Monitoring Neutralization Property Change of Evolving Hantaan and Seoul Viruses with a Novel Pseudovirus-Based Assay

The Hantaan virus(HTNV) and Seoul virus(SEOV) mutants have accumulated over time. It is important to determine whether their neutralizing epitopes have evolved, thereby making the current vaccine powerless. However, it is impossible to determine by using traditional plaque reduction neutralization test(PRNT), because it requires large numbers of live mutant strains. Pseudovirus-based neutralization assays(PBNA) were developed by employing vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV) backbone incorporated with HTNV or SEOV glycoproteins(VSVDG*-HTNVG or VSVDG*-SEOVG). 56 and 51 single amino acid substitutions of glycoprotein(GP) in HTNV and SEOV were selected and introduced into the reference plasmid. Then the mutant pseudoviruses were generated and tested by PBNA. The PBNA results were highly correlated with PRNT ones with R2 being 0.91 for VSVDG*-HTNVG and 0.82 for VSVDG*-SEOVG. 53 HTNV mutant pseudoviruses and 46 SEOV mutants were successfully generated. Importantly, by using PBNA, we found that HTNV or SEOV immunized antisera could neutralize all the corresponding 53 HTNV mutants or the 46 SEOV mutants respectively. The novel PBNA enables us to closely monitor the effectiveness of vaccines against large numbers of evolving HTNV and SEOV. And the current vaccine remains to be effective for the naturally occurring mutants.     

Functional and physical competition between phospholamban and its mutants provides insight into the molecular mechanism of gene therapy for heart failure

We have used functional co-reconstitution of purified sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) with phospholamban (PLB), its inhibitor in the heart, to test the hypothesis that loss-of-function (LOF) PLB mutants (PLB_M) can compete with wild-type PLB (PLB_W) to relieve SERCA inhibition. Co-reconstitution at varying PLB-to-SERCA ratios was conducted using synthetic PLB_W, gain-of-function mutant I40A, or LOF mutants S16E (phosphorylation mimic) or L31A. Inhibitory potency was defined as the fractional increase in K_Ca, measured from the Ca²⁺-dependence of ATPase activity. At saturating PLB, the inhibitory potency of I40A was about three times that of PLB_W, while the potency of each of the LOF PLB_M was about one third that of PLB_W. However, there was no significant variation in the apparent SERCA affinity for these four PLB variants. When SERCA was co-reconstituted with mixtures of PLB_W and LOF PLB_M, inhibitory potency was reduced relative to that of PLB_W alone. Furthermore, FRET between donor-labeled SERCA and acceptor-labeled PLB_W was decreased by both (unlabeled) LOF PLB_M. These results show that LOF PLB_M can compete both physically and functionally with PLB_W, provide a rational explanation for the partial success of S16E-based gene therapy in animal models of heart failure, and establish a powerful platform for designing and testing more effective PLB_M targeted for gene therapy of heart failure in humans.     

Development of human-like scFv-Fc antibodies neutralizing Botulinum toxin serotype B

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are responsible for human botulism, a life-threatening disease characterized by flaccid muscle paralysis that occurs naturally by food poisoning or colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by BoNT-producing clostridia. BoNTs have been classified as category A agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, 7 subtypes of BoNT/B were identified showing that subtypes B1 (16 strains) and B2 (32 strains) constitute the vast majority of BoNT/B strains. Neutralizing antibodies are required for the development of anti-botulism drugs to deal with the potential risk. In this study, macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were immunized with recombinant light chain (LC) or heavy chain (HC) of BoNT/B2, followed by the construction of 2 hyper-immune phage display libraries. The best single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) isolated from each library were selected according to their affinities and cross reactivity with BoNT/B1 toxin subtype. These scFvs against LC and HC were further analyzed by assessing the inhibition of in vitro endopeptidase activity of BoNT/B1 and B2 and neutralization of BoNT/B1 and B2 toxin-induced paralysis in the mouse ex vivo phrenic nerve assay. The antibodies B2–7 (against HC) and BLC3 (against LC) were produced as scFv-Fc, and, when tested individually, neutralized BoNT/B1 and BoNT/B2 in a mouse ex vivo phrenic nerve assay. Whereas only scFv-Fc BLC3 alone protected mice against BoNT/B2-induced paralysis in vivo, when B2–7 and BLC3 were combined they exhibited potent synergistic protection. The present study provided an opportunity to assess the extent of antibody-mediated neutralization of BoNT/B1 and BoNT/B2 subtypes in ex vivo and in vitro assays, and to confirm the benefit of the synergistic effect of antibodies targeting the 2 distinct functional domains of the toxin in vivo. Notably, the framework regions of the most promising antibodies (B2–7 and BLC3) are close to the human germline sequences, which suggest that they may be well tolerated in potential clinical development.     

Characterization of novel anti-IL-26 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including psoriasis

ABSTRACT

Interleukin (IL)-26, known as a Th17 cytokine, acts on various cell types and has multiple biological functions. Although its precise role still remains to be elucidated, IL-26 is suggested to be associated with the pathology of diverse chronic inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. To develop novel neutralizing anti-human IL-26 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for therapeutic use in the clinical setting, we immunized mice with human IL-26 protein. Hybridomas producing anti-IL-26 mAbs were screened for various in vitro functional assays, STAT3 phosphorylation and antibiotic assays. Although the IL-20RA/IL-10RB heterodimer is generally believed to be the IL-26 receptor, our data strongly suggest that both IL-20RA-dependent and -independent pathways are involved in IL-26-mediated stimulation. We also investigated the potential therapeutic effect of anti-IL-26 mAbs in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like murine model using human IL-26 transgenic mice. These screening methods enabled us to develop novel neutralizing anti-human IL-26 mAbs. Importantly, administration of IL-26-neutralizing mAb did not have an effect on the antimicrobial activity of IL-26. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that our newly developed anti-human IL-26 mAb is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of diverse chronic inflammatory diseases including psoriasis.     

HIV-1, lipid rafts,and antibodies to liposomes: implications for anti-viral-neutralizing antibodies (Review)

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is an enveloped virus with a lipid bilayer that contains several glycoproteins that are anchored in, or closely associated with, the membrane surface. The envelope proteins have complex interactions with the lipids both on the host cells and on the target cells. The processes of budding from host cells and entry into target cells occur at sites on the plasma membrane, known as lipid rafts, that represent specialized regions that are rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids. Although the envelope glycoproteins are antigenic molecules that potentially might be used for development of broadly neutralizing antibodies in a vaccine to HIV-1, the development of such antibodies that have broad specificities against primary field isolates of virus has been largely thwarted to date by the ability of the envelope proteins to evade the immune system through various mechanisms. In this review, the interactions of HIV-1 with membrane lipids are summarized. Liposomes are commonly used as models for understanding interactions of proteins with membrane lipids; and liposomes have also been used both as carriers for vaccines, and as antigens for induction of antibodies to liposomal lipids. The possibility is proposed that liposomal lipids, or liposome-protein combinations, could be useful as antigens for inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1.     

A new paradigm in molecular recognition? specific antibody binding to membrane‐inserted HIV‐1 epitopes

The conserved membrane proximal external region (MPER), adjacent to the transmembrane domain (TMD) of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) gp41 glycoprotein subunit, is accessible to the broadly neutralizing 4E10 and 2F5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and, therefore, constitutes a potential target for vaccine design. This gp41 domain is postulated to be functional during the Env glycoprotein-mediated fusion reaction by destabilizing the highly rigid viral envelope. To perform this task, the aromatic-rich MPER is believed to insert into the interfacial region of the viral membrane external monolayer, thereby inducing the restructuring of the lipid bilayer required for fusion-pore opening. This model predicts that: (i) 2F5 and 4E10 mAbs are capable of binding epitopes inserted into the membrane interface; (ii) in-membrane binding will result in effective blocking of MPER membrane activity; and (iii) both processes, in-membrane recognition and blocking of membrane activity, can be modulated by altering both the lipid composition and the MPER amino acid sequence. We review here recently reported experimental data consistent with those predictions, and further speculate on their relevance for prospective anti-HIV vaccine development.     

SARS-CoV假病毒中和试验技术的建立及评价

为避免传统的SARS病毒中和试验需要操作活毒而存在的生物安全隐患,建立了基于假病毒系统、操作较安全的SARS中和试验技术平台。本研究应用高效表达SARS-CoV S(密码子优化的全长S蛋白,简称S)的真核表达载体(pVRC8304),与HIV慢病毒包装质粒(p CMV△8.2)及转移质粒(pHR′CMV EGFP)3个质粒载体系统共同转染人胚肾细胞293T,包装了SARS假病毒;通过SARS假病毒感染的RD-A细胞中标记基因EGFP表达的分析,确定SARS假病毒能有效进入细胞,建立了可在BSL-2级实验室操作的SARS病毒中和试验技术平台。用该技术平台对不同免疫血清进行了中和抗体分析,并比较了基于假病毒和基于SARS活病毒的中和试验效果。结果显示:SARS假病毒和SARS活病毒两个中和试验系统获得中和抗体滴度变化趋势一致,表明本研究构建的SARS假病毒可替代SARS活病毒用于建立操作上安全的SARS病毒中和试验技术平台。     

戊型肝炎病毒基因1型和基因4型中和表位区域分子差异研究

戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)根据易感宿主的差别可以分为两大类:一类只分离自人的H(Human)类,包括HEV-1和HEV-2;一类为人畜共患的Z(Zoonosis)类,包括HEV-3和HEV-4。本研究通过比较这两类HEV的ORF2aa368~606区段,发现存在4个类保守的差异位点,均位于HEV的主要中和表位区域aa459~606,分别是aa483、aa492、aa497和aa599;对这四个位点进行定点替换突变,以一组能够捕获HEV-1和/或HEV-4的单克隆抗体比较各种突变体的免疫反应性,结果表明仅aa497的差异造成了这两类HEV中和表位构象的部分差异,提示aa497及其相关的病毒表面结构差异在H类和Z类HEV宿主选择中可能扮演重要角色。     

Parallel expression of alternate forms of psbA2 gene provides evidence for the existence of a targeted D1 repair mechanism in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The D1 protein of Photosystem II (PSII) is recognized as the main target of photoinhibitory damage and exhibits a high turnover rate due to its degradation and replacement during the PSII repair cycle. Damaged D1 is replaced by newly synthesized D1 and, although reasonable, there is no direct evidence for selective replacement of damaged D1. Instead, it remains possible that increased turnover of D1 subunits occurs in a non-selective manner due for example, to a general up-regulation of proteolytic activity triggered during damaging environmental conditions, such as high light. To determine if D1 degradation is targeted to damaged D1 or generalized to all D1, we developed a genetic system involving simultaneous dual expression of wild type and mutant versions of D1 protein. Dual D1 strains (nS345P:eWT and nD170A:eWT) expressed a wild type (WT) D1 from ectopic and a damage prone mutant (D1-S345P, D1-D170A) from native locus on the chromosome. Characterization of strains showed that all dual D1 strains restore WT like phenotype with high PSII activity. Higher PSII activity indicates increased population of PSII reaction centers with WT D1. Analysis of steady state levels of D1 in nS345P:eWT by immunoblot showed an accumulation of WT D1 only. But, in vivo pulse labeling confirmed the synthesis of both S345P (exists as iD1) and WT D1 in the dual strain. Expression of nS345P:eWT in FtsH2 knockout background showed accumulation of both iD1 and D1 proteins. This demonstrates that dual D1 strains express both forms of D1, yet only damage prone PSII complexes are selected for repair providing evidence that the D1 degradation process is targeted towards damaged PSII complexes. Since the N-terminus has been previously shown to be important for the degradation of damaged D1, the possibility that the highly conserved cysteine 18 residue situated in the N-terminal domain of D1 is involved in the targeted repair process was tested by examining site directed mutants of this and the other cysteines of the D1 protein. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability: Keys to Produce Clean Energy.     

Urease inhibitory activity of ursane type sulfated saponins from the aerial parts of Zygophyllum fabago Linn

Five ursane type sulfated saponins have been isolated from the aerial parts of Zygophyllum fabago Linn. (locally called Chashum). The urease inhibitory effects of these compounds have been investigated for the first time as well as their molecular docking studies have also been carried out to check the structure–activity relationship. The IC₅₀ values of these compounds could not be found due to paucity of the samples. The molecular docking studies were performed only for the most active compound mono sodium salt of 3β,23-di-O-sulfonyl-23-hydroxyurs-20(21)-en-28-oic acid 28-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl] ester (Zygofaboside A; 1).