation "in vivo" by means of the oral administration of 3-O methyl lactose and the analysis of the 3-O-methyl-D-glucose in urine. However, said methods present the disadvantage that they require the employment of a chromatographic procedure for the detection of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose in urine, which implies complex and expensive facilites and analysis equipments. On the other hand, Spanish Patent ES-P-9001680 discloses the preparation of disaccharide 4-O-β-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose of formula (I) for the evaluation of the intestinal lactase activity. Said disaccharide is administrated orally, it acts as substrate of the intestinal lactase and decomposes, in the intestinal tract, in xylose and galactose, the xylose being absorbed and then eliminated with urine where it may be directly evaluated by means of a simple colorimetric method. The disaccharide of Spanish Patent ES-P-9001680, presents the disadvantage that it presents, in spite of having a quite similar structure to that of the lactose, an enhanced affinity to the lactase. This implies that only a part of the digested 4-O-β-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, is hydrolized based on the enzymatic activity of the lactase and, therefore, the non decomposed part in xylose and galactose is eliminated with the feces. This implies a relatively substantial margin of error in view that the low or even non existant values of the xylose in the analyzed urine, may originate both from the deficient or zero intestinal lactase activity and from a deficient hydrolization of the disaccharide due to its lack of affinity to the lactase. In order to relieve said margin of errors, it is necessary that the individual digests a substantial quantity of disaccharides, which in turn may lead to intestinal problems such as diarrhea and the corresponding discomforts to the individual. Spanish Patent ES-P-9001680 also discloses a method of preparation for the 4-O-β-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, which basically comprises a synthesis parting from benzyl-β-D-xylopyranoside and which follows operational sequences which imply selective protection reactions, glycosylation and deprotection. Both the number of reaction stages, the use of expensive reactive agents such as silver triflate in the glyxosylation reaction, and the employment of chromatographic columns in the purification of intermediates and the final product, produce costs and present difficulties for the performance of said procedure at industrial scale. On the other hand, Gorin et al. in "The Synthesis of β-Galacto- and β-Gluco-Pyranosyl disaccharides by " Sporobolomyces Singularis ", Can. J.Chem. 42(1964) 2307-2319, disclose the synthesis of a plurality of disaccharides, among which are the 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose and the 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, by means of a purely experimental procedure. In this publication, the conclusion is reached that the products resulting from the transfer of galactosyl, in the use of various acceptors, originate mainly more from the substitution of the secondary hydroxyl groups than from the primary hydroxyl groups, the minimum structural requirement for the reaction with an acceptor seeming to be the hydroxyl adjacent to the substituted hydroxyl group. However, in this publication, no use of the diverse synthetized disaccharides is disclosed. In order to solve the disadvantages of the previously described prior art, the object of the present invention is the use of β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, specifically of 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose together with 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose of the general formula (II) and of 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, of the 35 general formula (III) for the preparation of compositions and solutions used for the bloodless and reliable evaluation of intestinal lactase. On the other hand, another object of the invention is a process which permits the preparation of the β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, the use of which is claimed, together with that of other β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, by means of a simplified method versus the conventional procedures of this type of disaccharides. The β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xyloses, that is to say, the 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose and the 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose the use of which is claimed, present an affinity to the lactase which is substantially enhanced versus the conventionally used disaccharides in this type of evaluations, which results to be surprising in view of the fact that both compounds are structurally less similar to lactose than the previously used compounds, such as the 4-O-β-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, from which they are structurally differentiated by various hydroxyl groups respectively adjacent to the glycosydic bond in the molecule. The disaccharides of formulas (II) and (III) may be included in compositions and solutions which are conventional in themselves, individually or jointly, and mixed with a quantity of conventional dissaccharide of formula (I), and with lower quantities of lactose. Such compositions and solutions may contain quantities of ingredients conventional in themselves, pharmaceutically acceptable, of at least one selected additive from among stabilizers, protectors, taste enhancers, lactose, gelifiants, fluxants and conservatives. The solutions may be water, aqueous or saline solutions which are conventional in themselves. It has been observed that when a mixture of the three disaccharides (I), (II), and (III) is used, the evaluation of the intestinal lactase activity, through the xylose present in the eliminated urine, results substantially enhanced versus the possibilitated evaluation when only disaccharide (I) is administered, which clearly demonstrates the surprising effect inherent to the invention. The process according to the invention, includes the possibility of preparing β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose which include the previously indicated disaccharides I, II and III, and comprises the following stages: React a D-xylose and a substrate of β-D-galactopyranoside in the presence of a β-galactosidase enzyme, according the drawing of the reaction the concentration of D-xylose being from 2 to 20 times over that of the β-D-galactopyranoside, in an aqueous medium buffered to a pH of 5,0 - 9,0 and at a temperature comprised between 4 and 37ºC; deactivate the β-galactosydose, by heating at 100ºC when reaching the maximum yield of formation of disaccharides detected (normally after 4 to 8 hours) by means of thin layer chromatography or with an active carbon column, and isolation of the formed disaccharides through filtration in a packed column with a thinner selected between water or water/alcohol, thus obtaining a mixture of disaccharides (I), (II), and (III) which may be included in compositions or solutions as mixtures of the three disaccharides, or as mixture, after the corresponding isolation of one of the disaccharides (II) or (III) with disaccharide (I). In an embodiment of the process, the β-D-galactopyranoside used is O-nitrophenyl, β-D-galactopyranoside while in another embodiment it is lactose. On the other hand, the β-galactosidase may be for example, the Escherichia Coli, as commercialized by Spanish Company SIGMA-ALDRICH QUÍMICA, S.A. The process may be conducted in the presence of cosolvents miscible in water, such as acetonitrile, dimethyl formamide or dimethyl sulfoxide. The filtration columns employed for the isolation of the disaccharides may be packed with Sephadex™ G-10 or Biogel™ P2, or else with active carbon. Disaccharides II and III may as such also be obtained through other conventional methods, such as those disclosed by Gorin et al. in "The Synthesis of β-Galacto And β-Gluco-Pyranosyl disaccharides by Sporobolomyces Singilaris ", Can. J. Chem. 42(1964) 2307-2319. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE The single figure is a graphic representation of the evolution of a) the hydrolysis in vivo, of a mixture of the β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose (I), (II) and (III) as a percentage of xylose eliminated through urine and b) the intestinal lactase activity (nm/min/mg protein) during the growth of rats as described in the examples EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The following examples describe with illustrative, though non limitative character, relevant aspects of the invention. Example 1: Preparation of a mixture of 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose (disaccharide I), 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose (disaccharide II) and 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose (disaccharide III). To a solution of Ó-nitrophenyl β-galactopyranoside (4g, 50mM) and xylose (20g, 500nM), in buffered water (0,05 M KH 2 PO 4 , 1mM MgCl 2 , 5mM mercapto ethanol, 265mL, pH 7,0), was added β-galactosidase of E.Coli of SIGMA (1,5 mg, 560 U), and the mixture was incubated at 25°C during 5 hours and 45 min. After this time had elapsed, the mixture was heated at 100°C during 10 min., concentrated and the resultant residue was introduced into a column of activated carbon using a gradient of water-ethanol 1:0 --> 85:15. First the monosaccharides xylose and galactose were eluated, and next the mixture of the disaccharides I, II and III, obtaining 2 g of the mixture of disaccharides (50% in relation to the equivalents of the initial Ó-nitrophenyl β-galactopyranoside), in a ratio I:II:III of 8,6:1,4:1,0 respectively. Of the different functions the disaccharides I, II and III comprise, some were separated, with each one of them pure, which were used to characterize them by RNM. The 'H-RMN spectrum (300 MHz, D 2 O), measured with a Varian XL-300 spectometer, of the fractions with disaccharide I, was identical to that of the previously prepared product. With the object of characterizing and determining unequivocally, the regio-chemistry of the bond formed in disaccharides II and III, the fractions enriched in said compounds were acetylized and the resultant products were isolated by a semipreparation HPLC (normal phase column SiO 2 , ethyl hexane-acetate 1:1, detection by refraction index). Subsequently, the 'HRMN spectrum (300 MHz, CDL 3 ) of each one of the obtained derivates was recorded: Acetylated derivate of 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-Ó-D-xylopyranose. Acetylated derivate of 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-β-D-xylopyranose. Acetylated derivate of 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-Ó-D-xylopyranose. Acetylated derivate of 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-β-D-xylopyranose. The ratio of disaccharides I, II and III obtained in the chromatographic column was determined by gas chromatography with a chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector and capilar column SE-54 (stationary phase: 5% diphenyl and 95% dimethyl polysyloxane, 15 m length, 0,15 mm inside diameter, and µm thickness). In the analysis, a nitrogen flow of 1mL/min was used. The temperature programmes used were: initial temperature 160°C; initial time 2 min; temperature increase 5°C/min; final temperature: 250°C. The samples were analysed after trimethyl sylication by means of the following protocol: an aliquote (10 µl) was heated at 100°C during 10 min, after which, pyridine was added (25 µL) which contained as internal reference benzyl β- -xylopyranoside (10mM) and N-trimethyl sylimidazol (25µL), continuing heating at 60°C during 30 min. The retention times of the peaks assignable to the different disaccharides were as follows: Benzyl β--xylopyranoside (internal reference) : 12,04min disdaccharide I: 20,35 and 20,50 min disaccharide II: 18,46 and 19,50 min disaccahride III: 18,30 min Example 2: Kinetic test of the in vitro hydrolization Disaccharides I, II and III and lactose were hydrolized according to the method of A.Rivera-Sagredo, F.J.Canada, O.Nieto, J.Jiménez-Barbero and M.Martin-Lomas, Eur. J.Biochem., 209 (1992) 415-422, with intestinal lactase of a sheep at pH 6.0, with the following results, in relation to constants of Michaelis (K m ) and maximum rates (V max. ): Disaccharide K m (mM) V max (%) lactose 11,0 100 disaccharide I 340,0 20 disaccharide II 14,0 20 disaccharide III 4,0 70 It may be observed that the Michaelis constants of disaccharides II and III are substancially lower that of disaccharide I, the K m of disaccharide III being even lower than that of the lactose, which makes evident an extraordinary affinity of disaccharides II and III to the lactase. Example 3: Elimination of xylose in urine after oral administration of a mixture of disaccharides I, II and III A mixture of disaccharides I, II and III (in a ratio of 8,6:1,4:1,0 respectively) prepared through the procedure of example 1, was employed to evaluate the activity of intestinal lactase. For this, a group of 17 Spraque-Dawley nursing rats from the same litter and with 12 days of age, were kept without eating during 6 hours separated from their mother. After said time had elapsed, the basal urine of each animal was collected by means of vesical transabdominal pressure and immediately 18,2mg of the diluted disaccharide mixture in 0,3mL of distilled water was administered to each, using an intragastrical stylet. As from this moment, urine was collected during the following 5 hours, determining in the same, the xylose eliminated by means of colorimetric analysis based on the fluoroglucinol reaction, and using the basal urine as target. Immediately after the collection of the urine, three of the animals on which the lactase activity in the intestinal mucous was directly determined, were sacrificed. For this, a section of small intestine was dried and washed, the mucous collected by means of scraping with glass and homogenized, measuring the lactase activity spectrophotometrically in the homogenized product. The remaining animals were returned to the mother and the experiment repeated with them under similar conditions after 15, 18, 21, 24 and 30 days after which, the litter was extinguished. The resulting mean values of said experiment are included in the figure, in which is reflected, the hydrolysis of the disaccharides I, II and III mixture in vivo, and the intestinal lactase activity during the growth of the rat. To achieve this, the elimination of xylose (%) [curve a)] is represented, together with the lactase activity (nm/min/mg protein) [curve b)] versus age (in days). The results of this experience indicate: 1) That the presence of xylose in urine is detected, coming from the hydrolysis of the disaccharides administered by the action of the intestinal lactase; and 2) That the course of elimination of xylose in urine, originated by the oral administration, runs parallel to the known physiological modification of the intestinal lactase activity which declines throughout the length of the individual's development. Said experience demonstrates that the methodology is useful for the evaluation "in vivo" of the intestinal lactase activity, the procedure being employed for the evaluation of said activity, in a bloodless manner, with diagnostical ends, which has particular applicability in nursing individuals in which the existance of a deficiency of said enzyme is suspected. Example 4: A group of Sprague-Dawley nursing rats of the same litter and with 15 days of age, were kept without eating during four hours in metabolical boxes at 30°C. Each one of them was administered 18.2g of disaccharide I in 0.5 ml of distilled water. Urine was collected from the animals, pressing the bladder transabdominally during 5 hours. The xylose eliminated through the urine during this time was evaluated spectroscopically. The elimination of xylose resulted to be of 21%, that is to say, less than half than the result of the mixture of products I, II and III after 15 days. By comparing the data from this example with those of example 3, it is evident that the "in vivo" affinities of disaccharides II and III are so high that they even compensate the worst affinity of disaccharide I, when the three disaccharides are administered in a mixture in which disdaccharide I prevails.

Claims: Use of 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose together with at least one of 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose and 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, in the preparation of a composition or a solution for the evaluation of intestinal lactase. Use according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of at least one additive selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, protectors, taste enhancers, lactose, gel forming agents, fluidizing agents and preservatives, Use according to claim 1, wherein the solution is an aqueous solution. Use according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the solution is an aqueous saline solution. Use according to any of claims 1, 3 or 4 wherein the solution further includes a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of at least one additive selected from the group consisting of stabilizers protectors, taste enhancers, lactose and preservatives. An enzymatic process for preparing a mixture of 2-0-, 3-0- and 4-0-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose disaccharides the method including (a) reacting a D-xylose and a β-galactopyranoside substrate in the presence of a β-galactosidase enzyme in a concentration of D-xylose/β-galactopyranoside substrate of 2-20:1, in an aqueous medium buffered to a pH between 5.0 and 9,0 and at a temperature between 4 and 37 º C ; (b) deactivating the β-galactosidase enzyme by heating to 100 º C when reaching the maximum yield of formation of disccharides, on the basis of thin layer chromatography; (c) isolating the disaccharides formed by filtration in a packed column with an eluent selected from water and mixtures of water and alcohol. A process according to claim 6, wherein the β-galactopyranoside substrate is α-nitrophenyl β-galactopyranoside. A process according to claim 6, wherein the β-galactopyranoside substrate is lactose. A process according to claim 6, wherein the β-galactosidase enzyme is β-D-galactosidase of E. coli. A process according to claim 6, wherein the process is carried out in the presence of at least one cosolvent being miscible with water. A process according to claim 11, wherein the cosolvent is selected from acetonitrile, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and mixtures thereof. A process according to claim 6, wherein the packed columns are packed with one of SEPHADEX G-10 and BIOGEL P-2. A process according to claim 6, wherein the packed columns are packed with active carbon. A process according to claim 6, wherein the disaccharides are a mixture of 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose and 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose. A process according to claim 6 or 14, wherein at least one the of 2-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose, 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose and 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose is isolated from the disaccharides.

Inventors: ARAGON REYES JUAN JOSE, CANADA VICINAY FRANCISCO JAVIE, FERNANDEZ-MAYORALAS ALVAREZ AL, LOPEZ ALVAREZ ROSA, MARTIN LOMAS MANUEL, VILLANUEVA TORREGROZA DANIEL, ARAGON REYES, JUAN JOSE, CANADA VICINAY, FRANCISCO JAVIER, FERNANDEZ-MAYORALAS ALVAREZ, ALFONSO, LOPEZ ALVAREZ, ROSA, MARTIN LOMAS, MANUEL, VILLANUEVA TORREGROZA, DANIEL, Aragon Reyes, Juan José 
Applicants: CONSEJO SUPERIOR INVESTIGACION, UNIV AUTONOMA, CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS, UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C12Q1
IPC codes: C12Q1, C07H3, C12P19