Permeability of alginate microcapsules to secretory recombinant gene products

Non-autologous somatic gene therapy is an alternate approach to delivering recombinant gene products through implantation of a "universal" donor cell line engineered to produce a therapeutic gene product. The cells are immunologically isolated by enclosure in immunoprotective microcapsules fabricated from alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate. The molecular weight cutoff of these microcapsules was thought to be <100 kd, thus, excluding the immunoglobulins. However, when such microcapsules are fabricated to enclose cells, they show a higher permeability threshold than expected. The secretion rates of recombinant gene products ranging from 21 through 150 to 300 kd (human growth hormone, rat serum albumin, human arylsulfatase A, human immunoglobulin, mouse beta-hexosaminidase, mouse beta-glucuronidase) were similar between the nonencapsulated and encapsulated recombinant cells with the exception of the largest molecular species, the 300-kd beta-glucuronidase. Its secretion was reduced about eightfold after encapsulation. Increasing the thickness of the membrane by prolonging the coating time with poly-L-lysine did not provide a lower molecular weight cutoff. An additional coating with alginate, however, reduced the leakage of the larger molecular species, but the effect was short lived: After 2 weeks in culture, the double- and single-coated microcapsules were equally permeable. Both the increased poly-L-lysine and alginate coating were detrimental to the long-term viability and proliferation of the encapsulated cells. Hence, immunoisolation of encapsulated cells with alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules cannot provide a molecular weight cutoff below 300 kd. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A new method for the three-dimensional in vitro growth of human cancer cells

A method has been developed which allows, for the first time, the in vitro growth of human tumor cells in calcium alginate gel microcapsules. The three-dimensional matrix is permeable to macromolecules of at least 200 000 molecular weight (MW) (e.g., carcinoembryonic antigen) and provides an environment for organized growth and differentiation more comparable to in vivo growth than monolayer culture. This inexpensive, nondestructive procedure allows studies of morphological, biochemical and immunochemical parameters of human tumor cells within a single model.     

Production of cell-enclosing hollow-core agarose microcapsules via jetting in water-immiscible liquid paraffin and formation of embryoid body-like spherical tissues from mouse ES cells enclosed within these microcapsules

We developed agarose microcapsules with a single hollow core templated by alginate microparticles using a jet-technique. We extruded an agarose aqueous solution containing suspended alginate microparticles into a coflowing stream of liquid paraffin and controlled the diameter of the agarose microparticles by changing the flow rate of the liquid paraffin. Subsequent degradation of the inner alginate microparticles using alginate lyase resulted in the hollow-core structure. We successfully obtained agarose microcapsules with 20-50 microm of agarose gel layer thickness and hollow cores ranging in diameter from ca. 50 to 450 microm. Using alginate microparticles of ca. 150 microm in diameter and enclosing feline kidney cells, we were able to create cell-enclosing agarose microcapsules with a hollow core of ca. 150 microm in diameter. The cells in these microcapsules grew much faster than those in alginate microparticles. In addition, we enclosed mouse embryonic stem cells in agarose microcapsules. The embryonic stem cells began to self-aggregate in the core just after encapsulation, and subsequently grew and formed embryoid body-like spherical tissues in the hollow core of the microcapsules. These results show that our novel microcapsule production technique and the resultant microcapsules have potential for tissue engineering, cell therapy and biopharmaceutical applications.     

Alginate concentration: a key factor in growth of temperature-sensitive baculovirus-infected insect cells in microcapsules

The desire to increase cell density and product concentration has been the primary driving force for the development of better animal cell culture processes. In the technique used in our laboratory-microencapsulation-insect cells (Spodoptera frugiperda), infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), were cultured in multiple membrane alginate-polylysine (PLL) microcapsules which had a controlled membrane molecular-weight cutoff and an intracapsular alginate concentration which was ca. 16% lower than that obtained in the commercially available single-membrane system. Cell culture experiments indicated that the intracapsular alginate concentration appears to be a key factor in achieving good cell growth. It was possible to obtain intracapsular cell densities of 8 x 10(7) cells/mL capsules and virus concentrations to 10(9) IFU/mL capsules. The virus litre in the supernatant was ca. 300 times lower, indicating that virtually all of the virus was retained within the capsules.     

Recombinant Human Albumin in Cell Culture: Evaluation of Growth-Promoting Potential for NRK and SCC-9 Cells In Vitro

Serum-derived albumin has for a long time been used in cell culture media, but the exact role of albumin and/or impurities bound to albumin has not been precisely defined. In this study, recombinant human albumin was evaluated for its growth-promoting activity on two cell lines, NRK and SCC-9. For NRK cells, the recombinant human albumin was found to exert an inhibitory effect. The fact that fatty acid free HSA was also inhibitory while HSA fraction V was stimulatory suggested a role for fatty acids or some other bound moieties in growth stimulation by HSA fraction V. Addition of oleic acid, cholesterol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine or a combination of these lipids, however, did not significantly improve the growth stimulating activity of either fatty acid free HSA or the recombinant human albumin. For SCC-9 cells, both recombinant human albumin and fatty acid free HSA showed slight stimulation (although they were not as active as HSA fraction V), suggesting that in some cell systems, the albumin molecule per se may promote cell growth and survival. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characterization of alginate lyase activity on liquid, gelled, and complexed states of alginate

A study of alginate lyase was carried out to determine if this enzyme could be used to remove alginate present in the core of alginate/poly-L-lysine (AG/PLL) microcapsules in order to maximize cell growth and colonization. A complete kinetic study was undertaken, which indicated an optimal activity of the enzyme at pH 7-8, 50 degrees C, in the presence of Ca2+. The buffer, not the ionic strength, influenced the alginate degradation rate. Alginate lyase was also shown to be active on gelled forms of alginate, as well as on the AG/PLL complex constituting the membrane of microcapsules. Batch cultures of CHO cells in the presence of alginate showed a decrease of the growth rate by a factor of 2, although the main metabolic flux rates were not modified. The addition of alginate lyase to cell culture medium increased the doubling time 5-7-fold and decreased the protein production rate, although cell viability was not affected. The addition of enzyme to medium containing alginate did not improve growth conditions. This suggests that alginate lyase is probably not suitable for hydrolysis of microcapsules in the presence of cells, in order to achieve high cell density and high productivity. However, the high activity may be useful for releasing cells from alginate beads or AG/PLL microcapsules.     

Extraction and preliminary characterization of maturation-promoting factor from starfish oocytes

Cytoplasm of maturing starfish oocytes possesses a factor which induces maturation upon injection into immature oocytes. Such maturation-promoting factor (MPF) was extracted from maturing oocytes of Asterina pectinifera and characterized preliminarily. After 1-methyladenine (1-MeAde) treatment, maturing oocytes were packed in a centrifuge tube to remove jelly and excess medium, and then crushed by centrifugation. The turbid supernatant was homogenized with a buffer containing NaF, Na-beta-glycerophosphate, ATP, EGTA and leupeptin, followed by centrifugation. MPF extracted in the supernatant was purified partially by ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydrophobic chromatography on pentyl-agarose and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. The final material induced maturation in the recipient starfish oocytes when 0.5 ng of protein was injected in a volume of 400 pl. The maturation response included germinal vesicle breakdown, and formation of polar bodies and egg pronucleus. Such MPF preparation induced maturation in oocytes of Xenopus laevis as well. Further, starfish MPF was found to be a heat-labile protein; its molecular weight (MW) was estimated as 300 X 10(3) D by gel filtration and its sedimentation coefficient value as 5S by centrifugation on sucrose density gradients.     

Identification and purification of a new staphylococcal enterotoxin, H.

A staphylococcal enterotoxin which elicited an emetic response in monkeys but did not share antigenic determinants with any of the identified enterotoxins was identified and purified from Staphylococcus aureus FRI-569. The emetic activity of this new enterotoxin was neutralized only by antibodies specific to it and not by antibodies to enterotoxins A, B, C, D, and E or toxic shock syndrome toxin 1. Immunodiffusion assays did not detect cross-reactivity between this new and all the other identified enterotoxins. The purification procedure involved removal of the enterotoxin from culture supernatant fluids by batch adsorption with CG-50 resin, CM-Sepharose FL ion-exchange chromatography, and Sephacryl 100 HR and Bio-Gel P-30 gel filtration. The molecular weight of this enterotoxin, 27,300, determined by gel filtration on Sephacryl 100 HR agreed with the molecular weight, 28,500, determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The apparent migration of this enterotoxin determined by SDS-PAGE did not shift in the presence of a disulfide reducing agent, indicating that it is composed of a single-chain protein. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enterotoxin was determined to be Glu-Asp-Leu-His-Asp-Lys-Ser-Glu-Leu-Thr-Asp-Leu-Ala-Leu-Ala-Asn-Ala-Tyr- Gly- Gln-Tyr-Asn-His-Pro-Phe-Ile-Lys-Glu-Asn-Ile, which did not match the N-terminal sequences of any known proteins. The isoelectric point of the enterotoxin determined by isoelectric focusing was about 5.7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

产双功能褐藻胶裂解酶菌株的筛选与初步研究

目的：双功能褐藻胶裂解酶既能降解聚β-D-甘露糖醛酸,又能降解聚α-L-古罗糖醛酸,可以用一种酶来制备不同结构的褐藻胶寡糖。本文的目的是筛选能产生双功能褐藻胶裂解酶的菌株,对其产酶曲线和降解产物作初步研究。方法：利用唯一碳源培养基筛选产生褐藻胶裂解酶的菌株,通过16SrDNA序列比对进行菌种鉴定,通过在凝胶上检测褐藻胶裂解酶活性来判断发酵上清液中褐藻胶裂解酶的数量及分子量,利用薄层层析确定降解褐藻胶的终产物组成。结果：从褐藻上筛选到一株海洋细菌QY107,鉴定为弧菌属细菌。发酵120h时褐藻胶裂解酶产量为12．32U／mL,其发酵液上清中只含有一种褐藻胶裂解酶,分子量在28kDa左右,并且对聚β—D-甘露糖醛酸和聚α-L-古罗糖醛酸都能降解,降解褐藻胶的终产物主要为三糖。结论：本文筛选到一株弧菌QY107,其发酵液上清中只有一种双功能褐藻胶裂解酶,可用于大量制备褐藻胶三糖。推测该酶具有特殊的催化腔结构,对其结构与功能相互关系的研究可能会发现新的底物结合与催化机制。酶解制备褐藻胶寡糖因其环保高效而越来越受到人们的重视,因此该菌株能促进海洋寡糖类生物制品的开发,在医药、食品、农业、生物燃料等领域具有广阔的应用前景。     

笋瓜籽毒蛋白Maximin──一种新的蛋白质生物合成抑制剂的分离纯化及性质

笋瓜（Ｃｕｃｕｒｂｉｔａｍａｘｉｍａ）种籽经去壳捣碎,乙醚脱脂,硫酸铵分级沉淀,阳离子交换层析及凝胶过滤等步骤,纯化到一种有蛋白质生物合成抑制活性的碱性蛋白,命名为Ｍａｘｉｍｉｎ,ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ显示单一条带,其分子量约为２８ｋＤ。该蛋白对兔网织红细胞裂解液的蛋白生物合成有较强的抑制,ＩＣ_（５０）为４．０×１０~（－１０）ｍｏｌ／Ｌ,与天花粉蛋白（ＴＣＳ）毒性相似。从这些特性可见,该蛋白似为单链核糖体失活蛋白（ＲＩＰ）家族中的新成员,可望作为免疫毒素的一种新“弹头”。     

Production and evaluation of dry alginate-chitosan microcapsules as an enteric delivery vehicle for probiotic bacteria

This study investigates the production of alginate microcapsules, which have been coated with the polysaccharide chitosan, and evaluates some of their properties with the intention of improving the gastrointestinal viability of a probiotic ( Bifidobacterium breve ) by encapsulation in this system. The microcapsules were dried by a variety of methods, and the most suitable was chosen. The work described in this Article is the first report detailing the effects of drying on the properties of these microcapsules and the viability of the bacteria within relative to wet microcapsules. The pH range over which chitosan and alginate form polyelectrolyte complexes was explored by spectrophotometry, and this extended into swelling studies on the microcapsules over a range of pHs associated with the gastrointestinal tract. It was shown that chitosan stabilizes the alginate microcapsules at pHs above 3, extending the stability of the capsules under these conditions. The effect of chitosan exposure time on the coating thickness was investigated for the first time by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and its penetration into the alginate matrix was shown to be particularly slow. Coating with chitosan was found to increase the survival of B. breve in simulated gastric fluid as well as prolong its release upon exposure to intestinal pH.     

Euglena gracilis chloroplast elongation factor Tu. Purification and initial characterization

The chloroplast protein synthesis elongation factor Tu (EF-Tuchl) has been purified to near homogeneity from Euglena gracilis. Chromatography of the postribosomal supernatant of light-induced Euglena on DEAE-Sephadex reveals two forms of EF-Tuchl. Further purification has shown that one species consists of a complex between EF-Tuchl and a factor that stimulates its activity. The other species consists of free EF-TUchl. The factor has been purified from both chromatographic forms by taking advantage of the molecular weight shift that occurs upon disruption of the complex between EF-Tuchl and the stimulatory factor. EF-Tuchl consists of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of about 50,000. EF-Tuchl is as active on Escherichia coli ribosomes as it is on its homologous ribosomes but displays no detectable activity on eukaryotic cytoplasmic ribosomes. It is stimulated in polymerization by E. coli EF-Ts and will form a complex with the prokaryotic factor that can be isolated by gel filtration chromatography. Like E. coli EF-Tu, it is sensitive to modification by N-ethylmaleimide and is inhibited by the antibiotic kirromycin. Thus, the chloroplast factor has many features that reflect the close relationship between prokaryotic and chloroplast translational systems.     

Activation of the rat liver cytosol glucocorticoid receptor by sephacryl S-300 filtration in the presence and absence of molybdate. Physical properties of the receptor and evidence for an activation inhibitor

The DNA-binding and physical properties of the rat liver cytosol glucocorticoid receptor were determined before and after Sephacryl S-300 filtration in the presence or absence of molybdate. Cytosol was prepared and labeled with [3H]triamcinolone acetonide in buffer containing molybdate. Prior to gel filtration, only 5 +/- 3% (mean +/- S.E.) of labeled receptors bound to DNA-cellulose. After gel filtration in the presence and absence of molybdate, the per cent of labeled receptors binding to DNA-cellulose was 57 +/- 10% and 83 +/- 1%, respectively. Nonreceptor fractions from the Sephacryl S-300 column contained a heat-stable factor which blocked receptor activation but did not block the binding of activated receptors to DNA-cellulose. The activation inhibitor eluted from the column in the region of the albumin standard, but after heating its size was considerably reduced (Mr less than 3500). Receptors activated by Sephacryl S-300 filtration underwent the same size changes in the presence or absence of molybdate. Prior to gel filtration, the S20,w of labeled receptors in the presence of molybdate was 9.2 +/- 0.2 S. After filtration in the presence and absence of molybdate, the S20,w of labeled receptors was 4.2 +/- 0.2 and 4.4 +/- 0.1 S, respectively. The Stokes radius (Rs) of labeled receptors after gel filtration in either the presence or absence of molybdate was 65 +/- 1 A. From the Rs and S20,w values, the molecular weight (Mr) of activated receptors was calculated to be 115,000 to 121,000, which was in close agreement with the Mr of affinity-labeled receptors determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

层析等电聚焦法提纯葡萄球菌肠毒素D

 我们成功地建立了层析等电聚焦的三步程序,分离提纯葡萄球菌D型肠毒素。首先用CG-50树脂吸附由细菌培养液中获得粗毒素,然后在PBE94柱上进行层析等电聚焦,最后经过Sephacryls-200过滤。纯化的SED纯度约98%,回收率89%,分子量为28500,pI 7.6。Western blot,免疫双向琼脂扩散的鉴定试验表明,纯化SED与其相应抗血清是特异性反应。     

Occurrence and synthesis of a non-thionein, zinc-binding protein in the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

A non-thionein, Zn-binding protein (ZBP) was induced in Donaldson strain rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) by 7 mg/kg, i.p. injections of divalent Zn ion. The Sephacryl S-200 used for supernatant fractionation had to be saturated with Zn to recover quantitatively the Zn-ZBP complex. The ZBP was present in liver and kidney, but was absent from gill and spleen. The apparent molecular weights of the liver and kidney ZBP as estimated by gel filtration were 17,300 +/- 1300 (SD; N = 11) and 18,100 (N = 1), respectively. Starvation induced hepatic ZBP synthesis whereas cycloheximide inhibited hepatic ZBP synthesis. The quantity of hepatic ZBP synthesized varied with the temperature of the water in which the trout resided. The maximum quantity of ZBP in the liver following a single 7 mg/kg Zn injection (17 micrograms Zn/g liver wet weight) occurred at 24 hr.     

海藻酸钙微囊对乳酸乳球菌在胃肠道环境中的保护作用

乳酸菌是机体内一类重要的益生菌,因其益生功能和安全性,在食品行业和医疗保健领域有着广泛的应用,此外将乳酸菌作为口服疫苗载体或药物传递载体也是目前的研究热点之一。乳酸菌到达肠道的活菌数是影响其功能有效性的一个重要因素,需考虑为其提供一定的防护来抵御胃酸等恶劣环境。通过化学法制备能稳定表达Gfp的乳酸乳球菌海藻酸钙微囊,以Gfp作为活菌标记,检测了海藻酸钙微囊对乳酸乳球菌的保护作用。体外实验结果显示,酸处理30、60、90、120 min后,海藻酸钙微囊包裹使乳酸乳球菌的存活率分别提高了1 370、525、235和105倍。动物体内实验也表明,在灌胃2 h后,海藻酸钙微囊包裹使乳酸乳球菌在肠道内的活菌数增加90多倍。上述结果说明海藻酸钙微囊对乳酸乳球菌在胃肠道环境中具有明显的保护作用,为今后乳酸乳球菌口服制剂的研究及开发提供重要的参考依据。     

Purification and partial characterization of neuraminidase from type III group B streptococci

Extracellular neuraminidase from a type III fresh clinical isolate of a group B streptococcus was purified by a combination of salt fractionation, affinity chromatography of Affi-Gel blue, ion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethylcellulose, and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. These procedures yielded enzyme which was purified approximately 1,000-fold compared with the enzyme found in the original supernatant fluid. This type III streptococcal neuraminidase had a molecular weight of approximately 125,000 as estimated by filtration on Sephacryl S-200 and approximately 106,000 when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In contrast to the majority of other bacterial neuraminidases, the type III group B streptococcal enzyme had no effect on colominic acid or N-acetylneuramin-lactose; however, it was quite active on bovine submaxillary mucin.     

Two-step purification and partial characterization of a variant of the Vibrio cholerae non-O1 hemolysin

A two-step purification method using ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration was developed for the purification of a variant of the El Tor hemolysin/cytolysin from supernatant fluids of a Vibrio cholerae non-O1 human isolate (strain 2194c). The toxin displayed delayed elution from a Sephacryl gel filtration column, eluting at between two and three column volumes. The molecular mass and isoelectric point of the purified 2194c toxin were 60 kDa and 5. 3, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was ASPAPANSETNTLPHVAFYI. Purified toxin was cytolytic for Chinese hamster ovary cells and erythrocytes from several animal species.