Adsorption of pepsin by aluminum hydroxide II: Pepsin inactivation.

Pepsin adsorbed on gibbsite or boehmite, non-acid-reactive forms of aluminum hydroxide, had a significantly lower activity than pepsin in solution. IR and desorbed pepsin activity studies showed that the reduced activity of adsorbed pepsin was not due to denaturation of pepsin on adsorption. Steric occlusion of the active site, following pepsin adsorption, was responsible for the lower activity of pepsin adsorbed on gibbsite. The porous morphology of boehmite caused diffusional resistance and steric exclusion, contributing to the decreased activity of adsorbed pepsin. The specific inactivation of pepsin by adsorption on aluminum hydroxide may be important in ulcer therapy.