Optimizing expression and purification from cell culture medium of trispecific recombinant antibody derivatives

Antibody fragments offer the possibility to build multifunctional manifolds tailored to meet a large variety of needs. We optimized the production of a manifold consisting of one (bibody) or two (tribody) single-chain variable fragments coupled to the C-terminus of Fab chains. Different strong mammalian promoters were compared and the influence of expression media on production and recovery was investigated. Since the physical and chemical nature of these molecules largely depends on the nature of the antibody building blocks incorporated, a generally applicable process for the purification of recombinant antibody derivatives from serum containing mammalian cell culture medium was designed. To this end we compared protein L, hydroxyapatite, immobilized metal affinity chromatography, cation-exchange chromatography and hydrophobic charge induction chromatography.     

Ischemic-reperfused isolated working mouse hearts: membrane damage and type IIA phospholipase A2

For the murine heart the relationships between ischemia-reperfusion-induced loss of cardiac function, enzyme release, high-energy phosphate (HEP), and membrane phospholipid metabolism are ill-defined. Accordingly, isolated ejecting murine hearts were subjected to varying periods of ischemia, whether or not followed by reperfusion. On reperfusion, hemodynamic function was almost completely restored after 10 min of ischemia [83 +/- 14% recovery of cardiac output (CO)], but was severely depressed after 15 and 20 min of ischemia (40 +/- 24 and 31 +/- 24% recovery of CO, respectively). Reperfusion was associated with partial recovery of HEP stores and enhanced degradation of phospholipids as indicated by the accumulation of fatty acids (FA). Myocardial FA content and enzyme release during reperfusion were correlated (r = 0.70), suggesting that membrane phospholipid degradation and cellular damage are closely related phenomena. To investigate the role of type IIA secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in this process, hearts from wild-type and sPLA2-deficient mice were subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. Postischemic functional recovery, ATP depletion, enzyme release, and FA accumulation were not significantly different between wild-type and sPLA2- deficient hearts. These findings argue against a prominent role of type IIA sPLA2 in the development of irreversible cell damage in the ischemic-reperfused murine myocardium.     

The unusual cartilaginous tissues of jawless craniates, cephalochordates and invertebrates

A collagenous extracellular matrix was previously considered to be a requirement for classification of true cartilage. Data from the lamprey and hagfish now clearly indicate that both of these jawless craniates have extensive non-collagenous, yet cartilaginous endoskeletons. Non-collagenous cartilages are present in the cephalochordates (amphioxus) and in the invertebrates, although collagen-containing cartilages also are found in the invertebrates. This review summarizes current knowledge of the morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics of the unusual non-collagenous cartilages in jawless craniates and the cartilaginous tissues in amphioxus and invertebrates. A least two types of non-collagenous cartilage matrix proteins are found in both the hagfishes and the lampreys, all of which are resistant to digestion by cyanogen bromide (CNBr). Although all four of these matrices show some similarities with each other, suggesting a family of non-collagenous, elastin-like proteins, it is clear that the major matrix proteins of each are different. New morphological and biochemical information on the cartilaginous tissues in squid, horseshoe crab and amphioxus reveals the presence of CNBr-insoluble, non-collagenous matrix proteins, potentially extending the jawless craniate family of cartilaginous proteins into the invertebrates. Details of the evolutionary relationships between these non-collagenous matrix proteins and the significance of the occurrence of these proteins as the major components of the cartilaginous tissues of jawless craniates, amphioxus, horseshoe crab and squid, all of which are capable of producing a variety of collagens in other tissues, remain to be investigated.     

Lysis of autologous tumor cells by blood lymphocytes tested at the time of surgery

Summary Lymphocyte-mediated lysis of autologous tumor cells (autologous lymphocyte cytotoxocity ALC) was tested at the time of surgery in 108 patients (46 squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 25 adenocarcinomas of the lung, 19 soft tissue sarcomas and 18 osteosarcomas). The clinical course of these patients in relation to the test results has been published previously. The group was evaluated again after an extended observation time, now with a mean of 80.2 months (range 36–108). The test was rarely positive in patients with metastasis (2 out of 28 experiments).There was a correlation between the ALC results and the postsurgical clinical course for patients without detectable metastasis in that (1) a negative test was invariably a bad prognostic sign, i.e., all 32 patients with negative ALC died within 3 years (mean survival time 16.1 months). (2) The remission and survival times were longer for the ALC positive patients (p<0.001). (3) All 37 individuals who are alive at present without recurrence belong to the reactive group.The ALC results correlated with the clinical course in 88% of patients. The correlation was highest for the groups of soft tissue sarcoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. There was no correlation between killing of K562 cells and ALC, or between lymphoproliferative response to PHA and ALC reactivity.     

Population Biology of Intestinal Enterococcus Isolates from Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Individuals in Different Age Groups

The diversity of enterococcal populations from fecal samples from hospitalized (n = 133) and nonhospitalized individuals (n = 173) of different age groups (group I, ages 0 to 19 years; group II, ages 20 to 59 years; group III, ages ≥60 years) was analyzed. Enterococci were recovered at similar rates from hospitalized and nonhospitalized persons (77.44% to 79.77%) of all age groups (75.0% to 82.61%). Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium were predominant, although seven other Enterococcus species were identified. E. faecalis and E. faecium (including ampicillin-resistant E. faecium) colonization rates in nonhospitalized persons were age independent. For inpatients, E. faecalis colonization rates were age independent, but E. faecium colonization rates (particularly the rates of ampicillin-resistant E. faecium colonization) significantly increased with age. The population structure of E. faecium and E. faecalis was determined by superimposing goeBURST and Bayesian analysis of the population structure (BAPS). Most E. faecium sequence types (STs; 150 isolates belonging to 75 STs) were linked to BAPS groups 1 (22.0%), 2 (31.3%), and 3 (36.7%). A positive association between hospital isolates and BAPS subgroups 2.1a and 3.3a (which included major ampicillin-resistant E. faecium human lineages) and between community-based ampicillin-resistant E. faecium isolates and BAPS subgroups 1.2 and 3.3b was found. Most E. faecalis isolates (130 isolates belonging to 58 STs) were grouped into 3 BAPS groups, BAPS groups 1 (36.9%), 2 (40.0%), and 3 (23.1%), with each one comprising widespread lineages. No positive associations with age or hospitalization were established. The diversity and dynamics of enterococcal populations in the fecal microbiota of healthy humans are largely unexplored, with the available knowledge being fragmented and contradictory. The study offers a novel and comprehensive analysis of enterococcal population landscapes and suggests that E. faecium populations from hospitalized patients and from community-based individuals differ, with a predominance of certain clonal lineages, often in association with elderly individuals, occurring in the hospital setting.     

Horizontal Transmission of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" by Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) on Convolvulus and Ipomoea (Solanales: Convolvulaceae)

“Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” (Proteobacteria) is an important pathogen of solanaceous crops (Solanales: Solanaceae) in North America and New Zealand, and is the putative causal agent of zebra chip disease of potato. This phloem-limited pathogen is transmitted to potato and other solanaceous plants by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae). While some plants in the Convolvulaceae (Solanales) are also known hosts for B. cockerelli, previous efforts to detect Liberibacter in Convolvulaceae have been unsuccessful. Moreover, studies to determine whether Liberibacter can be acquired from these plants by B. cockerelli are lacking. The goal of this study was to determine whether horizontal transmission of Liberibacter occurs among potato psyllids on two species of Convolvulaceae, sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), which grows abundantly in potato growing regions of the United States. Results indicated that uninfected psyllids acquired Liberibacter from both I. batatas and C. arvensis if infected psyllids were present on plants concurrently with the uninfected psyllids. Uninfected psyllids did not acquire Liberibacter from plants if the infected psyllids were removed from the plants before the uninfected psyllids were allowed access. In contrast with previous reports, PCR did detect the presence of Liberibacter DNA in some plants. However, visible amplicons were faint and did not correspond with acquisition of the pathogen by uninfected psyllids. None of the plants exhibited disease symptoms. Results indicate that horizontal transmission of Liberibacter among potato psyllids can occur on Convolvulaceae, and that the association between Liberibacter and Convolvulaceae merits additional attention.     

Original article anti-oxidant pathways are stimulated by mesenchymal stromal cells in renal repair after ischemic injury

Background aimsIschemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a common cause of acute renal failure. Bone marrow (BM)-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) delivered after renal IR are renoprotective, but knowledge of the protective mechanism is still in development. This investigation analyzed the protective molecular mechanisms of MSC, in particular relating to modulated oxidative stress.MethodsIn vivo and in vitro models of renal IR were analyzed with and without MSC. In vivo, adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to 40-min unilateral renal IR. Rat BM-derived MSC were administered at 24 h post-IR (IR + MSC). Other groups had IR but no MSC, or MSC but no ischemia (all groups n = 4). Apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress and reparative signal transduction molecules or growth factors were studied 4 days post-IR. In vitro, protection by MSC against oxidative stress (0.4 mm hydrogen peroxide) was investigated using rat renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK52E) with or without MSC in co-culture (tissue culture trans-well inserts), followed by similar analyses to the in vivo investigation.ResultsIn vivo, kidneys of IR + MSC animals had significantly increased cell proliferation/regeneration (cells positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, expression of epidermal growth factor), increased heme-oxygenase-1 (improved cell survival, anti-oxidant) and decreased 8-OHdG (decreased oxidative stress). In vitro, MSC delivered with oxidative stress significantly decreased apoptosis and Bax (pro-apoptotic protein), and increased mitosis and phospho-ERK1/2, thereby minimizing the damaging outcome and maximizing the regenerative effect after oxidative stress.ConclusionsThe benefits of MSC, in IR, were primarily pro-regenerative, sometimes anti-apoptotic, and novel anti-oxidant mechanisms were identified.     

Processing of nucleopeptides mimicking the topoisomerase I-DNA covalent complex by tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase

Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase-1 (Tdp1) is the only known enzyme to remove tyrosine from complexes in which the amino acid is linked to the 3′-end of DNA fragments. Such complexes can be produced following DNA processing by topoisomerase I, and recent studies in yeast have demonstrated the importance of TDP1 for cell survival following topoisomerase I-mediated DNA damage. In the present study, we used synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide–peptide conjugates (nucleopeptides) and recombinant yeast Tdp1 to investigate the molecular determinants for Tdp1 activity. We find that Tdp1 can process nucleopeptides with up to 13 amino acid residues but is poorly active with a 70 kDa fragment of topoisomerase I covalently linked to a suicide DNA substrate. Furthermore, Tdp1 was more effective with nucleopeptides with one to four amino acids than 15 amino acids. Tdp1 was also more effective with nucleopeptides containing 15 nt than with homolog nucleopeptides containing 4 nt. These results suggest that DNA binding contributes to the activity of Tdp1 and that Tdp1 would be most effective after topoisomerase I has been proteolyzed in vivo.