An IgG1 titre to the F1 and V antigens correlates with protection against plague in the mouse model.
(17/5661)
The objective of this study was to identify an immunological correlate of protection for a two-component subunit vaccine for plague, using a mouse model. The components of the vaccine are the F1 and V antigens of the plague-causing organism, Yersinia pestis, which are coadsorbed to alhydrogel and administered intramuscularly. The optimum molar ratio of the subunits was determined by keeping the dose-level of either subunit constant whilst varying the other and observing the effect on specific antibody titre. A two-fold molar excess of F1 to V, achieved by immunizing with 10 micrograms of each antigen, resulted in optimum antibody titres. The dose of vaccine required to protect against an upper and lower subcutaneous challenge with Y. pestis was determined by administering doses in the range 10 micrograms F1 + 10 micrograms V to 0.01 microgram F1 + 0.01 microgram V in a two-dose regimen. For animals immunized at the 1-microgram dose level or higher with F1 + V, an increase in specific IgG1 titre was observed over the 8 months post-boost and they were fully protected against a subcutaneous challenge with 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) virulent Y. pestis at this time point. However, immunization with 5 micrograms or more of each subunit was required to achieve protection against challenge with 10(7) CFU Y. pestis. A new finding of this study is that the combined titre of the IgG1 subclass, developed to F1 plus V, correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with protection. The titres of IgG1 in vaccinated mice which correlated with 90%, 50% and 10% protection have been determined and provide a useful model to predict vaccine efficacy in man. (+info)
Molecular modeling and preclinical evaluation of the humanized NR-LU-13 antibody.
(18/5661)
A mouse-human chimeric monoclonal antibody (chNR-LU-13), specific for the EGP40 pancarcinoma antigen, was humanized through three-dimensional molecular modeling. Humanization of the chNR-LU-13 antibody is expected to enhance its use for patients undergoing immunotherapy. On the basis of the observed amino acid sequence identity, chNR-LU-13 complementary determining regions (CDRs) of the V(L) and V(H) regions were grafted onto the human anti-DNA-associated idiotype immunoglobulin clone, R3.5H5G'CL. Ten amino acids residues within the humanized framework were back-mutated to their corresponding chNR-LU-13 sequence, because they were predicted to disrupt the canonical classification of the CDRs or were within 5 A of a CDR. Synthesis of the V(L) and V(H) regions was accomplished by recursive PCR, and the dual-chain expression vector p451.C4 was positioned under control of the CMV(P+E). We observed by competitive ELISA that the recombinant humanized NR-LU-13 (huNR-LU-13) IgG1 antibody exhibited an indistinguishable immunoreactivity profile when compared with the murine monoclonal antibody (muNR-LU-10). The huNR-LU-13 antibody was effective in mediating both antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-mediated cytotoxicity when assayed against either the breast carcinoma cell line, MCF-7, or the colon adenocarcinoma cell line, SW1222. Biodistribution studies using i.v. coinjected 131I-muNR-LU-10 and 125I-huNR-LU-13 confirmed that the huNR-LU-13 specifically targets to the tumor in athymic BALB/c mice bearing the SW1222 human tumor xenograft. Humanization of the chNR-LU-13 antibody is expected to eliminate an undesired human antimouse antibody response, allowing for repeated i.v. administration into humans. (+info)
A mimic of HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein impairs reverse transcription and displays antiviral activity.
(19/5661)
Combined inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and protease has significantly improved the treatment of AIDS. Nevertheless, resistance to these drugs occurs rapidly because of viral mutations, emphasizing the importance of identifying novel retroviral targets to develop new drug combinations. The critical role played by the nucleocapsid protein NCp7 of HIV-1 at different steps of the retrovirus life cycle makes it an attractive target for the development of new antiviral agents. NCp7 contains two highly conserved zinc fingers and is characterized by a three-dimensional structure that cannot be modified without a complete loss of infectivity of mutated viruses. Based on these structural data, we report that RB 2121, a cyclic peptide designed to mimic several essential biological determinants of NCp7, displays antiviral activity by inhibiting HIV-1 replication in CEM-4 cells infected by HIV-1. In vitro, RB 2121 does not interfere with HIV-1 cell entry and viral enzymes but is able to inhibit the annealing activities of NCp7 by recognizing nucleic acids. Analysis of proviral DNA synthesis by means of PCR has shown that RB 2121 acts at an early step of the retrovirus life cycle by inducing a dose-dependent reduction in transcribed DNA levels through inhibition of NCp7-reverse transcriptase interaction. Because of its original mechanism of action, RB 2121 provides an interesting lead for the rational development of new anti-HIV-1 agents that could be associated advantageously with enzyme inhibitors to counteract rapid virus mutations and resistance problems observed in tritherapies. (+info)
In vivo studies of fullerene-based materials using endohedral metallofullerene radiotracers.
(20/5661)
Biodistribution studies of a water-soluble radioactive metallofullerene compound have been conducted using BALB/c mice. To this end, a sample containing Hox@C82 (x = 1, 2) was purified and derivatized to prepare the water-soluble metallofullerol, Hox@C82(OH)y. This metallofullerol was then neutron-activated (165Ho[n,gamma]166Ho) to prepare the 166Hox@C82(OH)y analog as a radiotracer, which was monitored, after intravenous administration, for up to 48 hours by using dissection radioanalysis, and its biodistribution was compared with a control compound, Na2[166Ho(DTPA)(H2O)]. Results showed selective localization of the 166Hox@C82(OH)y tracer in the liver but with slow clearance, as well as uptake by bone without clearance. In contrast, excretion of the control compound was nearly quantitative after 1 hour. The fate of 166Ho was also explored by a metabolism study of 166Hox@C82(OH)y in Fischer rats. Results indicated 20% excretion of intact 166Hox@C82(OH)y within 5 days. The present findings demonstrate the feasibility of using water-solubilized metallofullerene radiotracers to monitor the fate of fullerene-based materials in animals, and suggest that water-solubilized fullerene materials, in general, may be useful components in drug design. (+info)
Improved derivatives of bactenecin, a cyclic dodecameric antimicrobial cationic peptide.
(21/5661)
Both linear and cyclic derivatives of the cyclic 12-amino-acid antimicrobial peptide bactenecin were designed based on optimization of amphipathicity and charge location. In general, increasing the number of positive charges at the N and C termini and adding an extra tryptophan residue in the loop not only increased the activities against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria but also broadened the antimicrobial spectrum. (+info)
Cross-reactivity between six Enterobacteriaceae complete lipopolysaccharide core chemotypes.
(22/5661)
To gain insight into the value of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core determinants for cross-protective immunisation the serological relationships between six complete (LPS) core types from Enterobacteriaceae were investigated. Hyperimmune sera were raised in mice by repeated immunisation with heat-killed strains of Salmonella choleraesuis (Ra core type) or Escherichia coli (core types R1, R2, R3, R4 and K12) and characterised for reactivity with complete and incomplete core chemotypes by ELISA and immunoblotting. Three sera (anti-Ra, anti-R2 and anti-R3) reacted strongly with 3-5 different complete core types whereas the other three (anti-R1, anti-R4 and anti-K12) reacted strongly only with their homologous core types in these assays. Two approaches were used to examine further the structural bases for cross-reactivity between these cores. By the first approach the anti-complete-core sera were tested for cross-reactivity with truncated forms of the Salmonella species core (incomplete cores) derived from core-defective mutants. By the second approach, antisera raised against some core-defective mutants were tested for cross-reactivity with complete cores. The results of these investigations revealed that several pair-wise combinations of core types can be used as immunogens to elicit immune responses that recognise all six core types and that the major determinants which mediate cross-reactivity between complete cores are localised in the outer core region. (+info)
Covalent linkage to beta2-microglobulin enhances the MHC stability and antigenicity of suboptimal CTL epitopes.
(23/5661)
Many CTL epitopes of clinical importance, particularly those derived from tumor Ags, display relatively poor MHC binding affinity and stability. Because in vivo immunogenicity, and thus the efficacy of peptide-based vaccines, is thought to be determined by MHC/peptide complex stability, there is a need to develop a simple strategy for enhancing the binding of suboptimal epitopes. Toward this goal, the ability to enhance suboptimal peptides through covalent linkage to beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) was explored. Two suboptimal variants of a high-affinity Db-restricted influenza nucleoprotein peptide were covalently linked, via a polypeptide spacer, to the amino terminus of human beta2m and the recombinant fusion proteins expressed in Escherichia coli. When compared with their uncoupled counterparts, the beta2m-linked epitopes display enhanced MHC stabilization and antigenicity. Thus, tethering epitopes to beta2m provides a simple method for augmenting the biological activity of suboptimal peptides and could be useful in the design of peptide-based vaccines or immunotherapeutics. (+info)
Bivalency as a principle for proteasome inhibition.
(24/5661)
The proteasome, a multicatalytic protease, is known to degrade unfolded polypeptides with low specificity in substrate selection and cleavage pattern. This lack of well-defined substrate specificities makes the design of peptide-based highly selective inhibitors extremely difficult. However, the x-ray structure of the proteasome from Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals a unique topography of the six active sites in the inner chamber of the protease, which lends itself to strategies of specific multivalent inhibition. Structure-derived active site separation distances were exploited for the design of homo- and heterobivalent inhibitors based on peptide aldehyde head groups and polyoxyethylene as spacer element. Polyoxyethylene was chosen as a flexible, linear, and proteasome-resistant polymer to mimic unfolded polypeptide chains and thus to allow access to the proteolytic chamber. Spacer lengths were selected that satisfy the inter- and intra-ring distances for occupation of the active sites from the S subsites. X-ray analysis of the proteasome/bivalent inhibitor complexes confirmed independent recognition and binding of the inhibitory head groups. Their inhibitory potencies, which are by 2 orders of magnitude enhanced, compared with pegylated monovalent inhibitors, result from the bivalent binding. The principle of multivalency, ubiquitous in nature, has been successfully applied in the past to enhance affinity and avidity of ligands in molecular recognition processes. The present study confirms its utility also for inhibition of multicatalytic protease complexes. (+info)