Cellular basis and nature of the polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia induced by antigenic challenge.

Chickens immunized with either sheep erythrocytes or heterologous albumin display a polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia (HIg) shortly after immunization prior to the appearance in the serum of specific antibody. Tolerance to the inducing antigen results in a decreased HIg response to that antigen but not to an unrelated antigen. Both adult thymectomy coupled with irradiation, and embryonic bursectomy depress the response. In the HIg induced by one antigen there is some antibody activity to an unrelated antigen; this may represent the activation of cells primed previously to the second antigen. It is hypothesized that antigen stimulates specific thymus-dependent cells to produce lymphokines which nonspecifically stimulate a large proportion of antibody cells to synthesize and release their product.     

Antibody blockade of lysis by T lymphocyte effectors generated against syngeneic SV40 transformed cells.

Antibody blockade of cell-mediated lysis was used to probe the cell surface structures recognized by T lymphocytes generated to syngeneic SV40 virus-transformed mouse cells. Alloantisera to H-2 antigens were highly effective in inhibiting lysis. Anti-H2 antibody blockade of lysis was haplotype specific even on transformed F1 target cells. Inhibition occurred only when antibody was bound to the target cell. Antibody binding to the effector did not inhibit lysis. Inhibition required that antibody be bound to the H-2 molecule itself; antibody to molecules associated with H-2, such as beta2-microglobulin, had no effect. Attempts to block lysis by using antisera to known virus-coded molecules were uniformly unsuccessful. These results are discussed in light of current controversy concerning the nature of the SV40 virus-specific transplantation antigen.     

Characterization of murine polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies generated against intact and denatured human papillomavirus type 1 virions.

Human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV1) virions, both as intact virion particles (IVP) and as detergent-denatured virions (DDV), were used to prepare polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in BALB/c mice. Anti-IVP antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies and no detectable HPV1 L1-reactive antibodies. Anti-IVP MAbs recognized a linear epitope between L2 amino acids 102 and 108 (PIDVVDP). Anti-DDV antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 L1-reactive and HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies. An anti-DDV MAb recognized a linear epitope between L1 amino acids 127 and 133 (AENPTNY). HPV1a L1- and L2-encoded polypeptides expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by in vitro translation were equivalent in size to the major and minor virion capsid proteins, respectively.     

Electrical potentials generated in continuous flow dialyzers during autoanalysis.

An electrical potential develops across the membrane when the moving streams in a continuous flow dialyzer module are electrolytes of different composition. The steady-state value for a pair of solutions and flow rates is little affected by introducing air bubbles into the flowing streams. The potential largely depends on the relative mobilities of the ions through the membrane, and these can be often qualitatively assessed from mobilities in water. In automated analysis of ionic metabolites, electrolyte composition of diluent and recipient stream reagents has an effect on sensitivity which can be predicted from these electrical potentials.     

Antigenic specificities of human monoclonal and polyclonal IgM rheumatoid factors. The C gamma 2-C gamma 3 interface region contains the major determinants

The binding site specificity of 12 monoclonal and 11 polyclonal IgM rheumatoid factors (RF) isolated from human plasma or serum has been studied. All IgM RF bound best to sites on IgG and intact Fc. The monoclonal IgM RF did not bind at all to fragments lacking the C gamma 2 or C gamma 3 domains. In contrast, low level binding to the pFc' fragment, composed of the C gamma 3 domain, was seen with seven IgM RF, mainly from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IgG1 binding appeared to be a requisite specificity of all human IgM RF. IgM RF binding to IgG3 subclass was common among the monoclonal IgM RF. Most RA polyclonal IgM RF but only 2 of the monoclonal IgM RF possessed the IgG1, 2 and 4 binding pattern. Monoclonal IgM RF which bound best to histidine-modified IgG also bound well to IgG3. The 7-kDa fragment D of staphylococcal protein A inhibited the IgG binding of most monoclonal and to a lesser degree polyclonal IgM RF. Thus, the results indicate that the C gamma 2-C gamma 3 interface region of IgG contains the predominant determinants for monoclonal and polyclonal IgM RF. For some monoclonal IgM RF the binding site, even though at the interface of the C gamma 2 and C gamma 3 domains, is not the staphylococcal protein A site. Furthermore, polyclonal IgM RF possess specificities not encountered among the monoclonal IgM RF. These specificities may have special     

Antibody affinities and relative titers in polyclonal populations: surface plasmon resonance analysis of anti-DNA antibodies

This paper presents the equations and methodology for the measurement and interpretation of apparent dissociation constants for polyclonal populations of antibodies, where antigen is kept trace relative to antibody concentration. Surface plasmon resonance is used to determine K(d)s for the binding of anti-DNA antibodies to trace amounts of DNA antigen on a chip. Since the approach taken relies on equilibrium measurements, kinetic mass transport artifacts are avoided. The apparent K(d) is a weighted average of all the K(d)s for the clonally related subpopulations within the polyclonal pool, where each weighting factor is the relative titer (fractional presence) of the subpopulation. Titration curves appear as if there is one monoclonal population with that titer-weighted-average K(d). Implications of changes in the antibody affinity distribution within the population are discussed. The equations described herein provide a better physical understanding of the apparent K(d) that is obtained when a heterogeneous population of receptors is titrated against a trace ligand.     

Antibody engineering.

Antibody engineering has received a boost from the development of an Escherichia coli expression system that now allows the screening of libraries with bacteria or phages. These random selection techniques can be applied using knowledge obtained from new X-ray structures of recombinant antibody domains, and anti-peptide antibodies. The first crystal structure of an anti-idiotype complex has also been solved. Additionally, the engineering of binding sites for metals and haptens, and the design of new immunotoxins have been reported.     

Antibody engineering.

Current research into antibody engineering stresses the design of constructs that have both scientific and medical significance. Highlights of the past year include several successful humanizations of non-human antibodies, in which a human antibody is created that possesses the same binding specificity as the non-human one, and phage display of antibodies. This review is also published in Current Opinion in Structural Biology 1992, 2:593-596.     

Kinetics of antigen specific and non-specific polyclonal B-cell responses during lethal Plasmodium yoelii malaria.

In order to study the kinetics and composition of the polyclonal B-cell activation associated to malaria infection, antigen-specific and non-specific B-cell responses were evaluated in the spleens of mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17XL or injected with lysed erythrocytes or plasma from P. yoelii infected mice or with P. falciparum culture supernatants. Spleen/body weight ratio, numbers of nucleated spleen cells and Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells increased progressively during the course of infection, in parallel to the parasitaemia. A different pattern of kinetics was observed when anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell plaque forming cells response were studied: maximum values were observed at early stages of infection, whereas the number of total Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells were not yet altered. Conversely, at the end of infection, when these latter values reached their maximum, the anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell specific responses were normal or even infranormal. In mice injected with Plasmodium-derived material, a higher increase in antigen-specific PFC was observed, as compared to the increase of Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cell numbers. This suggested a "preferential" (antigen-plus mitogen-induced) stimulation of antigen-specific cells rather than a generalized non-specific (mitogen-induced) triggering of B-lymphocytes. On the basis of these and previous results, it is suggested that the polyclonal B-cell activation that takes place during the course of infection appears as a result of successive waves of antigen-specific B-cell activation.     

Antibody Responses during Hepatitis B Viral Infection

Hepatitis B is a DNA virus that infects liver cells and can cause both acute and chronic disease. It is believed that both viral and host factors are responsible for determining whether the infection is cleared or becomes chronic. Here we investigate the mechanism of protection by developing a mathematical model of the antibody response following hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We fitted the model to data from seven infected adults identified during acute infection and determined the ability of the virus to escape neutralization through overproduction of non-infectious subviral particles, which have HBs proteins on their surface, but do not contain nucleocapsid protein and viral nucleic acids. We showed that viral clearance can be achieved for high anti-HBV antibody levels, as in vaccinated individuals, when: (1) the rate of synthesis of hepatitis B subviral particles is slow; (2) the rate of synthesis of hepatitis B subviral particles is high but either anti-HBV antibody production is fast, the antibody affinity is high, or the levels of pre-existent HBV-specific antibody at the time of infection are high, as could be attained by vaccination. We further showed that viral clearance can be achieved for low equilibrium anti-HBV antibody levels, as in unvaccinated individuals, when a strong cellular immune response controls early infection.     

A case of histiocytosis X associated with panhypopituitarism and hyperimmunoglobulinemia G and E.

A 43 year old man with diabetes insipidus who showed panhypopituitarism and marked hypergammaglobulinemia due to histiocytosis X is reported. His low basal plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and growth hormone (GH) failed to respond to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. His basal serum thyroid hormone level was below normal and normal basal plasma thyrotropin (TSH) showed a delayed response with normal peak value to TSH-releasing hormone (TRH). Normal basal plasma pituitary gonadotropin also showed a delayed response with normal peak value to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH). Suppression of plasma prolactin (PRL) by levodopa (l-dopa) was impaired and elevation of basal plasma PRL was noted at the second admission. These results, combined with diabetes insipidus, suggested that the panhypopituitarism in these patients was hypothalamic in origin. The polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia was characterized by elevated serum IgG and IgE levels which returned to normal after corticosteroid treatment with concomitant clinical improvement. Elevated serum IgE levels, tissue and peripheral eosinophilia, and the effectiveness of corticosteroid therapy support the hypothesis that some allergic mechanism may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.     

Calpain I remains intact and intracellular during platelet activation. Immunochemical measurements with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies.

As a step towards understanding the physiological function of calpain (Ca2+-activated neutral proteinase, EC 3.4.22.17) in blood platelets, and in view of some suggestions that calpain is transferred to the platelet external surface during platelet activation, the enzyme was studied with immunochemical methods in resting and thrombin-activated cells. (1) A mouse IgG1 monoclonal antibody was prepared which binds strongly only to the denatured large subunit of human calpain I, and weakly to that of human calpain II. A polyclonal antibody raised against rat calpain II was available which, apart from binding strongly to rat calpain II, binds to the large subunits of human calpain I and II about equally. (2) With these antibodies, it was found that calpain could be detected in fixed platelets in suspension only after permeabilization with 0.1% saponin, and could not be detected on the exterior surface of resting or of activated platelets, or in the supernatant media of these platelets. It was concluded that calpain is not significantly externalized during platelet activation. (3) Immunoblotting showed that conversion of the larger calpain I subunit from 80 kDa into 76-78 kDa occurred only when thrombin-activated platelets were stirred to permit aggregation, and did not occur during unstirred thrombin activation. Although an action of calpain in the 80 kDa form on possible platelet substrates such as cytoskeletal proteins cannot be excluded, calpain is certainly not present as the 76-78 kDa form, which is assumed to be its active form, until aggregation is initiated.     

Antiidiotypic antibodies against anti-cGMP polyclonal antibodies.

Affinity-purified polyclonal anti-cGMP antibodies were obtained from rabbit serum after immunization by succinyl derivative of cGMP coupled to bovine serum albumin. These antibodies were used to raise antiidiotypic antibodies in rats. Putative antiidiotypic serum inhibited the binding of [3H]cGMP to affinity-purified anti-cGMP antibodies. The influence of immunoglobulins isolated from antiidiotypic serum on the ion conductance of rod outer segment plasma membrane fragments from frog retina was studied in patch-clamp experiments. These immunoglobulins increased the conductance of ion channels acting like a natural agonist (cGMP). Preimmune immunoglobulins did not act. The data obtained suggest that antiidiotypic antibodies interact with regulatory cGMP-binding sites of the plasma membrane channels.