抗人可溶性间皮素相关蛋白单克隆抗体的制备及特性鉴定

目的:制备鼠抗人可溶性间皮素相关蛋白(SMR)的单克隆抗体(mAb),鉴定其生物学特性。方法:应用计算机通过综合预测对间皮素(MSLN)进行B-细胞表位预测。合成相应肽段并免疫BALB/c小鼠,采用杂交瘤技术制备mAb,利用免疫细胞化学和Western blot分析对所制备的mAb进行鉴定。结果:综合预测方法分析间皮素的抗原表位可能于153-162、282-292及471-481氨基酸残基或其附近,选择性合成了可能性最高的位于471-481氨基酸残基的可溶性间皮素相关蛋白表位,制备了mAb(2H10),经免疫细胞化学和Western blot分析该抗体具有较高的特异性。结论:成功地制备了鼠抗人可溶性间皮素相关蛋白的mAb(2H10),该抗体具有较高的特异性,为进一步利用ELISA对可溶性间皮素相关蛋白进行检测奠定了基础。     

TGF-beta signaling regulates CD8+ T cell responses to high- and low-affinity TCR interactions

Absence of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling to T cells in mice results in an increase in T cell numbers, an activated CD44 high, CD69-, CD25- T cell phenotype and a T cell-mediated injury to many organs. It is not known if such T cell activation in the absence of TGF-beta signaling is spontaneous or due to aberrant T cell responses to a physiological stimulus. We used adoptive transfer of CD8+ T cells from mice double transgenic for the OT-1 TCR and the TGF-beta1-dominant negative transgene [OT-dominant-negative receptor (DNR)] to investigate the role of TGF-beta in regulating CD8+ T cell activation in vivo. The activation and expansion of single-transgenic OT and double-transgenic OT-DNR cells to oral antigens, high-affinity and low-affinity peptides were indistinguishable. Activation with high-affinity peptide and CFA however resulted in greater expansion of OT-DNR cells in comparison to OT cells. Low-affinity peptide and adjuvant did not result in OT cell activation or expansion but results in up-regulation of CD44 on OT-DNR cells. These data show that TGF-beta functions in vivo to limit the scale of CD8+ T cell expansion after high-affinity peptide-MHC interactions. TGF-beta also limits T cell activation to the highest affinity peptide-MHC interactions. The increase in T cell number and activation present in TGF-beta-deficient and TGF-beta DNR-expressing mice may be due to the loss of these two phenomena.     

CD4 responses to conserved HIV-1 T helper epitopes show both negative and positive associations with virus load in chronically infected subjects

Characterization of immune responses to immunodominant CD4 epitopes in HIV-1 that are associated with control of HIV infection could be used to strengthen the efficacy of polyepitope HIV vaccines. We measured both the proliferative and the CD4 interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2 cytokine responses specific for 11 previously identified HIV-1 T helper epitopes in 10 HIV-infected non-progressors (LTNPs) (infected for a median of 15 years with a stable CD4 count of >500 cells x 10(6)/l), and seven slow progressors (SPs) (infected for a median of 15 years with a CD4 count that had declined to <500 cells x 10(6)/l). Both groups were antiretroviral treatment-naive at the time of evaluation. The median virus load of SP group was higher than that of the LTNP group (P = 0.0002). The CD4 response to a peptide pool representing all potential CD4 Gag epitopes and to Gag p24 protein was also studied. Compared to SPs, LTNPs had higher numbers of Gag-specific IFN-gamma+IL-2+ CD4s (P = 0.0059). The Gag-specific cytokine and proliferative responses correlated inversely with virus load (P = 0.03 and 0.0002, respectively), highlighting the potential importance of this response in immunity to HIV. A direct correlation was noted between proliferation and the Gag-specific IL-2 (P = 0.0053) rather than IFN-gamma response (P = 0.1336), demonstrating that the proliferation assay reflected the IL-2 rather than the IFN-gamma secreting capacity of CD4 cells. Several subjects with diverse class II DRB1 alleles responded, confirming the 11 selected peptides to be both antigenic and conserved. CD4 cytokine responses to one Gag and two conserved Pol peptides correlated negatively with virus load. The cytokine response to two additional Pol peptides correlated positively with virus load. The data indicate that there is not an absolute correlation between the CD4 immune response to conserved and broadly antigenic helper T cell epitopes in HIV non-progression.     

Mapping and ranking of potential cytotoxic T epitopes in the p53 protein: effect of mutations and polymorphism on peptide binding to purified and refolded HLA molecules

In many cancer cells, the p53 gene displays point mutations that result in stabilization and accumulation of the p53 protein. Therefore, p53 peptides could be presented to the immune system by tumor cells; thus, p53 might be a suitable target antigen for developing an immunotherapy against tumors using cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). To map candidate CTL epitopes, we synthesized 150 peptides of 8–11 residues that contained putative anchor motifs required for binding to common HLA class I molecules. They were tested for their capacity to promote the assembly of purified and refolded HLA-A1, A2, B7 and B8 molecules. The following wild-type p53 peptides were found to be reactive with the HLA molecules tested: 196–205 and 226–234 bound moderately to HLA-A1; 25–35, 65–73, 129–137, 187–197, 263–272 and 264–272 bound strongly, and 187–195 and 256–264 moderately to HLA-A2; 26–35, 63–73, 189–197, 249–257 and 321–330 bound strongly to HLA-B7; and 135–143, 210–218 and 375–383 bound weakly to HLA-B8. We also analyzed the effects of p53 mutations occurring naturally in tumors on peptide/HLA assembly. We found substitutions that enhanced, diminished or had no effect on the peptide binding to HLA molecules. Polymorphism at position 72 mainly affected peptide/HLA-B7 binding, the proline allele P72 giving a less-reactive peptide (63–73) than the arginine allele R72. We have ranked potential p53 epitopes according to their reactivity for purified HLA molecules, allowing the selection of appropriate peptides and HLA molecules to attempt CTL induction in vitro.     

Selection of Gut-Resistant Bacteria and Construction of Microbial Consortia for Improving Gluten Digestion under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

This work aimed to define the microbial consortia that are able to digest gluten into non-toxic and non-immunogenic peptides in the human gastrointestinal tract. Methods: 131 out of 504 tested Bacillus and lactic acid bacteria, specifically Bacillus (64), lactobacilli (63), Pediococcus (1), and Weissella (3), showed strong gastrointestinal resistance and were selected for their PepN, PepI, PepX, PepO, and PepP activities toward synthetic substrates. Based on multivariate analysis, 24 strains were clearly distinct from the other tested strains based on having the highest enzymatic activities. As estimated by RP-HPLC and nano-ESI–MS/MS, 6 cytoplasmic extracts out of 24 selected strains showed the ability to hydrolyze immunogenic epitopes, specifically 57–68 of α9-gliadin, 62–75 of A-gliadin, 134–153 of γ-gliadin, and 57–89 (33-mer) of α2-gliadin. Live and lysed cells of selected strains were combined into different microbial consortia for hydrolyzing gluten under gastrointestinal conditions. Commercial proteolytic enzymes (Aspergillus oryzae E1, Aspergillus niger E2, Bacillus subtilis Veron HPP, and Veron PS proteases) were also added to each microbial consortium. Consortium activity was evaluated by ELISA tests, RP-HPLC-nano-ESI–MS/MS, and duodenal explants from celiac disease patients. Results: two microbial consortia (Consortium 4: Lactiplantibacillus (Lp.) plantarum DSM33363 and DSM33364, Lacticaseibacillus (Lc.) paracasei DSM33373, Bacillus subtilis DSM33298, and Bacillus pumilus DSM33301; and Consortium 16: Lp. plantarum DSM33363 and DSM33364, Lc. paracasei DSM33373, Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM33374, Bacillus megaterium DSM33300, B. pumilus DSM33297 and DSM33355), containing commercial enzymes, were able to hydrolyze gluten to non-toxic and non-immunogenic peptides under gastrointestinal conditions. Conclusions: the results of this study provide evidence that selected microbial consortia could potentially improve the digestion of gluten in gluten-sensitive patients by hydrolyzing the immunogenic peptides during gastrointestinal digestion.     

Vaccination with chimeric protein induces protection in murine model against ascariasis

An estimated 400 million people are infected by parasites of the genus Ascaris and the existing control measures are inefficient. Vaccine development using B cell antigens is a promising strategy for increased protection against this parasite. The present study aimed at developing a chimeric protein capable of conferring protection against infection by Ascaris sp. For this purpose, we performed B-cell epitope predictions on previously described vaccine candidate proteins from Ascaris suum and the corresponding peptides were used to construct a chimeric protein. Female BALB / c mice were immunized subcutaneously in three doses at 10 day intervals with a vaccine formulation comprised of the chimeric protein together with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA). Control groups included protein alone, MPLA, or PBS. After challenge infection, animals vaccinated with chimeric protein plus MPLA showed a reduction of 73.54% of larval load in the lung compared to control group animals. Animals immunized with chimeric protein plus MPLA also display higher IgG response and a reduction in lung inflammation. Our study highlights how chimeric proteins containing more than one B cell epitope can enhance immune protection against helminthic infection and offer new approaches to the development of Ascaris vaccines.     

幽门螺杆菌尿素酶B亚单位Th表位的免疫学特性研究

采用MHC限制性分析、ELISA方法、淋巴细胞增殖实验等方法研究幽门螺杆菌(Hp)尿素酶B亚单位(UreB)的H- 2~d限制性Th表位U_(546-561)、U_(229-244)、U_(237-251)的免疫学特性。发现抗I-E~d抗体能够抑制U_(546-561)对CD4~+T淋巴细胞的刺激,抗I-A~d抗体能够抑制U_(229-244)、U_(237-251)对CD4~+T淋巴细胞的刺激作用。U_(229-244)、U_(229-244)能刺激CD4~+T淋巴细胞分泌IL-4和IL-10,U_(237-251)刺激CD4~+T淋巴细胞分泌IFN-γ、IL-2,且U_(546-561)、U_(229-244)、U_(237-251)三个表位肽免疫BALB/c小鼠能够引起针对各自免疫多肽和rUreB的CD4~+T细胞应答。结果表明U_(546-561)为I-E~d限制性Th2表位,U_(229-244)为I-A~d限制性Th2表位、U_(237-251)为I-A~d限制性Th1表位。三个表位之间具有协同刺激效应,可以用于Hp表位疫苗的研究。     

治疗自身免疫性疾病的抗细胞因子疫苗

抗细胞因子疫苗是针对疾病相关细胞因子而设计与构建的一类能激发体液免疫应答的主动免疫治疗性疫苗,是用于自身免疫性疾病的一种极具潜力的新型疗法。目前研究与开发的抗细胞因子疫苗主要有2种类型,一种是通过偶联载体或直接修饰为细胞因子引入外源表位而构建的蛋白疫苗,另一种则是可表达细胞因子免疫原的核酸疫苗。这两类疫苗在临床前及临床研究中,对各种自身免疫性疾病均显现出治疗活性。简介各类抗细胞因子疫苗及其作用机制,综述用于治疗类风湿性关节炎、多发性硬化症、系统性红斑狼疮等各种自身免疫性疾病的抗细胞因子疫苗研究进展。     

人doc-1蛋白抗原肽的设计

目的 设计人doe-1蛋白的B细胞连续性抗原表位。方法 根据氨基酸序列利用生物信息学和互联网上蛋白质序列分析软件分析抗原表位，包括EMBOSS、COILS2．1方案以及亲水性分析、二级结构转角、电荷效、屈曲性分析等。确定B细胞连续性抗原表位。结果doe-1蛋白连续性抗原表位可能位于第75～87、108～115位氨基酸残基附近。结合其功能特点等原则，第108～115被确定为合成肽序列。结论 doc-1蛋白B细胞连续性抗原表位的设计，为利用合成肽制备抗人doc-1蛋白抗体提供了理论依据，也为进一步研究doc-1基因及其蛋白功能奠定了基础。