Identification of an HLA-DQ2 peptide binding motif and HLA-DPw3-bound self-peptide by pool sequencing

Molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) present antigenic peptides to T cells. Sequencing peptide pools eluted from MHC class I molecules has established allele-specific peptide binding motifs. We applied pool sequencing to analyze human MHC class II-bound peptides and found that HLA-DQ2-eluted peptides predominantly contained lysine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine at relative position i, i + 3 and i + 8, respectively. These residues putatively represent anchor residues for MHC binding. Analysis of a heterogeneous HLA-DPw3/DPw4-eluted peptide pool yielded a sequence matching an epitope from the endogeneous enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. This self-peptide and a partially identical, known allo-epitope bound specifically to DPw3 and DR13 molecules, suggesting the sharing of a binding motif. In particular, the presence of an arginine at relative position 4 appeared important for binding to these HLA class II specificities. Thus, pool sequencing is applicable for the analysis of MHC class II-eluted peptides.     

Antimicrobial resistance of nasopharyngeal pneumococci from children from day-care centres and orphanages in Russia: results of a unique prospective multicentre study

This study assessed the antimicrobial resistance of nasopharyngeal pneumococci isolated from children aged < 5 years in day-care centres and orphanages throughout Russia during 2001-2002. Swabs were collected from 2484 children in 43 day-care centres and eight orphanages in 11 cities of European Russia, and from 1669 children in 37 day-care centres and three orphanages in eight cities of Asian Russia, with a total of 1144 and 912 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates being recovered in European and Asian Russia, respectively. All macrolide-non-susceptible (MICs 0.5-128 mg/L) and fluoroquinolone-non-susceptible (ciprofloxacin MICs > or = 4 mg/L) isolates were tested for resistance mechanisms and clonal relatedness. Non-susceptibility rates, by CLSI criteria, were 19.3%, 0.9% and 0.4% for penicillin G, cefotaxime and amoxycillin-clavulanate, respectively. Resistance to macrolides and lincosamides was also relatively low, i.e., < 7% for clindamycin and 14- and 15-membered macrolides. The highest rates of non-susceptibility were for tetracycline and co-trimoxazole (52.0% and 64.5%, respectively). No clones resistant to ciprofloxacin (MICs > or = 8 mg/L) were found, but 1.7% of isolates were non-susceptible (MIC 4 mg/L). No resistance was found to levofloxacin, gemifloxacin, telithromycin or vancomycin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis showed no relationship between ciprofloxacin- and macrolide-non-susceptible isolates in European and Asian Russia. Resistance among macrolide-resistant isolates resulted mostly from the presence of erm(B) and mef(A), and from changes in L4; additionally, L22 mutations were common in isolates from Asian Russia. Non-susceptibility to quinolones was associated with mutations in parC and parE among European isolates. Asian Russian isolates had mutations in parC and gyrA, and alterations in parE were more common. There were substantial differences in non-susceptibility and mechanisms of resistance between pneumococci from Asian and European Russia, with orphanages appearing to be 'hot-spots' of resistance.     

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.     

利用神经网络集成预测MHC-Ⅰ类分子结合肽

目的：利用神经网络集成（NNE）预测MHC-Ⅰ类分子结合肽。 方法： 基于HLA-A*0201编码的MHC-Ⅰ类分子结合肽数据库（含有628个9聚物）及其结合能力分类，利用NNE分别对具有无、低、中和高4类亲合性的结合肽进行分类预测；同时还进一步利用T细胞真实表位集（含50个表位）评估了NNE的预测性能。 结果： 集成数为12的NNE对上述分类的平均预测命中率可达0.8,而且NNE对潜在T细胞表位的预测能力也较高，约84%的真实表位归于高和中等亲合性的潜在抗原肽一类。 结论： 可以利用神经网络集成预测MHC-Ⅰ类分子结合肽，并进而预测相应的T细胞表位。经适当修改，NNE预测工具可扩展为能涵盖任意长度的Ⅰ类分子结合肽甚至可扩展到Ⅱ类分子结合肽的预测。     

Piracetam peptide analog L-PGLU-D-Ala-NH2 maintains the plastic properties of synaptic transmission in long-lasting hippocampal slices

Brain Research Institute, All-Union Mental Health Research Center, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR. Research Institute of Pharmacology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. V. Val'dman). Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 110, No. 12, pp. 602–604, December, 1990.     

Human T cell responses to peptides of the Mycobacterium leprae 45-kD serine-rich antigen

In order to identify T cell epitopes within the Mycobacterium leprae 45-kD serine-rich antigen, we analysed responses to overlapping 17-mer peptides encompassing the whole antigen in non-exposed UK controls, Pakistani leprosy patients and tuberculosis patients in both the United Kingdom and Pakistan. This antigen has been described as M. leprae-specific, although it has a hypothetical homologue in M. tuberculosis. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with peptide for 5 days and IFN-gamma measured in supernatants by ELISA. Some peptides were recognized more frequently by T cells from tuberculoid leprosy patients than those from UK controls, suggesting that such T cell epitopes might have diagnostic potential, while other peptides induced greater responses among UK control subjects. Short-term cell lines confirmed that these assays detected specific T cell recognition of these peptides. However, many tuberculosis patients also recognized these potentially specific peptides suggesting that there could be a true homologue present in M. tuberculosis.     

Are the blood pressure and endocrine responses of healthy subjects exposed to cold stress altered by an acutely increased sodium intake?

In the study reported here, we examined blood pressure and endocrine responses in cold conditions during salt load in young healthy subjects who had previously shown increased resting blood pressure during acutely increased sodium intake. Subjects (n=53) added 121 mmol sodium into their normal diet for 1 week. If their mean arterial pressure had increased by a minimum of 5 mmHg compared to the previous measure they were selected for subsequent experiments. The subjects (n=8) were given 121 mmol supplemental sodium · day⁻¹ for 14 days. They were then put into a wind tunnel for 15 min (temperature −15 °C, wind speed 3.5 · ms⁻¹). Their blood pressure increased (P < 0.05) during the cold exposure, independent of the sodium intake. Their mean (SEM) plasma noradrenaline increased from 3.58 (0.62) nmol · l⁻¹ to 5.61 (0.79) nmol · l⁻¹ (P < 0.05) when the subjects were given a normal diet, and from 2.45 (0.57) nmol · l⁻¹ to 5.06 (0.56) nmol · l⁻¹ (P < 0.05) when the subjects were given an elevated sodium diet. The starting concentrations and the endpoint concentrations were statistically similar. The plasma levels of the N-terminal fragment of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide decreased during the whole-body cold exposure: with the sodium load the change was from 256.6 (25.5) nmol · l⁻¹ to 208.0 (25.3) nmol · l⁻¹, and with the normal diet, from 205.8 (16.4) nmol · l⁻¹ to 175.1 (16.1) nmol · l⁻¹. The haematocrit and red blood cell count increased (P < 0.05) with normal and elevated sodium diet in cold conditions, but haemoglobin increased (P < 0.05) only with high salt in cold conditions. To conclude, acutely increased sodium intake does not change the blood pressure response or hormonal responses to exposure to acute cold stress in healthy subjects. Accepted: 28 September 2000     

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.     

Opioid activities of human β-casomorphins

Summary Opioid activities of human -casomorphin-4,-5,-7 and -8 and, for comparison, of the corresponding bovine -casomorphins were studied in the guinea-pig ileum preparation. Binding parameters, i.e. K _d -values and binding site concentrations, for the interaction of human and bovine -casomorphins with opioid receptors in rat brain homogenates were determined in inhibition experiments, using [³H]-(d-Ala², MePhe⁴, Gly-ol⁵)enkephalin, [³H]-(d-Ala², d-Leu⁵)enkephalin and [³H]ethylketazocin as -, - and -opioid receptor ligands. Analysis of binding data was performed using a non-linear curve fitting program. All -casomorphins examined displayed opioid activity. The affinity was highest for -receptors, less so for -receptors and lowest for -receptors. It is suggested that human -casomorphins might play a role as food hormones.     

Analgesic cross-tolerance between morphine and opioid peptides

The analgesic effect, of intracerebroventricular administration of morphine, ketocyclazocine, [D-ala²]-methionine enkephalinamide (DAM), [D-ala²-D-leu⁵]-enkephalin. (DADLE), leuenkephalin, metenkephalin, and -endorphin on acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing (AAW) was investigated in naive and morphine-tolerant mice. It was found that the relative potencies of a series of opioids are different in naive and morphine-tolerant groups. In naive animals, the order of potency (ED₅₀, nmol) was -endorphin > morphine=DAM > DADLE > ketocyclazocine=leuenkephalin=metenkephalin. The morphine-tolerant animals were cross-tolerant to ketocyclazocine and to all the peptides studied; DAM and -endorphin exhibited the highest degree of tolerance. In morphine-tolerant animals, the order of potency was morphine=DADLE=-endorphin > DAM=ketocyclazocine =metenkephalin > leuenkephalin. The results indicate that endogenous opioid systems may be affected by tolerance development to morphine.