杀伤血管内皮生长因子受体 1 阳性细胞的靶向毒素

白喉毒素 (diphtheria toxin DT) 是棒状白喉杆菌被β噬菌体感染后分泌的一种外毒素. 它可以阻断真核细胞的蛋白质合成,杀死细胞. 血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF) 的 R82A, K84A, H86A 突变体可以和肿瘤血管上高表达的 VEGF 受体 1 (VEGFR-1) 特异性结合. 首先从白喉杆菌中提取基因组 DNA,扩增出白喉毒素 C 区、 T 区基因. 并运用点突变技术,制成 VEGF 的 R82A, K84A, H86A 突变体. 利用这个可以和肿瘤血管上特异性受体相结合的 VEGF 的突变体,代替白喉毒素上的受体结合区,制成了针对 VEGFR-1 的靶向融合毒素——— DT391-mVEGF. 以去除了受体结合区的 DT391 为阴性对照,细胞实验表明,融合毒素对 VEGFR-1 阳性的肿瘤细胞有特异性杀伤作用.     

猪白细胞介素2与融合白细胞介素4/6基因共表达的免疫效应研究

目的构建猪融合白细胞介素4/6与猪白细胞介素2基因的共表达载体,研究其共表达对小鼠免疫的协同效应。方法以2A自剪接技术首次构建猪融合白细胞介素4/6与白细胞介素2基因的共表达重组质粒,以壳聚糖纳米材料包裹制成纳米颗粒,进行体外转染HEK293细胞,提取总RNA进行RT-PCR分析,最后肌肉注射小鼠进行体内实验并分析。结果成功构建了重组共表达质粒VRIL4/6-2;壳聚糖包裹后转染HEK293细胞,48 h后收集细胞,RT-PCR检测显示目的基因能够在HEK293细胞中高效地转录与表达。小鼠接种实验结果表明,实验组血清中的IgG和IgG2a的含量比对照组显著增加,并且VRIL4/6-2-CS接种组的小鼠体液免疫水平明显增高(P0.05);VRIL4/6-2实验组的CD4+淋巴细胞显著多于其它实验组(P0.05);实验组IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、IL-23基因的表达水平明显高于对照组(P0.05),实验组小鼠外周血白细胞、血小板和血红蛋白的含量均显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论 VRIL4/6-2共表达质粒能够更好的增强动物体液免疫和细胞免疫机能,可作为提高动物体液免疫和细胞免疫的经济高效安全新型免疫调节剂,具有潜在的重要应用前景。     

白喉毒素／IL—6的高效表达及细胞毒作用的研究

白喉毒素是由携带β噬菌体基因组的白喉杆菌产生的由５３５个氨基酸组成的单链外毒素,毒性极强,１￣２个分子即可灭活１个真核细胞,肿瘤细胞对它尤为敏感。在骨髓瘤、原发性肝癌等肿瘤细胞表面,ＩＬ－６受体可过度表达,利用受体与配体的特异性结合,可将细胞毒性药物定向导入肿瘤细胞。基于上述理论,用ＩＬ－６ｃＤＮＡ取代白喉毒素的受体结合区,构建了白喉毒素／ＩＬ－６融合蛋白表达载体ｐΔＤＴ／ＩＬ－６。ＩＰＴＧ诱导后     

重组人白细胞介素4的纯化及N端氨基酸序列分析

本文对重组人白细胞介素4高效表达克隆pBV220/hIL-4a的表达产物进行了纯化,升对纯化的人IL-4进行了N端氨基酸序列分析。人IL-4基因表达产物在大肠杆菌中以不溶性包涵体形式存在,经过超声破菌、包涵体抽提、复性浓缩、离子交換和凝胶过滤层析一系列纯化步骤,终产物纯度达98％以上,按蛋白总量计算回收率为14％,比活性达2×10~6单位/mg蛋白。通过测定纯化人IL-4的N端16个氮基酸序列,与由其DNA序列推导的氨基酸序列完全一致。本文为重组人IL-4的批量生产奠定了基础。     

白细胞介素2受体在人各种肿瘤细胞表面的表达

鉴于白细胞介素2受体(IL-2R)在某些恶性骨髓瘤、白血病及异常的T、B细胞和单核细胞表面异常高表达,近年来对IL-2与IL-2R结合肽P1-30的研究不断深入。简要综述了近年来国内外报道的IL-2R及其各组分在多种肿瘤细胞表面的分布情况,为以IL-2R或其不同组分为靶标的靶向治疗药物研究提供理论依据。     

人可溶性白介素-4受体(sIL-4R)在甲醇酵母中的表达

白细胞介素-4(IL-4)作为一种多功能的细胞因子在哮喘等变态性炎症反应中具有关键作用。IL-4通过结合细胞表面的白介素-4受体(IL-4R)发挥其生物学效应。sIL-4R缺少跨膜和胞内结构域,结合IL-4后不能产生信号传递来介导IL-4的生物学活性,但sIL-4R与IL-4结合的高度特异性和极高的亲和力使它非常适合作为理想的IL-4拮抗剂应用于哮喘等疾病的治疗。采用RT-PCR方法以人的单核细胞总RNA为模板扩增得到编码sIL-4R的基因片段,经测序证实后插入到甲醇酵母分泌表达质粒pPIC9K中,得到重组质粒pPIC9K／sIL-4R,利用限制性内切酶BalⅡ将其线性化后用电穿孔法导入Pichia pastoris GS115。分别用SDS-PAGE、Western blot和Ligand bioding blot对重组菌发酵上清中的sIL-4R进行鉴定。结果表明,在分子量约为30kD处有sIL-4R特异条带出现,并具有结合其配基IL-4的生物学活性。     

白喉毒素-白细胞介素2重组嵌合毒素的克隆表达及特异性细胞毒作用的研究

应用PCR技术分别扩增出编码白喉毒素氨基端 389个氨基酸 (DT3 89)的基因片段及人IL 2全基因 ,将两基因串连插入 pET3a载体 ,构建成含有DT3 89 IL 2融合基因的表达载体 ,转化大肠杆菌BL2 1,经表达、纯化后 ,用3 H Leucine掺入法测定其对HUT 10 2细胞的蛋白合成抑制作用。SDS PAGE电泳分析表明 ,表达产物分子质量 (Mr)约为 5 8kD ;重组嵌合毒素能够特异性地抑制高表达IL 2受体的HUT 10 2细胞的蛋白生物合成 ,且有一定的剂量反应关系 ,其细胞半数抑制浓度 (IC50 )约为 3 3× 10 -11mol/L。为进一步研制特异性的抗IL 2受体高表达肿瘤和相关疾病的药物打下了基础。     

白细胞介素4构象研究进展

本介绍了重组人白细胞介素4（rhu IL-4)一级结构及高级结构，通过rhu IL-4与单克隆抗体相互作用，初步探讨了其结构与功能的关系，并将rhu IL-4与同一受体超家族中其它细胞因子和激素的三级结构作了比较。     

芒果苷对慢性支气管炎大鼠CD4^＋T淋巴细胞的影响北大核心CSCD

本研究旨在探讨芒果苷对香烟烟熏诱导慢性支气管炎大鼠CD4+T淋巴细胞比例及其产生淋巴因子白细胞介素2(IL-2)、白细胞介素4(IL-4)的影响。大鼠随机分为正常组、模型组与芒果苷200、100 mg/(kg·d)组,香烟烟熏6周建立慢性支气管炎大鼠模型,随后灌胃给药4周。以流式细胞术检测CD4+T淋巴细胞比例;流式分选获得CD4+T淋巴细胞,酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)测定其IL-2、IL-4水平,实时荧光RT-PCR检测其IL-2、IL-4基因表达;HE染色检测支气管炎症病理形态。实验结果显示,与模型组比较,芒果苷组CD4+T淋巴细胞比例明显降低,IL-2、IL-4基因与蛋白表达水平显著下调,慢性支气管炎症显著减轻。该结果提示,芒果苷可下调CD4+T淋巴细胞比例并减少淋巴因子IL-2、IL-4的产生,此作用可能与其减轻慢性支气管炎症有关。     

壳聚糖纳米颗粒包裹猪白细胞介素2和融合白细胞介素4/6基因对猪圆环病毒2型疫苗免疫的强化

目的探讨猪Sus scrofa domesticus白细胞介素2(IL-2)和融合白细胞介素4/6(IL-4/6)基因的共表达对仔猪免疫应答的影响,为进一步研制新型免疫调节剂来加强仔猪抵御断奶后多系统衰竭综合征奠定基础。方法将猪IL-2和IL-4/6融合基因的共表达重组质粒,用壳聚糖材料包裹制成纳米颗粒,记作VRIL-4/6-2-CS。将仔猪分为2组,分别肌肉注射VRIL-4/6-2-CS(实验组)和生理盐水(对照组),2组均同时接种猪圆环病毒2型(PCV-2)疫苗,在接种后的第0、7、14、28天采集血样并分析免疫变化。结果实验组仔猪血清中的IgG2a抗体数量和血液中CD4~+、CD8+~T淋巴细胞数量均显著高于对照组(P0.05);同时,实验组仔猪的IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、TNF-α、TLRs(TLR-2,7)、STATs(STAT-1,2,3)基因表达水平也显著高于对照组(P0.05)。尽管2组之间PCV-2特异性抗体的含量差异无统计学意义,但是实验组仔猪的生长速率显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论 VRIL-4/6-2-CS能促进仔猪对PCV-2疫苗的免疫应答,是一种安全有效的免疫佐剂。     

Fusion Protein of Interleukin 4 and Diphtherial Toxin with High Cytotoxicity to Cancer Cells

One means to improve the selectivity of cancer therapyis by directing foreign protein with activity againsttherapeutic targets that displays different expression levelon malignant cells from normal cells. There have hadsubstantial efforts to rationally de…     

Fusion protein of interleukin 4 and diphtherial toxin with high cytotoxicity to cancer cells

Receptor of human interleukin 4 (hlL4R) has been found to be present on many types of cancer, so it may be a good target for cancer therapy. Here, fusion toxin gene DT4H has been constructed by fusing DNA sequence encoding the first 389 amino acids of diphtherial toxin (DT), which can not bind its own receptor, to human interleukin 4 (hIL4) gene. In order to improve the affinity of fusion toxin for hIL4R,a circularly permuted form of hIL4 (cpIL4) was used. The fusion gene was expressed in Escherichia coli where the fusion toxin DT4H was highly expressed. Purified DT4H was very cytotoxic to cancer cell line U251 cells, and moderate cytotoxic to HepG2 and MCF-7 cells. SGC-7901 cells were insensitive to it. The cytotoxic action of DT4H was specific because it was blocked by excess hIL4. These results suggest that DT4H may be a useful agent in the treatment of certain malignancies.     

Targeting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using a novel fusion toxin-diphtheria toxin/HN-1

The current treatment strategies, chemotherapy and radiation therapy being used for the management of cancer are deficient in targeted approach leading to treatment related toxicities and relapse. Contrarily, fusion toxins exhibit remarkable tumor specificity thus emerging as an alternative therapy for the treatment of cancer. Diphtheria toxin-HN-1 peptide (DT/HN-1) is a fusion toxin designed to target the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim of this study was to construct, characterize, and evaluate the cytotoxicity and specificity of DT/HN-1 fusion toxin against the HNSCC cells. The purified DT/HN-1 fusion toxin was characterized by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. Refolding of purified fusion toxins was monitored by fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism spectra. The activity of DT/HN-1 fusion toxin was demonstrated on various HNSCC cell lines by cell viability assay, cell proliferation assay, protein synthesis inhibition assay, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis. The fusion toxin DT/HN-1 demonstrated remarkably high degree of cytotoxicity specific to the HNSCC cells. The IC₅₀ of DT/HN-1 fusion toxin was ~1 to 5 nM in all the three HNSCC cell lines. The percentage apoptotic cells in DT/HN-1 treated UMB-SCC-745 cells are 16% compared to 4% in untreated. To further demonstrate the specific toxicity of DT/HN-1 fusion toxin towards the HNSCC cells we constructed, characterized and evaluated the efficacy of DT protein. The DT protein coding for only a fragment of diphtheria toxin without its native receptor binding domain failed to exhibit any cytotoxicity on all the cell lines used in this study thus establishing the importance of a ligand in achieving targeted toxicity. To evaluate the translocation ability of HN-1 peptide, an additional construct DTΔT/HN-1 was constructed, characterized and evaluated for its cytotoxic activity. The fusion toxin DTΔT/HN-1 deficient of the translocation domain of diphtheria toxin showed no cytotoxicity on all the cell lines clearly indicating the inability of HN-1 peptide to translocate catalytic domain of the toxin into the cytosol.     

Characterization of diphtheria fusion proteins targeted to the human interleukin-3 receptor

Diphtheria fusion proteins are chimeric proteins consisting of the catalytic and translocation domains of diphtheria toxin (DT(388)) linked through an amide bond to one of a variety of peptide ligands. The ligand targets the molecule to cells and the toxin enters the cell, inactivates protein synthesis and induces cell death. Diphtheria fusion proteins directed to human myeloid leukemic blasts are a novel class of therapeutics for patients with chemotherapy refractory myeloid leukemia. Because of the presence of interleukin-3 (IL3) receptors on myeloid leukemic progenitors and its absence from mature myeloid cells, we synthesized four bacterial expression vectors encoding DT(388) fused to human IL3. Different molecules were engineered to assess the effects of modifications on yield, purity and potency of product. The constructs differed in the size of the linker peptide between the DT(388) and IL3 domains and in the presence or absence of an oligohistidine tag on the N- or C-terminus. Escherichia coli were transformed and recombinant protein induced and purified from inclusion bodies. Similar final yields of 3-6 mg of purified protein per liter of bacterial culture were obtained with each of the four molecules. Purity ranged from 70 to 90% after partial purification by anion-exchange, size-exclusion chromatography and/or nickel affinity chromatography. Proteins were soluble and stable at 4 degrees C and -80 degrees C in phosphate-buffered saline at 0.03-0.5 mg/ml. The fusion proteins showed predicted molecular weights by SDS-PAGE, HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry and had full ADP-ribosylating activities. Each was immunoreactive with antibodies to DT(388) and IL3. Each of the fusion proteins with the exception of the one with an N-terminal oligohistidine tag showed full IL3 receptor binding affinity (K:(d) = 3 nM) and potent and selective cytotoxicity to IL3 receptor positive human myeloid leukemia cell lines (IC(50) = 5-10 pM). In contrast, the N-terminal histidine-tagged fusion protein bound IL3 receptor with a 10-fold lower affinity and was 10-fold less cytotoxic to IL3 receptor positive blasts. Thus, we report a series of novel, biologically active DT(388)IL3 fusion proteins for potential therapy of patients with receptor positive myeloid leukemias.     

Mutation of specific acidic residues of the CNF1 T domain into lysine alters cell membrane translocation of the toxin

The Rho-GTPases-activating toxin CNF1 (cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1) delivers its catalytic activity into the cytosol of eukaryotic cells by a low pH membrane translocation mechanism reminiscent of that used by diphtheria toxin (DT). As DT, CNF1 exhibits a translocation domain (T) containing two predicted hydrophobic helices (H1-2) (aa 350-412) separated by a short peptidic loop (CNF1-TL) (aa 373-386) with acidic residues. In the DT loop, the loss of charge of acidic amino acids, as a result of protonation at low pH, is a critical step in the transfer of the DT catalytic activity into the cytosol. To determine whether the CNF1 T domain operates similarly to the DT T domain, we mutated several ionizable amino acids of CNF1-TL to lysine. Single substitutions such as D373K or D379K strongly decreased the cytotoxic effect of CNF1 on HEp-2 cells, whereas the double substitution D373K/D379K induced a nearly complete loss of cytotoxic activity. These single or double substitutions did not modify the cell-binding, enzymatic or endocytic activities of the mutant toxins. Unlike the wild-type toxin, single- or double-substituted CNF1 molecules bound to the HEp-2 plasma membrane could not translocate their enzymatic activity directly into the cytosol following a low pH pulse.     

Single-chain immunotoxins directed at the human transferrin receptor containing Pseudomonas exotoxin A or diphtheria toxin: anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 and DT388-anti-TFR(Fv).

Two single-chain immunotoxins directed at the human transferrin receptor have been constructed by using polymerase chain reaction-based methods. Anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 is encoded by a gene fusion between the DNA sequence encoding the antigen-binding portion (Fv) of a monoclonal antibody directed at the human transferrin receptor and that encoding a 40,000-molecular-weight fragment of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE40). The other fusion protein, DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), is encoded by a gene fusion between the DNA encoding a truncated form of diphtheria toxin and that encoding the antigen-binding portion of antibody to human transferrin receptor. These gene fusions were expressed in Escherichia coli, and fusion proteins were purified by conventional chromatography techniques to near homogeneity. In anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40, the antigen-binding portion is placed at the amino terminus of the toxin, while in DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), it is at the carboxyl end of the toxin. Both these single-chain immunotoxins kill cells bearing the human transferrin receptors. However, anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 was usually more active than DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), and in some cases it was several-hundred-fold more active. Anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 was also more active on cell lines than a conjugate made by chemically coupling the native antibody to PE40, and in some cases it was more than 100-fold more active.     

Targeting glioblastoma multiforme with an IL-13/diphtheria toxin fusion protein in vitro and in vivo in nude mice

Fusion proteins composed of tumor binding agents and potent catalytic toxins show promise for intracranial therapy of brain cancer and an advantage over systemic therapy. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common form of brain cancer and overexpresses IL-13R. Thus, we developed an interleukin-13 receptor targeting fusion protein, DT(390)IL13, composed of human interleukin-13 and the first 389 amino acids of diphtheria toxin. To measure its ability to inhibit GBM, DT(390)IL13 was tested in vitro and found to inhibit selectively the U373 MG GBM cell line with an IC(50) around 12 pmol/l. Cytotoxicity was neutralized by anti-human-interleukin-13 antibody, but not by control antibodies. In vivo, small U373 MG glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice completely regressed in most animals after five intratumoral injections of 1 microg of DT(390)IL13 q.o.d., but not by the control fusion protein DT(390)IL-2. DT(390)IL13 was also tested against primary explant GBM cells of a patient's excised tumor and the IC(50) was similar to that measured for U373 MG. Further studies showed a therapeutic window for DT(390)IL13 of 1-30 microg/injection and histology studies and enzyme measurements showed that the maximum tolerated dose of DT(390)IL13 had little effect on kidney, liver, spleen, lung and heart in non-tumor-bearing immunocompetent mice. Together, these data suggest that DT(390)IL13 may provide an important, alternative therapy for brain cancer.     

Design and expression of a diphtheria toxin hybrid protein and human interleukin-2 gene in Escherichia coli]

Recombinant fusion proteins consist of the N-terminal 488 or 513 amino acids of diphtheria toxin joined to human interleukin 2. Initially those fusion proteins were expressed in E. coli under the control of the tox promotor. Western blot analyses showed that E. coli strains bearing the hybrid genes produce 68 kDa or 72 kDa fusion proteins that retain the immunological determinants of both the diphtheria toxin component and the interleukin 2 component. The fusion protein with mol. mass 72 kDa was partially purified by affinity chromatography. The expression of the fusion proteins under the control of the strong promotors was increased (100-fold for tac- promotor) compared to that under the control of the tox promotor. DT-IL2 might be a useful cytotoxic agent in the treatment of diseases involving IL2 receptor-positive cells, such as allograft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, multiple sclerosis et al.     

A proper amino terminus of diphtheria toxin is important for cytotoxicity

A series of deletions and substitutions were made at the 5' end of the gene fusion between the first 388 codons of diphtheria toxin (DT) and a cDNA encoding human IL2. The chimeric protein (DT388-IL2) was expressed and purified from E. coli and found to be very cytotoxic to a human T cell line, HUT 102, that expresses a large number of IL2 receptors. Deletion of the first five amino acids of DT resulted in a non-cytotoxic chimeric protein that had both ADP-ribosylation activity and IL2 receptor binding activity. Deletion of the first two amino acids of DT had little effect on cytotoxicity, while deletion of the first four amino acids or of two acidic residues at positions 3 and 4 greatly reduced cytotoxicity. Unexpectedly, a mutant containing a single leucine in place of the first two amino acids (gly, ala) was 2-3 fold more active. The amino terminus of DT may participate in the translocation of the A chain to the cytosol in a manner similar to Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) in which a specific C-terminal sequence has been proposed to be involved in its cytotoxicity.     

In vitro interleukin-3 binding to leukemia cells predicts cytotoxicity of a diphtheria toxin/IL-3 fusion protein

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia frequently develop chemotherapy resistant blasts. To overcome multidrug resistance, a diphtheria toxin fusion protein (DTIL3) was engineered by fusing the catalytic and translocation domains of diphtheria toxin (DT) to human interleukin-3 (IL-3). However, when blasts were isolated from patients and tested for colony growth inhibition by DTIL3, only a third of the samples showed sensitivity to the fusion protein. Prior to clinical development, we need to be able to identify which patients are likely to respond to therapy with DTIL3. In this report, we compared the inhibition of thymidine incorporation in human leukemia cell lines by DTIL3 to the IL-3 receptor number and affinity. We found DTIL3 was cytotoxic to four of the eight cell lines tested with half-maximal inhibition of thymidine incorporation (IC(50)) from 1 to 50 pM. The IL-3 receptor density for these cell lines ranged from 0 to 2635 receptors per cell. The dissociation constant for an IL-3 high-affinity receptor agonist was 0.5 nM for cell lines with receptors. We found a correlation for the cell lines between the presence of high-affinity IL-3 receptors and sensitivity to DTIL3 (p = 0.03). These results suggest the variability in sensitivity of patient leukemic progenitors to DTIL3 may be due in part to the presence or absence of high-affinity IL-3 receptors.