Team:Hong Kong LFC PC
Hong Kong LFC PC
Abstract
Hyperuricemia, an elevated level of uric acid due to the high purine diet causes health problems including gout, renal and vascular disorders. Uric acid cannot be removed naturally in human, 7mg/dL in serum would facilitate the formation of crystals in joints causing gout. Traditional injection of pegloticase would catalyze the conversion of uric acid to allantoin associated with inciting immunogenicity side effect. With a deeper understanding of degradation on uric acid, 5-hydroxyisourate (HIU) hydrolase and uricase are the enzymes involves in different stages for complete decomposition of uric acid. Our project aims to synthesize uricase and HIU hydrolase using E.coli. Nissle 1917, future application of uricase would be considered as a potential non-invasive therapeutic approach to lower the uric acid in humans. Questionnaires on dietary intake of food and human perception with different stakeholders on the treatment of gout using E.coli will be crucial for the direction of our research.