Association of FcRn Heavy Chain Encoding Gene (FCGRT) Polymorphisms with IgG Content in Bovine Colostrum

In this study, we evaluated haplotypes of the bovine FCGRT (encoding the FcRn heavy chain) and their relationship to the IgG concentration in bovine colostrum. Four single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), classified into five haplotypes, were identified in a total of 49 Holstein-Frisians cows. Haplotype 5 was found to be significantly associated with a high IgG level ([OR] = 9.90, 95%CI = 1.11–88.34, p = 0.016) and haplotype 2 exhibited a similar trend ([OR] = 2.89, 95%CI = 1.17–7.11, p = 0.019).     

IgG subclass antibodies to human and bacterial HSP60 are not associated with disease activity and progression over time in axial spondyloarthritis

Introduction

Spondyloarthritis (SpA), an interrelated group of rheumatic diseases, has been suggested to be triggered by bacterial infections prior to the development of an autoimmune response that causes inflammation of the spinal and peripheral joints. Because human heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), recently renamed HSPD1, and bacterial HSP60 are highly homologous, immunological cross-reactivity has been proposed as a mechanism of disease initiation. However, previous investigations of the humoral immune response to HSP60 in SpA patients have lacked determination of immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses and patient follow-up. In this study, we have focused on these parameters in a cohort of axial SpA patients with a well-established set of clinical characteristics, including MRI changes and human leukocyte antigen B27.

Methods

IgG subclass antibodies (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4) against recombinant HSP60 of three reactive arthritis-related bacteria; human HSP60; and the microorganisms Chlamydia trachomatis and C. pneumoniae were determined by ELISA. Serum samples collected from 2004 to 2006 and in 2010 and 2011 from 39 axial SpA patients were analyzed and compared with samples from 39 healthy controls. The Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon matched pairs test were used to compare the antibody levels in different and paired groups, respectively. P < 0.01 was considered significant. The Spearman nonparametric correlation was used to determine correlation between antibody levels and between antibody levels and the disease parameters.

Results

Elevated levels of IgG1 and IgG3 to human HSP60 and IgG1 to HSP60 of Salmonella enterica Enteritidis were observed in SpA patients compared with healthy controls at both time points. The antibody levels were almost constant over time for IgG1, whereas high levels of IgG3 to human HSP60 tended to decrease over time. The antibody response to human HSP60 was predominantly of the IgG3 subclass, and patients with high levels of IgG3 to this antigen had low levels of IgG1, indicating an inverse association. Different IgG subclasses were produced against bacterial and human HSP60 in the same serum sample, IgG1 and IgG3, respectively, indicating that there was no cross-reaction.

Conclusions

A significant association was observed between axial SpA and the presence of IgG1/IgG3 antibodies to human HSP60 and of IgG1 to S. enterica Enteritidis and C. trachomatis. Generation of antibodies to human HSP60 was independent of the presence of antibodies to bacterial HSP60. No association was observed between clinical and MRI changes with antibodies over time. Altogether, such antibodies do not reflect the disease activity in these patients.This study has been approved by the Regional Research Ethics Committee of Central Jutland, Denmark. Trial registration numbers: 20050046 and 20100083     

Serum immunoglobulin levels and the risk of bladder cancer in the AMORIS Cohort

BackgroundThe anti-tumour T-cell response in bladder cancer has been shown to correlate with response to treatment and prognosis. However, little is known about the role of humoral immunity in this highly immunogenic human cancer, which is characterised by a high mutation-associated neoantigen load and a strong response to immunotherapy. In the present study, we interrogated the Swedish Apolipoprotein Mortality Risk Study (AMORIS) to explore the relationship between pre-diagnostic serum immunoglobulin levels and the risk of developing bladder cancer.MethodsOur analysis included all AMORIS participants aged 20 years or older, who had all three major serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG) recorded at the same baseline measurement (n = 29,876). All participants were free from bladder cancer at the time of measurement. Samples were obtained between 1985–1996, with follow-up information until 2011. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between bladder cancer risk and different levels of pre-diagnostic serum immunoglobulins.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up period of 15.31 years, 163 (0.5%) individuals were diagnosed with bladder cancer. Multivariate Cox regression showed an inverse association between pre-diagnostic serum IgM levels ≥ 1.4 g/L and bladder cancer risk compared to serum IgM levels < 1.4 g/L [HR: 0.68 (95% CI 0.45–1.03)]. Corresponding associations could not be established for serum IgA or IgG.ConclusionOur findings implicate serum IgM in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer and suggest that the concept of humoral immune surveillance against cancer warrants further mechanistic investigation.     

Maternal Immunization Confers Protection to the Offspring against an Attaching and Effacing Pathogen through Delivery of IgG in Breast Milk

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Influence of N-glycosylation on effector functions and thermal stability of glycoengineered IgG1 monoclonal antibody with homogeneous glycoforms

Glycosylation of the conserved asparagine residue in each heavy chain of IgG in the CH2 domain is known as N-glycosylation. It is one of the most common post-translational modifications and important critical quality attributes of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics. Various studies have demonstrated the effects of the Fc N-glycosylation on safety, Fc effector functions, and pharmacokinetics, both dependent and independent of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) pathway. However, separation of various glycoforms to investigate the biological and functional relevance of glycosylation is a major challenge, and existing studies often discuss the overall impact of N-glycans, without considering the individual contributions of each glycoform when evaluating mAbs with highly heterogeneous distributions. In this study, chemoenzymatic glycoengineering incorporating an endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (ENGase) EndoS2 and its mutant with transglycosylation activity was used to generate mAb glycoforms with highly homogeneous and well-defined N-glycans to better understand and precisely evaluate the effect of each N-glycan structure on Fc effector functions and protein stability. We demonstrated that the core fucosylation, non-reducing terminal galactosylation, sialylation, and mannosylation of IgG1 mAb N-glycans impact not only on FcγRIIIa binding, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and C1q binding, but also FcRn binding, thermal stability and propensity for protein aggregation.     

PLA2R-IgG间接荧光定量免疫层析分析的构建与应用

目的 血清抗磷脂酶A2受体抗体IgG（PLA2R-IgG）水平是诊断和治疗特发性膜性肾病（IMN）的重要依据,而目前国内外常规检测手段主要是酶免法。为提升检测的便捷性,同时满足灵敏、宽量程分析需求,本研究构建了一种新的PLA2R-IgG检测技术。方法 采用包裹铕元素的微球示踪,对反应步骤进行选择,对微球制备液的pH、微球-抗体反应比例和反应时间优化,本文基于间接法构建了PLA2R-IgG的荧光定量免疫层析检测方法,并进行了初步临床评价。结果 本方法的灵敏度达0.7 RU/ml,标准曲线方程为y=0.771x-1.437,相关系数0.995,线性测量范围为0.7~1 500 RU/ml,回收率为86.27%~98.98%,平均批内变异系数为8.13%,交叉反应率均小于0.1%,试剂37℃储存10 d稳定。本方法与市售酶免试剂盒相关性为0.953,阴阳性判断一致,对IMN的检出率为76.9%。结论 采用两步法反应的PLA2R-IgG间接荧光定量免疫层析分析,快速、灵敏、准确,具有临床实用性。     

人可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体Ⅱ与IgG Fc融合蛋白在乳酸克鲁维酵母菌中的表达及产物分析

目的:在乳酸克鲁维酵母中表达人可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体Ⅱ(sTNFRⅡ)与IgG Fc的融合蛋白。方法:首先获得sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc融合基因片段,然后构建至乳酸克鲁维酵母表达载体pKLAC1中,获得sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc的表达载体,并将其电转化乳酸克鲁维酵母(Δura3),通过ELISA方法筛选高表达sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc融合蛋白的重组乳酸克鲁维酵母菌株,采用还原和非还原SDS-PAGE分析融合蛋白是否形成二聚体结构,Western印迹验证sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc融合蛋白在乳酸克鲁维酵母(Δura3)中的表达。结果:构建了sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc表达载体pKLAC1-sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc,获得了表达sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc的乳酸克鲁维酵母菌株,SDS-PAGE和Western印迹表明该融合蛋白能自发形成类似于抗体的二聚体结构。结论:实现了sTNFRⅡ-IgGFc融合蛋白在乳酸克鲁维酵母(Δura3)中的表达。     

Chemical synthesis and evaluation of a backbone‐cyclized minimized 2‐helix Z‐domain

The Z‐molecule is a small, engineered IgG‐binding affinity protein derived from the immunoglobulin‐binding domain B of Staphylococcus aureus protein A. The Z‐domain consists of 58 amino acids forming a well‐defined antiparallel three‐helix structure. Two of the three helices are involved in ligand binding, whereas the third helix provides structural support to the three‐helix bundle. The small size and the stable three‐helix structure are two attractive properties comprised in the Z‐domain, but a further reduction in size of the protein is valuable for several reasons. Reduction in size facilitates synthetic production of any protein‐based molecule, which is beneficial from an economical viewpoint. In addition, a smaller protein is easier to manipulate through chemical modifications. By omitting the third stabilizing helix from the Z‐domain and joining the N‐ and C‐termini by a native peptide bond, the affinity protein obtains the advantageous properties of a smaller scaffold and in addition becomes resistant to exoproteases. We here demonstrate the synthesis and evaluation of a novel cyclic two‐helix Z‐domain. The molecule has retained affinity for its target protein, is resistant to heat treatment, and lacks both N‐ and C‐termini. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis and purification of IgG4 bispecific antibodies by a mixed-mode chromatography

Therapeutic non-hinge-modified IgG4 molecules form bispecific hybrid antibodies with endogenous human IgG4 molecules via a process known as Fab-arm exchange (or called half molecule exchange). Analysis of the bispecific hybrids is critical for studies of half molecule exchange. A number of analytical methods are available to detect IgG4 hybrids. These methods mostly necessitate labeling or alteration of the model IgG4 molecules, or rely on time-consuming immunoassays and mass spectrometry. In addition, these methods do not allow isolation of hybrid antibodies. We report here the only analytical method to date that relies on chromatographic separation for detection of hybrids formed from intact antibodies in their native forms using pembrolizumab as an example. This method employs a mixed-mode chromatography using a Sepax Zenix SEC-300 column to separate a bispecific hybrid from the parental antibodies. The simultaneous quantitative monitoring of the newly formed hybrid and parental antibodies was achieved by UV absorption and/or protein fluorescence. The bispecific hybrid antibodies were purified with the same method for further biochemical characterization. The method has allowed monitoring of half molecule exchange between a human serum IgG4 and a tested IgG4 molecule, and has been implemented for the analysis of in vitro as well as in vivo samples.