Antlco.gul.

nt
Lepirudin, RKombinilnr. 'G I...eeches (Hirudo tMdiei�
(llIlis} h3\"e been used nlC(bclIlali y for centunes to treat in)u�
fie5 in which blood cngorges the tiNlCs. The logic behind
this is SQlid: leeches produce WI agent kllOwn as hirudin that
is a potent. specmc thrombin inhibitor. Leeches have been
used to ptl'1'ent \hrom\:lo!lis in the mIcrovasculature of reattaclled
digil.~. Lcpirudin (Rcnutbn) is II rDNA�derivcd prolein
produced in yeast. It has a moleculru- mass of approJlI�
matdy 7.000 Da. Lcpirudtn diffcrs from tile natural
polypeptide, in that it has an N�terminal leucme instcad of
i'OOleucine and is missin!! a sulfate fUlIC tion at Tyr<>J.