Lupus IgG VH4.34 antibodies bind to a 220-kDa glycoform of CD45/B220 on the surface of human B lymphocytes

Anti-lymphocyte autoantibodies are a well-recognized component of the autoimmune repertoire in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and have been postulated to have pathogenic consequences. Early studies indicated that IgM anti-lymphocyte autoantibodies mainly recognized T cells and identified CD45, a protein tyrosine phosphatase of central significance in the modulation of lymphocyte function, as the main antigenic target on T cells. However, more recent work indicates that lupus autoantibodies can also recognize B cells and that CD45 may also represent their antigenic target. In particular, IgM Abs encoded by V(H)4.34 appear to have special tropism for B cells, and strong, but indirect evidence suggests that they may recognize a B cell-specific CD45 isoform. Because V(H)4.34 Abs are greatly expanded in SLE, in the present study we investigated the antigenic reactivity of lupus sera V(H)4.34 IgG Abs and addressed their contribution to the anti-lymphocyte autoantibody repertoire in this disease. Our biochemical studies conclusively demonstrate that lupus IgG V(H)4.34 Abs target a developmentally regulated B220-specific glycoform of CD45, and more specifically, an N-linked N-acetyllactosamine determinant preferentially expressed on naive B cells that is sterically masked by sialic acid on B220-positive memory B cells. Strikingly, our data also indicate that this reactivity in SLE sera is restricted to V(H)4.34 Abs and can be eliminated by depleting these Abs. Overall, our data indicate that V(H)4.34 Abs represent a major component of the lupus IgG autoantibody repertoire and suggest that the carbohydrate moiety they recognize may act as a selecting Ag in SLE.     

The protein folding network

The conformation space of a 20 residue antiparallel beta-sheet peptide, sampled by molecular dynamics simulations, is mapped to a network. Snapshots saved along the trajectory are grouped according to secondary structure into nodes of the network and the transitions between them are links. The conformation space network describes the significant free energy minima and their dynamic connectivity without requiring arbitrarily chosen reaction coordinates. As previously found for the Internet and the World-Wide Web as well as for social and biological networks, the conformation space network is scale-free and contains highly connected hubs like the native state which is the most populated free energy basin. Furthermore, the native basin exhibits a hierarchical organization, which is not found for a random heteropolymer lacking a predominant free-energy minimum. The network topology is used to identify conformations in the folding transition state (TS) ensemble, and provides a basis for understanding the heterogeneity of the TS and denatured state ensemble as well as the existence of multiple pathways.     

Human 60-kDa heat shock protein is a target autoantigen of T cells derived from atherosclerotic plaques

Epidemiological studies suggest the potential importance of an inflammatory component in atherosclerosis and support the hypothesis that immune responses to Ags of pathogens cross-react with homologous host proteins due to molecular mimicry. Protein candidates involved may be the stress-induced proteins known as heat shock proteins (HSP). In this study, we report that atherosclerotic plaques harbor in vivo-activated CD4(+) T cells that recognize the human 60-kDa HSP. Such in vivo-activated 60-kDa HSP-specific T cells are not detectable in the peripheral blood. In patients with positive serology and PCR for Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA, but not in patients negative for both, most of plaque-derived T cells specific for human 60-kDa HSP also recognized the C. pneumoniae 60-kDa HSP. We characterized the submolecular specificity of such 60-kDa HSP-specific plaque-derived T cells and identified both the self- and cross-reactive epitopes of that autoantigen. On challenge with human 60-kDa HSP, most of the plaque-derived T cells expressed Th type 1 functions, including cytotoxicity and help for monocyte tissue factor production. We suggest that arterial endothelial cells, undergoing classical atherosclerosis risk factors and conditioned by Th type 1 cytokines, express self 60-kDa HSP, which becomes target for both autoreactive T cells and cross-reactive T cells to microbial 60-kDa HSP via a mechanism of molecular mimicry. This hypothesis is in agreement with the notion that immunization with HSP exacerbates atherosclerosis, whereas immunosuppression and T cell depletion prevent the formation of arteriosclerotic lesions in experimental animals.     

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modelling studies on benzothiadiazine derivatives as PDE4 selective inhibitors

A series of 2,1,3- and 1,2,4-benzothiadiazine derivatives (BTDs) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity versus enzymatic isoforms PDE3, PDE4 and PDE7. The compounds characterized by the 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl moiety at N1 position of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazine core (8, 13, 18), were found active and selective at micromolar level versus PDE4 and could be studied as new leads for the treatment of asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). The antioxidant activity evaluation on the same compounds highlighted 13 as the most significative. Molecular modelling studies gave further support to biological results and suggested targeted modifications so as to improve their potency.     

Organism complexity anti-correlates with proteomic beta-aggregation propensity

We introduce a novel approach to estimate differences in the beta-aggregation potential of eukaryotic proteomes. The approach is based on a statistical analysis of the beta-aggregation propensity of polypeptide segments, which is calculated by an equation derived from first principles using the physicochemical properties of the natural amino acids. Our analysis reveals a significant decreasing trend of the overall beta-aggregation tendency with increasing organism complexity and longevity. A comparison with randomized proteomes shows that natural proteomes have a higher degree of polarization in both low and high beta-aggregation prone sequences. The former originates from the requirement of intrinsically disordered proteins, whereas the latter originates from the necessity of proteins with a stable folded structure.     

Change of the unbinding mechanism upon a mutation: a molecular dynamics study of an antibody-hapten complex

We study forced unbinding of fluorescein from the wild type (WT) and a mutant [H(H58)A] of the single-chain variable-fragment (scFv) anti-fluorescein antibody FITC-E2 by molecular dynamics simulations using various pulling techniques. A large number of long simulations were needed to obtain statistically meaningful results as both the wild type and the H(H58)A mutant unbinding occurs through multiple pathways, often with metastable intermediates. For the wild type, the rate-limiting step in the unbinding process corresponds to the breaking of the non-native interactions characteristic of a specific intermediate. The H(H58)A mutation disfavors the occurrence of this intermediate. Two events where the hapten partially unbinds in the absence of pulling force are observed in extensive equilibrium simulations of the wild type, and their analysis indicates that forced unbinding and spontaneous unbinding proceed along similar pathways. The different unbinding mechanisms observed in the simulations suggest a possible reason for the difference in the experimental off-rate between the two antibodies. We predict mutations that are expected to modulate the occurrence of the unbinding intermediate. For two such new mutants [H(H58)A and S(H52)A], our predictions are validated in silico by additional simulations. The accompanying paper in this issue by Honegger et al. reports the X-ray structure of FITC-E2 with a derivative of fluorescein, which was used as the starting conformation for the work presented here.     

A turanose-insensitive mutant suggests a role for WOX5 in auxin homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Sugars acting as signalling molecules regulate many developmental processes in plants, including lateral and adventitious root production. Turanose, a non-metabolizable sucrose analogue, profoundly affects the growth pattern of Arabidopsis seedlings. Turanose-treated seedlings are characterized by a very short primary root and a short hypocotyl showing the production of adventitious roots. A turanose-insensitive (tin) mutant was identified and characterized. Because of a T-DNA insertion and a chromosomal translocation, tin expresses a chimeric form of WOX5, a gene known to be expressed in the root quiescent centre. The tin mutation can be complemented by overexpression of WOX5, suggesting it is a loss-of-function mutant. We found that WOX5 is both turanose- and auxin-inducible. Moreover, turanose insensitivity is associated with altered auxin homeostasis, as demonstrated by the constitutive activation of indole acetic acid (IAA) conjugation and SUPERROOT2 expression in tin. On the basis of turanose effects on wild-type seedlings and the tin molecular and hormonal phenotype, we propose a role for WOX5 in the root apical meristem as a negative trigger of IAA homeostatic mechanisms allowing the maintenance of a restricted area of auxin maximum, which is required for a correct root-formation pattern.