Serum antibody level against GroEL type heat-shock protein of Campylobacter jejuni in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Recently there has been an increase in the number of cases reported of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) developed after Campylobacter jejuni infection. To investigate the role of a C.jejuni GroEL-type heat-shock protein (CjHsp60) in the infection and induction of GBS, we examined the antibody level against CjHsp60 in 27 human sera, including GBS and non-GBS patients, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sera from patients with C. jejuni infection, despite the development of GBS, had a higher titer of anti-CjHsp60 antibody than those of patients without the infection and healthy control subjects. The patients with C. jejuni infection followed by GBS had slightly higher levels of this antibody than did the patients with infection who did not develop GBS, but there was no statistical significance. In conclusion, CjHsp60 is found to be one of the major immunogenic antigens in actual C. jejuni infection, but no evidence that supports the direct relationship between this protein and C. jejuni-associated GBS was found in this study.     

Prophylaxis of local vascular graft infection with levofloxacin incorporated into albumin-sealed dacron graft (LVFX-ALB Graft).

An animal model was used to assess the efficacy of levofloxacin (LVFX) incorporated into albumin (ALB)-sealed Dacron (LVFX-ALB) graft for the prevention of vascular graft infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Under general anesthetic, an interposition graft was placed into dog carotid artery. On completion of the operation, 0.1 ml of normal saline containing 10(7) colony-forming units (CFU) of a slime-producing S. aureus was inoculated directly onto the graft. After 1 day, the samples were sterilely harvested. The antibacterial activity of LVFX into the LVFX-ALB graft was evaluated by colony counting in bacterial cultures and by the fluorescent antibody method staining bacteria adhesion to the grafts. LVFX-ALB grafts had a lower infection rate than the control grafts (1/4, 10(2) CFU vs 4/4, 1.50 x 10(5)+/-1.38 x 10(5)CFU (mean+/-SE)). In an immunostaining study, LVFX-ALB grafts had small fluorescent areas showing S. aureus adhesion, while fluorescence was observed over the entire surface of the control grafts. Therefore, LVFX-ALB presumably had a bactericidal action and adhesive prevention against inoculated S. aureus. LVFX-ALB may be useful in preventing graft infections during and immediately after vascular reconstruction.     

Relationship between antibody productivity by activated human lymph node lymphocytes from lung cancer patients and lymphocyte subsets

Regional lymph node lymphocytes from five patients with primary lung cancer were analyzed for subset composition, and exposed in vitro to the polyclonal human B cell mitogen Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SACI) or the murine B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then fused with mouse myeloma cells for investigation at the clonal level of their antibody (Ab) production and its statistical relation to the original subset composition. No correlation was found between the proportion of CD19+, CD23+, or CD3+ cells in the lymphocyte sample prior to its exposure to either SACI or LPS, and the Ab production efficiency, defined as the ratio of the number of Ab producing wells to the total number of proliferating wells. For lymphocytes exposed to LPS, however, a strong correlation (r = 0.931, p = 0.02) was observed between the Ab production efficiency and the ratio of CD8+ to CD3+ cells (CD8/CD3) in the original sample at least within the ranges studied (CD8/CD3 = 0.216–0.288). For those exposed to SACI, no correlation was found between the Ab production efficiency and the CD8/CD3 ratio (r = 0.881, p = 0.12) or the proportion of CD8+ cells (r = 0.808, p = 0.19) in the original sample. These results suggest that the repertoire of B cells responsive to LPS is different at least in part from the repertoire responsive to SACI and that the ratio CD8/CD3 could serve as a practical predictor for Ab production by human lymphocytes stimulated with LPS. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

ClC-2 Activation Modulates Regulatory Volume Decrease

ClC-2 belongs to a large family of chloride channels and its expression in certain cell types is associated with the appearance of swelling-activated chloride (Cl⁻) currents. In the present report, we examined the hypothesis that ClC-2 plays a role in regulatory volume decrease by expressing ClC-2 in Sf9 cells using the baculovirus system. First, we showed that ClC-2 protein expression is associated with appearance of a Cl⁻ conductance which is activated by hypo-osmotic shock and can be distinguished from swelling-activated chloride currents endogenous to Sf9 cells on the basis of its pharmacology and specific inhibition by an anti-ClC-2 antibody. Second, we show that the rate of regulatory volume decrease is significantly enhanced in Sf9 cells expressing ClC-2 protein. Hence, our data support the hypothesis that ClC-2 is capable of mediating regulatory volume decrease. Received: 12 August/Revised: 23 October 1998     

表达全人源抗人IgE单抗的细胞株构建及筛选

目的:构建及筛选高效表达原创性全人源抗人Ig E单克隆抗体的重组工程细胞株。方法:将采用核糖体展示技术筛选到的原创性全人源抗人Ig E单链抗体(sc Fv)基因改构设计为Ig G1κ型全长抗体,构建重组真核表达质粒并电转染CHO-S细胞,Dot-blot法选取多株高表达克隆进行40ml摇瓶批次培养,再据细胞生长特征及抗体表达量选取高表达克隆进行40ml摇瓶及3L摇瓶流加培养研究,选取候选细胞株并对改构前后抗体的生物学活性进行比较研究。结果:成功构建了p MH3-H、p MH3-L、p CApuro-H、p CApuro-L四种重组真核表达质粒并成功共转染CHO-S细胞。完成了4次电转染8轮细胞克隆筛选,获得两株表达量较高的候选克隆Mab1#和Mab2#,在3L摇瓶流加培养中抗体表达量分别达到470mg/L及499mg/L。生物膜光干涉技术(Bio-Layer Interferometry,BLI)亲和力结果显示Mab1#及Mab2#两株单抗亲和力均达到nmol/L级(10-9),与现有唯一上市的抗人Ig E单抗药物奥马珠单抗(Omalizumab)的亲和力相当。选取Mab1#全长抗体与其改构前的母本单链抗体的表面等离子共振技术(surface plasmon resonance,SPR)中和活性比较结果显示Mab1#抑制h Ig E与FcεRI结合的EC50为3nmol/L,EC90为9nmol/L,较改造前亲和力提高了4.3倍,中和活性(EC50)提高了23.7倍,中和活性(EC90)提高了41.3倍。结论:成功将表达原创性全人源抗人Ig E的单链抗体(约25k Da)改造为亲和力及中和活性均大幅提升的全长抗体(约150k Da),获得2个候选细胞株。     

The development of a high-affinity conformation-sensitive antibody mimetic using a biocompatible copolymer carrier (iBody)

Peptide display methods are a powerful tool for discovering new ligands of pharmacologically relevant targets. However, the selected ligands often suffer from low affinity. Using phage display, we identified a new bicyclic peptide binder of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a metalloprotease frequently overexpressed in prostate cancer. We show that linking multiple copies of a selected low-affinity peptide to a biocompatible water-soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer carrier (iBody) improved binding of the conjugate by several orders of magnitude. Furthermore, using ELISA, enzyme kinetics, confocal microscopy, and other approaches, we demonstrate that the resulting iBody can distinguish between different conformations of the target protein. The possibility to develop stable, fully synthetic, conformation-selective antibody mimetics has potential applications for molecular recognition, diagnosis and treatment of many pathologies. This strategy could significantly contribute to more effective drug discovery and design.     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies for rapid identification of Actinomyces naeslundii in clinical samples

The purpose of this study was to generate highly specific serological reagents for the quantitative identification of Actinomyces naeslundii in clinical samples, in particular dental plaque. Balb/c mice were immunized with pasteurized human A. naeslundii strains representing different genospecies and serotypes. Ten hybrid cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies reactive with A. naeslundii were isolated and characterized. Antibody specificity was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using strains from 59 species and by immunofluorescence analyses of supragingival plaque from 10 gingivitis patients. Nine monoclonal antibodies reacted selectively with A. naeslundii, whereas one additionally bound to Actinomyces israelii. They recognized at least nine different epitopes with characteristic expression patterns among the test strains. Six clusters of antigenically unique or closely related strains could be distinguished. Clusters 1, 4, and 5 represented by 12, 18, and 5 strains, respectively, comprised over 80% of the A. naeslundii strains tested. All reference strains for genospecies 1 grouped with cluster 1. Strains associated with genospecies 2 fell into clusters 4 and 5. Tests with mutant strains indicated that three monoclonal antibodies recognize type 2 and one type 1 fimbriae of genospecies 2. Only four isolates grouped with clusters 2 and 3 characterized by the expression of cluster-specific antigens. Interestingly, cluster 2 and 3 bacteria were markedly more abundant in vivo than indicated by their sparse representation in our strain collection. Overall, all but one of the new monoclonal antibodies should prove of value for the serological classification and rapid quantitative determination of A. naeslundii in clinical samples.     

Fine mapping of the antigen–antibody interaction of scFv215, a recombinant antibody inhibiting RNA polymerase II from Drosophila melanogaster

A bacterially expressed single chain antibody (scFv215) directed against the largest subunit of drosophila RNA polymerase II was analysed. Structure and function of the antigen binding site in scFv215 were probed by chain shuffling and by site‐specific mutagenesis. The entire variable region of either the heavy or light chain was replaced by an unrelated heavy or light chain. Both replacements resulted in a total loss of binding activity suggesting that the antigen binding site is contributed by both chains. The functional contributions of each complementarity determining region (CDR) were investigated by site specific mutagenesis of each CDR separately. Mutations in two of the CDRs, CDR1 of light chain and CDR2 of heavy chain, reduced the binding activity significantly. Each of the amino acids in these two CDRs was replaced individually by alanine (alanine walking). Seven amino acid substitutions in the two CDRs were found to reduce the binding activity by more than 50%. The data support a computer model of scFv215 which fits an epitope model based on a mutational analysis of the epitope suggesting an alpha‐helical structure for the main contact area. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interference of rheumatoid factor activity by aspartame,a dipeptide methyl ester

Circulating autoimmune complexes of IgM rheumatoid factors (RF) bound to the Fc portions of normal, polyclonal IgG antibodies are frequently present in humans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The sweet tasting methyl ester of L ‐Asp‐L ‐Phe (aspartame or APM) was found to relieve pain and improve joint mobility in subjects with osteo‐ and mixed osteo/rheumatoid arthritis [Edmundson, A. B. and Manion, C. V. ( 1998 ). Clin. Pharmac. Ther. 63 , 580–593]. These clinical observations prompted the testing of the inhibition by APM of the binding interactions of human IgM RFs with IgG Fc regions. The propensity of APM to inhibit IgM RF binding was assessed by competitive enzyme immunoassays with solid‐phase human IgG. Ten RA serum samples and three purified monoclonal cryoglobulins, all of which had RF activity, were tested in this system. We found that the presence of APM significantly reduced the binding of IgM RFs. The inhibitory propensity of APM with monoclonal RF cryoglobulins was increased by the addition of CaCl₂ to the binding buffer. Similar inhibition of the binding of RA derived RFs to IgG was observed for Asp–Phe and its amidated derivative, indicating that the methyl ester is not required for APM's interaction with IgM antibodies. A human (Mez) IgM known to bind octameric peptides derived from the Fc portion of a human IgG₁ antibody was tested for binding of dipeptides by the Pepscan method of combinatorial chemistry. The relative binding constants of Asp–Phe and Phe–Asp were ranked among the highest values for 400 possible combinations of the 20 most common amino acids. Possible blocking interactions of APM were explored by computer‐assisted docking studies with the model of a complex of an RF Fab with the Fc of a human IgG₄ antibody. Modeling of ternary immune complexes revealed a few key residues, which could act as molecular recognition sites for APM. A structural hypothesis is presented to explain the observed interference with RF reactivity by APM. Extrapolations of the current results suggest that APM may inhibit the binding of IgG in a substantial proportion of IgM RFs. Interference of RF reactivity, especially in RA patients, may alleviate the pain and immobility resulting from chronic inflammation of the joints. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.