Behavior of various mammalian albumins towards bilirubin binding and photochemical properties of different bilirubin-albumin complexes.

Bilirubin (BR) binding properties of serum albumins from different mammalian species viz. human (HSA), equine (ESA), dog (DSA) and guinea pig (GPSA) were studied by absorption, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. Whereas, a complex of BR with ESA produced maximum change, GPSA-BR complex showed weaker interaction as reflected from absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic data. Conformational analysis of these albumins by near- and far-UV CD spectra suggested similar structural characteristics (both secondary and tertiary structures) for ESA and HSA, whereas, DSA and GPSA had lower amounts of secondary and tertiary structures being minimum for GPSA. Photoirradiation results of BR-albumin complexes showed GPSA-bound BR more labile compared with other complexes, whereas, BR-ESA complex was found to be more stable against photoinduced chemical changes. Taken together, all these results suggest that chiroptical properties/stability of albumin bound BR varies with albumin species.