Production and characterization of a human recombinant monoclonal Fab fragment specific for influenza A viruses

A human recombinant monoclonal Fab fragment that specifically recognizes all the influenza A virus strains tested was produced in transformed Escherichia coli using the phage display technique. No strain of influenza B virus reacted with it. It was purified after four cycles of panning and by a single passage through an immunoaffinity column. About 1 mg of pure monoclonal antibody was obtained from 1 liter of culture medium in 3 working days. The Fab fragment reacted with a viral 27-kDa protein, which could reasonably be a matrix protein. Indirect immunofluorescence tests performed on virus-infected MDCK cells showed that this Fab fragment was at least equally efficient as other commercial monoclonal antibody-based systems in detecting influenza A viral infections. The potential advantages of human recombinant Fabs on murine monoclonal antibodies are discussed.     

流感病毒中和性基因工程Fab抗体的研制

目的 获得基因工程抗流感病毒抗体,为检测其粘膜用药在动物模型中的抗病毒效果奠定基因。方法 从酶联免疫吸附试验阳性的人外周血中分离淋巴细胞,提取总RNA,Oligo-dT逆转录cDNA,聚合酶链反应扩增人IgG轻、重链基因,利用pComb3载体构建噬菌体抗体库。用纯化的流感病毒A／Sydeny/5/97(H3N2）为固相抗原筛选抗体Fab段,并在大肠埃希菌中进行分泌性表达。通过血凝抑制实验、免疫荧光实验和病毒中和实验选择具有中和作用的Fab抗体。结果 分离到两株Fab克隆,IV－2和IV－6,流感病毒抗原和抗Fab抗体直接ELISA检测阳性,间接免疫荧光实验呈阳性,它们都具有血浆抑制作用,病毒中和实验显示能使病毒滴度下降30倍和20倍。结论 获得了两株具有病毒中和活性的人源抗流感病毒悉尼株的Fab段抗体,为进一步的表达纯化及粘膜给药研究其抗病毒效果提供材料。     

抗-D抗体Fab段基因的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

目的：于大肠杆菌表达抗-D抗体Fab段基因，为真核载体表达完整的人抗-D抗体奠定基础。 方法： 将已克隆测序的Fab段基因亚克隆到pComb3噬粒载体，用PCR和限制性内切酶酶切鉴定后于大肠杆菌进行表达，表达产物用SDS-PAGE和ELISA等方法分析。 结果： SDS-PAGE电泳表明重组克隆表达了1条约48 kD的蛋白条带, ELISA结果显示，所表达的抗体和Rh+的人红细胞呈阳性反应，和Rh-红细胞反应为阴性，阴性对照和Rh+及Rh-红细胞反应均为阴性。 结论： 于大肠杆菌表达了具有抗原结合特性的人抗-D抗体Fab段抗体分子。     

Is bivalent binding of monoclonal antibodies to different antigenic areas on the hemagglutinin of influenza virus required for neutralization of viral infectivity?

Summary Biological activities of Fab fragments of monoclonal IgG antibodies to each of four nonoverlapping antigenic areas on the hemagglutinin molecule of A/seal/Massachusetts/1/80 (H7N7) influenza virus were examined. Fab fragments of the antibodies belonging to groups I and II neutralized viral infectivity. These Fab fragments inhibited hemagglutination of the virus and virus-induced hemolysis at pH 5.9. On the other hand, Fab fragments of groups III and IV antibodies showed neither neutralization nor hemolysis-inhibition activities, while intact IgG molecules of groups III and IV effectively neutralized viral infectivity and inhibited virus-induced hemolysis, as previously found. These IgG molecules scarcely or did not inhibit hemagglutination of the virus. Neutralization of viral infectivity, however, was observed when the virus was coated with Fab fragments of groups III and IV antibodies and then incubated with anti-Fab fragment antibodies. These findings suggest that bivalent binding of the IgG antibodies of groups III and IV is required for neutralization of viral infectivity through a proposed mechanism by which these antibodies interfere with a low pH-induced conformational change resulting in inhibition of the fusion step of the viral replication process (6).With 2 Figures     

Identification of a linear epitope on the haemagglutinin protein of pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza virus using monoclonal antibodies

A novel influenza A/H1N1 virus, emerging from Mexico and the United States in the spring of 2009, caused the pandemic human infection of 2009-2010. The haemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein is the major surface antigen of influenza A virus and plays an important role in viral infection. In this study, three hybridoma cell lines secreting specific monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against the HA protein of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus were generated with the recombinant plasmid pCAGGS-HA as an immunogen. Using Pepscan analysis, the binding sites of these Mabs were identified in a linear region of the HA protein. Further, refined mapping was conducted using truncated peptides expressed as GST-fusion proteins in E. coli. We found that the ²⁵⁰VPRYA²⁵⁴ motif was the minimal determinant of the linear epitope that could be recognized by the Mabs. Alignment with sequences from the databases showed that the amino acid residues of this epitope were highly conserved among all pandemic A/H1N1 2009 viruses as well as the classical swine H1N1 viruses isolated to date. These results provide additional insights into the antigenic structure of the HA protein and virus-antibody interactions at the amino acid level, which may assist in the development of specific diagnostic methods for influenza viruses.     

禽流感病毒非结构蛋白1单克隆抗体的制备及其特异性分析

为研制禽流感病毒(H5N1)非结构蛋白1(NS1)的特异性单克隆抗体(mAb),并鉴定其特异性,本研究在分别表达了具有良好抗原性的A/Vietnam/1194/04(H5N1)-NS1和A/HongKong/486/97(H5N1)-NS1重组蛋白基础上,用A/Viet-nam/1194/04(H5N1)-NS1蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,取其脾细胞与小鼠骨髓瘤细胞进行融合,间接ELISA筛选阳性的杂交瘤细胞,并结合免疫荧光和免疫印迹对抗体的特异性进行鉴定,通过竞争抑制实验对单抗识别的抗原位点进行分析。结果共获得19株能识别4个H5N1-NS1蛋白不同抗原位点的mAb,亚类测定显示,5株为IgG2a、1株为IgG2b,另外13株为IgG1。这些mAb均与A/Vietnam/1194/04(H5N1)-NS1和A/HongKong/486/97(H5N1)-NS1重组蛋白特异性结合,免疫荧光检测均与A型流感病毒(H1N1和H3N2)有交叉反应,而与B型流感病毒无交叉现象。表明成功获得特异性针对H5N1-NS1蛋白的mAb,为进一步研究禽流感病毒NS1蛋白的结构与功能奠定基础。     

The influenza c virus glycoprotein (HE) exhibits receptor-binding (hemagglutinin) and receptor-destroying (esterase) activities

A cDNA copy of RNA segment 4 of influenza C/Cal/78 virus was cloned into an SV40 vector and expressed in CV-1 cells. The gene product expressed from the SV40 recombinant virus was immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibodies directed against the influenza C virus glycoprotein. Cells infected with the recombinant virus also exhibited C virus-specific hemagglutinin and O-acetylesterase activity. This suggests that the same C virus protein is associated with receptor-binding as well as receptor-destroying activity. The latter viral activity was measured using as substrates bovine submaxillary mucin or a low molecular weight compound p-nitrophenylacetate. In analogy to the parainfluenza virus HN protein, the influenza C virus glycoprotein was termed HE, because it possesses hemagglutinin and esterase (receptor-destroying) activity.     

Escherichia coli expression of a bifunctional Fab-peptide epitope reagent for the rapid diagnosis of HIV-1 and HIV-2

Background: The current format of a rapid whole-blood agglutination assay for HIV relies on a bifunctional molecule which comprises a 10 Fab fragment, with specificity for the human red blood cell surface marker (glycophorin A), chemically conjugated to a synthetic peptide that corresponds to a single immunodominant region of HIV envelope glycoprotein. In this assay erythrocyte agglutination occurs if the blood sample contains anti-HIV antibodies. Objectives: To establish whether a bacterially synthesised Fab fragment encoding several C-terminal immunodominant peptide tails can be produced in sufficient purity and yield to function in whole-blood agglutination assays. Study design: An E. coli dicistronic Fab expression cassette was constructed comprising of light and heavy chain gene fragments derived from a glycophorin specific monoclonal antibody (1C3), genetically linked with C-terminal immunoreactive peptide epitopes. Expression and purification procedures were established to enable the rapid production of I C3 Fabpeptide epitope conjugates. Results: A recombinant I C3 Fab fragment was expressed with two different immunological epitope markers, Glu-Glu-Phe (EEF) and FLAG, at the C-terminus of the Fd heavy and κ light chain, respectively. This model Fab-EEF/FLAG conjugate was detected in culture supernatant by SDS-PAGE gels and Western blots, and could be successfully used in erythrocyte agglutination assays. Furthermore, an HIV specific I C3 Fab reagent, containing immunoreactive peptide epitopes from the surface glycoproteins of HIV-1 and HIV-2, was also expressed but at lower levels and with increased sensitivity to proteolytic degradation. Nevertheless, this recombinant Fab reagent with dial diagnostic specificity performed very effectively in whole-blood diagnosis of patients infected with either HIV-1 or HIV-2. Conclusion: A recombinant 10 Fab fragment terminated by immunoreactive peptide epitopes can be expressed in E. coli in a soluble, antigen-binding form, and it can successfully mimic the commercial Fab-HIV reagents in whole-blood agglutination assays.     

Use of monoclonal antibodies for rapid detection of influenza a viras in nasopharyngeal secretions

Two monoclonal antibodies against influenza A virus were assessed for use as diagnostic reagents in an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) of nasopharyngeal secretions. Monoclonal antibody IA-52, directed at an internal antigen, reacted with all influenza A tested. The high stability of this epitope permitted its use in a rapid IFA test, which gave results comparable to those obtained with polyclonal antibodies and viral isolation. The second monoclonal antibody, IA-279 was directed at a surface epitope (hemagglutinin); it reacted with almost all H₃ subtype strains. Positive IFA using these monoclonal antibodies permitted rapid preliminary differentiation between the current two major subtypes of influenza A virus (H₁N₁,H₃N₂).     

Construction of recombinant adenoviral vector expressing genes of the conservative proteins M2 “ion channel” and nucleoprotein of influenza A virus

Influenza is a highly contagious disease and one of the most wide spreaded infection in the world. Influenza type A strains are of very great epidemiological significance. A high degree of genetic variability leads to constant modification in the antigenic structure of influenza virus. Therefore, current influenza vaccines require periodic updating of the composition of the strains. At present, it is important to develop a universal vaccine that could protect against different strains of influenza A virus and it is can be based on the conserved antigens of the virus. Recombinant adenoviral vectors expressing genes of conserved viral antigens may be used for a promising candidate vaccine against influenza A. Using a homologous recombination method, in this study we have developed a recombinant adenoviral serotype 5 vector that expresses the genes of the M2 ion channel and nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus. The genes of the consensus sequences of the M2 protein and NP of human influenza A virus were inserted into the structure of the viral genome. The expression of the M2 and NP antigens using the recombinant adenovirus vector in a permissive line of eukaryotic cells was detected by Western blot assay. The high immunogenicity of the recombinant adenovirus vector obtained was demonstrated by intranasal immunization of laboratory mice.     

人H5N1流感病毒M1基因的亚克隆及其在原核细胞的表达

目的 构建人H5N1亚型禽流感病毒A/Anhui/1/2005 M1蛋白的原核表达系统,为进一步研究M1蛋白的生物学功能和制备其诊断试剂奠定基础。方法 以该病毒基因节段七cDNA为模板,PCR扩增得到M1基因片段。将该片段亚克隆至载体pQE80-L中,构建重组质粒pQE80-L/M1,转化大肠埃希菌BL21（ DE3）。IPTG诱导重组蛋白表达。金属镍离子螯合层析纯化N末端携带多聚组氨酸标签的重组M1蛋白,免疫小鼠制备多克隆抗体。结果 获得了重组M1蛋白,能与抗H5N1亚型流感病毒血清发生特异性结合,且其免疫后能诱导机体产生特异性抗体。结论 成功获得了人H5N1亚型禽流感病毒M1蛋白在原核细胞中高效表达。     

Production of high-affinity human monoclonal antibody fab fragments to the 19-kilodalton C-terminal merozoite surface protein 1 of Plasmodium falciparum

A combinatorial immunoglobulin gene library was constructed from peripheral blood lymphocytes of eight patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum and was screened for the production of human monoclonal antibody Fab fragments to the C-terminal 19-kDa fragment of P. falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1(19)). Three Fab clones recognized recombinant MSP-1(19) under nonreducing conditions. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that three Fab clones stained the surfaces of late trophozoites/schizonts and merozoites of the FCR3 and 3D7 strains, suggesting the Fabs' reactivities to a conserved epitope. Sequence analysis of the heavy-chain genes revealed that the closest germ line V segments were VH1-8 and VH7-81, with 91% to 98% homology. The closest germ line D segment was D3-10, and the closest germ line J segment was JH4 or JH5, with 90% to 97% homology. In the light-chain genes, the closest germ line V segment was A27 for the Jkappa2, Jkappa4, and Jkappa5 segments. The dissociation constants of these Fab fragments for recombinant MSP-1(19) ranged from 1.09 x 10(-9) to 2.66 x 10(-9) M. The binding of the three Fab fragments to MSP-1(19) was competitively inhibited by the anti-MSP-1(19) mouse monoclonal antibody 12.8, which inhibits erythrocyte invasion by merozoites. However, the human Fab fragment with the highest affinity did not inhibit in vitro growth of P. falciparum. This is the first report of gene analysis and bacterial expression of human monoclonal antibodies to P. falciparum MSP-1(19). The combinatorial immunoglobulin gene library derived from malaria patients provides a potential tool for producing high-affinity human antibodies specific for P. falciparum.     

Human monoclonal single chain antibodies (HuScFv) that bind to the polymerase proteins of influenza A virus

Current anti-influenza drugs target the viral neuraminidase or inhibit the function of the ion channel M2 protein. Not only is the supply of these drugs unlikely to meet the demand during a large influenza epidemic/ pandemic, but also has an emergence of drug resistant influenza virus variants been documented. Thus a new effective drug or antiviral alternative is required. The influenza virus RNA polymerase complex consists of nucleoproteins (NP) that bind to three polymerase subunits: two basic polymerases, PB1 and PB2, and an acidic polymerase (PA). These proteins play a pivotal role in the virus life cycle; thus they are potential targets for the development of new anti-influenza agents. In this study, we produced human monoclonal antibodies that bound to the influenza A polymerase proteins by using a human antibody phage display library. Complementary DNA was prepared from the total RNA of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus: A/duck/Thailand/144/2005(H5N1). The cDNA synthesized from the total virus RNA was used as template for the amplification of the gene segments encoding the N-terminal halves of the PB1, PB2 and PA polymerase proteins which encompassed the biologically active portions of the respective proteins. The cDNA amplicons were individually cloned into appropriate vectors and the recombinant vectors were introduced into Escherichia coli bacteria. Transformed E. coli clones were selected, and induced to express the recombinant proteins. Individually purified proteins were used as antigens in bio-panning to select the phage clones displaying specific human monoclonal single chain variable fragments (HuScFv) from a human antibody phage display library constructed from Thai blood donors in our laboratory. The purified HuScFv that bound specifically to the recombinant polymerase proteins were prepared. The inhibitory effects on the biological functions of the respective polymerase proteins should be tested. We envisage the use of the HuScFv in their cell penetrating version (transbodies) as an alternative influenza therapeutic to current anti-virus drugs.     

单克隆抗-D细胞株的建立及抗-D抗体Fab段的基因序列分析

目的:建立分泌抗-D抗体的人B淋巴细胞株,分析编码一株人单克隆抗-D抗体Fab段的基因序列。方法:以EB病毒(EBV)转化分泌抗-D抗体的人B淋巴细胞,建立分泌抗-D抗体的淋巴细胞株。设计扩增人lgM重链Fd段及κ轻链的引物,以聚合酶链反应进行扩增,对扩增产物进行分子克隆及测序。结果:分别用轻链引物和重链引物从一分泌lgM抗-D的单克隆细胞株扩增出一约650bp和700bp的特异带。序列分析表明,其核苷酸及其所推导的氨基酸(AA)序列符合人lgFab段的序列特征。结论:获得了抗-D抗体Fab段基因,为基因工程抗-D的研制及Rh新生儿溶血病的预防提供物质基础。     

Antigenic reactivity and electrophoretic migrational heterogeneity of the three polymerase proteins of type A human and animal influenza viruses

Summary Antigenic reactivity of the three polymerase proteins PB1, PB2, and PA of type A influenza viruses of animal and human origin were analysed by radioimmunoprecipitation using monospecific antisera. Each of the polymerase monospecific antisera made against the polymerase proteins of the human A/WSN/33 (H1N1) influenza virus reacted efficiently with the homologous proteins of all the known thirteen HA subtype viruses of avian influenza virus, three subtypes of human influenza virus, swine and equine influenza viruses. This broad reactivity of each of the antisera indicated that the polymerase proteins are antigenically related among the type A influenza viruses and therefore can be considered as type specific antigens similar to the other viral internal proteins nucleoprotein (NP) and matrix protein (M). No electrophoretic migrational heterogeneity was found among the PB2 proteins of different subtype viruses, whereas PB1 protein exhibited minor variation. However, PA protein from among various viral subtypes showed considerable heterogeneity. Each of the polymerase antisera also immunoprecipitated additional antigenically related polypeptides with distinct electrophoretic mobilities from cells infected with each of the influenza viral subtypes.     

人-鼠嵌合抗血小板单抗SZ-2 Fab片段基因的构建和表达研究

目的：降低鼠源性抗血小板单克隆抗体SZ-2的免疫原性。为其进一步研究，应用奠定基础。方法：用Trizol试剂从SZ-2杂交瘤细胞抽提RNA，应用RT-PCR技术，扩增出SZ-2重链，轻链可变区基因，克隆入载体pUCm-T，测序分析，应用基因重组技术，将SZ-2轻，重链可变区基因与人免疫球蛋白γ1重链CH1和к轻链恒区基因进行拼接，构建人-鼠嵌合Fab片段基因表达质粒pSW1-2Fab/Hu，并导入大肠杆菌XL1-blue诱导表达，以ELISA，Western blot和瑞斯托霉素诱导血小板聚集抑制试验。对表达产物进行检测，验证。结果：克隆的基因序列符合小鼠轻，重链可变区基因的特征；表达质粒pSW1-2Fab/Hu拼接正确；在大肠杆菌中的表达量约为180μg/L；表达产物具有与血小板GPIb结合的特性并可抑制瑞斯托霉素诱导血小板聚集。结论：成功地克隆了SZ-2可变区基因；并表达了可溶性人-鼠嵌合Fab基因工程抗体。     

Generation and characterisation of monoclonal antibodies specific to avian influenza H7N9 haemagglutinin protein

Introduction: Emerging virulent strains of influenza virus pose a serious public health threat with potential pandemic consequences. A novel avian influenza virus, H7N9, breached the species barrier from infected domestic poultry to humans in 2013 in China. Since then, it has caused numerous infections in humans with a close contact to poultry. Materials and Methods: In this study, we describe the preliminary characterisation of five murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) developed against recombinant haemagglutinin (rHA) protein of avian H7N9 A/Anhui/1/2013 virus by their Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactivity and binding affinity. Results: Of the five MAbs, four were highly specific to H7N9 HA and did not show any cross-reactivity in ELISA with rHA protein from pandemic as well as seasonal H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H5N1 and influenza virus B (B/Brisbane/60/2008). However, one of the MAbs, MA-24, in addition to HA protein of H7N9 also reacted strongly with HA protein of H3N2 and weakly with HA of pandemic and seasonal H1N1 and H2N2. All the five MAbs also reacted with H7N9 rHA in Western blot. The MAbs bound H7N9 rHA with an equilibrium dissociation constant (K_D) ranging between 0.14 and 25.20 nM, indicating their high affinity to HA. Conclusions: These antibodies may be useful in developing diagnostic tools for the detection of influenza H7N9 virus infections.