Recombinant antibody libraries and selection technologies

Active immunization has benefited human health perhaps more than any other biomedical advancement. Today, passive immunization is profoundly changing the practice of medicine by enabling antibody targeting of toxic, self, and other antigens not conducive to active immunization. Recombinant antibody libraries have contributed greatly to this progress and will continue to do so. The ability to construct and display a variety of antibody libraries, including naive, immune, semi-synthetic, and synthetic ones coupled with rapid screening and selection technologies, is in large measure responsible for the thousands of monoclonal antibody therapeutics in development.     

Class and subclass selection in parasite-specific antibody responses

Antibodies are characteristically induced in many parasitic infection processes. The class and subclass of the antibody response is instrumental because each isotype has a distinct biological function. It is thus crucially important for an infected individual to mount the most appropriate secondary antibody response--that is the response that has the best chance of clearing the infection and/or controlling disease. This represents a fundamental of vaccine strategies. Immuno-epidemiological surveys and in vitro models of antibody production have helped to understand some of the goals which should be achieved when designing antiparasitic vaccines.     

Maturation of envelope-specific antibody responses to linear determinants in monkeys inoculated with attenuated SIV

We have previously used a panel of quantitative and qualitative serological assays to define a lengthy and complex maturation of envelope-specific antibody responses in monkeys experimentally infected with attenuated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) that is closely associated with the temporal development of enduring and protective immunity to experimental virus challenge. To elucidate in more detail the changes in antibody specificity associated with this maturation, we describe here 'domain-specific' serological studies to characterize the evolution of antibody responses to defined linear determinants of the SIV envelope protein. The results of these studies reveal for the first time distinguishing differences in the evolution of antibody populations to distinct envelope peptide segments, as determined by measurements of antibody titer and avidity, indicating different patterns of antibody maturation to distinct linear envelope antigenic determinants. Thus, these data demonstrate the potential for domain-specific serology to produce a high-resolution characterization of SIV-specific antibody responses that can be used to evaluate experimental vaccine responses and to identify potential immune correlates of protection.     

Maturation of envelope-specific antibody responses to linear determinants in monkeys inoculated with attenuated SIV

We have previously used a panel of quantitative and qualitative serological assays to define a lengthy and complex maturation of envelope-specific antibody responses in monkeys experimentally infected with attenuated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) that is closely associated with the temporal development of enduring and protective immunity to experimental virus challenge. To elucidate in more detail the changes in antibody specificity associated with this maturation, we describe here 'domain-specific' serological studies to characterize the evolution of antibody responses to defined linear determinants of the SIV envelope protein. The results of these studies reveal for the first time distinguishing differences in the evolution of antibody populations to distinct envelope peptide segments, as determined by measurements of antibody titer and avidity, indicating different patterns of antibody maturation to distinct linear envelope antigenic determinants. Thus, these data demonstrate the potential for domain-specific serology to produce a high-resolution characterization of SIV-specific antibody responses that can be used to evaluate experimental vaccine responses and to identify potential immune correlates of protection.     

Viral antigens act as helper determinants for antibody responses to cell surface antigens

Thy-1 alloantigens on murine thymus cells are weak immunogens in vivo for PFC responses in the absence of other antigenic disparities between the donor and recipient. Our previous work showed that non-H-2 alloantigens acted as helper determinants to augment anti-Thy-1 PFC responses. In this report we demonstrate that strong helper antigens are also produced by infection of donor thymus cells with viruses such as HSV-1, NDV, or vaccinia. This helper effect (as much as 30-fold) for a cellular antigen, requires linked recognition (expression of Thy-1 and virus in the same cell membrane), is T-dependent, antigen- (virus) specific, and is Thy-1-specific. The recognition of the viral helper sites is not restricted by the MHC genotype of the thymus cell donor, indicating that host reprocessing of antigen occurs. These are the first results that show that adventitious antigens may function as helper determinants for antibody responses to native membrane antigens and may be the mechanism that initiates several forms of acute post-viral autoimmune disease.     

Selecting and screening recombinant antibody libraries

During the past decade several display methods and other library screening techniques have been developed for isolating monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from large collections of recombinant antibody fragments. These technologies are now widely exploited to build human antibodies with high affinity and specificity. Clever antibody library designs and selection concepts are now able to identify mAb leads with virtually any specificity. Innovative strategies enable directed evolution of binding sites with ultra-high affinity, high stability and increased potency, sometimes to a level that cannot be achieved by immunization. Automation of the technology is making it possible to identify hundreds of different antibody leads to a single therapeutic target. With the first antibody of this new generation, adalimumab (Humira, a human IgG1 specific for human tumor necrosis factor (TNF)), already approved for therapy and with many more in clinical trials, these recombinant antibody technologies will provide a solid basis for the discovery of antibody-based biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics and research reagents for decades to come.     

噬菌体抗体库筛选技术

噬菌体展示技术（Ｐｈａｇｅ Ｄｉｓｐｌａｙ Ｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙ）为制备高亲和性抗体提供了有力的工具。噬菌体抗体库的筛选是其中关键的环节,为了提高筛选效率,用包被在固体表面的抗原进行筛选的传统方法不断地被改进,如宿主菌直接洗脱和双层膜筛选系统和抗抗体替代抗原筛选系统。将噬菌体感染宿主菌的过程与筛选过程相关联,产生了选择性感染筛选系统。     

Exploiting recombination in single bacteria to make large phage antibody libraries

The creation of large phage antibody libraries has become an important goal in selecting antibodies against any antigen. Here we describe a method for making libraries so large that the complete diversity cannot be accessed using traditional phage technology. This involves the creation of a primary phage scFv library in a phagemid vector containing two nonhomologous lox sites. Contrary to the current dogma, we found that infecting Cre recombinase-expressing bacteria by such a primary library at a high multiplicity of infection results in the entry of many different phagemid into the cell. Exchange of Vh and Vl genes between such phagemids creates many new V h/Vl combinations, all of which are functional. On the basis of the observed recombination, the library is calculated to have a diversity of 3x1011. A library created using this method was validated by the selection of high affinity antibodies against a large number of different protein antigens.     

噬菌体抗体库技术

噬菌体抗体库技术是指从人外周血、脾或骨髓淋巴细胞提取总RNA,利用逆转录-多聚酶链反应（RT-PCR）方法扩增抗体的全套可变区基因,通过噬菌体表面展示技术,把抗体Fab段或单链抗体表达在噬菌体表面,构建人源抗体库.噬菌体抗体将基因型（genotype）和表型（phenotype）统一于一体,将选择能力和扩增能力偶联起来,具有强大的筛选能力,能够在体外模拟体内的抗体生成过程,使抗体工程技术进入了一个新的时代.     

T cell responses to Mls determinants are restricted by cross-reactive MHC determinants

The studies presented here investigated the relationship between T cell recognition of MHC-encoded products and non-MHC-linked Mls determinants. The first aspect addressed whether Mls-reactive T cells recognize Mls-encoded products alone or in association with MHC-encoded determinants. Initial studies used Mlsa-specific T cell clones that were generated by repeated stimulation of C57BL/6 or B10.A(5R) spleen cells with DBA/2 lymphoid cells. These clones recognized Mlsa on cells expressing MHC products of the H-2b, H-2d, and H-2k haplotypes, but not the H-2q haplotype. Thus, these cloned T cells were found to recognize Mlsa products in association with public but demonstrably polymorphic H-2 determinants. The question of whether T cell clones that were specific for self-H-2 determinants (autoreactive) or soluble antigen plus syngeneic H-2 (antigen-specific) could also be stimulated by Mlsa determinants was also addressed. A substantial proportion of the antigen-specific or autoreactive T cell clones tested were stimulated by Mlsa determinants. Furthermore, stimulation of these clones by Mlsa was H-2 restricted. The pattern of H-2-restricted recognition of Mlsa by these clones was not distinguishable from that observed in the Mlsa-specific T cell clones, nor was it influenced by the primary specificity or H-2 restriction pattern of a given clone. Although these findings provide a means of explaining the observation that Mls-reactive T cells exist at extremely high precursor frequencies, they also raise questions regarding the nature of the receptor structures which are used by a single T cell in the recognition of two or more apparently distinct stimuli.     

Heavily glycosylated, highly fit SIVMne variants continue to diversify and undergo selection after transmission to a new host and they elicit early antibody dependent cellular responses but delayed neutralizing antibody responses

The evolutionary success of La Crosse virus (LACV, family Bunyaviridae) is due to its ability to adapt to changing conditions through intramolecular genetic changes and segment reassortment. Vertical transmission of LACV in mosquitoes increases the potential for segment reassortment. Studies were conducted to determine if segment reassortment was occurring in naturally infected Aedes triseriatus from Wisconsin and Minnesota in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Mosquito eggs were collected from various sites in Wisconsin and Minnesota. They were reared in the laboratory and adults were tested for LACV antigen by immunofluorescence assay. RNA was isolated from the abdomen of infected mosquitoes and portions of the small (S), medium (M) and large (L) viral genome segments were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Overall, the viral sequences from 40 infected mosquitoes and 5 virus isolates were analyzed. Phylogenetic and linkage disequilibrium analyses revealed that approximately 25% of infected mosquitoes and viruses contained reassorted genome segments, suggesting that LACV segment reassortment is frequent in nature.     

Opposite responses to selection and where to find them

We generally expect traits to evolve in the same direction as selection. However, many organisms possess traits that appear to be costly for individuals, while plant and animal breeding experiments reveal that selection may lead to no response or even negative responses to selection. We formalize both of these instances as cases of “opposite responses to selection.” Using quantitative genetic models for the response to selection, we outline when opposite responses to selection should be expected. These typically occur when social selection opposes direct selection, when individuals interact with others less related to them than a random member of the population, and if the genetic covariance between direct and indirect effects is negative. We discuss the likelihood of each of these occurring in nature and therefore summarize how frequent opposite responses to selection are likely to be. This links several evolutionary phenomena within a single framework.     

Selection of antibodies from synthetic antibody libraries

More than 2 dozen years had passed since the field of antibody engineering was established, with the first reports of bacterial [1-3] and mammalian cells [4] expression of recombinant antibody fragments, and in that time a lot of effort was dedicated to the development of efficient technological means, intended to assist in the creation of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Research focus was given to two intertwined technological aspects: the selection platform and the recombinant antibody repertoires. In accordance with these areas of interest, it is the goal of this chapter to describe the various selection tools and antibody libraries existing, with emphasis on the later, and their applications. This chapter gives a far from exhaustive, subjective "historic account" of the field, describing the selection platforms, the different formats of antibody repertoires and the applications of both for selecting recombinant antibodies. Several excellent books provide detailed protocols for constructing antibody libraries and selecting antibodies from those libraries [5-13]. Such books may guide a newcomer to the field in the fine details of antibody engineering. We would like to offer advice to the novice: although seemingly simple, effective library construction and antibody isolation provide best benefits in the hands of professionals. It is an art as much as it is science.     

Genetic heterogeneity and accelerated responses to directional selection in Drosophila

Summary Strains set up from single inseminated founder females of D. melanogaster from the same population have been previously shown to differ genetically for the incidence of flies with more than four scutellar chaetae (additional chaetae). Therefore the base population is polymorphic for this trait. This was exploited by carrying out directional selection in lines derived from those strains initially having a high mean chaeta number. This led to far more rapid responses to selection than were obtained in lines derived from strains with lower means, such that in one line a continuous accelerated response was observed for the first 12 generations of selection. A correlated response was found for sternopleural chaeta number at generation 19 of selection, showing that at least some genes may affect both traits.