Electron-microscopic and immunocytochemical analyses of Weibel-Palade bodies in the human umbilical vein during pregnancy

Summary The present study was done to elucidate the biological significance of the Weibel-Palade body of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Quantitative determinations of these endothelial-specific granules throughout pregnancy revealed that their numbers and size per cell profile were maintained at low levels from 12 to 19 weeks of gestation; then both rapidly increased from 33 weeks to full term. This increase coincided with the development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and an increase in the number of endothelial cell pinocytotic vesicles. Light-microscopic peroxidase anti-peroxidase and electron-microscopic protein A-gold techniques provided evidence that factor VIII-related antigen was localized in the Weibel-Palade bodies. Furthermore, in vitro treatment of incubated umbilical vein tissue with compound 48/80, a histamine releaser, induced degranulation of Weibel-Palade bodies from the endothelium. The present study indicates that Weibel-Palade bodies are storage sites of both histamine and factor VIII-related antigen and have an important role in the obliteration of this vessel.     

Characterization of messenger RNA from epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi

The cell-free translation products of polyribosomal and post-polyribosomal mRNAs from the non-infective epimastigotes and the infective metacyclic trypomastigotes of the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi were compared by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The result show that although many polypeptides are conserved, quantitative and qualitative differences are observed between both differentiation stages. The results also indicate the existence of post-polyribosomal mRNAs in equilibrium with polyribosomal counterparts. The immunoprecipitation of the in vitro synthesized polypeptides with chagasic human serum and the serum raised against an 85-kDa glycoprotein (P2-WGA), potentially involved in the process of T. cruzi penetration into mammalian cells, shows that while the chagasic serum recognizes the same 72-kDa, 68-kDa and 46-kDa polypeptides in both differentiation stages, the anti-P2-WGA serum immunoprecipitates a single 48-kDa polypeptide from in vitro translation products of metacyclic trypomastigotes.     

Probing binding mechanism of interleukin-6 and olokizumab: in silico design of potential lead antibodies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

Computer-aided antibody engineering has been successful in the design of new biologics for disease diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a well-recognized drug target for various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis, was investigated in silico to design potential lead antibodies. Here, crystal structure of IL-6 along with monoclonal antibody olokizumab was explored to predict antigen–antibody (Ag???Ab)-interacting residues using DiscoTope, Paratome, and PyMOL. Tyr56, Tyr103 in heavy chain and Gly30, Ile31 in light chain of olokizumab were mutated with residues Ser, Thr, Tyr, Trp, and Phe. A set of 899 mutant macromolecules were designed, and binding affinity of these macromolecules to IL-6 was evaluated through Ag???Ab docking (ZDOCK, ClusPro, and Rosetta server), binding free-energy calculations using Molecular Mechanics/Poisson Boltzman Surface Area (MM/PBSA) method, and interaction energy estimation. In comparison to olokizumab, eight newly designed theoretical antibodies demonstrated better result in all assessments. Therefore, these newly designed macromolecules were proposed as potential lead antibodies to serve as a therapeutics option for IL-6-mediated diseases.     

Genetic diversity and molecular fingerprinting of Prunus cerasus var. austera from central Italy

In central Italy, Prunus cerasus var. austera is cultivated as small stands or scattered trees in marginal areas for the production of jam and wine. Thanks to the healthy attributes of its products and its ability to grow in different environmental conditions, this variety has gained new interest in the development of marginal areas. We assessed the level of the genetic variability of P. cerasus var. austera germplasm from central Italy and identified a ‘core collection’ representative of the present genetic diversity. A total of 161 trees, morphologically identified as var. austera, and one tree, identified as var. caproniana were collected and genotyped by 14 SSRs. Two individuals provided by a commercial plant nursery, one of P. cerasus var. caproniana and one of P. cerasus var. austera, were used as control. Thirteen SSRs presented private alleles in austera. Seven individuals morphologically identified as austera revealed private alleles specific to caproniana. The PCoA and Bayesian clustering analysis showed a main genetic group including var. austera, while a second group included all the caproniana-like genotypes. A core collection of 31 trees (46% of austera genotypes) was selected. This study can be considered as a starting point for future investigations on this variety.     

Binding of B‐cell maturation antigen to B‐cell activating factor induces survival of multiple myeloma cells by activating Akt and JNK signaling pathways

B‐cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is expressed on normal and malignant plasma cells and represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we characterized the mechanism underlying the protein kinase B (Akt) and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) pathways and BCMA interactions in regulating multiple myeloma (MM) cell survival. It was found that the expression levels of B cell‐activating factor (BAFF) and BCMA were increased in MM cells as compared with those in normal controls. The proliferation of U266 cells was induced by recombinant human BAFF (rhBAFF) and could also be decreased by BCMA siRNA. The expression of Bcl‐2 protein was up‐regulated, and Bax protein was down‐regulated after rhBAFF treatment, which could be reversed by BCMA siRNA. Similarly, the protein p‐JNK and p‐Akt were activated by rhBAFF and could be changed by BCMA siRNA. In addition, the BCMA mRNA and protein expression levels were decreased after treatment with Akt and JNK pathway inhibitors. These results suggest that Akt and JNK pathways are involved in the regulation of BCMA. A novel BAFF/BCMA signalling pathway in MM may be a new therapeutic target for MM. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of Tumor Antigens in the HLA Peptidome of Patient-derived Xenograft Tumors in Mouse

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Highlights

• •Sufficient tumor tissues are often unavailable large HLA peptidome discovery.
• •Using patient derived xenograft (PDX) tumors can overcome this limitation.
• •The large PDX HLA peptidomes expand significantly those of the original biopsies.
• •The HLA peptidomes of the PDX tumors included many tumor antigens.

     

Determination of human factor VIII (AHG-associated protein)-antigen in endothelial cells from Xenopus laevis (XTH cells)

Summary AHG-associated protein (AHG-a.p.), the antigen of the blood-clotting factor VIII complex, is a specific endothelial cell marker. Primary (p-XTH) and established (XTH-2) endothelial cells from the hearts of Xenopus laevis tadpoles were assayed for the presence of this marker by means of immunological cross-reaction (recognition of common antigenic sites) with antiserum against human AHG-a.p. Radial imtnunodiffusion and rocket immunoelectrophoresis proved to be insufficiently sensitive, whereas immunofluorescence and a newly evaluated ELISA technique gave positive results. The very high sensitivity of the ELISA (less than 1/240000 of the AHG-a.p. in 0.1 ml human standard plasma can be detected) and the removal of interfering proteins by gel filtration also revealed the presence of AHG-a.p. in the fetal calf serum used in the culture medium; earlier investigations into this subject by a one-step radioimmunoassay had reported negative results. Specially adapted XTH-2 cells were grown in a proteinand serum-free hydrolysate medium in order to demonstrate the presence of a Xenopus-derived antigen that was immunoreactive with the anti-human AHG-a.p.     

Application of Dolichos biflorus in immunoassay detection of kidney collecting duct biomarkers

Currently there are no biomarkers for detecting collecting duct damage in man. Antibodies to several collecting duct-specific antigens exist but sandwich assays have been difficult to establish due to the need for two different antibodies to the same protein. We hypothesized that a collecting duct-specific lectin could be used in combination with a collecting duct-specific antibody to negate the need for two different antibodies. The collecting duct specificity of selected antibodies (NiCa II 13C2, Pap XI 3C7, HuPaP VII 2B11 and aquaporin 2), was verified by immunohistochemistry. Aquaporin 2 and Pap XI 3C7 were used successfully in setting up assays with the lectin Dolichos biflorus, using the Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform. Antigen expression was highest in the papillae of rat and human kidney (corresponding to the greatest density of collecting ducts) and was also present in normal urine. We propose that further qualification and validation would lead to an assay for detecting collecting duct damage in man.     

Analysis of common antigen of flagella in Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract Flagellar antigen of Bacillus cereus H.1 was purified and tested for serodiagnostic antigen by ELISA. The antibody against the flagellar antigen of B. cereus H.1 reacted not only with the homologous specific antigen but also reacted with the flagellar antigens of 23 strains of B. cereus . This common flagellar antigen of B. cereus was found to be due to 61-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot assay. Monoclonal antibody H15A5 against common antigenic epitope of B. cereus also reacted with flagellar antigens of 21 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis by ELISA. This monoclonal antibody reacted with the 61-kDa protein of the flagella of B. cereus H.1 and H.2 and B. thuringiensis Kurstaki HD1, Alesti and Aizawai juroi by immunoblot analysis. These results indicated that the common antigenic epitope of the 61-kDa protein existed in the flagella both of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis .     

A recombinant foot-and-mouth disease virus antigen inhibits DNA replication and triggers the SOS response in Escherichia coli

Abstract The 3D gene of foot-and-mouth disease virus encodes the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase, also called virus infection associated (VIA) antigen, which is the most important serological marker of virus infection. This 3D gene from a serotype Cl virus has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the strong lambda lytic promoters. The resulting 51 kDa recombinant protein has been shown to be immunoreactive with sera from infected animals. After induction of gene expression, an immediate and dramatic arrest of cell DNA synthesis occurs, similar to that produced by genotoxic doses of the drug mitomycin C. This effect does not occur during the production of either a truncated VIA antigen or other related and non-related viral proteins. The inhibition of DNA replication results in a subsequent induction of the host SOS DNA-repair response and in an increase of the mutation frequency in the surviving cells.