Identification of one peptide which inhibited infectivity of avian infectious bronchitis virus in vitro

Purified avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was used to screen a random phage display peptide library. After the fourth panning, 10 positive phages were sequenced and characterized. The phages specifically inhibited IBV infectivity in HeLa cells and blocked IBV haemagglutination. One linear peptide “GSH HRH VHS PFV” from the positive phages with the highest neutralization titer was synthesized and this peptide inhibited IBV infection in HeLa as well. The results may contribute to development of antiviral therapeutics for IBV and studying the determinants for viral and cell interaction.     

传染性支气管炎病毒抗原模拟表位在大肠杆菌鞭毛上的展示

目的：进一步验证通过噬菌体肽库筛选得到的2个传染性支气管炎病毒（IBV）抗原模拟表位在脱离噬菌体后仍具有与IBV抗体结合的生物学活性。方法：应用基因工程技术合成2个IBV抗原模拟表位（KSPKHSSSALHF和SIIQMNLHRPTS）的编码碱基序列,将其分别插入质粒pFliTrx,构建重组展示载体p1和p2,并分别转化大肠杆菌G1826,形成展示IBV模拟抗原表位肽的重组菌F1和F2,进行体外抗原抗体反应。结果：体外抗原抗体反应试验表明,重组菌F1与172可以与IBV阳性鸡血清特异性结合。结论：提示得到的2个抗原模拟表位在脱离噬菌体后,仍具有与IBV抗体结合的生物学活性,在研制IBV新型疫苗和诊断试剂方面具有潜在的应用价值。     

Selection and Finding of Lead Peptides Dual-targeting MMP14 and Metal Ions by Subtractive Cell Surface Panning and Molecular Docking

Subtractive cell surface panning from phage random peptide library and molecular docking were used to select and find binding peptides dual-targeting MMP14 and metal ions on MG-63 cells. Phages were abundantly enriched and totally 22 different peptide sequences were obtained. We demonstrated that the affinity phage peptides were not only targeted to MMP14 but also had affinities for zinc and nickel ions. Four possible peptide consensus sequences were identified as: AHQ/_SLH/_P, L/_I/_EPLL/_I, T/Q/_DARH/_FQ, MK/_PSR. The representative peptides were found to dock well to MMP14 at the sites around aa. 120–125 which were also the catalytic region of zinc binding sites on MMP14 by MVD molecular docking. The selected monoclonal phages could efficiently bind to the MMP14 expressed MG-63 cells and this again confirmed the targeting binding of the peptides to MMP14. In vitro study revealed that the selected monoclonal phages could greatly inhibit the viability of MG-63 cells. Also, the four synthetic representative consensus peptides inhibited the viability of MG-63 and HepG2 cells at μg levels. The consensus sequences identified in our study were newly reported and relatively specific to MMP14 and this may be further used for MMP14 based peptide drug development and/or diagnostic analyses.     

Selection of trkB-binding peptides from a phage-displayed random peptide library

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) shows potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, but the therapeutic application of BDNF has been greatly limited because it is too large in molecular size to permeate blood-brain barrier. To develop low-molecular-weight BDNF-like peptides, we selected a phage-displayed random peptide library using trkB expressed on NIH 3T3 cells as target in the study. With the strategy of peptide library incubation with NIH 3T3 cells and competitive elution with 1 μg/mL of BDNF in the last round of selection, the specific phages able to bind to the natural conformation of trkB and antagonize BDNF binding to trkB were enriched effectively. Five trkB-binding peptides were obtained, in which a core sequence of CRA/TXΦXXΦXXC (X represents the random amino acids, Φ represents T, L or I) was identified. The BDNF-like activity of these five peptides displayed on phages was not observed, though all of them antagonized the activity of BDNF in a dose-dependent manner. Similar results were obtained with the synthetic peptide of C1 clone, indicating that the 5 phage-derived peptides were trkB antagonists. These low-molecular-weight antagonists of trkB may be of potential application in the treatment of neuroblastoma and chronic pain. Meanwhile, the obtained core sequence also could be used as the base to construct the secondary phage-displayed peptide library for further development of small peptides mimicking BDNF activity.     

Construction and characterization of a 9-mer phage display pVIII-library with regulated peptide density

The construction of a new phagemid vector for display of peptides on the pVIII major coat protein of filamentous bacteriophage is described, in which expression of pVIII-peptide fusions was placed under the control of the arabinose-inducible P_BAD promoter. The new phagemid showed excellent capacity for the regulation of peptide expression, as judged by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electron microscopy of immunogold-labeled FLAG peptides displayed on phages. Regulation of the density of peptide fusions displayed on phages may offer advantages in the search for new peptide ligands due to the possibility of regulating the stringency of binding, reducing selection based on avidity effects during biopanning. Furthermore, the peptide expression in the absence of inducer was effectively shut off, minimizing growth bias of individual clones. A 9-mer phage display library prepared using the constructed phagemid was generated by insertion of randomly synthesized oligonucleotides close to the N-terminal of the pVIII protein. The library comprised a total of 9.4 × 10⁹ unique transformants, and was confirmed to show high diversity. The functional utility of the library was confirmed by the successful affinity selection of peptides binding to matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The majority of selected peptides shared the consensus motif R(D/N)XXG(M/L)(V/I)XQ, not previously selected during biopanning against MMP-9.     

Identification of Brucella cell wall antigenic determinants by immunoscreening of a random peptide library expressed at the surface of filamentous phage

Summary Antibodies against the 89 kDa Brucella abortus outer membrane protein (OMP) are detected in 68% of B. abortus infected cows. A monoclonal antibody, specifically directed against Brucella OMP89, has been used to screen a phage-displayed peptide library. We describe here results obtained from affinity selection of phages with mAb A7617E3C3 in three rounds of biopanning using a cysteine-constrained peptide library expressed on the surface of filamentous bacteriophages pVIII major coat protein. Deduced amino acid sequences of the peptide region of clones positively detected by colony immunoblotting experiments indicate the presence of a consensus sequence. Peptides corresponding to the most frequently represented sequence have been synthesized. Monoclonal antibody binding to selected phages is inhibited by corresponding cyclic peptides, but not by linear peptides. This confirms the specificity of the peptide sequence for its paratope but also the importance of a certain conformation for binding.     

神经生长因子低亲和力受体(p75NTR)的模拟配基的筛选

人神经生长因子低亲和力受体 (p75NTR)转染R2细胞而建立的R2L1细胞 ,在去血清培养时发生凋亡 ,该作用可被神经生长因子 (NGF)所抑制 .用R2L1和R2两种细胞差式筛选噬菌体随机 7肽库和 1 2肽库 ,获得和p75NTR特异结合的噬菌体 .测定DNA序列后得到有关多肽的氨基酸序列 .7肽库共有序列为C (H D)LP(K M)HPM C ;1 2肽库优势序列为TLPSPLALLTVH .化学合成相应的 2个短肽 .用细胞结合法和ELISA方法证实阳性噬菌体和合成短肽能与p75NTR结合 ,并证实了它们对R2L1细胞去血清培养后的凋亡有抑制作用     

Directed Evolution of an LBP/CD14 Inhibitory Peptide and Its Anti-Endotoxin Activity

Background

LPS-binding protein (LBP) and its ligand CD14 are located upstream of the signaling pathway for LPS-induced inflammation. Blocking LBP and CD14 binding might prevent LPS-induced inflammation. In previous studies, we obtained a peptide analog (MP12) for the LBP/CD14 binding site and showed that this peptide analog had anti-endotoxin activity. In this study, we used in vitro directed evolution for this peptide analog to improve its in vivo and in vitro anti-endotoxin activity.

Methods

We used error-prone PCR (ep-PCR) and induced mutations in the C-terminus of LBP and attached the PCR products to T7 phages to establish a mutant phage display library. The positive clones that competed with LBP for CD14 binding was obtained by screening. We used both in vivo and in vitro experiments to compare the anti-endotoxin activities of a polypeptide designated P1 contained in a positive clone and MP12.

Results

11 positive clones were obtained from among target phages. Sequencing showed that 9 positive clones had a threonine (T) to methionine (M) mutation in amino acid 287 of LBP. Compared to polypeptide MP12, polypeptide P1 significantly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α expression and NF-κB activity in U937 cells (P<0.05). Compared to MP12, P1 significantly improved arterial oxygen pressure, an oxygenation index, and lung pathology scores in LPS-induced ARDS rats (P<0.05).

Conclusion

By in vitro directed evolution of peptide analogs for the LBP/CD14 binding site, we established a new polypeptide (P1) with a threonine (T)-to-methionine (M) mutation in amino acid 287 of LBP. This polypeptide had high anti-endotoxin activity in vitro and in vivo, which suggested that amino acid 287 in the C-terminus of LBP may play an important role in LBP binding with CD14.     

BLyS对噬菌体随机12肽库的筛选

用B淋巴细胞刺激因子（BLyS）对噬菌体随机12肽库进行亲和淘洗,3轮筛选后阳性噬菌体得到富集。用ELISA鉴定噬菌体克隆,多个阳性克隆测序后得到了同一个小肽序列(RHKIQLRQNIIT)。将该小肽与GST融合,在大肠杆菌中进行表达及纯化,ELISA实验进一步验证了其具有与BLyS特异结合的活性。该小肽有可能成为其天然受体的拮抗剂。      

The mechanism of antigen-presentation of avian bone marrowed dendritic cells suppressed by infectious bronchitis virus

Dendritic cells are first guard to defend avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) infection and invasion. While IBV always suppress dendritic cells and escape the degradation and presentation, which might help viruses to transfer and migrant. Initially, we compared two IBV's function in activating avian bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) and found that both IBV (QX and M41) did not significantly increase surface marker of avian BMDCs. Moreover, a significant decrease of m⁶A modification level in mRNA, but an increased in the ut RNA were observed in avian BMDCs upon the prevalent IBV (QX) infection. Further study found that both non-structural protein 7 (NSP7) and NSP16 inhibited the maturation and cytokines secretion of BMDCs, as well as their antigen-presentation ability. Lastly, we found that gga-miR21, induced by both NSP7 and NSP16, inhibited the antigen presentation of avian BMDCs. Taken together, our results illustrated how IBV inhibited the antigen-presentation of avian DCs.     

Tumor specific phage particles promote tumor regression in a mouse melanoma model

Within cancer research, phage display libraries have been widely used for the identification of tumor targeting peptides and antibodies. Additionally, phages are known to be highly immunogenic; therefore we evaluated the immunotherapeutic potential of tumor specific phages to treat established solid tumors in a mouse model of melanoma. We developed two tumor specific phages, one derived from a peptide phage display library and one Fab expressing phage with known specificity, for the treatment of mice bearing palpable B16-F10 or B16/A2K^b tumors. Therapy in B16-F10 tumor bearing mice with tumor specific phages was superior to treatment with non-tumor specific phages and lead to delayed tumor growth and increased survival. In B16/A2K^b tumor bearing mice, therapy with tumor specific phages resulted in complete tumor regression and long-term survival in 50% of the mice. Histological analysis of tumors undergoing treatment with tumor specific phages revealed that phage administration induced a massive infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Furthermore, phages induced secretion of IL-12 (p70) and IFN-γ as measured in mouse splenocyte culture supernatants. These results demonstrate a novel, immunotherapeutic cancer treatment showing that tumor specific phages can promote regression of established tumors by recruitment of inflammatory cells and induction of Th1 cytokines.     

Phage-displayed peptide targeting on the Puumala hantavirus neutralization site.

We have selected ligands for Puumala hantavirus, the causative agent of nephropathia epidemica, from a seven-amino-acid peptide library flanked by cysteines and displayed on a filamentous phage. To direct the selection to areas on the virus particle which are essential for infection, phages were competitively eluted with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies specific for the viral glycoproteins. The selected phage populations were specific for the same sites as the antibodies and mimicked their functions. The peptide insert, CHWMFSPWC, when displayed on the phages, completely inhibited Puumala virus infection in cell culture at the same effective concentration as the eluting antibody specific for envelope glycoprotein G2. The binding of the phage clones to the virus and inhibition of infection were not necessarily coincident; Pro-6 was critical for virus inhibition, while consensus residues Trp-2 and Phe-4 were essential for binding. The strategy described can be applied to any virus for production of molecules mimicking the effect of neutralizing antibodies.     

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity trait of a bioactive peptide purified from Lactococcus garvieae subsp. bovis BSN307T

A bioactive peptide of 8595 Da was purified from the cell free supernatant of Lactococcus garvieae subsp. bovis BSN307^T. MALDI MS/MS peptide mapping and the data base search displayed no significant similarity to any reported antimicrobial peptide of LAB. This peptide at a dose concentration of 200 µg ml⁻¹ inhibited the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by 58–89% and a dose of 500 µg ml⁻¹ scavenged 50% of DPPH-free radicals generated. Interestingly, cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that 17 µg ml⁻¹ of peptide selectively inhibited 50% proliferation of mammalian cancer cell lines HeLa and MCF-7 whereas normal H9c2 cells remained unaffected. Fluorescent microscopic analysis after DAPI nuclear staining of HeLa cells showed characteristics of apoptosis and activation of caspase-3 was ascertained by caspase-3 fluorescence assay.     

Cloning of Thermomonospora fusca genes coding for beta 1-4 endoglucanases E1, E2 and E5

Thermomonospora fusca chromosomal DNA was partially digested with EcoRI and fragments in the size range from 4 to 15 kb were isolated, ligated into lambda gtWES.lambda B arms, packaged, and the recombinant phages plated on Escherichia coli. The plaques were screened for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity by a gel overlay procedure, and 25 plaques were positive among the 15,000 plaques that were screened. Positive phages were amplified and used to prepare infected E. coli extracts which were assayed for CMCase activity before and after treatment with antisera prepared against five purified T. fusca beta 1-4 endoglucanases (E1-E5). One phage produced an enzyme that was inhibited by E1 antiserum, nine of the phages produced enzymes that were inhibited by E2 antiserum, 14 produced enzymes that were inhibited by E5 antiserum and the enzyme produced by the other phages was not inhibited by any of the five antisera. The DNA insert present in the phage coding for E1 was cut into a number of different fragments which were subcloned into E. coli first using lambda gtWES.lambda B and then plasmid pBR322. The smallest active subclone, pTE12, contained a 3.1-kb insert. The insert present in one of the phages coding for E2 was also subcloned and the smallest active subclone pTE23 contained a 2-kb insert. E. coli HB101 containing plasmid pTE12 or pTE23 produced enzymes that were identical to E1 and E2, respectively, in all the properties tested.     

人工诱骗子的入核分布对核因子-κB活性的调控作用

探讨了由核定位信号(NLS)多肽介导的核因子-κB(NF-κB)寡核苷酸诱骗子(ODNs decoy)进入HeLa细胞核的效率,以及对细胞核内NF-κB活性的调控作用。利用双功能交联剂(Sulfo-SMCC)共价交联末端氨基修饰的ODNs decoy和末端巯基修饰的NLS多肽,形成NLS多肽共价连接的ODNs decoy。依靠TransME转染试剂的辅助转染NLS-ODNs decoy进入HeLa细胞,用荧光显微镜观察荧光标记的NLS-ODNs在细胞内的分布。用MTT法检测HeLa细胞的活力,以凝胶迁移实验(EMSA)检测TNF-α诱导的HeLa细胞核抽提物中NF-κB的活性。结果表明,NLS多肽成功地连接到ODNs decoy上,NLS-ODNs可高效入核,入核率达到17.9%。转染NLS-ODNs进入HeLa细胞,对细胞活力无明显影响,而显著抑制核内NF-κB的活性。结果表明NLS多肽可提高ODNs decoy的入核效率,显著增强诱骗子对NF-κB活性的抑制效果。     

犬种布鲁氏菌ZG株单克隆抗体4H3抗原模拟表位的筛选及分析

【背景】目前犬布鲁氏菌病诊断存在一定的困难。【目的】筛选并研究犬种布鲁氏菌单克隆抗体4H3株的特异性抗原表位。【方法】利用噬菌体肽库展示技术,以犬种布鲁氏菌单克隆抗体4H3株作为靶分子,包被酶标板,用12肽随机肽库经过3轮生物淘洗程序进行筛选。经过3轮筛选后,噬菌体产出率从5.00×10^-7增加到9.84×10^-6,假阳性率逐轮降低。从第3轮筛选的阳性克隆中随机挑取14个进行增殖,提取基因组DNA,进行测序分析;并通过iELISA和cELISA检测阳性克隆的亲和性和特异性。【结果】14株阳性单克隆噬菌体共出现3种不同的短肽序列,分别是KMSIRHPIRLPI、ILRRRRKRIIQI和QRIHMRLTTQS;iELISA结果表明3种短肽序列与单克隆抗体的亲和性依次为KMSIRHPIRLPI>ILRRRRKRIIQI>QRIHMRLTTQS;cELISA结果显示短肽KMSIRHPIRLPI和ILRRRRKRIIQI特异性较强。对亲和性较强、特异性较高的2条短肽KMSIRHPIRLPI和ILRRRRKRIIQI展开具体分析,比对分析表...     

Interferon-γ effect on growth regulation of cells with different levels of EGF receptor expression

Interferon gamma (IFNγ) is known to inhibit the proliferation of some transformed cell lines. Recently, we demonstrated the transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in response to IFNγ (Burova et al., 2007) and provided direct evidence for the dependence of IFNγ-induced EGFR transactivation on the EGFR expression level in epithelial cells (Gonchar et al., 2008). This study examines an antiproliferative effect of IFNγ on human epithelial cell lines—A431 and HeLa that express high levels of EGFR, as well as HEK293 that expresses low levels of EGFR. To characterize the IFNγ-induced changes in these cells, we studied cell growth, the cell cycle, and induction of apoptosis. The response to IFNγ differed in the compared cell lines; cell growth was inhibited in both A431 and HeLa cells, but not in HEK293 cells, as was shown by the cell count and MTT. The cell-cycle phases analyzed by flow cytometry were disturbed in A431 and HeLa cells in response to IFNγ. On the contrary, in HEK293 cells, the IFNγ treatment did not alter distribution by cell cycle phases. Our results indicate that IFNγ produces an antiproliferative effect that depends on the increased expression of EGFR in A431 and HeLa cells. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that IFNγ induced the caspase 3 activation in A431 cells, which suggests the involvement of active caspase 3 in the IFNγ-induced apoptosis.     

Characteristics of the antitumor activities in tumor cells and modulation of the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells of a novel antimicrobial peptide, chrysophsin-1, from the red sea bream (Chrysophrys major)

The antimicrobial peptide, chrysophsin-1, exhibits antimicrobial activities with similar efficiencies for both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we examined the antitumor activity and modulation of the inflammatory response of a synthetic chrysophsin-1 peptide. In vitro results showed that chrysophsin-1 had greater inhibitory effects against human fibrosarcoma (HT-1080), histiocytic lymphoma (U937), and epithelial carcinoma (HeLa) cells. LDH release by HeLa cells was comparable to that of an MTS assay after treatment with 1.5-3 μg/ml chrysophsin-1 for 24 h. Under SEM and TEM observations, we found no intact cell membranes after chrysophsin-1 treatment of HeLa cells for 8 h. The suggested mechanism of the cytotoxic activity of chrysophsin-1 was disruption of cancer cell membranes. In addition, we also examined caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities by Western blotting; the results excluded the participation of apoptosis in chrysophsin-1's effect on HeLa cells. Stimulation by lipopolysaccharide induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α which was able to modulate chrysophsin-1 treatment of RAW264.7 cells and inhibited endogenous TNF-α release but did not block its secretion. With data from this study, we demonstrate that chrysophsin-1 has antimicrobial and antitumor activities and modulates the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells.     

The regulation of TACE catalytic function by its prodomain

Aim To study the function of the prodomain of ADAM17 (TACE) and to develop an approach for interfering with inflammation processes. Method The expression plasmids of the TACE ectodomain (T1300), prodomain (T591), signal peptide and prodomain (T648), full length (T2472), and the turncated TACE without prodomain (T57-T1824) were constructed and designated as pET-28a-T300, pET-28a-T591, pIRES2-EGFP-648, pEGFP-N1-T648, pIRES2-EGFP-T2472, and pIRES2-EGFP-T57-T1824, respectively. After Ni²⁺-NTA resin-affinity chromatography, the recombinant T591 and T1300 proteins were obtained and assayed by western blotting and circular dichroism. The experiment was carried out on THP1 cell lines stimulated by LPS in vitro. The inhibition of recombinant protein T591 to TACE activity was detected by ELISA and immunohistochemical detection. The expression plasmids (pIRES2-EGFP-T648, pIRES2-EGFP-T2472, and pIRES2-EGFP-T57-T1824) were used to transfect the U937 cells. HeLa cells were also transfected with pEGFP-N1-T648. The transfected U937 cells were then stimulated by LPS and the effect of expression plasmids on TNF-α secretion was detected by ELISA and flow cytometry (FCM). Results The recombinant prodomain protein inhibited 57% of the TNF-α secretion and mediated an accumulation of TNF-α on the surface of THP1 cells. An intense green fluorescence was seen in the membranes of HeLa cells transfected with pEGFP-N1-T648. The plasmid pIRES2-EGFP-T648 inhibited TNF-α secretion by 61.09% and mediated an accumulation of mTNF-α on the surface of the U937 cells. The secretion of sTNF-α and the level of the mTNF-α in the pIRES2-EGFP-T57-T1824 transfected cells gave no difference when compared with the pIRES2-EGFP transfected cells. Also the secretion of sTNF-α from the cells transfected by the plasmid pIRES2-EGFP-T2472 increased, while the level of mTNF-α decreased, compared with the pIRES2-EGFP-transfected cells. Conclusion The prodomain has dual effects and might be useful in the molecular design of an anti-inflammatory drug.