Delineation of pulmonary airway fluid protein fractions with HRPO binding-avidity by far-Western ligand blot and mass spectrometry analyses: a model methodology for detecting mannose-binding protein expression profiles.

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Coyne, Cody P; Rashmir-Raven, Ann; Jones, Toni; Mochal, Cathleen; Linford, Robert L; Brashier, Michael; Eddy, Alison

2009-01-01

Limited research to date has characterized the potential for HRPO to function as a primary molecular probe. Pulmonary airway fluid was developed by non-reducing far-Western (ligand) blot analyses utilizing conjugated HRPO-strepavidin or non-conjugated HRPO without the presence of primary immunoglobulin. Endogenous esterase-like biochemical activity of fractions within pulmonary airway fluid was inactivated to determine if they were capable of biochemically converting HRPO chemiluminescent substrate. Complementary analyses modified pulmonary fluid and HRPO with beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase respectively, in addition to determining the influence of mannose and maltose competitive binding on HRPO far-Western (ligand) blot analyses. Identification of pulmonary fluid fractions detected by HRPO far-Western blot analyses was determined by mass spectrometry. Modification of pulmonary fluid with beta-galactosidase, and HRPO with alpha-mannosidase in concert with maltose and mannose competitive binding analyses altered the intensity and spectrum of pulmonary fluid fractions detected by HRPO far-Western blot analysis. Identity of pulmonary airway fluid fractions detected by HRPO far-Western (ligand) blot analysis were transferrin, dynein, albumin precursor, and two 156 kDa equine peptide fragments. HRPO can function as a partially-selective primary molecular probe when applied in either a conjugated or non-conjugated form. Some protein fractions can form complexes with HRPO through molecular mechanisms that involve physical interactions at the terminal alpha-mannose-rich regions of HRPO glycan side-chains. Based on its known molecular composition and structure, HRPO provides an opportunity for the development of diagnostics methodologies relevant to disease biomarkers that possess mannose-binding avidity.

Avidity of anti-malarial antibodies inversely related to transmission intensity at three sites in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Ssewanyana, Isaac; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Nankabirwa, Joaniter I; Yeka, Adoke; Sullivan, Richard; Kamya, Moses R; Rosenthal, Philip J; Dorsey, Grant; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Drakeley, Chris; Greenhouse, Bryan; Tetteh, Kevin K A

2017-02-10

People living in malaria endemic areas acquire protection from severe malaria quickly, but protection from clinical disease and control of parasitaemia is acquired only after many years of repeated infections. Antibodies play a central role in protection from clinical disease; however, protective antibodies are slow to develop. This study sought to investigate the influence of Plasmodium falciparum exposure on the acquisition of high-avidity antibodies to P. falciparum antigens, which may be associated with protection. Cross-sectional surveys were performed in children and adults at three sites in Uganda with varied P. falciparum transmission intensity (entomological inoculation rates; 3.8, 26.6, and 125 infectious bites per person per year). Sandwich ELISA was used to measure antibody responses to two P. falciparum merozoite surface antigens: merozoite surface protein 1-19 (MSP1-19) and apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1). In individuals with detectable antibody levels, guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) was added to measure the relative avidity of antibody responses by ELISA. Within a site, there were no significant differences in median antibody levels between the three age groups. Between sites, median antibody levels were generally higher in the higher transmission sites, with differences more apparent for AMA-1 and in ≥5 year group. Similarly, median avidity index (proportion of high avidity antibodies) showed no significant increase with increasing age but was significantly lower at sites of higher transmission amongst participants ≥5 years of age. Using 5 M GuHCl, the median avidity indices in the ≥5 year group at the highest and lowest transmission sites were 19.9 and 26.8, respectively (p = 0.0002) for MSP1-19 and 12.2 and 17.2 (p = 0.0007) for AMA1. Avidity to two different P. falciparum antigens was lower in areas of high transmission intensity compared to areas with lower transmission. Appreciation of the mechanisms behind these findings as

Characterization of Tumor-Avid Antibody Fragments Genetically Engineered for Mono-Specific Radionuclide Chelation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, T.P.

2003-01-01

The successful clinical application of targeted-radiopharmaceuticals depends on the development of molecules that optimize tumor specific radionuclide deposition and minimize non-specific organ irradiation. To this end, this proposal outlines a research effort to identify and evaluate novel antibodies and antibody fragments that bind breast tumors. The tumor-avid antibodies will be investigated for as imaging and therapeutic agents and to gain a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of radiolabeled tumor-avid antibody fragments through the use of site-specifically labeled molecules. Antibodies or antibody fragments, that bind breast carcinoma carbohydrate antigens, will be obtained from hybridoma or bacteriophage library screening. More specifically, antibody fragments that bind the carcinoma-associated Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen will be radiolabeled with 99m Tc and 188 Re at a natural amino acid chelation site and will be investigated in vivo for their abilities to target human breast tumors. In addition, site-specific radiolabeled antibody fragments will be biosynthesized using misacylated suppressor tRNAs. Homogeneously radiolabeled populations of antibody fragments will be used to investigate the effects of radionuclide location and chelation chemistries on their biodistribution and metabolism. It is hypothesized that site-specifically radiolabeled antibody fragments will possess enhanced tumor imaging and therapeutic properties due to optimal label location and conjugation chemistries. New insights into the factors that govern antibody metabolism in vivo are also expected from this work. Results from these studies should enhance our ability to design and synthesize radiolabeled antibody fragments that have improved pharmacokinetic properties. The studies in this proposal involve basic research into the development of antibody-based radiopharmaceuticals, with the ultimate goal of application in humans. This type of basic nuclear

Inflammatory pseudotumor: A gallium-avid mobile mesenteric mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auringer, S.T.; Scott, M.D.; Sumner, T.E.

1991-01-01

An 8-yr-old boy with a 1-mo history of culture-negative fever and anemia underwent gallium, ultrasound, and computed tomography studies as part of the evaluation of a fever of unknown origin. These studies revealed a mobile gallium-avid solid abdominal mass subsequently proven to be an inflammatory pseudotumor of the mesentery, a rare benign mass. This report documents the gallium-avid nature of this rare lesion and discusses associated characteristic clinical, pathologic, and radiographic features

The tyrosine B10 hydroxyl is crucial for oxygen avidity of Ascaris hemoglobin.

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Kloek, A P; Yang, J; Mathews, F S; Frieden, C; Goldberg, D E

1994-01-28

The parasitic nematode Ascaris suum has a gene encoding a two-domain hemoglobin with remarkable oxygen avidity. The strong interaction with oxygen is a consequence of a particularly slow oxygen off-rate. The single polypeptide chain consists of two domains, each of which can be expressed separately in Escherichia coli as a globin-like protein exhibiting oxygen binding characteristics comparable with the native molecule. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on the gene segment encoding domain one. The E7 position, involved in forming a hydrogen bond with the liganded oxygen in vertebrate globins, is a glutamine in both Ascaris domains. Conversion of this residue to leucine or alanine produced a hemoglobin variant with an oxygen off-rate 5- or 60-fold faster than that of unaltered domain one. Replacement of the tyrosine B10 with either phenylalanine or leucine (as found in vertebrate globins) yielded hemoglobin mutants with oxygen off-rates 280- or 570-fold faster, approaching rates found with vertebrate myoglobins. The data suggest that the distal glutamine hydrogen bonds with the liganded oxygen and that the tyrosine B10 hydroxyl contributes an additional hydrogen bond that appears substantially responsible for the extreme oxygen avidity of Ascaris hemoglobin.

Radiolabeled Rhein as Small-Molecule Necrosis Avid Agents for Imaging of Necrotic Myocardium.

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Luo, Qi; Jin, Qiaomei; Su, Chang; Zhang, Dongjian; Jiang, Cuihua; Fish, Anne Folta; Feng, Yuanbo; Ni, Yicheng; Zhang, Jian; Yin, Zhiqi

2017-01-17

A rapid and accurate identification of necrotic myocardium is of great importance for diagnosis, risk stratification, clinical decision-making, and prognosis evaluation of myocardial infarction. Here, we explored technetium-99m labeled rhein derivatives for rapid imaging of the necrotic myocardium. Three hydrazinonicotinic acid-linker-rhein (HYNIC-linker-rhein) derivatives were synthesized, and then, these synthetic compounds were labeled with technetium-99m using ethylenediaminediacetic acid (EDDA) and tricine as coligands [ 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-linker-rhein]. The necrosis avidity of the three 99m Tc-labeled rhein derivatives was tested in a mouse model of ethanol-induced muscular necrosis by gamma counting, histochemical staining, and autoradiography. A lead tracer for visualization of necrotic myocardium was assessed by single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging in a rat model with reperfused myocardial infarction. The necrosis avidity mechanism of the tracer was explored by DNA binding studies in vitro and blocking experiments in vivo. Results showed that the uptake in necrotic muscles of the three 99m Tc-compounds was higher than that in viable muscles (P EDDA)-HYNIC-ethylenediamine-rhein [ 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-2C-rhein] displayed the best distribution profiles for imaging. The necrotic myocardium lesions were clearly visualized by SPECT/CT using 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-2C-rhein at 1 h after injection. The necrotic-to-viable myocardium and necrotic myocardium-to-blood uptake ratios of 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-2C-rhein were 4.79 and 3.02 at 1 h after injection. DNA binding studies suggested HYNIC-linker-rhein bound to DNA through intercalation. The uptake of 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-2C-rhein in necrotic muscle was significantly blocked by excessive unlabeled rhein, with 77.61% decline at 1 h after coinjection. These findings suggested 99m Tc(EDDA)-HYNIC-2C-rhein emerged as a "hot spot" imaging probe that has a potential for rapid imaging of

Specificity and sensitivity of binding proteins in the radioimmunoassay of cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gijzen, A.H.J.

1977-01-01

A comparison concerning avidity towards cortisol and 10 other steroids was made between several binding proteins either in solution or bound to cellulose as so called ''solid phase'' reagent. Human blood cortisol binding protein (CBP, transcortin), and two distinctly different cortisol-binding rabbit antisera and the isolated immunoglobulins thereof were compared in their avidity to bind cortisol and several other steroids. The antisera were harvested from rabbits immunized with either cortisol-21-succinyl-albumin (CSA) or cortisol-3-oxim-albumin (COA). The latter antiserum, having the highest titre in cortisol titration, showed the greatest specificity and was most useful as a binding reagent in cortisol radioimmunoassay when used as a solid phase reagent. The determination of cortisol in micro samples of blood serum is possible without steroid extraction or serum protein denaturation and with only minor influence of steroid impurities in the sample to be analyzed. Affinity constants for all compared binding reagents and steroids are given

Direct block scheduling technology: Analysis of Avidity

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Felipe Ribeiro Souza

Full Text Available Abstract This study is focused on Direct Block Scheduling testing (Direct Multi-Period Scheduling methodology which schedules mine production considering the correct discount factor of each mining block, resulting in the final pit. Each block is analyzed individually in order to define the best target period. This methodology presents an improvement of the classical methodology derived from Lerchs-Grossmann's initial proposition improved by Whittle. This paper presents the differences between these methodologies, specially focused on the algorithms' avidity. Avidity is classically defined by the voracious search algorithms, whereupon some of the most famous greedy algorithms are Branch and Bound, Brutal Force and Randomized. Strategies based on heuristics can accentuate the voracity of the optimizer system. The applied algorithm use simulated annealing combined with Tabu Search. The most avid algorithm can select the most profitable blocks in early periods, leading to higher present value in the first periods of mine operation. The application of discount factors to blocks on the Lerchs-Grossmann's final pit has an accentuated effect with time, and this effect may make blocks scheduled for the end of the mine life unfeasible, representing a trend to a decrease in reported reserves.

Serodiagnosis of Toxoplasmosis: The effect of measurement of IgG avidity in pregnant women in Rabat in Morocco.

Science.gov (United States)

Laboudi, Majda; Sadak, Abderrahim

2017-08-01

The diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women during the early first trimester of pregnancy is very important for preventing congenital infection of the fetus; it will not only prevent the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus but it will also enable to give these women a preventive treatment. In this study, the avidity test was performed on pregnant women during their first prenatal visit at the National Institute of Hygiene in Rabat, Morocco. One hundred and twenty-eight sera samples were collected from 128 pregnant women between August 2015 and June 2016; these women were chosen retrospectively and were in their first four months of pregnancy. The samples were screened using the specific anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies and were subjected to an IgG avidity test. After the serological screening, only 54 women (42.4%) were tested positive for IgG antibodies and five women (3.9%) were tested positive for both anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies. Four IgM-negative women had low-avidity antibodies. However, none of the IgG-avidity test had detected low-avidity antibodies in the five IgM-positive women; three women (60%) had high-avidity antibodies, indicating that the infection was acquired in the distant past. The avidity test is a helpful tool to exclude a recently acquired toxoplasmosis infection within IgM-positive serum samples in pregnant women during their first trimester of pregnancy. Thus, allowing to perform an appropriate therapeutic intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in primary gastric lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radan, Lea; Fischer, Doron; Bar-Shalom, Rachel; Israel, Ora; Dann, Eldad J.; Epelbaum, Ron; Haim, Nissim; Gaitini, Diana

2008-01-01

The use of 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) is challenging due to physiologic FDG activity in the stomach and variability in the degree of uptake in various histologic subtypes. This study assesses FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in newly diagnosed PGL. Sixty-two PET/CT studies of newly diagnosed PGL were reviewed (24 low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue [MALT], 38 aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma [AGNHL]). FDG avidity, patterns (focal/diffuse), and intensity (visually vs. the liver and SUVmax) were assessed and compared to 27 controls. Gastric CT abnormalities and extragastric sites were recorded. Gastric FDG uptake was found in 55/62 (89%) PGL (71% MALT vs. 100% AGNHL, p < 0.001) and 63% controls. A diffuse pattern was found in 60% PGL (76% MALT vs. 53% AGNHL, p = NS) and 47% controls. FDG uptake higher than liver was found in 82% PGL (58% MALT vs. 97% AGNHL, p < 0.05) and 63% controls. SUVmax in FDG-avid PGLs was 15.3 ± 11.7 (5.4 ± 2.9 MALT vs. 19.7 ± 11.5 AGNHL, p < 0.001) and 4.6 ± 1.4 in controls. CT abnormalities were found in 79% PGL (thickening, n = 49; ulcerations, n = 22). Extra-gastric FDG-avid sites were seen in none of MALT, but 61% of AGNHL (nodal, n = 18; nodal and extranodal, n 5). FDG avidity was present in 89% of PGLs, including all patients with AGNHL but only 71% of MALT. FDG uptake can be differentiated, in particular in AGNHL-PGL, from physiologic tracer activity by intensity but not by pattern. Extragastric foci on PET and structural CT abnormalities are additional parameters that can improve PET/CT assessment of PGL. Defining FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in AGNHL and a subgroup of MALT-PGL before treatment may be important for further monitoring therapy response. (orig.)

FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in primary gastric lymphoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radan, Lea [Rambam Health Care Campus, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Haifa (Israel); Fischer, Doron [Rambam Health Care Campus, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Haifa (Israel); Bar-Shalom, Rachel; Israel, Ora [Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rambam Health Care Campus and R. and B. Rappaport School of Medicine, Haifa (Israel); Dann, Eldad J. [Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, and R. and B. Rappaport School of Medicine, Haifa (Israel); Epelbaum, Ron; Haim, Nissim [Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Department of Oncology, Rambam Health Care Campus, and R. and B. Rappaport School of Medicine, Haifa (Israel); Gaitini, Diana [Rambam Health Care Campus, and R. and B. Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Haifa (Israel)

2008-08-15

The use of 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) is challenging due to physiologic FDG activity in the stomach and variability in the degree of uptake in various histologic subtypes. This study assesses FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in newly diagnosed PGL. Sixty-two PET/CT studies of newly diagnosed PGL were reviewed (24 low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue [MALT], 38 aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma [AGNHL]). FDG avidity, patterns (focal/diffuse), and intensity (visually vs. the liver and SUVmax) were assessed and compared to 27 controls. Gastric CT abnormalities and extragastric sites were recorded. Gastric FDG uptake was found in 55/62 (89%) PGL (71% MALT vs. 100% AGNHL, p < 0.001) and 63% controls. A diffuse pattern was found in 60% PGL (76% MALT vs. 53% AGNHL, p = NS) and 47% controls. FDG uptake higher than liver was found in 82% PGL (58% MALT vs. 97% AGNHL, p < 0.05) and 63% controls. SUVmax in FDG-avid PGLs was 15.3 {+-} 11.7 (5.4 {+-} 2.9 MALT vs. 19.7 {+-} 11.5 AGNHL, p < 0.001) and 4.6 {+-} 1.4 in controls. CT abnormalities were found in 79% PGL (thickening, n = 49; ulcerations, n = 22). Extra-gastric FDG-avid sites were seen in none of MALT, but 61% of AGNHL (nodal, n = 18; nodal and extranodal, n = 5). FDG avidity was present in 89% of PGLs, including all patients with AGNHL but only 71% of MALT. FDG uptake can be differentiated, in particular in AGNHL-PGL, from physiologic tracer activity by intensity but not by pattern. Extragastric foci on PET and structural CT abnormalities are additional parameters that can improve PET/CT assessment of PGL. Defining FDG avidity and PET/CT patterns in AGNHL and a subgroup of MALT-PGL before treatment may be important for further monitoring therapy response. (orig.)

Understanding the in vivo uptake kinetics of a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding agent 99mTc-Duramycin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Audi, Said; Li Zhixin; Capacete, Joseph; Liu Yu; Fang, Wei; Shu, Laura G.; Zhao Ming

2012-01-01

Introduction: 99m Tc-Duramycin is a peptide-based molecular probe that binds specifically to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The goal was to characterize the kinetics of molecular interactions between 99m Tc-Duramycin and the target tissue. Methods: High level of accessible PE is induced in cardiac tissues by myocardial ischemia (30 min) and reperfusion (120 min) in Sprague–Dawley rats. Target binding and biodistribution of 99m Tc-duramycin were captured using SPECT/CT. To quantify the binding kinetics, the presence of radioactivity in ischemic versus normal cardiac tissues was measured by gamma counting at 3, 10, 20, 60 and 180 min after injection. A partially inactivated form of 99m Tc-Duramycin was analyzed in the same fashion. A compartment model was developed to quantify the uptake kinetics of 99m Tc-Duramycin in normal and ischemic myocardial tissue. Results: 99m Tc-duramycin binds avidly to the damaged tissue with a high target-to-background radio. Compartment modeling shows that accessibility of binding sites in myocardial tissue to 99m Tc-Duramycin is not a limiting factor and the rate constant of target binding in the target tissue is at 2.2 ml/nmol/min/g. The number of available binding sites for 99m Tc-Duramycin in ischemic myocardium was estimated at 0.14 nmol/g. Covalent modification of D15 resulted in a 9-fold reduction in binding affinity. Conclusion: 99m Tc-Duramycin accumulates avidly in target tissues in a PE-dependent fashion. Model results reflect an efficient uptake mechanism, consistent with the low molecular weight of the radiopharmaceutical and the relatively high density of available binding sites. These data help better define the imaging utilities of 99m Tc-Duramycin as a novel PE-binding agent.

AVIDITY EVALUATION OF LOCAL IgA ANTIBODIES IN PERSONS IMMUNIZED WITH LIVE INFLUENZA VACCINE

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S. A. Donina

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. At present, immunogenicity evaluation of influenza vaccines is performed by quantitative assessment of increased serum antibodies. It was, however, shown that the degree of human defense against influenza is mostly related to their qualitative characteristics, i.e., avidity (functional activity. Leading role of local immunity is demonstrated in protection against influenza. Such immunity is mediated by IgA antibodies from mucosal airways. Meanwhile, the avidity issues for local antibodies still remain open.In present study, an attempt was undertaken to evaluate post-vaccination local immunological memory for influenza A virus, according to IgA antibodies from upper respiratory secretions. Two techniques were used to evaluate antibody avidity, that were previously applied for studying this phenomenon with serum imunoglobulins, i.e., a dynamic test (measurement of antigen-antibody reaction rates, and a test with urea, a chaotropic agent (avidity is determined as a strength of antigen-antibody complex. A total of 202 persons (18 to 20 years old were enrolled into the study.With both tests, a broad range of individual avidity values was observed for the antibodies. A significant cohort (up to 30 per cent of persons immunized with live influenza vaccine, showed sharply increased avidity of secretory IgA antibodies by both methods, along with accumulation of these immunoglobulins after vaccination. A reverse relationship is revealed between avidity levels of these antibodies before vaccination, and increase of this parameter post-immunization. The data present convincing arguments for specific renewal of local humoral immunological memory, as induced by live influenza vaccine. The study substantiates a necessity for application of the both tests in parallel, when determining avidity of secretory IgA antibodies. (Med. Immunol., vol. 10, N 4-5, pp 423-430.

Diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women referred to therapeutic centers of Alborz Province (Iran using immunoglobulin G avidity ELISA technique

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Lame Akhlaghi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate immunoglobulin G (IgG avidity as a useful and reliable technique in diagnosing toxoplasmosis in pregnant women referring to therapeutic centers of Alborz Province (Iran in 2014, against two other tests, IgG and immunoglobulin G (IgM antiToxoplasma. Methods: Serum samples (468 in total were obtained from different therapeutic centers in Karaj City. ELISA method was used to test the anti-Toxoplasma avidity of IgG, IgM and IgG. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and Chi-square test (P < 0.05 using SPSS 17.0. Results: Anti-Toxoplasma tests of IgM and IgG were positive in 9 and 86 samples respectively. Also, a borderline IgM was detected in 2 suspected samples. In addition, among all positive and suspected samples, 79 cases indicated high titers of IgG avidity, 7 cases were of low titers and 1 case was of a borderline titer. The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies was 20%. The sera which showed high avidity index was obtained from patients at chronic phase of infection (92% while those which showed low avidity levels were from patients at acute toxoplasmosis (77.7%. Conclusions: This study clearly showed that acute and chronic phases of toxoplasmosis could be differentiated with the aid of IgG avidity test. This test may also assist in recognizing old and newly acquired infections.

Effects of egg-adaptation on receptor-binding and antigenic properties of recent influenza A (H3N2) vaccine viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Lauren; Wharton, Stephen A; Martin, Stephen R; Cross, Karen; Lin, Yipu; Liu, Yan; Feizi, Ten; Daniels, Rodney S; McCauley, John W

2016-06-01

Influenza A virus (subtype H3N2) causes seasonal human influenza and is included as a component of influenza vaccines. The majority of vaccine viruses are isolated and propagated in eggs, which commonly results in amino acid substitutions in the haemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein. These substitutions can affect virus receptor-binding and alter virus antigenicity, thereby, obfuscating the choice of egg-propagated viruses for development into candidate vaccine viruses. To evaluate the effects of egg-adaptive substitutions seen in H3N2 vaccine viruses on sialic acid receptor-binding, we carried out quantitative measurement of virus receptor-binding using surface biolayer interferometry with haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays to correlate changes in receptor avidity with antigenic properties. Included in these studies was a panel of H3N2 viruses generated by reverse genetics containing substitutions seen in recent egg-propagated vaccine viruses and corresponding cell culture-propagated wild-type viruses. These assays provide a quantitative approach to investigating the importance of individual amino acid substitutions in influenza receptor-binding. Results show that viruses with egg-adaptive HA substitutions R156Q, S219Y, and I226N, have increased binding avidity to α2,3-linked receptor-analogues and decreased binding avidity to α2,6-linked receptor-analogues. No measurable binding was detected for the viruses with amino acid substitution combination 156Q+219Y and receptor-binding increased in viruses where egg-adaptation mutations were introduced into cell culture-propagated virus. Substitutions at positions 156 and 190 appeared to be primarily responsible for low reactivity in HI assays with post-infection ferret antisera raised against 2012-2013 season H3N2 viruses. Egg-adaptive substitutions at position 186 caused substantial differences in binding avidity with an insignificant effect on antigenicity.

MIBG avidity correlates with clinical features, tumor biology, and outcomes in neuroblastoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Science.gov (United States)

DuBois, Steven G; Mody, Rajen; Naranjo, Arlene; Van Ryn, Collin; Russ, Douglas; Oldridge, Derek; Kreissman, Susan; Baker, David L; Parisi, Marguerite; Shulkin, Barry L; Bai, Harrison; Diskin, Sharon J; Batra, Vandana; Maris, John M; Park, Julie R; Matthay, Katherine K; Yanik, Gregory

2017-11-01

Prior studies suggest that neuroblastomas that do not accumulate metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) on diagnostic imaging (MIBG non-avid) may have more favorable features compared with MIBG avid tumors. We compared clinical features, biologic features, and clinical outcomes between patients with MIBG nonavid and MIBG avid neuroblastoma. Patients had metastatic high- or intermediate-risk neuroblastoma and were treated on Children's Oncology Group protocols A3973 or A3961. Comparisons of clinical and biologic features according to MIBG avidity were made with chi-squared or Fisher exact tests. Event-free (EFS) and overall (OS) survival compared using log-rank tests and modeled using Cox models. Thirty of 343 patients (8.7%) had MIBG nonavid disease. Patients with nonavid tumors were less likely to have adrenal primary tumors (34.5 vs. 57.2%; P = 0.019), bone metastases (36.7 vs. 61.7%; P = 0.008), or positive urine catecholamines (66.7 vs. 91.0%; P neuroblastoma have lower rates of adrenal primary tumors, bone metastasis, and catecholamine secretion. Despite being more likely to have MYCN-amplified tumors, these patients have superior outcomes compared with patients with MIBG avid disease. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Partnering with AVID to create transportation scholars

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

The goal of this project was to team with the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) : program in local schools to stimulate student awareness of transportation and engineering careers and to : encourage interest in the science, technology, ...

Serological IgG avidity test for ocular toxoplasmosis

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Suresh S

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Subramaniam Suresh1, Saidin Nor-Masniwati1, Muhd Nor Nor-Idahriani1, Wan-Hitam Wan-Hazabbah1, Mohamed Zeehaida2, Embong Zunaina11Department of Ophthalmology, 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MalaysiaBackground: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunoglobulin (Ig G avidity of serological toxoplasmosis testing in patients with ocular inflammation and to determine the clinical manifestations of ocular toxoplasmosis.Methods: A retrospective review of all patients presenting with ocular inflammation to the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia between 2005 and 2009 was undertaken. Visual acuity, clinical manifestations at presentation, toxoplasmosis antibody testing, and treatment records were analyzed.Results: A total of 130 patients with ocular inflammation were reviewed retrospectively. The patients had a mean age of 38.41 (standard deviation 19.24, range 6–83 years. Seventy-one patients (54.6% were found to be seropositive, of whom five (3.8% were both IgG and IgM positive (suggestive of recently acquired ocular toxoplasmosis while one (0.8% showed IgG avidity ≤40% (suggestive of recently acquired ocular toxoplasmosis and 65 patients (50.0% showed IgG avidity >40% (suggestive of reactivation of toxoplasmosis infection. Chorioretinal scarring as an ocular manifestation was significantly more common in patients with seropositive toxoplasmosis (P = 0.036. Eighteen patients (13.8% were diagnosed as having recent and/or active ocular toxoplasmosis based on clinical manifestations and serological testing.Conclusion: Ocular toxoplasmosis is a clinical diagnosis, but specific toxoplasmosis antibody testing helps to support the diagnosis and to differentiate between reactivation of infection and recently acquired ocular toxoplasmosis.Keywords: ocular toxoplasmosis, chorioretinal scar, toxoplasmosis antibody, IgG avidity test

Kinetic and HPV infection effects on cross-type neutralizing antibody and avidity responses induced by Cervarix®

Science.gov (United States)

Kemp, Troy J.; Safaeian, Mahboobeh; Hildesheim, Allan; Pan, Yuanji; Penrose, Kerri J.; Porras, Carolina; Schiller, John T.; Lowy, Douglas R.; Herrero, Rolando; Pinto, Ligia A.

2012-01-01

Background We previously demonstrated that Cervarix® elicits antibody responses against vaccine-related types for which clinical efficacy was demonstrated (HPV-31 and -45). Here, we evaluated the kinetics of neutralization titers and avidity of Cervarix®-induced antibodies up to 36 months of follow-up in unexposed and HPV infected women. Methods A subset of women who participated in the Cost Rica HPV-16/18 Vaccine Trial had pre- and post-vaccination sera tested for antibody responses to HPV-16, -18, -31, -45, and -58 using a pseudovirion-based neutralization assay, and HPV-16 antibody avidity using an HPV-16 L1 VLP (virus-like particle)-based ELISA developed in our laboratory. Results In uninfected women, neutralizing antibody titers did not reach significance until after the 3rd dose for HPV-31 (month 12, p=0.009) and HPV-45 (month 12, p=0.003), but then persisted up to month 36 (HPV-31, p=0.01; HPV-45, p=0.002). Individuals infected with HPV-16 or HPV-31 at enrollment developed a significantly higher median antibody response to the corresponding HPV type after one dose, but there was not a difference between median titers after three doses compared to the HPV negative group. Median HPV-16 antibody avidity and titer increased over time up to month 12; however, the HPV-16 avidity did not correlate well with HPV-16 neutralizing antibody titers at each time point examined, except for month 6. The median avidity levels were higher in HPV-16 infected women at month 1 (p=0.04) and lower in HPV-16 infected women at month 12 (p=0.006) compared to the HPV negative women. Conclusions The persistence of cross-neutralization titers at month 36 suggests cross-reactive antibody responses are likely to persist long-term and are not influenced by infection status at enrollment. However, the weak correlation between avidity and neutralization titers emphasizes the need for examining avidity in efficacy studies to determine if high avidity antibodies play a critical role in

The pattern-recognition molecule mannan-binding lectin (MBL) in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axelgaard, Esben; Thiel, Steffen; Hansen, Troels Krarup

to carbohydrates of both specific type and density, which thus provides sufficient binding avidity. The character of MBL binding-sites on host cells remain unknown, but it is speculated that altered protein glycation in diabetes permits MBL binding. Based on new studies using MBL/double knockout C57bl/6j mice, we...

Avidity of Antibodies against HSV-2 and Risk to Neonatal Transmission among Mexican Pregnant Women

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Antonia Herrera-Ortiz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To determine HSV-2 seroprevalence, risk factors, and antibody avidity among a sample of Mexican pregnant women. Material and Methods. The avidity test was standardized with different urea concentrations and incubation times; the cut-off point was calculated to determine the low avidity (early infection. IgG antibodies against HSV-2 were detected from pregnant and postpartum women from Morelos, Mexico, and the avidity test was performed to positive samples. Multivariate regression logistic analysis was employed to evaluate demographic and sexual behavior characteristics associated with HSV-2 infection. Results. HSV-2 seroprevalence among Mexican women analyzed was 14.5% (333/2300, demographic factors (location of General Hospital, age, education level, and civil status, and risky sexual behaviors (STI self-report and number of sexual partners during last year were associated with HSV-2 infection. Seventeen women were detected with low avidity antibodies (early infection with a cut-off point of 66.1%. Conclusions. HSV-2 infection was common among this group of women from Mexico; the avidity test detected women with recent infections, and these women were more likely to transmit HSV-2 to their neonates. Neonatal herpes has no epidemiological surveillance, the disease could be overlooked, and so more studies are needed to estimate the magnitude of neonatal infection.

Selective high-affinity polydentate ligands and methods of making such

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denardo, Sally J.; Denardo, Gerald L.; Balhorn, Rodney L.

2018-02-06

This invention provides novel polydentate selective high affinity ligands (SHALs) that can be used in a variety of applications in a manner analogous to the use of antibodies. SHALs typically comprise a multiplicity of ligands that each bind different region son the target molecule. The ligands are joined directly or through a linker thereby forming a polydentate moiety that typically binds the target molecule with high selectivity and avidity.

Porin A-specific antibody avidity in patients who are convalescing from meningococcal B disease.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermont, C.L.; Dijken, H.H. van; Groot, R. de; Dobbelsteen, G.P. van den

2005-01-01

Porin A (PorA), which determines the serosubtype of Neisseria meningitidis, is the main antigen of a candidate vaccine against serogroup B meningococci, which has been shown to induce high-avidity antibodies in children. We characterized the immune response of children after convalescing from

Influence of maternal vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis on the avidity of infant antibody responses to a pertussis containing vaccine in Belgium.

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Caboré, Raïssa Nadège; Maertens, Kirsten; Dobly, Alexandre; Leuridan, Elke; Van Damme, Pierre; Huygen, Kris

2017-10-03

Maternal antibodies induced by vaccination during pregnancy cross the placental barrier and can close the susceptibility gap to pertussis in young infants up to the start of primary immunization. As not only the quantity but also the quality of circulating antibodies is important for protection, we assessed whether maternal immunization affects the avidity of infant vaccine-induced IgG antibodies, in the frame of a prospective clinical trial on pregnancy vaccination in Belgium. Infants born from Tdap (Boostrix®) vaccinated (N = 55) and unvaccinated (N = 26) mothers were immunized with a hexavalent pertussis containing vaccine (Infanrix Hexa®) at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, followed by a fourth dose at 15 months of age. Right before and one month after this fourth vaccine dose, the avidity of IgG antibodies against diphtheria toxin (DT), tetanus toxin (TT), pertussis toxin (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and pertactin (Prn) was determined using 1.5 M ammonium thiocyanate as dissociating agent. In both groups, antibody avidity was moderate for TT, PT, FHA and Prn and low for DT after priming. After a fourth dose, antibody avidity increased significantly to high avidity for TT and PT, whereas it remained moderate for FHA and Prn and low for DT. The avidity correlated positively with antibody level in both study groups, yet not significantly for PT. When comparing both study groups, only PT-specific antibodies showed significantly lower avidity in infants born from vaccinated than from unvaccinated mothers after the fourth vaccine dose. The clinical significance of lower avidity of vaccine induced infant antibodies after maternal vaccination, if any, needs further investigation.

Comparison of Toxoplasma gondii IgG avidity Architect and Vidas assays with the estimated date of infection in pregnant women

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Smets Aurélie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A maternal Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy is a risk for congenital infection through maternal-fetal transplacental transmission. Estimation of the date of infection is of the utmost importance for management and treatment recommendations. In this setting, IgG avidity has been shown to be useful as high avidity rules out an infection dating less than 4 months. The estimated date of infection can also be obtained by the ratio of T. gondii IgG titers measured by the Vidas (bioMérieux assay versus T. gondii IgG titers measured by the Architect (Abbott Laboratories test, together with T. gondii IgM and IgA antibody responses. In this study, using 117 serum samples from pregnant women, we compared the IgG avidity values obtained by Architect and Vidas with the presumed date of T. gondii infection established by the T. gondii IgG ratio of IgG Vidas and IgG Architect plus the IgM and IgA results. To date, IgG avidity Vidas seems to exhibit better performance than Architect. For both assays, gray zone results were most likely obtained from patients infected more than 4 months before sampling. These data should be taken into account for a possible reconsideration of the interpretation of avidity results in the gray zone.

Experimental evaluation of radioiodinated sennoside B as a necrosis-avid tracer agent.

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Zhang, Dongjian; Huang, Dejian; Ji, Yun; Jiang, Cuihua; Li, Yue; Gao, Meng; Yao, Nan; Liu, Xuejiao; Shao, Haibo; Jing, Su; Ni, Yicheng; Yin, Zhiqi; Zhang, Jian

2015-02-01

Necrosis-avid agents are a class of compounds that selectively accumulate in the necrotic tissues after systemic administration, which can be used for in vivo necrosis imaging and targeted therapies. In order to search for a necrosis-avid tracer agent with improved drugability, we labelled iodine-131 on sennoside B (SB) as a naturally occurring median dianthrone compound. The necrosis targetability and clearance properties of (131)I-SB were evaluated in model rats with liver and muscle necrosis. On SPECT/CT images, a "hot spot" in the infarcted liver lobe and necrotic muscle was persistently observed at 24 h and 72 h post-injection (p.i.). Gamma counting of the tissues of interest revealed a radioactivity ratio of necrotic to viable liver at 4.6 and 3.4 and of necrotic to viable muscle at 7.0 and 8.8 at 24 h and 72 h p.i., respectively. The good match of autoradiographs and fluoromicroscopic images with corresponding histochemical staining suggested preferential uptake of (131)I-SB in necrotic tissue. Pharmacokinetic study revealed that (131)I-SB has an elimination half-life of 8.6 h. This study indicates that (131)I-SB shows not only prominent necrosis avidity but also favourable pharmacokinetics, which may serve as a potential necrosis-avid diagnostic agent for assessment of tissue viability.

Lipid-binding proteins modulate ligand-dependent trans-activation by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and localize to the nucleus as well as the cytoplasm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helledie, T; Antonius, M; Sorensen, R V

2000-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are activated by a variety of fatty acids, eicosanoids, and hypolipidemic and insulin-sensitizing drugs. Many of these compounds bind avidly to members of a family of small lipid-binding proteins, the fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs). Fatty...

Changes in avidity and level of immunoglobulin G antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sera of patients undergoing treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arias-Bouda, Lenka M. Pereira; Kuijper, Sjoukje; van der Werf, Anouk; Nguyen, Lan N.; Jansen, Henk M.; Kolk, Arend H. J.

2003-01-01

Much is known about specific antibodies and their titers in patients with tuberculosis. However, little is known about the avidity of these antibodies or whether changes in avidity occur during the progression of the disease or during treatment. The aims of this study were to determine the avidity

CD8 T Cell Sensory Adaptation Dependent on TCR Avidity for Self-Antigens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marquez, M.-E.; Ellmeier, W.; Sanchez-Guajardo, Vanesa Maria

2005-01-01

dephosphorylation of linker for activation of T cells and ERK upon activation. Normal TCR levels and cytokine production were restored by culturing cells in the absence of TCR/spMHC interaction, demonstrating dynamic tuning of peripheral T cell responses. The effect of avidity for self-ligand(s) on this sensory...... ZAP-YEEI cells were enhanced. Our data provide support for central and peripheral sensory T cell adaptation induced as a function of TCR avidity for self-ligands and signaling level. This may contribute to buffer excessive autoreactivity while optimizing TCR repertoire usage....

Interference of daratumumab with pretransfusion testing, mimicking a high-titer, low avidity like antibody

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Mei-Hwa Lin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Daratumumab is a monoclonal immunoglobulin against CD38 and has been approved for treating patients with refractory multiple myeloma. The presence of daratumumab in the sera can interfere with pretransfusion testing due to the weakly expression of CD38 on red cells. The reactivity could be mistaken as autoantibody (if autocontrol is positive or alloantibody (if autocontrol is negative. We present a case that demonstrates daratumumab could mimic a high titer low avidity (HTLA alloantibody. A 34-year-old male patient of refractory myeloma was recruited in phase three clinical trial involving daratumumab. Samples were sent to the blood bank for pretransfusion testing. Without knowledge of patient having used daratumumab, we mistook the reactivity in the patient's sera as an HTLA antibody due to the results of negative autocontrol and high titers of antibody activity. Antibody screen showed a panreactive pattern and the reactivity against screening cells was up to a titer of 1: 1240. The reactivity was weaker against cord cells than adult cells, became weaker against ZZAP-treated cells and became negative against DDT-treated cells. A discussion with attending physician finally revealed the reactivity was due to the interference caused by daratumumab. The case demonstrates good communication is essential in performing pretransfusion testing for patients receiving daratumumab and other new biological regimens that can interfere with compatibility test.

Quantitative modeling assesses the contribution of bond strengthening, rebinding and force sharing to the avidity of biomolecule interactions.

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Valentina Lo Schiavo

Full Text Available Cell adhesion is mediated by numerous membrane receptors. It is desirable to derive the outcome of a cell-surface encounter from the molecular properties of interacting receptors and ligands. However, conventional parameters such as affinity or kinetic constants are often insufficient to account for receptor efficiency. Avidity is a qualitative concept frequently used to describe biomolecule interactions: this includes incompletely defined properties such as the capacity to form multivalent attachments. The aim of this study is to produce a working description of monovalent attachments formed by a model system, then to measure and interpret the behavior of divalent attachments under force. We investigated attachments between antibody-coated microspheres and surfaces coated with sparse monomeric or dimeric ligands. When bonds were subjected to a pulling force, they exhibited both a force-dependent dissociation consistent with Bell's empirical formula and a force- and time-dependent strengthening well described by a single parameter. Divalent attachments were stronger and less dependent on forces than monovalent ones. The proportion of divalent attachments resisting a force of 30 piconewtons for at least 5 s was 3.7 fold higher than that of monovalent attachments. Quantitative modeling showed that this required rebinding, i.e. additional bond formation between surfaces linked by divalent receptors forming only one bond. Further, experimental data were compatible with but did not require stress sharing between bonds within divalent attachments. Thus many ligand-receptor interactions do not behave as single-step reactions in the millisecond to second timescale. Rather, they exhibit progressive stabilization. This explains the high efficiency of multimerized or clustered receptors even when bonds are only subjected to moderate forces. Our approach provides a quantitative way of relating binding avidity to measurable parameters including bond

Quantitative Modeling Assesses the Contribution of Bond Strengthening, Rebinding and Force Sharing to the Avidity of Biomolecule Interactions

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Lo Schiavo, Valentina; Robert, Philippe; Limozin, Laurent; Bongrand, Pierre

2012-01-01

Cell adhesion is mediated by numerous membrane receptors. It is desirable to derive the outcome of a cell-surface encounter from the molecular properties of interacting receptors and ligands. However, conventional parameters such as affinity or kinetic constants are often insufficient to account for receptor efficiency. Avidity is a qualitative concept frequently used to describe biomolecule interactions: this includes incompletely defined properties such as the capacity to form multivalent attachments. The aim of this study is to produce a working description of monovalent attachments formed by a model system, then to measure and interpret the behavior of divalent attachments under force. We investigated attachments between antibody-coated microspheres and surfaces coated with sparse monomeric or dimeric ligands. When bonds were subjected to a pulling force, they exhibited both a force-dependent dissociation consistent with Bell’s empirical formula and a force- and time-dependent strengthening well described by a single parameter. Divalent attachments were stronger and less dependent on forces than monovalent ones. The proportion of divalent attachments resisting a force of 30 piconewtons for at least 5 s was 3.7 fold higher than that of monovalent attachments. Quantitative modeling showed that this required rebinding, i.e. additional bond formation between surfaces linked by divalent receptors forming only one bond. Further, experimental data were compatible with but did not require stress sharing between bonds within divalent attachments. Thus many ligand-receptor interactions do not behave as single-step reactions in the millisecond to second timescale. Rather, they exhibit progressive stabilization. This explains the high efficiency of multimerized or clustered receptors even when bonds are only subjected to moderate forces. Our approach provides a quantitative way of relating binding avidity to measurable parameters including bond maturation, rebinding and

IL-4 and IL-13 mediated down-regulation of CD8 expression levels can dampen anti-viral CD8⁺ T cell avidity following HIV-1 recombinant pox viral vaccination.

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Wijesundara, Danushka K; Jackson, Ronald J; Tscharke, David C; Ranasinghe, Charani

2013-09-23

We have shown that mucosal HIV-1 recombinant pox viral vaccination can induce high, avidity HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells with reduced interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 expression compared to, systemic vaccine delivery. In the current study how these cytokines act to regulate anti-viral CD8(+) T, cell avidity following HIV-1 recombinant pox viral prime-boost vaccination was investigated. Out of a panel of T cell avidity markers tested, only CD8 expression levels were found to be enhanced on, KdGag197-205 (HIV)-specific CD8(+) T cells obtained from IL-13(-/-), IL-4(-/-) and signal transducer and, activator of transcription of 6 (STAT6)(-/-) mice compared to wild-type (WT) controls following, vaccination. Elevated CD8 expression levels in this instance also correlated with polyfunctionality, (interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necorsis factor (TNF)-α and IL-2 production) and the avidity of HIVspecific CD8(+) T cells. Furthermore, mucosal vaccination and vaccination with the novel adjuvanted IL-13 inhibitor (i.e. IL-13Rα2) vaccines significantly enhanced CD8 expression levels on HIV-specific CD8(+), T cells, which correlated with avidity. Using anti-CD8 antibodies that blocked CD8 availability on CD8(+), T cells, it was established that CD8 played an important role in increasing HIV-specific CD8(+) T cell avidity and polyfunctionality in IL-4(-/-), IL-13(-/-) and STAT6(-/-) mice compared to WT controls, following vaccination. Collectively, our data demonstrate that IL-4 and IL-13 dampen CD8 expression levels on anti-viral CD8(+) T cells, which can down-regulate anti-viral CD8(+) T cell avidity and, polyfunctionality following HIV-1 recombinant pox viral vaccination. These findings can be exploited to, design more efficacious vaccines not only against HIV-1, but many chronic infections where high, avidity CD8(+) T cells help protection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Astrocytic autoantibody of neuromyelitis optica (NMO-IgG) binds to aquaporin-4 extracellular loops, monomers, tetramers and high order arrays

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Iorio, Raffaele; Fryer, James P.; Hinson, Shannon R.; Fallier-Becker, Petra; Wolburg, Hartwig; Pittock, Sean J.; Lennon, Vanda A.

2012-01-01

The principal central nervous system (CNS) water channel, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), is confined to astrocytic and ependymal membranes and is the target of a pathogenic autoantibody, neuromyelitis optica (NMO)-IgG. This disease-specific autoantibody unifies a spectrum of relapsing CNS autoimmune inflammatory disorders of which NMO exemplifies the classic phenotype. Multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated demyelinating disorders of the CNS lack a distinctive biomarker. Two AQP4 isoforms, M1 and M23, exist as homotetrameric and heterotetrameric intramembranous particles (IMPs). Orthogonal arrays of predominantly M23 particles (OAPs) are an ultrastructural characteristic of astrocytic membranes. We used high-titered serum from 32 AQP4-IgG-seropositive patients and 85 controls to investigate the nature and molecular location of AQP4 epitopes that bind NMO-IgG, and the influence of supramolecular structure. NMO-IgG bound to denatured AQP4 monomers (68% of cases), to native tetramers and high order arrays (90% of cases), and to AQP4 in live cell membranes (100% of cases). Disease-specific epitopes reside in extracellular loop C more than in loops A or E. IgG binding to intracellular epitopes lacks disease specificity. These observations predict greater disease specificity and sensitivity for tissue-based and cell-based serological assays employing “native” AQP4 than assays employing denatured AQP4 and fragments. NMO-IgG binds most avidly to plasma membrane surface AQP4 epitopes formed by loop interactions within tetramers and by intermolecular interactions within high order structures. The relative abundance and localization of AQP4 high order arrays in distinct CNS regions may explain the variability in clinical phenotype of NMO spectrum disorders. PMID:22906356

Complement-mediated bactericidal activity of anti-factor H binding protein monoclonal antibodies against the meningococcus relies upon blocking factor H binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Giuntini, Serena; Reason, Donald C; Granoff, Dan M

2011-09-01

Binding of the complement-downregulating protein factor H (fH) to the surface of the meningococcus is important for survival of the organism in human serum. The meningococcal vaccine candidate factor H binding protein (fHbp) is an important ligand for human fH. While some fHbp-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) block binding of fH to fHbp, the stoichiometry of blocking in the presence of high serum concentrations of fH and its effect on complement-mediated bactericidal activity are unknown. To investigate this question, we constructed chimeric antibodies in which the human IgG1 constant region was paired with three murine fHbp-specific binding domains designated JAR 3, JAR 5, and MAb502. By surface plasmon resonance, the association rates for binding of all three MAbs to immobilized fHbp were >50-fold higher than that for binding of fH to fHbp, and the MAb dissociation rates were >500-fold lower than that for fH. While all three MAbs elicited similar C1q-dependent C4b deposition on live bacteria (classical complement pathway), only those antibodies that inhibited binding of fH to fHbp (JAR 3 and JAR 5) had bactericidal activity with human complement. MAb502, which did not inhibit fH binding, had complement-mediated bactericidal activity only when tested with fH-depleted human complement. When an IgG1 anti-fHbp MAb binds to sparsely exposed fHbp on the bacterial surface, there appears to be insufficient complement activation for bacteriolysis unless fH binding also is inhibited. The ability of fHbp vaccines to elicit protective antibodies, therefore, is likely to be enhanced if the antibody repertoire is of high avidity and includes fH-blocking activity.

Chimeric PD-1:28 Receptor Upgrades Low-Avidity T cells and Restores Effector Function of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Adoptive Cell Therapy.

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Schlenker, Ramona; Olguín-Contreras, Luis Felipe; Leisegang, Matthias; Schnappinger, Julia; Disovic, Anja; Rühland, Svenja; Nelson, Peter J; Leonhardt, Heinrich; Harz, Hartmann; Wilde, Susanne; Schendel, Dolores J; Uckert, Wolfgang; Willimsky, Gerald; Noessner, Elfriede

2017-07-01

Inherent intermediate- to low-affinity T-cell receptors (TCR) that develop during the natural course of immune responses may not allow sufficient activation for tumor elimination, making the majority of T cells suboptimal for adoptive T-cell therapy (ATT). TCR affinity enhancement has been implemented to provide stronger T-cell activity but carries the risk of creating undesired cross-reactivity leading to potential serious adverse effects in clinical application. We demonstrate here that engineering of low-avidity T cells recognizing a naturally processed and presented tumor-associated antigen with a chimeric PD-1:28 receptor increases effector function to levels seen with high-avidity T cells of identical specificity. Upgrading the function of low-avidity T cells without changing the TCR affinity will allow a large arsenal of low-avidity T cells previously thought to be therapeutically inefficient to be considered for ATT. PD-1:28 engineering reinstated Th1 function in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes that had been functionally disabled in the human renal cell carcinoma environment without unleashing undesired Th2 cytokines or IL10. Involved mechanisms may be correlated to restoration of ERK and AKT signaling pathways. In mouse tumor models of ATT, PD-1:28 engineering enabled low-avidity T cells to proliferate stronger and prevented PD-L1 upregulation and Th2 polarization in the tumor milieu. Engineered T cells combined with checkpoint blockade secreted significantly more IFNγ compared with T cells without PD-1:28, suggesting a beneficial combination with checkpoint blockade therapy or other therapeutic strategies. Altogether, the supportive effects of PD-1:28 engineering on T-cell function make it an attractive tool for ATT. Cancer Res; 77(13); 3577-90. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Excretion and toxicity evaluation of 131I-Sennoside A as a necrosis-avid agent.

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Yin, Zhiqi; Sun, Lidan; Jin, Qiaomei; Song, Shaoli; Feng, Yuanbo; Liao, Hong; Ni, Yicheng; Zhang, Jian; Liu, Wei

2017-11-01

1. Sennoside A (SA) is a newly identified necrosis-avid agent that shows capability for imaging diagnosis and tumor necrosis targeted radiotherapy. As a water-soluble compound, 131 I-Sennoside A ( 131 I-SA) might be excreted predominately through the kidneys with the possibility of nephrotoxicity. 2. To further verify excretion pathway and examine nephrotoxicity of 131 I-SA, excretion and nephrotoxicity were appraised. The pharmacokinetics, hepatotoxicity and hematotoxicity of 131 I-SA were also evaluated to accelerate its possible clinical translation. All these studies were conducted in mice with ethanol-induced muscular necrosis following a single intravenous administration of 131I-SA at 18.5 MBq/kg or 370 MBq/kg. 3. Excretion data revealed that 131 I-SA was predominately (73.5% of the injected dose (% ID)) excreted via the kidneys with 69.5% ID detected in urine within 72 h post injection. Biodistribution study indicated that 131 I-SA exhibited initial high distribution in the kidneys but subsequently a fast renal clearance, which was further confirmed by the results of autoradiography and single-photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography (SPECT-CT) imaging. The maximum necrotic to normal muscle ratio reached to 7.9-fold at 48 h post injection, which further verified the necrosis avidity of 131 I-SA. Pharmacokinetic parameters showed that 131 I-SA had fast blood clearance with an elimination half-life of 6.7 h. Various functional indexes were no significant difference (p > 0.05) between before administration and 1 d, 8 d, 16 d after administration. Histopathology showed no signs of tissue damage. 4. These data suggest 131 I-SA is a safe and promising necrosis-avid agent applicable in imaging diagnosis and tumor necrosis targeted radiotherapy.

Benign Bone Conditions That May Be FDG-avid and Mimic Malignancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwee, Thomas C.; de Klerk, John M. H.; Nix, Maarten; Heggelman, Ben G. F.; Dubois, Stefan V.; Adams, Hugo J. A.

Positron emission tomography with the radiotracer F-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) plays an important role in the evaluation of bone pathology. However, FDG is not a cancer-specific agent, and knowledge of the differential diagnosis of benign FDG-avid bone alterations that may resemble malignancy

Pregnancy does not affect HIV incidence test results obtained using the BED capture enzyme immunoassay or an antibody avidity assay.

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Oliver Laeyendecker

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Accurate incidence estimates are needed for surveillance of the HIV epidemic. HIV surveillance occurs at maternal-child health clinics, but it is not known if pregnancy affects HIV incidence testing.We used the BED capture immunoassay (BED and an antibody avidity assay to test longitudinal samples from 51 HIV-infected Ugandan women infected with subtype A, C, D and intersubtype recombinant HIV who were enrolled in the HIVNET 012 trial (37 baseline samples collected near the time of delivery and 135 follow-up samples collected 3, 4 or 5 years later. Nineteen of 51 women were also pregnant at the time of one or more of the follow-up visits. The BED assay was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The avidity assay was performed using a Genetic Systems HIV-1/HIV-2 + O EIA using 0.1M diethylamine as the chaotropic agent.During the HIVNET 012 follow-up study, there was no difference in normalized optical density values (OD-n obtained with the BED assay or in the avidity test results (% when women were pregnant (n = 20 results compared to those obtained when women were not pregnant (n = 115; for BED: p = 0.9, generalized estimating equations model; for avidity: p = 0.7, Wilcoxon rank sum. In addition, BED and avidity results were almost exactly the same in longitudinal samples from the 18 women who were pregnant at only one study visit during the follow-up study (p = 0.6, paired t-test.These results from 51 Ugandan women suggest that any changes in the antibody response to HIV infection that occur during pregnancy are not sufficient to alter results obtained with the BED and avidity assays. Confirmation with larger studies and with other HIV subtypes is needed.

Structures of the Streptococcus sanguinis SrpA Binding Region with Human Sialoglycans Suggest Features of the Physiological Ligand.

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Loukachevitch, Lioudmila V; Bensing, Barbara A; Yu, Hai; Zeng, Jie; Chen, Xi; Sullam, Paul M; Iverson, T M

2016-10-11

Streptococcus sanguinis is a leading cause of bacterial infective endocarditis, a life-threatening infection of heart valves. S. sanguinis binds to human platelets with high avidity, and this adherence is likely to enhance virulence. Previous studies suggest that a serine-rich repeat adhesin termed SrpA mediates the binding of S. sanguinis to human platelets via its interaction with sialoglycans on the receptor GPIbα. However, in vitro binding assays with SrpA and defined sialoglycans failed to identify specific high-affinity ligands. To improve our understanding of the interaction between SrpA and human platelets, we determined cocrystal structures of the SrpA sialoglycan binding region (SrpA BR ) with five low-affinity ligands: three sialylated trisaccharides (sialyl-T antigen, 3'-sialyllactose, and 3'-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine), a sialylated tetrasaccharide (sialyl-Lewis X ), and a sialyl galactose disaccharide component common to these sialoglyans. We then combined structural analysis with mutagenesis to further determine whether our observed interactions between SrpA BR and glycans are important for binding to platelets and to better map the binding site for the physiological receptor. We found that the sialoglycan binding site of SrpA BR is significantly larger than the sialoglycans cocrystallized in this study, which suggests that binding of SrpA to platelets either is multivalent or occurs via a larger, disialylated glycan.

Motion-specific internal target volumes for FDG-avid mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamb, James M.; Robinson, Clifford G.; Bradley, Jeffrey D.; Low, Daniel A.

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: To quantify the benefit of motion-specific internal target volumes for FDG-avid mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes generated using 4D-PET, vs. conventional internal target volumes generated using non-respiratory gated PET and 4D-CT scans. Materials and methods: Five patients with FDG-avid tumors metastatic to 11 hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes were imaged with respiratory-correlated FDG-PET (4D-PET) and 4D-CT. FDG-avid nodes were contoured by a radiation oncologist in two ways. Standard-of-care volumes were contoured using conventional un-gated PET, 4D-CT, and breath-hold CT. A second, motion-specific, set of volumes were contoured using 4D-PET.Contours based on 4D-PET corresponded directly to an internal target volume (ITV 4D ), whereas contours based on un-gated PET were expanded by a series of exploratory isotropic margins (from 5 to 13 mm) based on literature recommendations on lymph node motion to form internal target volumes (ITV 3D ). Results: A 13 mm expansion of the un-gated PET nodal volume was needed to cover the ITV 4D for 10 of 11 nodes studied. The ITV 3D based on a 13 mm expansion included on average 45 cm 3 of tissue that was not included in the ITV 4D . Conclusions: Motion-specific lymph-node internal target volumes generated from 4D-PET imaging could be used to improve accuracy and/or reduce normal-tissue irradiation compared to the standard-of-care un-gated PET based internal target volumes

The influence of dengue virus serotype-2 infection on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae motivation and avidity to blood feed.

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Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dengue virus (DENV is transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a species that lives in close association with human dwellings. The behavior of DENV-infected mosquitoes needs further investigation, especially regarding the potential influence of DENV on mosquito biting motivation and avidity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We orally challenged 4-5 day-old Ae. aegypti females with a low passage DENV serotype -2 (DENV-2 to test whether the virus influences motivation to feed (the likelihood that a mosquito obtains a blood-meal and the size of its blood meal and avidity (the likelihood to re-feed after an interrupted first blood-meal. To assay motivation, we offered mosquitoes an anesthetized mouse for 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes 7 or 14 days after the initial blood meals and measured the time they started feeding. 60.5% of the unexposed mosquitoes fed on the mouse, but only 40.5% of the positive ones did. Exposed but negative mosquitoes behaved similarly to unexposed ones (55.0% feeding. Thus DENV-2 infection decreased the mosquitoes' motivation to feed. To assay avidity, we offered the same mosquitoes a mouse two hours after the first round of feeding, and we measured the time at which they started probing. The exposed (positive or negative mosquitoes were more likely to re-feed than the unexposed ones and, in particular, the size of the previous blood-meal that kept mosquitoes from re-feeding was larger in the exposed than in the unexposed mosquitoes. Thus, DENV-2 infection increased mosquito avidity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: DENV-2 significantly decreased the mosquitoes' motivation to feed, but increased their avidity (even after taking account the amount of blood previously imbibed. As these are important components of transmission, we expect that the changes of the blood-feeding behaviour impact the vectorial capacity Ae. aegypti for dengue.

The influence of dengue virus serotype-2 infection on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) motivation and avidity to blood feed.

Science.gov (United States)

Maciel-de-Freitas, Rafael; Sylvestre, Gabriel; Gandini, Mariana; Koella, Jacob C

2013-01-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a species that lives in close association with human dwellings. The behavior of DENV-infected mosquitoes needs further investigation, especially regarding the potential influence of DENV on mosquito biting motivation and avidity. We orally challenged 4-5 day-old Ae. aegypti females with a low passage DENV serotype -2 (DENV-2) to test whether the virus influences motivation to feed (the likelihood that a mosquito obtains a blood-meal and the size of its blood meal) and avidity (the likelihood to re-feed after an interrupted first blood-meal). To assay motivation, we offered mosquitoes an anesthetized mouse for 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes 7 or 14 days after the initial blood meals and measured the time they started feeding. 60.5% of the unexposed mosquitoes fed on the mouse, but only 40.5% of the positive ones did. Exposed but negative mosquitoes behaved similarly to unexposed ones (55.0% feeding). Thus DENV-2 infection decreased the mosquitoes' motivation to feed. To assay avidity, we offered the same mosquitoes a mouse two hours after the first round of feeding, and we measured the time at which they started probing. The exposed (positive or negative) mosquitoes were more likely to re-feed than the unexposed ones and, in particular, the size of the previous blood-meal that kept mosquitoes from re-feeding was larger in the exposed than in the unexposed mosquitoes. Thus, DENV-2 infection increased mosquito avidity. DENV-2 significantly decreased the mosquitoes' motivation to feed, but increased their avidity (even after taking account the amount of blood previously imbibed). As these are important components of transmission, we expect that the changes of the blood-feeding behaviour impact the vectorial capacity Ae. aegypti for dengue.

Evaluation of an antibody avidity index method for detecting recent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection using an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Gema; Manzardo, Christian; Montoliu, Alexandra; Campbell, Colin; Fernández, Gregorio; Casabona, Jordi; Miró, José Maria; Matas, Lurdes; Rivaya, Belén; González, Victoria

2015-04-01

Recent infection testing algorithms (RITAs) are used in public health surveillance to estimate the incidence of recently acquired HIV-1 infection. Our aims were (i) to evaluate the precision of the VITROS® Anti-HIV 1+2 automated antibody avidity assay for qualitative detection of antibodies to HIV 1+2 virus; (ii) to validate the accuracy of an automated guanidine-based antibody avidity assay to discriminate between recent and long standing infections using the VITROS 3600 platform; (iii) to compare this method with BED-CEIA assay; and (iv) to evaluate the occurrence of false recent misclassifications by the VITROS antibody avidity assay in patients with a CD4 count de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Clinical significance of pretreatment FDG PET/CT IN MOBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma

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Kang, Seo Young; Kim, Yong Il; Cheon, Gi Jeong; Kang, Keon Wook; Chung, June Key; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Hyoung Jin; Shin, Hee Young [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, E. Edmund [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Rahim, Muhammad Kashif [Nishtar Medical College and Hospital, Multan (Pakistan)

2017-06-15

{sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging is well known to have clinical significance in the initial staging and response evaluation of the many kinds of neoplasms. However, its role in the pediatric neuroblastoma is not clearly defined. In the present study, the clinical significance of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in 123I- or 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid pediatric neuroblastoma was investigated. Twenty patients with neuroblastoma who undertook pretreatment FDG PET/CT at our institute between 2008 and 2015 and showed MIBG avidity were retrospectively enrolled in the present study. Clinical information—including histopathology, and serum markers—and several PET parameters—including SUVmax of the primary lesion (Psuv), target-to-background ratio (TBR), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and coefficient of variation (CV)—were analyzed. The prognostic effect of PET parameters was evaluated in terms of progression-free survival (PFS). Total 20 patients (4.5 ± 3.5 years) were divided as two groups by disease progression. Six patients (30.0 %) experienced disease progression and one patient (5.0 %) died during follow-up period. There were not statistically significant in age, stage, MYCN status, primary tumor size, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and ferritin level between two groups with progression or no progression. However, Psuv (p = 0.017), TBR (p = 0.09), MTV (p = 0.02), and CV (p = 0.036) showed significant differences between two groups. In univariate analysis, PFS was significantly associated with Psuv (p = 0.021) and TBR (p = 0.023). FDG-PET parameters were significantly related with progression of neuroblastoma. FDG-PET/CT may have the potential as a valuable modality for evaluating prognosis in the patients with MIBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma.

Sugar-binding sites of the HA1 subcomponent of Clostridium botulinum type C progenitor toxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Toshio; Tonozuka, Takashi; Ide, Azusa; Yuzawa, Takayuki; Oguma, Keiji; Nishikawa, Atsushi

2008-02-22

Clostridium botulinum type C 16S progenitor toxin contains a hemagglutinin (HA) subcomponent, designated HA1, which appears to play an important role in the effective internalization of the toxin in gastrointestinal epithelial cells and in creating a broad specificity for the oligosaccharide structure that corresponds to various targets. In this study, using the recombinant protein fused to glutathione S-transferase, we investigated the binding specificity of the HA1 subcomponent to sugars and estimated the binding sites of HA1 based on X-ray crystallography and soaking experiments using various sugars. N-Acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylgalactosamine, and galactose effectively inhibited the binding that occurs between glutathione S-transferase-HA1 and mucins, whereas N-acetylglucosamine and glucose did not inhibit it. The crystal structures of HA1 complex with N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylgalactosamine, and galactose were also determined. There are two sugar-binding sites, sites I and II. Site I corresponds to the electron densities noted for all sugars and is located at the C-terminal beta-trefoil domain, while site II corresponds to the electron densities noted only for galactose. An aromatic amino acid residue, Trp176, at site I has a stacking interaction with the hexose ring of the sugars. On the other hand, there is no aromatic residue at site II; thus, the interaction with galactose seems to be poor. The double mutant W176A at site I and D271F at site II has no avidity for N-acetylneuraminic acid but has avidity for galactose. In this report, the binding specificity of botulinum C16S toxin HA1 to various sugars is demonstrated based on its structural features.

FDG-avid portal vein tumor thrombosis from hepatocellular carcinoma in contrast-enhanced FDG PET/CT

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Canh Nguyen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective(s: In this study, we aimed to describe the characteristics of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT, complicating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC in contrast-enhanced FDG PET/CT scan. Methods: In this retrospective study, 9 HCC patients with FDG-avid PVTT were diagnosed by contrast-enhanced fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT, which is a combination of dynamic liver CT scan, multiphase imaging, and whole-body PET scan. PET and CT DICOM images of patients were imported into the PET/CT imaging system for the re-analysis of contrast enhancement and FDG uptake in thrombus, the diameter of the involved portal vein, and characteristics of liver tumors and metastasis. Results: Two patients with previously untreated HCC and 7 cases with previously treated HCC had FDG-avid PVTT in contrast-enhanced FDG PET/CT scan. During the arterial phase of CT scan, portal vein thrombus showed contrast enhancement in 8 out of 9 patients (88.9%. PET scan showed an increased linear FDG uptake along the thrombosed portal vein in all patients. The mean greatest diameter of thrombosed portal veins was 1.8 ± 0.2 cm, which was significantly greater than that observed in normal portal veins (P<0.001. FDG uptake level in portal vein thrombus was significantly higher than that of blood pool in the reference normal portal vein (P=0.001. PVTT was caused by the direct extension of liver tumors. All patients had visible FDG-avid liver tumors in contrast-enhanced images. Five out of 9 patients (55.6% had no extrahepatic metastasis, 3 cases (33.3% had metastasis of regional lymph nodes, and 1 case (11.1% presented with distant metastasis. The median estimated survival time of patients was 5 months. Conclusion: The intraluminal filling defect consistent with thrombous within the portal vein, expansion of the involved portal vein, contrast enhancement, and linear increased FDG uptake of the thrombus extended from liver tumor are

Differential expression profiling of circulation microRNAs in PTC patients with non-131I and 131I-avid lungs metastases: a pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Zhong-Ling; Shen, Chen-Tian; Song, Hong-Jun; Wei, Wei-Jun; Luo, Quan-Yong

2015-01-01

Introduction: Loss of the ability to concentrate 131 I is one of the important causes of radioiodine-refractory disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Recent advantages of serum microRNAs (miRNAs) open a new realm of possibilities for noninvasive diagnosis and prognosis of many cancers. The aim of the current study was to identify differential expression profiling of circulation miRNAs in PTC patients with non- 131 I and 131 I-avid lungs metastases. Methods: The expressions of miRNAs were examined using miRNA microarray chip. The most significantly changed miRNAs from microarray were verified by using qRT-PCR. The potential miRNAs regulating target genes and their preliminary biological functions were forecasted by Bioinformatic analysis. Results: Compared to 131 I-avid lung metastases, 13 kinds of significantly differential serum miRNAs including 5 upregulated miRNAs (miR-1249, miR-106a, miR-503, miR-34c-5p, miR-1281) and 8 downregulated miRNAs (miR-1915, miR-2861, miR-3196, miR-500, miR-572, miR-33b, miR-554, miR-18a) in PTC patients with non- 131 I-avid lung metastases were identified. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that miR-106a was the core miRNA regulating 193 genes in the network. The results of validation confirmed the up-regulation of miR-106a in non- 131 I-avid lungs metastatic PTC patients. Conclusion: Differentially expressed serum miRNA profiles between PTC patients with non- 131 I and 131 I-avid lungs metastases were analyzed. These findings in our present study could represent new clues for the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in PTC patients with non- 131 I-avid metastatic disease

Use of an in vivo FTA assay to assess the magnitude, functional avidity and epitope variant cross-reactivity of T cell responses following HIV-1 recombinant poxvirus vaccination.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danushka K Wijesundara

Full Text Available Qualitative characteristics of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs are important in measuring the effectiveness of CTLs in controlling HIV-1 infections. Indeed, in recent studies patients who are naturally resistant to HIV-1 infections have been shown to possess CTLs that are of high functional avidity and have a high capacity to recognize HIV epitope variants, when compared to HIV-1 infection progressors. When developing efficacious vaccines, assays that can effectively measure CTL quality specifically in vivo are becoming increasingly important. Here we report the use of a recently developed high-throughput multi-parameter technique, known as the fluorescent target array (FTA assay, to simultaneously measure CTL killing magnitude, functional avidity and epitope variant cross-reactivity in real time in vivo. In the current study we have applied the FTA assay as a screening tool to assess a large cohort of over 20 different HIV-1 poxvirus vaccination strategies in mice. This screen revealed that heterologous poxvirus prime-boost vaccination regimes (i.e., recombinant fowlpox (FPV-HIV prime followed by a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV-HIV booster were the most effective in generating high quality CTL responses in vivo. In conclusion, we have demonstrated how the FTA assay can be utilized as a cost effective screening tool (by reducing the required number of animals by >100 fold, to evaluate a large range of HIV-1 vaccination strategies in terms of CTL avidity and variant cross-reactivity in an in vivo setting.

Use of an in vivo FTA assay to assess the magnitude, functional avidity and epitope variant cross-reactivity of T cell responses following HIV-1 recombinant poxvirus vaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijesundara, Danushka K; Ranasinghe, Charani; Jackson, Ronald J; Lidbury, Brett A; Parish, Christopher R; Quah, Benjamin J C

2014-01-01

Qualitative characteristics of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs) are important in measuring the effectiveness of CTLs in controlling HIV-1 infections. Indeed, in recent studies patients who are naturally resistant to HIV-1 infections have been shown to possess CTLs that are of high functional avidity and have a high capacity to recognize HIV epitope variants, when compared to HIV-1 infection progressors. When developing efficacious vaccines, assays that can effectively measure CTL quality specifically in vivo are becoming increasingly important. Here we report the use of a recently developed high-throughput multi-parameter technique, known as the fluorescent target array (FTA) assay, to simultaneously measure CTL killing magnitude, functional avidity and epitope variant cross-reactivity in real time in vivo. In the current study we have applied the FTA assay as a screening tool to assess a large cohort of over 20 different HIV-1 poxvirus vaccination strategies in mice. This screen revealed that heterologous poxvirus prime-boost vaccination regimes (i.e., recombinant fowlpox (FPV)-HIV prime followed by a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV)-HIV booster) were the most effective in generating high quality CTL responses in vivo. In conclusion, we have demonstrated how the FTA assay can be utilized as a cost effective screening tool (by reducing the required number of animals by >100 fold), to evaluate a large range of HIV-1 vaccination strategies in terms of CTL avidity and variant cross-reactivity in an in vivo setting.

Ta(l)king sides: ethical and methodological challenges in comparative fieldwork on avid football rivalries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spaaij, R.; Geilenkirchen, M.

2011-01-01

Previous research on football (soccer) fan cultures has documented the lived experiences of devoted football supporters. Few studies, however, have used participant observation and intensive interviewing to examine the deep-rooted inter-group oppositions that characterize avid football rivalries.

Performance Evaluation of the VIDAS® Measles IgG Assay and Its Diagnostic Value for Measuring IgG Antibody Avidity in Measles Virus Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Dina, Julia; Creveuil, Christian; Gouarin, Stephanie; Viron, Florent; Hebert, Amelie; Freymuth, Francois; Vabret, Astrid

2016-01-01

The objective of this study is primarily to compare the performance of the VIDAS® Measles immunoglobulin (Ig)G assay to that of two other serological assays using an immunoassay technique, Enzygnost® Anti-measles Virus/IgG (Siemens) and Measles IgG CAPTURE EIA® (Microimmune). The sensitivity and the agreement of the VIDAS® Measles IgG assay compared to the Enzygnost® Anti-measles Virus/IgG assay and the Measles IgG CAPTURE EIA® assay are 100%, 97.2% and 99.0%, 98.4%, respectively. The very low number of negative sera for IgG antibodies does not allow calculation of specificity. As a secondary objective, we have evaluated the ability of the VIDAS® Measles IgG assay to measure anti-measles virus IgG antibody avidity with the help of the VIDAS® CMV IgG Avidity reagent, using 76 sera from subjects with measles and 238 other sera. Different groups of populations were analyzed. In the primary infection measles group, the mean IgG avidity index was 0.16 (range of 0.07 to 0.93) compared to 0.79 (range of 0.25 to 1) in the serum group positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM. These data allow to define a weak anti-measles virus IgG antibody avidity as an avidity index (AI) 0.6. The VIDAS® Measles IgG assay has a performance equivalent to that of other available products. Its use, individual and quick, is well adapted to testing for anti-measles immunity in exposed subjects. PMID:27556477

Nasal Immunization Confers High Avidity Neutralizing Antibody Response and Immunity to Primary and Recurrent Genital Herpes in Guinea Pigs

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Josefine; Zhang, Yuan; Olafsdottir, Thorunn A.; Thörn, Karolina; Cairns, Tina M.; Wegmann, Frank; Sattentau, Quentin J.; Eisenberg, Roselyn J.; Cohen, Gary H.; Harandi, Ali M.

2016-01-01

Genital herpes is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections in both the developing and developed world. Following infection, individuals experience life-long latency associated with sporadic ulcerative outbreaks. Despite many efforts, no vaccine has yet been licensed for human use. Herein, we demonstrated that nasal immunization with an adjuvanted HSV-2 gD envelope protein mounts significant protection to primary infection as well as the establishment of latency and recurrent genital herpes in guinea pigs. Nasal immunization was shown to elicit specific T cell proliferative and IFN-γ responses as well as systemic and vaginal gD-specific IgG antibody (Ab) responses. Furthermore, systemic IgG Abs displayed potent HSV-2 neutralizing properties and high avidity. By employing a competitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis combined with a battery of known gD-specific neutralizing monoclonal Abs (MAbs), we showed that nasal immunization generated IgG Abs directed to two major discontinuous neutralizing epitopes of gD. These results highlight the potential of nasal immunization with an adjuvanted HSV-2 envelope protein for induction of protective immunity to primary and recurrent genital herpes. PMID:28082979

Nasal Immunization Confers High Avidity Neutralizing Antibody Response and Immunity to Primary and Recurrent Genital Herpes in Guinea Pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Josefine; Zhang, Yuan; Olafsdottir, Thorunn A; Thörn, Karolina; Cairns, Tina M; Wegmann, Frank; Sattentau, Quentin J; Eisenberg, Roselyn J; Cohen, Gary H; Harandi, Ali M

2016-01-01

Genital herpes is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections in both the developing and developed world. Following infection, individuals experience life-long latency associated with sporadic ulcerative outbreaks. Despite many efforts, no vaccine has yet been licensed for human use. Herein, we demonstrated that nasal immunization with an adjuvanted HSV-2 gD envelope protein mounts significant protection to primary infection as well as the establishment of latency and recurrent genital herpes in guinea pigs. Nasal immunization was shown to elicit specific T cell proliferative and IFN-γ responses as well as systemic and vaginal gD-specific IgG antibody (Ab) responses. Furthermore, systemic IgG Abs displayed potent HSV-2 neutralizing properties and high avidity. By employing a competitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis combined with a battery of known gD-specific neutralizing monoclonal Abs (MAbs), we showed that nasal immunization generated IgG Abs directed to two major discontinuous neutralizing epitopes of gD. These results highlight the potential of nasal immunization with an adjuvanted HSV-2 envelope protein for induction of protective immunity to primary and recurrent genital herpes.

Antibodies with High Avidity to the gp120 Envelope Protein in Protection from Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac251 Acquisition in an Immunization Regimen That Mimics the RV-144 Thai Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Pegu, Poonam; Vaccari, Monica; Gordon, Shari; Keele, Brandon F.; Doster, Melvin; Guan, Yongjun; Ferrari, Guido; Pal, Ranajit; Ferrari, Maria Grazia; Whitney, Stephen; Hudacik, Lauren; Billings, Erik; Rao, Mangala; Montefiori, David; Tomaras, Georgia; Alam, S. Munir; Fenizia, Claudio; Lifson, Jeffrey D.; Stablein, Donald; Tartaglia, Jim; Michael, Nelson; Kim, Jerome; Venzon, David

2013-01-01

The recombinant canarypox vector, ALVAC-HIV, together with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 envelope glycoprotein, has protected 31.2% of Thai individuals from HIV acquisition in the RV144 HIV vaccine trial. This outcome was unexpected, given the limited ability of the vaccine components to induce CD8+ T-cell responses or broadly neutralizing antibodies. We vaccinated macaques with an immunization regimen intended to mimic the RV144 trial and exposed them intrarectally to a dose of the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac251 that transmits few virus variants, similar to HIV transmission to humans. Vaccination induced anti-envelope antibodies in all vaccinees and CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses. Three of the 11 macaques vaccinated with ALVAC-SIV/gp120 were protected from SIVmac251 acquisition, but the result was not significant. The remaining vaccinees were infected and progressed to disease. The magnitudes of vaccine-induced SIVmac251-specific T-cell responses and binding antibodies were not significantly different between protected and infected animals. However, sera from protected animals had higher avidity antibodies to gp120, recognized the variable envelope regions V1/V2, and reduced SIVmac251 infectivity in cells that express high levels of α4β7 integrins, suggesting a functional role of antibodies to V2. The current results emphasize the utility of determining the titer of repeated mucosal challenge in the preclinical evaluation of HIV vaccines. PMID:23175374

SEROPREVALANCE OF TOXOPLASMA IgG AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE PROVINCE OF HATAY AND CONTRIBUTION OF AVIDITY TEST TO THE DIAGNOSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayşe Güler Okyay

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular parasite, is a common zoonosis in the world and causes toxoplasmosis. The infection is usually asymptomatic and if it occurs during pregnancy it may cause congenital anomalies, miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery. In this study, determination of seroprevalance of Toxoplazma IgG and IgM among pregnant women in the province of Hatay was aimed. In addition, IgG avidity test was performed in subjects who had positive test results for both of the two antibodies. Design: In this study, 3340 pregnant women who admitted to the outpatient clinic of gynecelogy and obstetrics department of Mustafa Kemal University/Hatay between the years of 2007 and 2012were included. Toxoplazma IgM and IgG antibody test results of the subjects were examined retrospectively by screening the records of microbiology laboratory of the hospital. Additionally, IgG avidity test was performed in 114 cases whoose test results for both Toxoplazma IgM and IgG were positive. Main outcome measures: IgM and IgG seropositivity rates were found as 3.6% (n = 120 and 57% (n = 1910, respectively. The rate of new infection was detected with avidity test as 31%. Conclusions: Remarkably high seropositivity rate was observed in the Mediterranean region especially in the province of Hatay. Antibody testing for Toxoplasma gondii may be useful during routine examinations of women who are in the first trimester of pregnancy and who plan gestation. In addition, measures should be taken to raise awareness of hygiene in our region in terms of water and sanitation.

Vesicular monoamine transporter protein expression correlates with clinical features, tumor biology, and MIBG avidity in neuroblastoma: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Temple, William; Mendelsohn, Lori; Nekritz, Erin; Gustafson, W.C.; Matthay, Katherine K.; Kim, Grace E.; Lin, Lawrence; Giacomini, Kathy; Naranjo, Arlene; Van Ryn, Collin; Yanik, Gregory A.; Kreissman, Susan G.; Hogarty, Michael; DuBois, Steven G.

2016-01-01

Vesicular monoamine transporters 1 and 2 (VMAT1 and VMAT2) are thought to mediate MIBG uptake in adult neuroendocrine tumors. In neuroblastoma, the norepinephrine transporter (NET) has been investigated as the principal MIBG uptake protein, though some tumors without NET expression concentrate MIBG. We investigated VMAT expression in neuroblastoma and correlated expression with MIBG uptake and clinical features. We evaluated VMAT1 and VMAT2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in neuroblastoma tumors from 76 patients with high-risk metastatic disease treated in a uniform cooperative group trial (COG A3973). All patients had baseline MIBG diagnostic scans centrally reviewed. IHC results were scored as the product of intensity grading (0 - 3+) and percent of tumor cells expressing the protein of interest. The association between VMAT1 and VMAT2 scores and clinical and biological features was tested using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Patient characteristics were typical of high-risk neuroblastoma, though the cohort was intentionally enriched in patients with MIBG-nonavid tumors (n = 20). VMAT1 and VMAT2 were expressed in 62 % and 75 % of neuroblastoma tumors, respectively. VMAT1 and VMAT2 scores were both significantly lower in MYCN amplified tumors and in tumors with high mitotic karyorrhectic index. MIBG-avid tumors had significantly higher VMAT2 scores than MIBG-nonavid tumors (median 216 vs. 45; p = 0.04). VMAT1 expression did not correlate with MIBG avidity. VMAT1 and VMAT2 are expressed in the majority of neuroblastomas. Expression correlates with other biological features. The expression level of VMAT2 but not that of VMAT1 correlates with avidity for MIBG. (orig.)

Vesicular monoamine transporter protein expression correlates with clinical features, tumor biology, and MIBG avidity in neuroblastoma: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Temple, William; Mendelsohn, Lori; Nekritz, Erin; Gustafson, W.C.; Matthay, Katherine K. [UCSF School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, San Francisco, CA (United States); UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, CA (United States); Kim, Grace E. [UCSF School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, San Francisco, CA (United States); Lin, Lawrence; Giacomini, Kathy [UCSF School of Pharmacy, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, San Francisco, CA (United States); Naranjo, Arlene; Van Ryn, Collin [University of Florida, Children' s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center, Gainesville, FL (United States); Yanik, Gregory A. [University of Michigan, CS Mott Children' s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Kreissman, Susan G. [Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States); Hogarty, Michael [University of Pennsylvania, Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (United States); DuBois, Steven G. [UCSF School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, San Francisco, CA (United States); UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, CA (United States); UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2016-03-15

Vesicular monoamine transporters 1 and 2 (VMAT1 and VMAT2) are thought to mediate MIBG uptake in adult neuroendocrine tumors. In neuroblastoma, the norepinephrine transporter (NET) has been investigated as the principal MIBG uptake protein, though some tumors without NET expression concentrate MIBG. We investigated VMAT expression in neuroblastoma and correlated expression with MIBG uptake and clinical features. We evaluated VMAT1 and VMAT2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in neuroblastoma tumors from 76 patients with high-risk metastatic disease treated in a uniform cooperative group trial (COG A3973). All patients had baseline MIBG diagnostic scans centrally reviewed. IHC results were scored as the product of intensity grading (0 - 3+) and percent of tumor cells expressing the protein of interest. The association between VMAT1 and VMAT2 scores and clinical and biological features was tested using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Patient characteristics were typical of high-risk neuroblastoma, though the cohort was intentionally enriched in patients with MIBG-nonavid tumors (n = 20). VMAT1 and VMAT2 were expressed in 62 % and 75 % of neuroblastoma tumors, respectively. VMAT1 and VMAT2 scores were both significantly lower in MYCN amplified tumors and in tumors with high mitotic karyorrhectic index. MIBG-avid tumors had significantly higher VMAT2 scores than MIBG-nonavid tumors (median 216 vs. 45; p = 0.04). VMAT1 expression did not correlate with MIBG avidity. VMAT1 and VMAT2 are expressed in the majority of neuroblastomas. Expression correlates with other biological features. The expression level of VMAT2 but not that of VMAT1 correlates with avidity for MIBG. (orig.)

Antibodies with high avidity to the gp120 envelope protein in protection from simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(mac251) acquisition in an immunization regimen that mimics the RV-144 Thai trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pegu, Poonam; Vaccari, Monica; Gordon, Shari; Keele, Brandon F; Doster, Melvin; Guan, Yongjun; Ferrari, Guido; Pal, Ranajit; Ferrari, Maria Grazia; Whitney, Stephen; Hudacik, Lauren; Billings, Erik; Rao, Mangala; Montefiori, David; Tomaras, Georgia; Alam, S Munir; Fenizia, Claudio; Lifson, Jeffrey D; Stablein, Donald; Tartaglia, Jim; Michael, Nelson; Kim, Jerome; Venzon, David; Franchini, Genoveffa

2013-02-01

The recombinant canarypox vector, ALVAC-HIV, together with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 envelope glycoprotein, has protected 31.2% of Thai individuals from HIV acquisition in the RV144 HIV vaccine trial. This outcome was unexpected, given the limited ability of the vaccine components to induce CD8(+) T-cell responses or broadly neutralizing antibodies. We vaccinated macaques with an immunization regimen intended to mimic the RV144 trial and exposed them intrarectally to a dose of the simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(mac251) that transmits few virus variants, similar to HIV transmission to humans. Vaccination induced anti-envelope antibodies in all vaccinees and CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses. Three of the 11 macaques vaccinated with ALVAC-SIV/gp120 were protected from SIV(mac251) acquisition, but the result was not significant. The remaining vaccinees were infected and progressed to disease. The magnitudes of vaccine-induced SIV(mac251)-specific T-cell responses and binding antibodies were not significantly different between protected and infected animals. However, sera from protected animals had higher avidity antibodies to gp120, recognized the variable envelope regions V1/V2, and reduced SIV(mac251) infectivity in cells that express high levels of α(4)β(7) integrins, suggesting a functional role of antibodies to V2. The current results emphasize the utility of determining the titer of repeated mucosal challenge in the preclinical evaluation of HIV vaccines.

Historically aggressive types of follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer often have radioactive avid distant metastases: a study of 314 patients with distant metastases at a single institution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tala, H.P.; Rondeau, G.; Fagin, J.A.; Tuttle, R.M. [Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, Nuclear Medicine Division, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New-York (United States); Ghossein, R.A. [Pathology Department, Nuclear Medecine Division, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New-York (United States); Grewal, R.K.; Larson, S.M. [Radiology Department, Nuclear Medicine Division, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New-York (United States)

2012-07-01

Radioactive iodine (RAI) remains one of the primary treatment options for metastatic, follicular cell derived thyroid cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the likelihood that metastatic lesions arising from one of the aggressive thyroid cancer histologies [tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (TCV-PTC), poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC)] would demonstrate sufficient RAI avidity for visualization on RAI scanning and therefore could potentially benefit from RAI therapy. The study shows that in patients selected for RAI scanning or therapy at our center, RAI avid lesions can be identified in more than two thirds of the patients with distant metastases arising in the setting of C-PTC, WD-FTC, FV-PTC, TCV-PTC, or PDTC primary tumors. While RAI avidity on a post-therapy scan does not always correlate with clinically significant tumor killing activity, it is likely that some of these patients with RAI avid metastatic disease did obtain a clinical benefit

Allelic Variation in KIR2DL3 Generates a KIR2DL2-like Receptor with Increased Binding to Its HLA-C Ligand12

OpenAIRE

Frazier, William R.; Steiner, Noriko; Hou, Lihua; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Hurley, Carolyn Katovich

2013-01-01

Although extensive homology exists between their extracellular domains, natural killer cell inhibitory receptors KIR2DL2*001 and KIR2DL3*001 have previously been shown to differ substantially in their HLA-C binding avidity. To explore the largely uncharacterized impact of allelic diversity, the most common KIR2DL2/3 allelic products in European American and African American populations were evaluated for surface expression and binding affinity to their HLA-C group 1 and 2 ligands. Although no...

Dextran as a Generally Applicable Multivalent Scaffold for Improving Immunoglobulin-Binding Affinities of Peptide and Peptidomimetic Ligands

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Molecules able to bind the antigen-binding sites of antibodies are of interest in medicine and immunology. Since most antibodies are bivalent, higher affinity recognition can be achieved through avidity effects in which a construct containing two or more copies of the ligand engages both arms of the immunoglobulin simultaneously. This can be achieved routinely by immobilizing antibody ligands at high density on solid surfaces, such as ELISA plates, but there is surprisingly little literature on scaffolds that routinely support bivalent binding of antibody ligands in solution, particularly for the important case of human IgG antibodies. Here we show that the simple strategy of linking two antigens with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacer long enough to span the two arms of an antibody results in higher affinity binding in some, but not all, cases. However, we found that the creation of multimeric constructs in which several antibody ligands are displayed on a dextran polymer reliably provides much higher affinity binding than is observed with the monomer in all cases tested. Since these dextran conjugates are simple to construct, they provide a general and convenient strategy to transform modest affinity antibody ligands into high affinity probes. An additional advantage is that the antibody ligands occupy only a small number of the reactive sites on the dextran, so that molecular cargo can be attached easily, creating molecules capable of delivering this cargo to cells displaying antigen-specific receptors. PMID:25073654

Networks for Success: Preparing Mexican American AVID College Students for Credentials, Completion, and the Workforce

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk, Richard; Watt, Karen M.

2018-01-01

This qualitative study examines how Mexican American students participating in an AVID for Higher Education course perceived their preparation for the workforce and efficacy of completing a college credential. A focus group approach was used to explore how social and cultural networks (networks for success) contribute to college completion. The…

Immunoglobulin G avidities in infants in Mexico after primary immunization with three doses of polyribosylribitol phosphate-tetanus toxoid Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-de-León, Patricia; Díaz-García, F Javier; Villaseñor-Sierra, Alberto; Segura, Jorge; Carranza, Martha I; Arredondo-Garcia, José Luis; Santos, José Ignacio

2008-06-01

Serum immunoglobulin G concentrations and avidities specific to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) were measured in 208 children living in Guadalajara and Mexico City. Protective concentrations were found in 98.9% and 100.0% of participants, respectively. Geometric mean concentrations differed between both populations and/or among age groups. Mean avidities differed only among the 7- to 12-month-old children. Diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis-hepatitis B-Hib primary vaccination seems to induce protection in Mexican children.

Repeated Vaccination of Cows with HIV Env gp140 during Subsequent Pregnancies Elicits and Sustains an Enduring Strong Env-Binding and Neutralising Antibody Response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behnaz Heydarchi

Full Text Available An important feature of a potential vaccine against HIV is the production of broadly neutralising antibodies (BrNAbs capable of potentially blocking infectivity of a diverse array of HIV strains. BrNAbs naturally arise in some HIV infected individuals after several years of infection and their serum IgG can neutralise various HIV strains across different subtypes. We previously showed that vaccination of cows with HIV gp140 AD8 trimers resulted in a high titre of serum IgG against HIV envelope (Env that had strong BrNAb activity. These polyclonal BrNAbs concentrated into the colostrum during the late stage of pregnancy and can be harvested in vast quantities immediately after calving. In this study, we investigated the effect of prolonged HIV gp140 vaccination on bovine colostrum IgG HIV Env-binding and BrNAb activity over subsequent pregnancies. Repeated immunisation led to a maintained high titre of HIV Env specific IgG in the colostrum batches, but this did not increase through repeated cycles. Colostrum IgG from all batches also strongly competed with sCD4 binding to gp140 Env trimer and with human-derived monoclonal VRC01 and b12 BrNAbs that bind the CD4 binding site (CD4bs. Furthermore, competition neutralisation assays using RSC3 Env gp120 protein core and a derivative CD4bs mutant, RSC3 Δ371I/P363N, showed that CD4bs neutralising antibodies contribute to the neutralising activity of all batches of purified bovine colostrum IgG. This result indicates that the high IgG titre/avidity of anti-CD4bs antibodies with BrNAb activity was achieved during the first year of vaccination and was sustained throughout the years of repeated vaccinations in the cow tested. Although IgG of subsequent colostrum batches may have a higher avidity towards the CD4bs, the overall breadth in neutralisation was not enhanced. This implies that the boosting vaccinations over 4 years elicited a polyclonal antibody response that maintained the proportion of both

The tau positron-emission tomography tracer AV-1451 binds with similar affinities to tau fibrils and monoamine oxidases.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeiren, Céline; Motte, Philippe; Viot, Delphine; Mairet-Coello, Georges; Courade, Jean-Philippe; Citron, Martin; Mercier, Joël; Hannestad, Jonas; Gillard, Michel

2018-02-01

Lilly/Avid's AV-1451 is one of the most advanced tau PET tracers in the clinic. Although results obtained in Alzheimer's disease patients are compelling, discrimination of tracer uptake in healthy individuals and patients with supranuclear palsy (PSP) is less clear as there is substantial overlap of signal in multiple brain regions. Moreover, accurate quantification of [ 18 F]AV-1451 uptake in Alzheimer's disease may not be possible. The aim of the present study was to characterize the in vitro binding of AV-1451 to understand and identify potential off-target binding that could explain the poor discrimination observed in PSP patients. [ 3 H]AV-1451 and AV-1451 were characterized in in vitro binding assays using recombinant and native proteins/tissues from postmortem samples of controls and Alzheimer's disease and PSP patients. [ 3 H]AV-1451 binds to multiple sites with nanomolar affinities in brain homogenates and to tau fibrils isolated from Alzheimer's disease or PSP patients. [ 3 H]AV-1451 also binds with similarly high affinities in brain homogenates devoid of tau pathology. This unexpected binding was demonstrated to be because of nanomolar affinities of [ 3 H]AV-1451 for monoamine oxidase A and B enzymes. High affinity of AV-1451 for monoamine oxidase proteins may limit its utility as a tau PET tracer in PSP and Alzheimer's disease because of high levels of monoamine oxidase expression in brain regions also affected by tau deposition, especially if monoamine oxidase levels change over time or with a treatment intervention. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Presence of a highly efficient binding to bacterial contamination can distort data from binding studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balcar, V.J.

1990-01-01

3 HGABA at low concentrations (5-10 nM) was bound by what appeared to be a GABA receptor binding site in bacterial contamination originating from a batch of distilled water. Under experimental conditions similar to those usually employed in 3 HGABA binding studies, the apparent binding displayed a very high specific component and a high efficiency in terms of 3 HGABA bound per mg of protein. The binding was blocked by muscimol but not by isoguvacine, SR95531 and nipecotic acid. These characteristics suggest that the presence of such spurious binding in the experiments using 3H-labeled ligands in brain homogenates may not always be very obvious and, moreover, it can result in subtle, but serious, distortions of data from such studies, which may not be immediately recognized

Membrane proteins bind lipids selectively to modulate their structure and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Laganowsky, Arthur; Reading, Eamonn; Allison, Timothy M; Ulmschneider, Martin B; Degiacomi, Matteo T; Baldwin, Andrew J; Robinson, Carol V

2014-06-05

Previous studies have established that the folding, structure and function of membrane proteins are influenced by their lipid environments and that lipids can bind to specific sites, for example, in potassium channels. Fundamental questions remain however regarding the extent of membrane protein selectivity towards lipids. Here we report a mass spectrometry approach designed to determine the selectivity of lipid binding to membrane protein complexes. We investigate the mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and aquaporin Z (AqpZ) and the ammonia channel (AmtB) from Escherichia coli, using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS), which reports gas-phase collision cross-sections. We demonstrate that folded conformations of membrane protein complexes can exist in the gas phase. By resolving lipid-bound states, we then rank bound lipids on the basis of their ability to resist gas phase unfolding and thereby stabilize membrane protein structure. Lipids bind non-selectively and with high avidity to MscL, all imparting comparable stability; however, the highest-ranking lipid is phosphatidylinositol phosphate, in line with its proposed functional role in mechanosensation. AqpZ is also stabilized by many lipids, with cardiolipin imparting the most significant resistance to unfolding. Subsequently, through functional assays we show that cardiolipin modulates AqpZ function. Similar experiments identify AmtB as being highly selective for phosphatidylglycerol, prompting us to obtain an X-ray structure in this lipid membrane-like environment. The 2.3 Å resolution structure, when compared with others obtained without lipid bound, reveals distinct conformational changes that re-position AmtB residues to interact with the lipid bilayer. Our results demonstrate that resistance to unfolding correlates with specific lipid-binding events, enabling a distinction to be made between lipids that merely bind from those that modulate membrane

Immunoglobulin G Avidities in Infants in Mexico after Primary Immunization with Three Doses of Polyribosylribitol Phosphate-Tetanus Toxoid Haemophilus influenzae Type b Vaccine▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-de-León, Patricia; Díaz-García, F. Javier; Villaseñor-Sierra, Alberto; Segura, Jorge; Carranza, Martha I.; Arredondo-Garcia, José Luis; Santos, José Ignacio

2008-01-01

Serum immunoglobulin G concentrations and avidities specific to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) were measured in 208 children living in Guadalajara and Mexico City. Protective concentrations were found in 98.9% and 100.0% of participants, respectively. Geometric mean concentrations differed between both populations and/or among age groups. Mean avidities differed only among the 7- to 12-month-old children. Diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis-hepatitis B-Hib primary vaccination seems to induce protection in Mexican children. PMID:18417667

A sialoreceptor binding motif in the Mycoplasma synoviae adhesin VlhA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghan May

Full Text Available Mycoplasma synoviae depends on its adhesin VlhA to mediate cytadherence to sialylated host cell receptors. Allelic variants of VlhA arise through recombination between an assemblage of promoterless vlhA pseudogenes and a single transcription promoter site, creating lineages of M. synoviae that each express a different vlhA allele. The predicted full-length VlhA sequences adjacent to the promoter of nine lineages of M. synoviae varying in avidity of cytadherence were aligned with that of the reference strain MS53 and with a 60-a.a. hemagglutinating VlhA C-terminal fragment from a Tunisian lineage of strain WVU1853(T. Seven different sequence variants of an imperfectly conserved, single-copy, 12-a.a. candidate cytadherence motif were evident amid the flanking variable residues of the 11 total sequences examined. The motif was predicted to adopt a short hairpin structure in a low-complexity region near the C-terminus of VlhA. Biotinylated synthetic oligopeptides representing four selected variants of the 12-a.a. motif, with the whole synthesized 60-a.a. fragment as a positive control, differed (P<0.01 in the extent they bound to chicken erythrocyte membranes. All bound to a greater extent (P<0.01 than scrambled or irrelevant VlhA domain negative control peptides did. Experimentally introduced branched-chain amino acid (BCAA substitutions Val3Ile and Leu7Ile did not significantly alter binding, whereas fold-destabilizing substitutions Thr4Gly and Ala9Gly tended to reduce it (P<0.05. Binding was also reduced to background levels (P<0.01 when the peptides were exposed to desialylated membranes, or were pre-saturated with free sialic acid before exposure to untreated membranes. From this evidence we conclude that the motif P-X-(BCAA-X-F-X-(BCAA-X-A-K-X-G binds sialic acid and likely mediates VlhA-dependent M. synoviae attachment to host cells. This conserved mechanism retains the potential for fine-scale rheostasis in binding avidity, which could be a

IgG avidity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa over the course of chronic lung biofilm infection in cystic fibrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mauch, Renan Marrichi; Nørregaard, Lena Lingren; Ciofu, Oana

2018-01-01

Background and objectives: The mechanisms leading to low effectiveness of the humoral immune response against P. aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to assess the avidity maturation of specific antipseudomonal IgG before and during the develo...

First preclinical evaluation of mono-[123I]iodohypericin as a necrosis-avid tracer agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni, Yicheng; Chen, Feng; Marchal, Guy; Huyghe, Dieter; Verbeke, Kristin; Verbruggen, Alfons M.; Bormans, Guy M.; Witte, Peter A. de; Nuyts, Johan; Mortelmans, Luc

2006-01-01

We have labelled hypericin, a polyphenolic polycyclic quinone found in St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), with 123 I and evaluated mono-[ 123 I]iodohypericin (MIH) as a potential necrosis-avid diagnostic tracer agent. MIH was prepared by an electrophilic radioiodination method. The new tracer agent was evaluated in animal models of liver infarction in the rat and heart infarction in the rabbit using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) histochemical staining, serial sectional autoradiography and microscopy, and radioactivity counting techniques. Using in vivo SPECT imaging, hepatic and cardiac infarctions were persistently visualised as well-defined hot spots over 48 h. Preferential uptake of the tracer agent in necrotic tissue was confirmed by perfect match of images from post-mortem TTC staining, autoradiography (ARX) and histology. Radioactivity concentration in infarcted tissues was over 10 times (liver; 3.51% ID/g in necrotic tissue vs 0.38% ID/g in normal tissue at 60 h p.i.) and over 6 times (myocardium; 0.36% ID/g in necrotic tissue vs 0.054% ID/g in normal tissue; ratios up to 18 for selected parts on ARX images) higher than in normal tissues. The results suggest that hypericin derivatives may serve as powerful necrosis-avid diagnostic agents for assessment of tissue viability. (orig.)

Use of IgG avidity ELISA to differentiate acute from persistent infection with Salmonella Dublin in cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, K.R.; Nielsen, L.R.; Lind, Peter

2006-01-01

Aims: To investigate whether an immunoglobulin (Ig)G avidity ELISA can be used to differentiate between acute and persistent infection with Salmonella (S.) Dublin in cattle. To determine whether the IgG isotype, IgG(1) and IgG(2) responses in acute and persistent infections differ. Methods...

Reconstitution of high-affinity opioid agonist binding in brain membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Remmers, A.E.; Medzihradsky, F. (Univ. of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor (United States))

1991-03-15

In synaptosomal membranes from rat brain cortex, the {mu} selective agonist ({sup 3}H)dihydromorphine in the absence of sodium, and the nonselective antagonist ({sup 3}H)naltrexone in the presence of sodium, bound to two populations of opioid receptor sites with K{sub d} values of 0.69 and 8.7 nM for dihydromorphine, and 0.34 and 5.5 nM for naltrexone. The addition of 5 {mu}M guanosine 5{prime}-({gamma}-thio)triphosphate (GTP({gamma}S)) strongly reduced high-affinity agonist but not antagonist binding. Exposure of the membranes to high pH reduced the number of GTP({gamma}-{sup 35}S) binding sites by 90% and low K{sub m}, opioid-sensitive GTPase activity by 95%. In these membranes, high-affinity agonist binding was abolished and modulation of residual binding by GTP({gamma}S) was diminished. Alkali treatment of the glioma cell membranes prior to fusion inhibited most of the low K{sub m} GTPase activity and prevented the reconstitution of agonist binding. The results show that high-affinity opioid agonist binding reflects the ligand-occupied receptor - guanine nucleotide binding protein complex.

Use of JH4 joining segment gene by an anti-arsonate antibody that bears the major A-strain cross-reactive idiotype but displays diminished antigen binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Slaughter, C A; Jeske, D J; Kuziel, W A; Milner, E C; Capra, J D

1984-06-01

One of the antibody families utilized by the A/J mouse in its response to p-azophenylarsonate (Ars) is characterized by the expression of the major anti-arsonate cross-reactive idiotype (CRI) of the A strain. This family has been termed the Ars-A family. A hybridoma antibody (HP 101F11 ) obtained after immunization of an A/J mouse with Ars was identified initially as displaying the CRI, but was subsequently found to bind antigen at a level much lower than most members of the Ars-A family. The results of binding studies suggested that HP 101F11 possesses reduced avidity for antigen. When isolated light and heavy chains were allowed to recombine with the heavy and light chains of a strongly antigen-binding, strongly CRI-positive antibody of the Ars-A family (HP 93G7 ), the low level of antigen binding by HP 101F11 was found to be due to a structurally variant heavy chain. Whereas antibodies of the Ars-A family with normal avidity for antigen had been shown to use the JH2 joining segment gene, amino acid sequence analysis of HP 101F11 revealed that this antibody has a JH segment with a sequence identical to that encoded by a portion of a different JH gene, JH4 . The implication that 101F11 uses the JH4 gene instead of JH2 was supported by the observation that the productively rearranged gene is associated with an Eco R1 restriction fragment 0.95 Kb smaller than the corresponding fragments of Ars-A hybridomas with normal avidity for antigen. The size difference of 0.95 Kb corresponds exactly to the known distance between the JH2 and JH4 genes in BALB/c germline DNA. In addition to the structural differences immediately attributable to the use of JH4 , HP 101F11 has shown an amino acid interchange in the DH segment, and a single amino acid deletion at the DH-JH boundary. These results show that variation among members of the Ars-A family in the DH and/or JH segments provides alternative structural forms of Ars-A antibodies upon which selective processes can operate

A nanoengineered peptidic delivery system with specificity for human brain capillary endothelial cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Linping; Moghimi, Seyed Moein

2016-01-01

, without manipulating the integrity of the BBB. This may be achieved by simultaneous and appropriate nanoparticle surface decoration with polymers that protect nanoparticles against rapid interception by body's defenses and ligands specific for cerebral capillary endothelial cells. To date, the binding...... avidity of the majority of the so-called ‘brain-specific’ nanoparticles to the brain capillary endothelial cells has been poor, even during in vitro conditions. We have addressed this issue and designed a versatile peptidic nanoplatform with high binding avidity to the human cerebral capillary endothelial...... cells. This was achieved by selecting an appropriate phage-derived peptide with high specificity for human brain capillary endothelial cells, which following careful structural modifications spontaneously formed a nanoparticle-fiber network. The peptidic network was characterized fully and its uptake...

First preclinical evaluation of mono-[{sup 123}I]iodohypericin as a necrosis-avid tracer agent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ni, Yicheng; Chen, Feng; Marchal, Guy [University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Department of Radiology, Leuven (Belgium); Huyghe, Dieter; Verbeke, Kristin; Verbruggen, Alfons M.; Bormans, Guy M. [University of Leuven, Laboratory of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leuven (Belgium); Witte, Peter A. de [University of Leuven, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leuven (Belgium); Nuyts, Johan; Mortelmans, Luc [University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Leuven (Belgium)

2006-05-15

We have labelled hypericin, a polyphenolic polycyclic quinone found in St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), with{sup 123}I and evaluated mono-[{sup 123}I]iodohypericin (MIH) as a potential necrosis-avid diagnostic tracer agent. MIH was prepared by an electrophilic radioiodination method. The new tracer agent was evaluated in animal models of liver infarction in the rat and heart infarction in the rabbit using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) histochemical staining, serial sectional autoradiography and microscopy, and radioactivity counting techniques. Using in vivo SPECT imaging, hepatic and cardiac infarctions were persistently visualised as well-defined hot spots over 48 h. Preferential uptake of the tracer agent in necrotic tissue was confirmed by perfect match of images from post-mortem TTC staining, autoradiography (ARX) and histology. Radioactivity concentration in infarcted tissues was over 10 times (liver; 3.51% ID/g in necrotic tissue vs 0.38% ID/g in normal tissue at 60 h p.i.) and over 6 times (myocardium; 0.36% ID/g in necrotic tissue vs 0.054% ID/g in normal tissue; ratios up to 18 for selected parts on ARX images) higher than in normal tissues. The results suggest that hypericin derivatives may serve as powerful necrosis-avid diagnostic agents for assessment of tissue viability. (orig.)

Allelic variation in KIR2DL3 generates a KIR2DL2-like receptor with increased binding to its HLA-C ligand.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, William R; Steiner, Noriko; Hou, Lihua; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Hurley, Carolyn Katovich

2013-06-15

Although extensive homology exists between their extracellular domains, NK cell inhibitory receptors killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) 2DL2*001 and KIR2DL3*001 have previously been shown to differ substantially in their HLA-C binding avidity. To explore the largely uncharacterized impact of allelic diversity, the most common KIR2DL2/3 allelic products in European American and African American populations were evaluated for surface expression and binding affinity to their HLA-C group 1 and 2 ligands. Although no significant differences in the degree of cell membrane localization were detected in a transfected human NKL cell line by flow cytometry, surface plasmon resonance and KIR binding to a panel of HLA allotypes demonstrated that KIR2DL3*005 differed significantly from other KIR2DL3 allelic products in its ability to bind HLA-C. The increased affinity and avidity of KIR2DL3*005 for its ligand was also demonstrated to have a larger impact on the inhibition of IFN-γ production by the human KHYG-1 NK cell line compared with KIR2DL3*001, a low-affinity allelic product. Site-directed mutagenesis established that the combination of arginine at residue 11 and glutamic acid at residue 35 in KIR2DL3*005 were critical to the observed phenotype. Although these residues are distal to the KIR/HLA-C interface, molecular modeling suggests that alteration in the interdomain hinge angle of KIR2DL3*005 toward that found in KIR2DL2*001, another strong receptor of the KIR2DL2/3 family, may be the cause of this increased affinity. The regain of inhibitory capacity by KIR2DL3*005 suggests that the rapidly evolving KIR locus may be responding to relatively recent selective pressures placed upon certain human populations.

Proadifen-sensitive high affinity binding of 3H-alaproclate to liver membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, S.B.

1987-01-01

3 H-alaproclate, a selective 5 h ydroxytryptamine uptake inhibitor, was found to bind to microsomal membranes from the rat liver with high affinity (K D -=3 nM) and large capacity (B max about 2 nmol/g liver). This binding was stereoselective since S-( - )-alaproclate was 30 times more potent than the R-( + )-enantiomer to displace the 3 H-labelled racemate. Proadifen (SKF 525A), an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450, displaced the 3 H-alaproclate binding with the same, high affinity (K i =3 nM) as alaproclate itself. Repeated treatment with phenobarbital sodium (5x75 mg/kg intraperitoneally) increased the number of alaproclate binding sites 7-8 times without changing the affinity. However, most of the phenobarbital induced 3 H-alaproclate binding was not displaceable by proadifen, showing the presence of at least two different high affinity binding sites. The possible involvement of cytochrome P-450 in the alaproclate binding is discussed. (author)

Duration of (18)F-FDG avidity in lymph nodes after pandemic H1N1v and seasonal influenza vaccination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomassen, Anders; Lerberg Nielsen, Anne; Gerke, Oke

2011-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity in draining axillary lymph nodes after vaccination against influenza (H1N1v pandemic and seasonal) and to determine the period of increased FDG uptake. METHODS: During December 2009, patients...

Accuracy of different thresholds for the anti-HIV avidity index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Galli

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Surveillance programs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection are based on the reporting of newly diagnosed cases. In order to guarantee a more accurate estimate of the trends and behaviours of infected people, simple and reliable methods aimed at identifying recent (< 6 months HIV infections are needed. We evaluated the accuracy of the avidity index (AI of anti-HIV antibodies on 357 serum samples obtained from 127 subjects for whom an estimated date of seroconversion was calculated on the basis of the interval between the last negative and first positive anti-HIV test result.The ROC curve analysis performed at different thresholds of the AI showed that a cutoff of 0.80 (93.0% sensitivity and 98.5% specificity yields the best overall accuracy (95.8% and should be employed for surveillance purposes, whereas the application of the anti-HIV AI on individual cases is not recommended.

High affinity binding of [3H]cocaine to rat liver microsomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Maghrabi, E.A.; Calligaro, D.O.; Eldefrawi, M.E.

1988-01-01

] 3 H]cocaine bound reversible, with high affinity and stereospecificity to rat liver microsomes. Little binding was detected in the lysosomal, mitochondrial and nuclear fractions. The binding kinetics were slow and the kinetically calculated K/sub D/ was 2 nM. Induction of mixed function oxidases by phenobarbital did not produce significant change in [ 3 H]cocaine binding. On the other hand, chronic administration of cocaine reduced [ 3 H]cocaine binding drastically. Neither treatment affected the affinity of the liver binding protein for cocaine. Microsomes from mouse and human livers had less cocaine-binding protein and lower affinity for cocaine than those from rat liver. Binding of [ 3 H]cocaine to rat liver microsomes was insensitive to monovalent cations and > 10 fold less sensitive to biogenic amines than the cocaine receptor in rat striatum. However, the liver protein had higher affinity for cocaine and metabolites except for norcocaine. Amine uptake inhibitors displaced [ 3 H]cocaine binding to liver with a different rank order of potency than their displacement of [ 3 H]cocaine binding to striatum. This high affinity [ 3 H]cocaine binding protein in liver is not likely to be monooxygenase, but may have a role in cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity

High avidity antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA correlate with absence of placental malaria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tutterrow, Yeung Lo; Salanti, Ali; Avril, Marion

2012-01-01

VAR2CSA mediates sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in the placenta, increasing the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Naturally acquired antibodies (Ab) to placental parasites at delivery have been associated with improved pregnancy outcomes, but Ab levels and how early...... in pregnancy Ab must be present in order to eliminate placental parasites before delivery remains unknown. Antibodies to individual Duffy-binding like domains of VAR2CSA have been studied, but the domains lack many of the conformational epitopes present in full-length VAR2CSA (FV2). Thus, the purpose...... of this study was to describe the acquisition of Ab to FV2 in women residing in high and low transmission areas and determine how Ab levels during pregnancy correlate with clearance of placental parasites. Plasma samples collected monthly throughout pregnancy from pregnant women living in high and low...

Allelic Variation in KIR2DL3 Generates a KIR2DL2-like Receptor with Increased Binding to Its HLA-C Ligand12

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, William R.; Steiner, Noriko; Hou, Lihua; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Hurley, Carolyn Katovich

2013-01-01

Although extensive homology exists between their extracellular domains, natural killer cell inhibitory receptors KIR2DL2*001 and KIR2DL3*001 have previously been shown to differ substantially in their HLA-C binding avidity. To explore the largely uncharacterized impact of allelic diversity, the most common KIR2DL2/3 allelic products in European American and African American populations were evaluated for surface expression and binding affinity to their HLA-C group 1 and 2 ligands. Although no significant differences in the degree of cell membrane localization were detected in a transfected human NKL cell line by flow cytometry, surface plasmon resonance and KIR binding to a panel of HLA allotypes demonstrated that KIR2DL3*005 differed significantly from other KIR2DL3 allelic products in its ability to bind HLA-C. The increased affinity and avidity of KIR2DL3*005 for its ligand was also demonstrated to have a larger impact on the inhibition of IFN-γ production by the human KHYG-1 NK cell line compared to KIR2DL3*001, a low affinity allelic product. Site-directed mutagenesis established that the combination of arginine at residue 11 and glutamic acid at residue 35 in KIR2DL3*005 were critical to the observed phenotype. Although these residues are distal to the KIR/HLA-C interface, molecular modeling suggests that alteration in the interdomain hinge angle of KIR2DL3*005 towards that found in KIR2DL2*001, another strong receptor of the KIR2DL2/3 family, may be the cause of this increased affinity. The regain of inhibitory capacity by KIR2DL3*005 suggests that the rapidly evolving KIR locus may be responding to relatively recent selective pressures placed upon certain human populations. PMID:23686481

Structure, dynamics and RNA binding of the multi-domain splicing factor TIA-1

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Iren; Hennig, Janosch; Jagtap, Pravin Kumar Ankush; Sonntag, Miriam; Valcárcel, Juan; Sattler, Michael

2014-01-01

Alternative pre-messenger ribonucleic acid (pre-mRNA) splicing is an essential process in eukaryotic gene regulation. The T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1) is an apoptosis-promoting factor that modulates alternative splicing of transcripts, including the pre-mRNA encoding the membrane receptor Fas. TIA-1 is a multi-domain ribonucleic acid (RNA) binding protein that recognizes poly-uridine tract RNA sequences to facilitate 5′ splice site recognition by the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP). Here, we characterize the RNA interaction and conformational dynamics of TIA-1 by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Our NMR-derived solution structure of TIA-1 RRM2–RRM3 (RRM2,3) reveals that RRM2 adopts a canonical RNA recognition motif (RRM) fold, while RRM3 is preceded by an non-canonical helix α0. NMR and SAXS data show that all three RRMs are largely independent structural modules in the absence of RNA, while RNA binding induces a compact arrangement. RRM2,3 binds to pyrimidine-rich FAS pre-mRNA or poly-uridine (U9) RNA with nanomolar affinities. RRM1 has little intrinsic RNA binding affinity and does not strongly contribute to RNA binding in the context of RRM1,2,3. Our data unravel the role of binding avidity and the contributions of the TIA-1 RRMs for recognition of pyrimidine-rich RNAs. PMID:24682828

Avidity of IgG for rubella: an evaluation of the need for implementation at the Materno-Infantil Presidente Vargas Hospital in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.M. Reis

Full Text Available Rubella serum assays performed in the laboratory of the Materno-Infantil Presidente Vargas Hospital (HMIPV from 1998 to 2002 were reviewed to determine if IgG avidity assays should be implemented. IgG was determined using the Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay, ELFA, VIDAS® system, bioMérieux or the Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay, MEIA, Axsym® system, Abbott, and IgM was determined using the ELFA, VIDAS® system, bioMérieux, a capture format assay. Specific IgG was assayed in 2,863 samples, with positive results for 84% of the patients, for the most part with high levels of antibodies. IgM was assayed in 2,851 samples, being positive in 14 (0.49% and inconclusive in 25 (0.88%. Serology for toxoplasmosis was also positive or inconclusive in 5 patients. After a cost-effectiveness analysis, it was decided not to implement avidity assays, considering that the HMIPV is a public institution, with limited funding. Difficulties concerning the integration of the Clinical Pathology Service with the Clinical Staff of the institution were also considered.

Synthesis and characterization of time-resolved fluorescence probes for evaluation of competitive binding to melanocortin receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Alleti, Ramesh; Vagner, Josef; Dehigaspitiya, Dilani Chathurika; Moberg, Valerie E; Elshan, N G R D; Tafreshi, Narges K; Brabez, Nabila; Weber, Craig S; Lynch, Ronald M; Hruby, Victor J; Gillies, Robert J; Morse, David L; Mash, Eugene A

2013-09-01

Probes for use in time-resolved fluorescence competitive binding assays at melanocortin receptors based on the parental ligands MSH(4), MSH(7), and NDP-α-MSH were prepared by solid phase synthesis methods, purified, and characterized. The saturation binding of these probes was studied using HEK-293 cells engineered to overexpress the human melanocortin 4 receptor (hMC4R) as well as the human cholecystokinin 2 receptor (hCCK2R). The ratios of non-specific binding to total binding approached unity at high concentrations for each probe. At low probe concentrations, receptor-mediated binding and uptake was discernable, and so probe concentrations were kept as low as possible in determining Kd values. The Eu-DTPA-PEGO-MSH(4) probe exhibited low specific binding relative to non-specific binding, even at low nanomolar concentrations, and was deemed unsuitable for use in competition binding assays. The Eu-DTPA-PEGO probes based on MSH(7) and NDP-α-MSH exhibited Kd values of 27±3.9nM and 4.2±0.48nM, respectively, for binding with hMC4R. These probes were employed in competitive binding assays to characterize the interactions of hMC4R with monovalent and divalent MSH(4), MSH(7), and NDP-α-MSH constructs derived from squalene. Results from assays with both probes reflected only statistical enhancements, suggesting improper ligand spacing on the squalene scaffold for the divalent constructs. The Ki values from competitive binding assays that employed the MSH(7)-based probe were generally lower than the Ki values obtained when the probe based on NDP-α-MSH was employed, which is consistent with the greater potency of the latter probe. The probe based on MSH(7) was also competed with monovalent, divalent, and trivalent MSH(4) constructs that previously demonstrated multivalent binding in competitive binding assays against a variant of the probe based on NDP-α-MSH. Results from these assays confirm multivalent binding, but suggest a more modest increase in avidity for these

Computational Calorimetry: High-Precision Calculation of Host–Guest Binding Thermodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

We present a strategy for carrying out high-precision calculations of binding free energy and binding enthalpy values from molecular dynamics simulations with explicit solvent. The approach is used to calculate the thermodynamic profiles for binding of nine small molecule guests to either the cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) or β-cyclodextrin (βCD) host. For these systems, calculations using commodity hardware can yield binding free energy and binding enthalpy values with a precision of ∼0.5 kcal/mol (95% CI) in a matter of days. Crucially, the self-consistency of the approach is established by calculating the binding enthalpy directly, via end point potential energy calculations, and indirectly, via the temperature dependence of the binding free energy, i.e., by the van’t Hoff equation. Excellent agreement between the direct and van’t Hoff methods is demonstrated for both host–guest systems and an ion-pair model system for which particularly well-converged results are attainable. Additionally, we find that hydrogen mass repartitioning allows marked acceleration of the calculations with no discernible cost in precision or accuracy. Finally, we provide guidance for accurately assessing numerical uncertainty of the results in settings where complex correlations in the time series can pose challenges to statistical analysis. The routine nature and high precision of these binding calculations opens the possibility of including measured binding thermodynamics as target data in force field optimization so that simulations may be used to reliably interpret experimental data and guide molecular design. PMID:26523125

The best and the brightest: exploiting tryptophan-sensitized Tb(3+) luminescence to engineer lanthanide-binding tags.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Langdon J; Imperiali, Barbara

2015-01-01

Consider the lanthanide metals, comprising lanthanum through lutetium. Lanthanides form stable cations with a +3 charge, and these ions exhibit a variety of useful physical properties (long-lifetime luminescence, paramagnetism, anomalous X-ray scattering) that are amenable to studies of biomolecules. The absence of lanthanide ions in living systems means that background signals are generally a nonissue; however, to exploit the advantageous properties it is necessary to engineer a robust lanthanide-binding sequence that can be appended to any macromolecules of interest. To this end, the luminescence produced by tryptophan-sensitized Tb(3+) has been used as a selection marker for peptide sequences that avidly chelate these ions. A combinatorial split-and-pool library that uses two orthogonal linkers-one that is cleaved for selection and one that is cleaved for sequencing and characterization-has been used to develop lanthanide-binding tags (LBTs): peptides of 15-20 amino acids with low-nM affinity for Tb(3+). Further validating the success of this screen, knowledge about LBTs has enabled the introduction of a lanthanide-binding loop in place of one of the four native calcium-binding loops within the protein calcineurin B.

Intraoperative detection of 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites using the increased probe counting efficiency of the K-alpha probe design and variance-based statistical analysis with the three-sigma criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Povoski, Stephen P; Chapman, Gregg J; Murrey, Douglas A; Lee, Robert; Martin, Edward W; Hall, Nathan C

2013-01-01

Intraoperative detection of 18 F-FDG-avid tissue sites during 18 F-FDG-directed surgery can be very challenging when utilizing gamma detection probes that rely on a fixed target-to-background (T/B) ratio (ratiometric threshold) for determination of probe positivity. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the counting efficiency and the success rate of in situ intraoperative detection of 18 F-FDG-avid tissue sites (using the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method and the ratiometric threshold criteria method) for three different gamma detection probe systems. Of 58 patients undergoing 18 F-FDG-directed surgery for known or suspected malignancy using gamma detection probes, we identified nine 18 F-FDG-avid tissue sites (from amongst seven patients) that were seen on same-day preoperative diagnostic PET/CT imaging, and for which each 18 F-FDG-avid tissue site underwent attempted in situ intraoperative detection concurrently using three gamma detection probe systems (K-alpha probe, and two commercially-available PET-probe systems), and then were subsequently surgical excised. The mean relative probe counting efficiency ratio was 6.9 (± 4.4, range 2.2–15.4) for the K-alpha probe, as compared to 1.5 (± 0.3, range 1.0–2.1) and 1.0 (± 0, range 1.0–1.0), respectively, for two commercially-available PET-probe systems (P < 0.001). Successful in situ intraoperative detection of 18 F-FDG-avid tissue sites was more frequently accomplished with each of the three gamma detection probes tested by using the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method than by using the ratiometric threshold criteria method, specifically with the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method being significantly better than the ratiometric threshold criteria method for determining probe positivity for the K-alpha probe (P = 0.05). Our results suggest that the improved probe counting efficiency of the K-alpha probe design used in conjunction with the three

HIV Incidence Estimates Using the Limiting Antigen Avidity EIA Assay at Testing Sites in Kiev City, Ukraine: 2013-2014.

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Ruth Simmons

Full Text Available To estimate HIV incidence and highlight the characteristics of persons at greatest risk of HIV in the Ukraine capital, Kiev.Residual samples from newly-diagnosed persons attending the Kiev City AIDS Centre were tested for evidence of recent HIV infection using an avidity assay. Questions on possible risk factors for HIV acquisition and testing history were introduced. All persons (≥16yrs presenting for an HIV test April'13-March'14 were included. Rates per 100,000 population were calculated using region-specific denominators.During the study period 6370 individuals tested for HIV. Of the 467 individuals newly-diagnosed with HIV, 21 had insufficient samples for LAg testing. Of the remaining 446, 39 (8.7% were classified as recent with an avidity index <1.5ODn, 10 were reclassified as long-standing as their viral load was <1000 copies/mL, resulting in 29 (6.5% recent HIV infections. The only independent predictor for a recent infection was probable route of exposure, with MSM more likely to present with a recent infection compared with heterosexual contact [Odds Ratio 8.86; 95%CI 2.65-29.60]. We estimated HIV incidence at 21.5 per 100,000 population, corresponding to 466 new infections. Using population estimates for MSM and PWID, incidence was estimated to be between 2289.6 and 6868.7/100,000 MSM, and 350.4 for PWID.A high proportion of persons newly-infected remain undiagnosed, with MSM disproportionally affected with one in four newly-HIV-diagnosed and one in three recently-HIV-infected. Our findings should be used for targeted public health interventions and health promotion.

HIV Incidence Estimates Using the Limiting Antigen Avidity EIA Assay at Testing Sites in Kiev City, Ukraine: 2013-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Ruth; Malyuta, Ruslan; Chentsova, Nelli; Karnets, Iryna; Murphy, Gary; Medoeva, Antonia; Kruglov, Yuri; Yurchenko, Alexander; Copas, Andrew; Porter, Kholoud

2016-01-01

To estimate HIV incidence and highlight the characteristics of persons at greatest risk of HIV in the Ukraine capital, Kiev. Residual samples from newly-diagnosed persons attending the Kiev City AIDS Centre were tested for evidence of recent HIV infection using an avidity assay. Questions on possible risk factors for HIV acquisition and testing history were introduced. All persons (≥16yrs) presenting for an HIV test April'13-March'14 were included. Rates per 100,000 population were calculated using region-specific denominators. During the study period 6370 individuals tested for HIV. Of the 467 individuals newly-diagnosed with HIV, 21 had insufficient samples for LAg testing. Of the remaining 446, 39 (8.7%) were classified as recent with an avidity index <1.5ODn, 10 were reclassified as long-standing as their viral load was <1000 copies/mL, resulting in 29 (6.5%) recent HIV infections. The only independent predictor for a recent infection was probable route of exposure, with MSM more likely to present with a recent infection compared with heterosexual contact [Odds Ratio 8.86; 95%CI 2.65-29.60]. We estimated HIV incidence at 21.5 per 100,000 population, corresponding to 466 new infections. Using population estimates for MSM and PWID, incidence was estimated to be between 2289.6 and 6868.7/100,000 MSM, and 350.4 for PWID. A high proportion of persons newly-infected remain undiagnosed, with MSM disproportionally affected with one in four newly-HIV-diagnosed and one in three recently-HIV-infected. Our findings should be used for targeted public health interventions and health promotion.

HIV Incidence Estimates Using the Limiting Antigen Avidity EIA Assay at Testing Sites in Kiev City, Ukraine: 2013-2014

Science.gov (United States)

Kruglov, Yuri; Yurchenko, Alexander

2016-01-01

Objective To estimate HIV incidence and highlight the characteristics of persons at greatest risk of HIV in the Ukraine capital, Kiev. Method Residual samples from newly-diagnosed persons attending the Kiev City AIDS Centre were tested for evidence of recent HIV infection using an avidity assay. Questions on possible risk factors for HIV acquisition and testing history were introduced. All persons (≥16yrs) presenting for an HIV test April’13–March’14 were included. Rates per 100,000 population were calculated using region-specific denominators. Results During the study period 6370 individuals tested for HIV. Of the 467 individuals newly-diagnosed with HIV, 21 had insufficient samples for LAg testing. Of the remaining 446, 39 (8.7%) were classified as recent with an avidity index <1.5ODn, 10 were reclassified as long-standing as their viral load was <1000 copies/mL, resulting in 29 (6.5%) recent HIV infections. The only independent predictor for a recent infection was probable route of exposure, with MSM more likely to present with a recent infection compared with heterosexual contact [Odds Ratio 8.86; 95%CI 2.65–29.60]. We estimated HIV incidence at 21.5 per 100,000 population, corresponding to 466 new infections. Using population estimates for MSM and PWID, incidence was estimated to be between 2289.6 and 6868.7/100,000 MSM, and 350.4 for PWID. Conclusion A high proportion of persons newly-infected remain undiagnosed, with MSM disproportionally affected with one in four newly-HIV-diagnosed and one in three recently-HIV-infected. Our findings should be used for targeted public health interventions and health promotion. PMID:27276170

Structural Basis for a Switch in Receptor Binding Specificity of Two H5N1 Hemagglutinin Mutants

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Xueyong Zhu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Avian H5N1 influenza viruses continue to spread in wild birds and domestic poultry with sporadic infection in humans. Receptor binding specificity changes are a prerequisite for H5N1 viruses and other zoonotic viruses to be transmitted among humans. Previous reported hemagglutinin (HA mutants from ferret-transmissible H5N1 viruses of A/Vietnam/1203/2004 and A/Indonesia/5/2005 showed slightly increased, but still very weak, binding to human receptors. From mutagenesis and glycan array studies, we previously identified two H5N1 HA mutants that could more effectively switch receptor specificity to human-like α2-6-linked sialosides with avidity comparable to wild-type H5 HA binding to avian-like α2-3-linked sialosides. Here, crystal structures of these two H5 HA mutants free and in complex with human and avian glycan receptor analogs reveal the structural basis for their preferential binding to human receptors. These findings suggest continuous surveillance should be maintained to monitor and assess human-to-human transmission potential of H5N1 viruses.

Proadifen-sensitive high affinity binding of /sup 3/H-alaproclate to liver membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, S.B.

1987-01-01

/sup 3/H-alaproclate, a selective 5/sub h/ydroxytryptamine uptake inhibitor, was found to bind to microsomal membranes from the rat liver with high affinity (K/sub D/-=3 nM) and large capacity (B/sub max/ about 2 nmol/g liver). This binding was stereoselective since S-( - )-alaproclate was 30 times more potent than the R-( + )-enantiomer to displace the /sup 3/H-labelled racemate. Proadifen (SKF 525A), an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450, displaced the /sup 3/H-alaproclate binding with the same, high affinity (K/sub i/=3 nM) as alaproclate itself. Repeated treatment with phenobarbital sodium (5x75 mg/kg intraperitoneally) increased the number of alaproclate binding sites 7-8 times without changing the affinity. However, most of the phenobarbital induced /sup 3/H-alaproclate binding was not displaceable by proadifen, showing the presence of at least two different high affinity binding sites. The possible involvement of cytochrome P-450 in the alaproclate binding is discussed.

Intraoperative detection of ¹⁸F-FDG-avid tissue sites using the increased probe counting efficiency of the K-alpha probe design and variance-based statistical analysis with the three-sigma criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Povoski, Stephen P; Chapman, Gregg J; Murrey, Douglas A; Lee, Robert; Martin, Edward W; Hall, Nathan C

2013-03-04

Intraoperative detection of (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites during 18F-FDG-directed surgery can be very challenging when utilizing gamma detection probes that rely on a fixed target-to-background (T/B) ratio (ratiometric threshold) for determination of probe positivity. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the counting efficiency and the success rate of in situ intraoperative detection of (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites (using the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method and the ratiometric threshold criteria method) for three different gamma detection probe systems. Of 58 patients undergoing (18)F-FDG-directed surgery for known or suspected malignancy using gamma detection probes, we identified nine (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites (from amongst seven patients) that were seen on same-day preoperative diagnostic PET/CT imaging, and for which each (18)F-FDG-avid tissue site underwent attempted in situ intraoperative detection concurrently using three gamma detection probe systems (K-alpha probe, and two commercially-available PET-probe systems), and then were subsequently surgical excised. The mean relative probe counting efficiency ratio was 6.9 (± 4.4, range 2.2-15.4) for the K-alpha probe, as compared to 1.5 (± 0.3, range 1.0-2.1) and 1.0 (± 0, range 1.0-1.0), respectively, for two commercially-available PET-probe systems (P < 0.001). Successful in situ intraoperative detection of 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites was more frequently accomplished with each of the three gamma detection probes tested by using the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method than by using the ratiometric threshold criteria method, specifically with the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method being significantly better than the ratiometric threshold criteria method for determining probe positivity for the K-alpha probe (P = 0.05). Our results suggest that the improved probe counting efficiency of the K-alpha probe design used in conjunction with the three-sigma statistical

Aluminium fluoride and magnesium, activators of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins, affect high-affinity binding of the fungal toxin fusicoccin to the fusicoccin-binding protein in oat root plasma membranes.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, A.H.; Van der Molen, G.W.; Prins, H.B.A.; Korthout, H.A.A.J.; van der Hoeven, P.C.J.

1994-01-01

The fusicoccin-binding protein was solubilised from purified oat root plasma membranes. The solubilised protein retained full binding activity, provided that protease inhibitors were included. Sodium fluoride reduced the high-affinity [H-3]fusicoccin binding to almost zero in a

Work in progress. Gastrointestinal ulcerations: detection using a technetium-99m-labeled ulcer-avid agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasquez, T.E.; Bridges, R.L.; Braunstein, P.; Jansholt, A.L.; Meshkinpour, H.

1983-01-01

Technetium-99m-labeled sucralfate, an ulcer-avid material, was shown in preliminary animal and human studies to be stable in vivo with good sensitivity. Eight experimentally produced discrete gastric ulcers in three rabbits were visualized using this material. Of seven human studies, four studies were true-positive and three were true-negative. It is suggested that Tc-99m-labeled sucralfate may prove to have significant clinical advantages for the evaluation of gastrointestinal ulcer disease and other diseases that are associated with loss of mucosal integrity. The method for labeling sucralfate with Tc-99m was developed by the authors

Rapid Diagnostic Assay for Intact Influenza Virus Using a High Affinity Hemagglutinin Binding Protein.

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Anderson, Caitlin E; Holstein, Carly A; Strauch, Eva-Maria; Bennett, Steven; Chevalier, Aaron; Nelson, Jorgen; Fu, Elain; Baker, David; Yager, Paul

2017-06-20

Influenza is a ubiquitous and recurring infection that results in approximately 500 000 deaths globally each year. Commercially available rapid diagnostic tests are based upon detection of the influenza nucleoprotein, which are limited in that they are unable to differentiate by species and require an additional viral lysis step. Sample preprocessing can be minimized or eliminated by targeting the intact influenza virus, thereby reducing assay complexity and leveraging the large number of hemagglutinin proteins on the surface of each virus. Here, we report the development of a paper-based influenza assay that targets the hemagglutinin protein; the assay employs a combination of antibodies and novel computationally designed, recombinant affinity proteins as the capture and detection agents. This system leverages the customizability of recombinant protein design to target the conserved receptor-binding pocket of the hemagglutinin protein and to match the trimeric nature of hemagglutinin for improved avidity. Using this assay, we demonstrate the first instance of intact influenza virus detection using a combination of antibody and affinity proteins within a porous network. The recombinant head region binder based assays yield superior analytical sensitivity as compared to the antibody based assay, with lower limits of detection of 3.54 × 10 7 and 1.34 × 10 7 CEID 50 /mL for the mixed and all binder stacks, respectively. Not only does this work describe the development of a novel influenza assay, it also demonstrates the power of recombinant affinity proteins for use in rapid diagnostic assays.

Recalibration of the limiting antigen avidity EIA to determine mean duration of recent infection in divergent HIV-1 subtypes.

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Yen T Duong

Full Text Available Mean duration of recent infection (MDRI and misclassification of long-term HIV-1 infections, as proportion false recent (PFR, are critical parameters for laboratory-based assays for estimating HIV-1 incidence. Recent review of the data by us and others indicated that MDRI of LAg-Avidity EIA estimated previously required recalibration. We present here results of recalibration efforts using >250 seroconversion panels and multiple statistical methods to ensure accuracy and consensus.A total of 2737 longitudinal specimens collected from 259 seroconverting individuals infected with diverse HIV-1 subtypes were tested with the LAg-Avidity EIA as previously described. Data were analyzed for determination of MDRI at ODn cutoffs of 1.0 to 2.0 using 7 statistical approaches and sub-analyzed by HIV-1 subtypes. In addition, 3740 specimens from individuals with infection >1 year, including 488 from patients with AIDS, were tested for PFR at varying cutoffs.Using different statistical methods, MDRI values ranged from 88-94 days at cutoff ODn = 1.0 to 177-183 days at ODn = 2.0. The MDRI values were similar by different methods suggesting coherence of different approaches. Testing for misclassification among long-term infections indicated that overall PFRs were 0.6% to 2.5% at increasing cutoffs of 1.0 to 2.0, respectively. Balancing the need for a longer MDRI and smaller PFR (<2.0% suggests that a cutoff ODn = 1.5, corresponding to an MDRI of 130 days should be used for cross-sectional application. The MDRI varied among subtypes from 109 days (subtype A&D to 152 days (subtype C.Based on the new data and revised analysis, we recommend an ODn cutoff = 1.5 to classify recent and long-term infections, corresponding to an MDRI of 130 days (118-142. Determination of revised parameters for estimation of HIV-1 incidence should facilitate application of the LAg-Avidity EIA for worldwide use.

Recalibration of the limiting antigen avidity EIA to determine mean duration of recent infection in divergent HIV-1 subtypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Duong, Yen T; Kassanjee, Reshma; Welte, Alex; Morgan, Meade; De, Anindya; Dobbs, Trudy; Rottinghaus, Erin; Nkengasong, John; Curlin, Marcel E; Kittinunvorakoon, Chonticha; Raengsakulrach, Boonyos; Martin, Michael; Choopanya, Kachit; Vanichseni, Suphak; Jiang, Yan; Qiu, Maofeng; Yu, Haiying; Hao, Yan; Shah, Neha; Le, Linh-Vi; Kim, Andrea A; Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Ampofo, William; Parekh, Bharat S

2015-01-01

Mean duration of recent infection (MDRI) and misclassification of long-term HIV-1 infections, as proportion false recent (PFR), are critical parameters for laboratory-based assays for estimating HIV-1 incidence. Recent review of the data by us and others indicated that MDRI of LAg-Avidity EIA estimated previously required recalibration. We present here results of recalibration efforts using >250 seroconversion panels and multiple statistical methods to ensure accuracy and consensus. A total of 2737 longitudinal specimens collected from 259 seroconverting individuals infected with diverse HIV-1 subtypes were tested with the LAg-Avidity EIA as previously described. Data were analyzed for determination of MDRI at ODn cutoffs of 1.0 to 2.0 using 7 statistical approaches and sub-analyzed by HIV-1 subtypes. In addition, 3740 specimens from individuals with infection >1 year, including 488 from patients with AIDS, were tested for PFR at varying cutoffs. Using different statistical methods, MDRI values ranged from 88-94 days at cutoff ODn = 1.0 to 177-183 days at ODn = 2.0. The MDRI values were similar by different methods suggesting coherence of different approaches. Testing for misclassification among long-term infections indicated that overall PFRs were 0.6% to 2.5% at increasing cutoffs of 1.0 to 2.0, respectively. Balancing the need for a longer MDRI and smaller PFR (<2.0%) suggests that a cutoff ODn = 1.5, corresponding to an MDRI of 130 days should be used for cross-sectional application. The MDRI varied among subtypes from 109 days (subtype A&D) to 152 days (subtype C). Based on the new data and revised analysis, we recommend an ODn cutoff = 1.5 to classify recent and long-term infections, corresponding to an MDRI of 130 days (118-142). Determination of revised parameters for estimation of HIV-1 incidence should facilitate application of the LAg-Avidity EIA for worldwide use.

Label-free Fab and Fc affinity/avidity profiling of the antibody complex half-life for polyclonal and monoclonal efficacy screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Thomas; Olkhov, Rouslan V; Williamson, E Diane; Shaw, Andrew M

2015-09-01

A unified approach to affinity screening for Fab and Fc interactions of an antibody for its antigen and FcγR receptor has been developed. An antigen array is used for the Fab affinity and cross-reactivity screening and protein A/G proxy is the FcγR receptor. The affinities are derived using a simple 1:1 binding model with a consistent error analysis. The association and dissociation kinetics are measured over optimised times for accurate determination. The Fab/Fc affinities are derived for ten antibodies: mAb-actin (mouse), pAb-BSA (sheep), pAb-collagen V (rabbit), pAb-CRP (goat), mAb-F1 (mouse), mAbs (mouse) 7.3, 12.3, 29.3, 36.3 and 46.3 raised against LcrV in Yersinia pestis. The rate of the dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes relates directly to their immunological function as does the Fc-FcγR complex and a new half-life plot has been defined with a Fab/Fc half-life range of 17-470 min. The upper half-life value points to surface avidity. Two antibodies that are protective as an immunotherapy define a Fab half-life >250 min and an Fc half-life >50 min as characteristics of ideal interactions which can form the basis of an antibody screen for immunotherapy.

Assessment of the diagnostic performance of the IDS-iSYS tests for toxo IgG, toxo IgM and avidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Levigne, Pauline; Peyron, François; Wallon, Martine

2016-10-01

When acquired during pregnancy toxoplasmosis can have devastating consequences on the fetus. As maternal infection is in the majority of cases subclinical, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis relies on serological tests for the detection of IgG, IGM and the mesure of IgG avidity. We evaluated the performance of IDS-iSYS a new automatized instrument based on chemiluminescence for the diagnosis of the disease. Our study was based on non-selected samples received in our laboratory either for the determination of serological status or for distinguishing acute from chronic infection. Seven hundred eighty three samples were enrolled in the study. Compared with Architect IgG and IgM assays, the sensitivity and specificity were respectively 99% and 99% for IgG, and 75% and 97% for IgM. We observed higher remaining titers for IDS iSYS IgG, which could reduce the proportions of patients who have to be retested because of doubtful titers. IgM detection and avidity scored equivalent performance with both methods. This automate appears to be a reliable and easy-to-use tool for diagnosing toxoplasmosis in different clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence that a synthetic amyloid-ß oligomer-binding peptide (ABP) targets amyloid-ß deposits in transgenic mouse brain and human Alzheimer's disease brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakravarthy, Balu; Ito, Shingo; Atkinson, Trevor; Gaudet, Chantal; Ménard, Michel; Brown, Leslie; Whitfield, James

2014-03-14

The synthetic ~5 kDa ABP (amyloid-ß binding peptide) consists of a region of the 228 kDa human pericentrioloar material-1 (PCM-1) protein that selectively and avidly binds in vitro Aβ1-42 oligomers, believed to be key co-drivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but not monomers (Chakravarthy et al., (2013) [3]). ABP also prevents Aß1-42 from triggering the apoptotic death of cultured human SHSY5Y neuroblasts, likely by sequestering Aß oligomers, suggesting that it might be a potential AD therapeutic. Here we support this possibility by showing that ABP also recognizes and binds Aβ1-42 aggregates in sections of cortices and hippocampi from brains of AD transgenic mice and human AD patients. More importantly, ABP targets Aβ1-42 aggregates when microinjected into the hippocampi of the brains of live AD transgenic mice. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrastructural visualization of the transmembranous and cytomatrix-related part of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of frog motor endplate by means of an immunochemical avidity of IgG for d-tubocurarine.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shigeru Tsuji

2008-02-01

Full Text Available In the present study, a fine ultrastructural localization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR was attempted, using d-tubocurarine (d-TC, a quaternary ammonium compound binding to nAChR. The localization was based on the binding avidity of immunoglobulin G (IgG for acetylcholine (ACh and other quaternary ammonium compounds, such as d-TC. d-TC was applied to the frog neuromuscular preparation and caused a blockade of neuromuscular transmission. Then, d-TC was rendered insoluble in situ by silicotungstic acid (STA, a precipitating agent of soluble proteins and quaternary ammonium compounds. After tissue fixation, a normal rabbit serum was applied to the fine precipitate of the insoluble salt of d-TC silicotungstate (quaternary ammonium radical of d-TC to form the immunochemical complex d-TC- rabbit IgG at ACh binding sites. The IgG of the complex was revealed by means of the conventional immunoperoxidase procedure used for ultrastructural localization. Under the electron microscope, fine diaminobenzidine (DAB precipitates appeared as regular rod-like structures oriented to cytoplasmic side of the horizontal part (crest of the postsynaptic membrane (between the junctional folds which is known to be endowed with nAChR. The rod-like precipitates were not observed in the postsynaptic junctional folds which are devoid of nAChR. The distance separating the rods each other was rather constant (12 - 15 nm, while the length of the rods was variable and exceeded the usual length of nAChR. The present work indicates that the rod-like structures, already observed in association with sarcoplasmic side of the postsynaptic membrane, did correspond to the intramembranous and intracytoplasmic part of nAChR and related proteins. These cytochemical results confirm that d-TC binds to ACh binding sites in the pore of nAChR, and raise the question of DAB staining of cytoskeletal proteins related to the nAChR complex.

Compensating for cross-reactions using avidity and computation in a suspension multiplex immunoassay for serotyping of Zika versus other flavivirus infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Rönnberg, Bengt; Gustafsson, Åke; Vapalahti, Olli; Emmerich, Petra; Lundkvist, Åke; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Blomberg, Jonas

2017-10-01

The recent spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas and Asia necessitates an increased preparedness for improved maternal and perinatal health and blood safety. However, serological cross-reactions, especially to Dengue virus (DENV), complicate ZIKV antibody serodiagnosis. A novel "pan-Flavi" suspension multiplex immunoassay (PFSMIA) using 25 antigens, whole virus (WV), non-structural protein 1 (NS1), and envelope (E) proteins, from 7 zoonotic flaviviruses for specific detection of ZIKV and DENV IgM and IgG was developed. Patterns of antibody cross-reactivity, avidity, and kinetics were established in 104 sera from returning travelers with known ZIKV and DENV infections. PFSMIA gave IgM- and IgG-sensitivities for both viruses of 96-100%, compared to an immunofluorescence assay. Main IgM cross-reactions were to NS1, for IgG to the E and WV antigens. Infecting virus yielded reactivity to several antigens of the homologous virus, while cross-reactions tended to occur only to a single antigen from heterologous virus(es). A specificity-enhancing computer procedure took into account antibody isotype, number of antibody-reactive antigens per virus, avidity, average degree of cross-reactivity to heterologous flavivirus antigens, and reactivity changes in serial sera. It classified all 50 cases correctly. Applied to sera from 200 pregnant women and 173 blood donors from Sweden, one blood donor was found ZIKV NS1 IgM positive, and another as ZIKV NS1 IgG positive. These samples did not react with other ZIKV antigens and were thereby judged as false-positives. PFSMIA provided sensitive and specific ZIKV and DENV serology, warranting high-throughput serological surveillance and a minimized need for laborious and expensive virus neutralization assays.

Carrier priming with CRM 197 or diphtheria toxoid has a different impact on the immunogenicity of the respective glycoconjugates: biophysical and immunochemical interpretation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecetta, S; Lo Surdo, P; Tontini, M; Proietti, D; Zambonelli, C; Bottomley, M J; Biagini, M; Berti, F; Costantino, P; Romano, M R

2015-01-03

Glycoconjugate vaccines play an enormous role in preventing infectious diseases. The main carrier proteins used in commercial conjugate vaccines are the non-toxic mutant of diphtheria toxin (CRM197), diphtheria toxoid (DT) and tetanus toxoid (TT). Modern childhood routine vaccination schedules include the administration of several vaccines simultaneously or in close sequence, increasing the concern that the repeated exposure to conjugates based on these carrier proteins might interfere with the anti-polysaccharide response. Extending previous observations we show here that priming mice with CRM197 or DT does not suppress the response to the carbohydrate moiety of CRM197 meningococcal serogroup A (MenA) conjugates, while priming with DT can suppress the response to DT-MenA conjugates. To explain these findings we made use of biophysical and immunochemical techniques applied mainly to MenA conjugates. Differential scanning calorimetry and circular dichroism data revealed that the CRM197 structure was altered by the chemical conjugation, while DT and the formaldehyde-treated form of CRM197 were less impacted, depending on the degree of glycosylation. Investigating the binding and avidity properties of IgGs induced in mice by non-conjugated carriers, we found that CRM197 induced low levels of anti-carrier antibodies, with decreased avidity for its MenA conjugates and poor binding to DT and respective MenA conjugates. In contrast, DT induced high antibody titers able to bind with comparable avidity both the protein and its conjugates but showing very low avidity for CRM197 and related conjugates. The low intrinsic immunogenicity of CRM197 as compared to DT, the structural modifications induced by glycoconjugation and detoxification processes, resulting in conformational changes in CRM197 and DT epitopes with consequent alteration of the antibody recognition and avidity, might explain the different behavior of CRM197 and DT in a carrier priming context. Copyright © 2014

The Influence of Dengue Virus Serotype-2 Infection on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Motivation and Avidity to Blood Feed

OpenAIRE

Maciel-de-Freitas, Rafael; Sylvestre, Gabriel; Gandini, Mariana; Koella, Jacob C.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a species that lives in close association with human dwellings. The behavior of DENV-infected mosquitoes needs further investigation, especially regarding the potential influence of DENV on mosquito biting motivation and avidity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We orally challenged 4-5 day-old Ae. aegypti females with a low passage DENV serotype -2 (DENV-2) to test whether the virus influences motivation to feed (the likelihood ...

Characterization of a high affinity cocaine binding site in rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calligaro, D.; Eldefrawi, M.

1986-01-01

Binding of [ 3 H]cocaine to synaptic membranes from whole rat brain was reversible and saturable. Nonlinear regression analysis of binding isotherms indicated two binding affinities: one with k/sub d/ = 16 nM, B/sub max/ = 0.65 pmoles/mg protein and the other with K/sub d/ = 660 nM, B/sub max/ = 5.1 pmoles/mg protein. The high-affinity binding of [ 3 H]cocaine was sensitive to the actions of trypsin and chymotrypsin but not carboxypeptidase, and was eliminated by exposure of the membranes to 95 0 C for 5 min. Specific binding at 2 nM was higher at pH 8.8 than at pH 7.0. Binding of [ 3 H]cocaine (15 nM) was inhibited by increasing concentrations of Na + ions. Several cocaine analogues, neurotransmitter uptake inhibitors and local anesthetics displaced specific [ 3 H]cocaine binding at 2 nM with various potencies. The cocaine analogue (-)-norcocaine was the most potent (IC 50 = 10 nM), while the local anesthetic tetracaine was the least potent in inhibiting [ 3 H]cocaine binding. Several biogenic amine uptake inhibitors, including tricyclic antidepressants and phencyclidine, had IC 50 values below μM concentrations

Characterization of high-affinity (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding in the rat central nervous system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hauger, R.; Luu, H.M.; Meyer, D.K.; Goodwin, F.K.; Paul, S.M.

1985-06-01

The characteristics of (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding were examined in various areas of rat brain. In the striatum, Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of high-affinity binding sites with an apparent binding affinity (KD) of 10.4 +/- 0.9 nM and an estimated binding capacity (Bmax) of 7.6 +/- 1.9 pmol/mg protein. Similar monophasic Scatchard plots were found in the brainstem, cerebellum, hypothalamus, and frontal cerebral cortex. (/sup 3/H)Ouabain binding to rat brain was sodium- and ATP-dependent and strongly inhibited by potassium. Proscillariden A was the most potent cardiac glycoside tested in inhibiting specific (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding to brain membranes, and the rank order of inhibitory potencies for a series of cardiac glycosides was similar to that previously reported for inhibition of heart Na,K-ATPase. To assess whether the high-affinity binding sites for (/sup 3/H)ouabain were localized to neuronal or nonneuronal membranes, the effect of discrete kainic acid lesions on striatal (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding was examined. Kainic acid lesions of the striatum reduced (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding to striatal homogenates by 79.6 +/- 1.6%. This suggests that the high-affinity (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding sites measured in our experiments are localized to neuronal elements. Thus, the high-affinity binding of (/sup 3/H)ouabain to brain membranes may selectively label a neuronal form or conformation of Na,K-ATPase.

High-affinity cannabinoid binding site in brain: A possible marijuana receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nye, J.S.

1988-01-01

The mechanism by which delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9 THC), the major psychoactive component of marijuana or hashish, produces its potent psychological and physiological effects is unknown. To find receptor binding sites for THC, we designed a water-soluble analog for use as a radioligand. 5'-Trimethylammonium-delta 8 THC (TMA) is a positively charged analog of delta- 8 THC modified on the 5' carbon, a portion of the molecule not important for its psychoactivity. We have studied the binding of [ 3 H]-5'-trimethylammonium-delta- 8 THC ([ 3 H]TMA) to rat neuronal membranes. [ 3 H]TMA binds saturably and reversibly to brain membranes with high affinity to apparently one class of sites. Highest binding site density occurs in brain, but several peripheral organs also display specific binding. Detergent solubilizes the sites without affecting their pharmacologial properties. Molecular sieve chromatography reveals a bimodal peak of [ 3 H]TMA binding activity of approximately 60,000 daltons apparent molecular weight

Comparison of two threshold detection criteria methodologies for determination of probe positivity for intraoperative in situ identification of presumed abnormal 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Gregg J; Povoski, Stephen P; Hall, Nathan C; Murrey, Douglas A; Lee, Robert; Martin, Edward W

2014-09-13

Intraoperative in situ identification of (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery remains a significant challenge for surgeons. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method versus the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method for determination of gamma detection probe positivity for intraoperative in situ identification of presumed abnormal (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites in a manner that was independent of the specific type of gamma detection probe used. From among 52 patients undergoing appropriate in situ evaluation of presumed abnormal (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites during (18)F-FDG-directed surgery using 6 available gamma detection probe systems, a total of 401 intraoperative gamma detection probe measurement sets of in situ counts per second measurements were cumulatively taken. For the 401 intraoperative gamma detection probe measurement sets, probe positivity was successfully met by the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method in 150/401 instances (37.4%) and by the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method in 259/401 instances (64.6%) (P < 0.001). Likewise, the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method detected true positive results at target-to-background ratios much lower than the 1.5-to-1 target-to-background ratio of the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method. The three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method was significantly better than the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method for determination of gamma detection probe positivity for intraoperative in situ detection of presumed abnormal (18)F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery. This finding may be extremely important for reshaping the ongoing and future research and development of gamma detection probe systems that are necessary for optimizing the in situ detection of radioisotopes of higher-energy gamma photon emissions used during radioguided oncologic surgery.

The Importance of IgG Avidity and the Polymerase Chain Reaction in Treating Toxoplasmosis during Pregnancy: Current Knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Bortoletti Filho

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A brief report on the nature and epidemiology of T. gondii infection is firstly presented. The importance of the specific IgG avidity test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR for toxoplasmosis is discussed, along with their significance and importance as auxiliary methods for determining the most likely time for the initial infection by this coccidian and for defining the therapeutic strategy. Lastly, practical comments are made in relation to the classical therapeutic regimens, with special attention to the indications for fetal treatment, when this is necessary.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA class I restricted epitope discovery in yellow fewer and dengue viruses: importance of HLA binding strength.

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Ole Lund

Full Text Available Epitopes from all available full-length sequences of yellow fever virus (YFV and dengue fever virus (DENV restricted by Human Leukocyte Antigen class I (HLA-I alleles covering 12 HLA-I supertypes were predicted using the NetCTL algorithm. A subset of 179 predicted YFV and 158 predicted DENV epitopes were selected using the EpiSelect algorithm to allow for optimal coverage of viral strains. The selected predicted epitopes were synthesized and approximately 75% were found to bind the predicted restricting HLA molecule with an affinity, K(D, stronger than 500 nM. The immunogenicity of 25 HLA-A*02:01, 28 HLA-A*24:02 and 28 HLA-B*07:02 binding peptides was tested in three HLA-transgenic mice models and led to the identification of 17 HLA-A*02:01, 4 HLA-A*2402 and 4 HLA-B*07:02 immunogenic peptides. The immunogenic peptides bound HLA significantly stronger than the non-immunogenic peptides. All except one of the immunogenic peptides had K(D below 100 nM and the peptides with K(D below 5 nM were more likely to be immunogenic. In addition, all the immunogenic peptides that were identified as having a high functional avidity had K(D below 20 nM. A*02:01 transgenic mice were also inoculated twice with the 17DD YFV vaccine strain. Three of the YFV A*02:01 restricted peptides activated T-cells from the infected mice in vitro. All three peptides that elicited responses had an HLA binding affinity of 2 nM or less. The results indicate the importance of the strength of HLA binding in shaping the immune response.

PET/CT-guided percutaneous biopsy of FDG-avid metastatic bone lesions in patients with advanced lung cancer: a safe and effective technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Wei; Hao, Bing; Chen, Hao-jun; Zhao, Long; Luo, Zuo-ming; Wu, Hua; Sun, Long [The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Minnan PET Center, Xiamen Cancer Hospital, Xiamen (China)

2017-01-15

{sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT should be performed before a diagnostic biopsy site is chosen in patients with a high clinical suspicion of aggressive, advanced tumour. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in guiding biopsy of bone metastases in patients with advanced lung cancer. PET/CT-guided percutaneous core biopsies were performed in 51 consecutive patients with suspected lung cancer and {sup 18}F-FDG-avid bone lesions after whole-body {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT scans. Generally, one tissue sample was obtained from each patient. The final diagnoses were established on the basis of the histology results. The histopathological and molecular testing results were systematically evaluated. A total of 53 samples were obtained for histological examination or molecular testing as a second biopsy was required in two patients in whom the pathological diagnosis was unclear following the first biopsy. The pathological diagnosis and lung cancer classification were confirmed in 48 patients. The epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status was determined in 23 biopsies, and the mutation rate was 30.4 % (7/23). The anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutation status was determined in 19 biopsies, and the mutation rate was 31.6 % (6/19). Two of the 51 biopsies were positive for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and one was positive for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The first-time diagnostic success rate of biopsy was 96.1 % (49/51) and the overall diagnostic success rate and sensitivity were 100 %. All 51 patients were eventually confirmed as having stage IV disease. No serious complications were encountered and the average biopsy time was 30 min. PET/CT-guided percutaneous biopsy of {sup 18}F-FDG-avid bone metastases is an effective and safe method that yields a high diagnostic success rate in the evaluation of hypermetabolic bone lesions in patients with suspected advanced lung cancer. (orig.)

Usefulness of Toxoplasma gondii recombinant antigens (GRA1, GRA7 and SAG1) in an immunoglobulin G avidity test for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pietkiewicz, H; Hiszczyńska-Sawicka, E; Kur, J

2007-01-01

The precise diagnosis of an acute and recent Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women and the newborn child is important before treatment. This study describes a new Toxoplasma gondii IgG avidity test based on a combination of recombinant GRA1, GRA7 and SAG1 antigens and shows that this test is use...

The quantum chemical causality of pMHC-TCR biological avidity: Peptide atomic coordination data and the electronic state of agonist N termini

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgios S.E. Antipas

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The quantum state of functional avidity of the synapse formed between a peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex (pMHC and a T cell receptor (TCR is a subject not previously touched upon. Here we present atomic pair correlation meta-data based on crystalized tertiary structures of the Tax (HTLV-1 peptide along with three artificially altered variants, all of which were presented by the (Class I HLA-A201 protein in complexation with the human (CD8+ A6TCR. The meta-data reveal the existence of a direct relationship between pMHC-TCR functional avidity (agonist/antagonist and peptide pair distribution function (PDF. In this context, antagonist peptides are consistently under-coordinated in respect to Tax. Moreover, Density Functional Theory (DFT datasets in the BLYP/TZ2P level of theory resulting from relaxation of the H species on peptide tertiary structures reveal that the coordination requirement of agonist peptides is also expressed as a physical observable of the protonation state of their N termini: agonistic peptides are always found to retain a stable ammonium (NH3+ terminal group while antagonist peptides are not.

A new human IgG avidity test, using mixtures of recombinant antigens (rROP1, rSAG2, rGRA6), for the diagnosis of difficult-to-identify phases of toxoplasmosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Drapała, Dorota; Holec-Gąsior, Lucyna; Kur, Józef; Ferra, Bartłomiej; Hiszczyńska-Sawicka, Elżbieta; Lautenbach, Dariusz

2014-07-01

The preliminary diagnostic utility of two mixtures of Toxoplasma gondii recombinant antigens (rROP1+rSAG2 and rROP1+rGRA6) in IgG ELISA and IgG avidity test has been evaluated. A total of 173 serum samples from patients with toxoplasmosis and seronegative people were examined. The sensitivity of IgG ELISA for rROP1+rSAG2 and rROP1+rGRA6 was 91.1% and 76.7%, respectively, while the reactivity for sera from patients where acute toxoplasmosis was suspected was higher, at 100% and 95.4%, respectively, than for people with chronic infection, at 88.2% and 70.6%. In this study a different trend in avidity maturation of IgG antibodies for two mixtures of proteins in comparison with native antigen was observed. The results suggest that a new IgG avidity test using the mixtures of recombinant antigens may be useful for the diagnosis of difficult-to-identify phases of toxoplasmosis. For this reason, selected mixtures after the additional tests on groups of sera with well-defined dates of infection could be used as a better alternative to the native antigens of the parasite in the serodiagnosis of human T. gondii infection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying high-affinity binding of hydrophobic ligands by isothermal titration calorimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Krainer, Georg; Broecker, Jana; Vargas, Carolyn; Fanghänel, Jörg; Keller, Sandro

2012-12-18

A fast and reliable quantification of the binding thermodynamics of hydrophobic high-affinity ligands employing a new calorimetric competition experiment is described. Although isothermal titration calorimetry is the method of choice for a quantitative characterization of intermolecular interactions in solution, a reliable determination of a dissociation constant (K(D)) is typically limited to the range 100 μM > K(D) > 1 nM. Interactions displaying higher or lower K(D) values can be assessed indirectly, provided that a suitable competing ligand is available whose K(D) falls within the directly accessible affinity window. This established displacement assay, however, requires the high-affinity ligand to be soluble at high concentrations in aqueous buffer and, consequently, poses serious problems in the study of protein binding involving small-molecule ligands dissolved in organic solvents--a familiar case in many drug-discovery projects relying on compound libraries. The calorimetric competition assay introduced here overcomes this limitation, thus allowing for a detailed thermodynamic description of high-affinity receptor-ligand interactions involving poorly water-soluble compounds. Based on a single titration of receptor into a dilute mixture of the two competing ligands, this competition assay provides accurate and precise values for the dissociation constants and binding enthalpies of both high- and moderate-affinity ligands. We discuss the theoretical background underlying the approach, demonstrate its practical application to metal ion chelation and high-affinity protein-inhibitor interactions, and explore its potential and limitations with the aid of simulations and statistical analyses.

The monoclonal S9.6 antibody exhibits highly variable binding affinities towards different R-loop sequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabian König

Full Text Available The monoclonal antibody S9.6 is a widely-used tool to purify, analyse and quantify R-loop structures in cells. A previous study using the surface plasmon resonance technology and a single-chain variable fragment (scFv of S9.6 showed high affinity (0.6 nM for DNA-RNA and also a high affinity (2.7 nM for RNA-RNA hybrids. We used the microscale thermophoresis method allowing surface independent interaction studies and electromobility shift assays to evaluate additional RNA-DNA hybrid sequences and to quantify the binding affinities of the S9.6 antibody with respect to distinct sequences and their GC-content. Our results confirm high affinity binding to previously analysed sequences, but reveals that binding affinities are highly sequence specific. Our study presents R-loop sequences that independent of GC-content and in different sequence variations exhibit either no binding, binding affinities in the micromolar range and as well high affinity binding in the nanomolar range. Our study questions the usefulness of the S9.6 antibody in the quantitative analysis of R-loop sequences in vivo.

Differences between high-affinity forskolin binding sites in dopamine-riche and other regions of rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poat, J.A.; Cripps, H.E.; Iversen, L.L.

1988-01-01

Forskolin labelled with [ 3 H] bound to high- and low-affinity sites in the rat brain. The high-affinity site was discretely located, with highest densities in the striatum, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercule, substantia nigra, hippocampus, and the molecular layers of the cerebellum. This site did not correlate well with the distribution of adenylate cyclase. The high-affinity striatal binding site may be associated with a stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding protein. Thus, the number of sites was increased by the addition of Mg 2+ and guanylyl imidodiphosphate. Cholera toxin stereotaxically injected into rat striatum increased the number of binding sites, and no further increase was noted following the subsequent addition of guanyl nucleotide. High-affinity forskolin binding sites in non-dopamine-rich brain areas (hippocampus and cerebullum) were modulated in a qualitatively different manner by guanyl nucleotides. In these areas the number of binding sites was significantly reduced by the addition of guanyl nucleotide. These results suggest that forskolin may have a potential role in identifying different functional/structural guanine nucleotide-binding proteins

Characteristics of high affinity and low affinity adenosine binding sites in human cerebral cortex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, D.; Fox, I.V.

1986-01-01

The binding characteristics of human brain cortical membrane fractions were evaluated to test the hypothesis that there are A 1 and A 2 adenosine binding sites. The ligands used were 2-chloro(8- 3 H) adenosine and N 6 -(adenine-2, 8- 3 H) cyclohexayladenosine. Binding of chloroadenosine to human brain cortical membranes was time dependent, reversible and concentration dependent. The kinetic constant determinations from binding studies of the adenosine receptor are presented. Utilizing tritium-cyclohexyladenosine as ligand the authors observed evidence for a high affinity binding site in human brain cortical membranes with a kd of 5 nM

The Antibody Response of Pregnant Cameroonian Women to VAR2CSA ID1-ID2a, a Small Recombinant Protein Containing the CSA-Binding Site

Science.gov (United States)

Babakhanyan, Anna; Leke, Rose G. F.; Salanti, Ali; Bobbili, Naveen; Gwanmesia, Philomina; Leke, Robert J. I.; Quakyi, Isabella A.; Chen, John J.; Taylor, Diane Wallace

2014-01-01

In pregnant women, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes expressing the VAR2CSA antigen bind to chondroitin sulfate A in the placenta causing placental malaria. The binding site of VAR2CSA is present in the ID1-ID2a region. This study sought to determine if pregnant Cameroonian women naturally acquire antibodies to ID1-ID2a and if antibodies to ID1-ID2a correlate with absence of placental malaria at delivery. Antibody levels to full-length VAR2CSA and ID1-ID2a were measured in plasma samples from 745 pregnant Cameroonian women, 144 Cameroonian men, and 66 US subjects. IgM levels and IgG avidity to ID1-ID2a were also determined. As expected, antibodies to ID1-ID2a were absent in US controls. Although pregnant Cameroonian women developed increasing levels of antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA during pregnancy, no increase in either IgM or IgG to ID1-ID2a was observed. Surprisingly, no differences in antibody levels to ID1-ID2a were detected between Cameroonian men and pregnant women. For example, in rural settings only 8–9% of males had antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA, but 90–96% had antibodies to ID1-ID2a. In addition, no significant difference in the avidity of IgG to ID1-ID2a was found between pregnant women and Cameroonian men, and no correlation between antibody levels at delivery and absence of placental malaria was found. Thus, the response to ID1-ID2a was not pregnancy specific, but predominantly against cross-reactivity epitopes, which may have been induced by other PfEMP1 antigens, malarial antigens, or microbes. Currently, ID1-ID2a is a leading vaccine candidate, since it binds to the CSA with the same affinity as the full-length molecule and elicits binding-inhibitory antibodies in animals. Further studies are needed to determine if the presence of naturally acquired cross-reactive antibodies in women living in malaria endemic countries will alter the response to ID1-ID2a following vaccination with ID1-ID2a. PMID:24505415

The antibody response of pregnant Cameroonian women to VAR2CSA ID1-ID2a, a small recombinant protein containing the CSA-binding site.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Babakhanyan

Full Text Available In pregnant women, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes expressing the VAR2CSA antigen bind to chondroitin sulfate A in the placenta causing placental malaria. The binding site of VAR2CSA is present in the ID1-ID2a region. This study sought to determine if pregnant Cameroonian women naturally acquire antibodies to ID1-ID2a and if antibodies to ID1-ID2a correlate with absence of placental malaria at delivery. Antibody levels to full-length VAR2CSA and ID1-ID2a were measured in plasma samples from 745 pregnant Cameroonian women, 144 Cameroonian men, and 66 US subjects. IgM levels and IgG avidity to ID1-ID2a were also determined. As expected, antibodies to ID1-ID2a were absent in US controls. Although pregnant Cameroonian women developed increasing levels of antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA during pregnancy, no increase in either IgM or IgG to ID1-ID2a was observed. Surprisingly, no differences in antibody levels to ID1-ID2a were detected between Cameroonian men and pregnant women. For example, in rural settings only 8-9% of males had antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA, but 90-96% had antibodies to ID1-ID2a. In addition, no significant difference in the avidity of IgG to ID1-ID2a was found between pregnant women and Cameroonian men, and no correlation between antibody levels at delivery and absence of placental malaria was found. Thus, the response to ID1-ID2a was not pregnancy specific, but predominantly against cross-reactivity epitopes, which may have been induced by other PfEMP1 antigens, malarial antigens, or microbes. Currently, ID1-ID2a is a leading vaccine candidate, since it binds to the CSA with the same affinity as the full-length molecule and elicits binding-inhibitory antibodies in animals. Further studies are needed to determine if the presence of naturally acquired cross-reactive antibodies in women living in malaria endemic countries will alter the response to ID1-ID2a following vaccination with ID1-ID2a.

Preparation and characterization of magnetic polymer nanospheres with high protein binding capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xianqiao; Guan Yueping; Liu Huizhou; Ma Zhiya; Yang Yu; Wu Xiaobing

2005-01-01

A novel magnetic support with high protein binding capacity was prepared by mini-emulsion polymerization. The magnetic poly(methacrylate-divinylbenzene) nanospheres prepared are 390 nm in diameter with narrow size distribution and star-like external morphology which leads to a large increase in specific surface area. Experimental results indicate that the maximum protein binding capacity is 316 mg bovine hemoglobin (BHb)/g support

High-affinity binding of two molecules of cysteine proteinases to low-molecular-weight kininogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Turk, B.; Stoka, V.; Björk, I.; Boudier, C.; Johansson, G.; Dolenc, I.; Colic, A.; Bieth, J. G.; Turk, V.

1995-01-01

Human low-molecular-weight kininogen (LK) was shown by fluorescence titration to bind two molecules of cathepsins L and S and papain with high affinity. By contrast, binding of a second molecule of cathepsin H was much weaker. The 2:1 binding stoichiometry was confirmed by titration monitored by loss of enzyme activity and by sedimentation velocity experiments. The kinetics of binding of cathepsins L and S and papain showed the two proteinase binding sites to have association rate constants kass,1 = 10.7-24.5 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 and kass,2 = 0.83-1.4 x 10(6) M-1 s-1. Comparison of these kinetic constants with previous data for intact LK and its separated domains indicate that the faster-binding site is also the tighter-binding site and is present on domain 3, whereas the slower-binding, lower-affinity site is on domain 2. These results also indicate that there is no appreciable steric hindrance for the binding of proteinases between the two binding sites or from the kininogen light chain. PMID:8528085

An HIV-1 encoded peptide mimics the DNA binding loop of NF-κB and binds thioredoxin with high affinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Guoping; Wang Min; Taylor, Ethan Will

2005-01-01

Pro-fs is a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-l)-encoded putative selenoprotein, predicted by a theoretical analysis of the viral genome; it is potentially expressed by a -1 frameshift from the protease coding region. Pro-fs has significant sequence similarity to the DNA binding loop of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which is known to bind thioredoxin (Trx). We hypothesize that the putative HIV-1 pro-fs gene product functions by mimicry of NF-κB via binding to Trx. The hypothesis was tested in vitro by co-immunoprecipitation and GST-pull down assays, using a purified mutant pro-fs protein, in which the two potential selenocysteine residues were mutated to cysteines, in order to permit expression in bacteria. Both experiments showed that pro-fs binds to human wild type Trx (Trx-wt) with high affinity. Mutation of the two conserved cysteine residues in the Trx active site redox center to serine (Ser) (Trx-CS) weakened but failed to abolish the interaction. In pro-fs-transfected 293T cells, using confocal microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we have observed that pro-fs localizes in cell nuclei and forms oligomers. Upon stimulation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), Trx translocates into cell nuclei. Significant FRET efficiency was detected in the nuclei of PMA-stimulated 293T cells co-expressing fluorescence-tagged pro-fs and Trx-wt or Trx-CS. These results indicate that in living cells the double cysteine mutant of pro-fs binds to both Trx and Trx-CS with high affinity, suggesting that Trx-pro-fs binding is a structurally-specific interaction, involving more of the Trx molecule than just its active site cysteine residues. These results establish the capacity for functional mimicry of the Trx binding ability of the NF-κB/Rel family of transcription factors by the putative HIV-1 pro-fs protein

Flow-cytometric determination of high-density-lipoprotein binding sites on human leukocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, G.; Wulf, G.; Bruening, T.A.; Assmann, G.

1987-01-01

In this method, leukocytes were isolated from 6 mL of EDTA-blood by density-gradient centrifugation and subsequently incubated with rhodamine isothiocyanate (RITC)-conjugated high-density lipoproteins (HDL). The receptor-bound conjugate particles were determined by fluorescent flow cytometry and compared with 125 I-labeled HDL binding data for the same cells. Human granulocytes express the highest number of HDL binding sites (9.4 x 10(4)/cell), followed by monocytes (7.3 x 10(4)/cell) and lymphocytes (4.0 x 10(4)/cell). Compared with conventional analysis of binding of 125 I-labeled HDL in tissue-culture dishes, the present determination revealed significantly lower values for nonspecific binding. In competition studies, the conjugate competes for the same binding sites as 125 I-labeled HDL. With the use of tetranitromethane-treated HDL3, which fails to compete for the HDL receptor sites while nonspecific binding is not affected, we could clearly distinguish between 37 degrees C surface binding and specific 37 degrees C uptake of RITC-HDL3, confirming that the HDL receptor leads bound HDL particles into an intracellular pathway rather than acting as a docking type of receptor. Patients with familial dysbetalipoproteinemia showed a significantly higher number of HDL binding sites in the granulocyte population but normal in lymphocytes and monocytes, indicating increased uptake of cholesterol-containing lipoproteins. In patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, HDL binding was increased in all three cell types, indicating increased cholesterol uptake and increased cholesterol synthesis. The present method allows rapid determination of HDL binding sites in leukocytes from patients with various forms of hyper- and dyslipoproteinemias

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) binds to guinea pig peritoneal eosinophils: A single class of binding sites with low affinity and high capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakakibara, H.; Shima, K.; Takamatsu, J.; Said, S.I.

1990-01-01

VIP binds to specific receptors on lymphocytes and mononuclear cells and exhibits antiinflammatory properties. Eosinophils (Eos) contribute to inflammatory reactions but the regulation of Eos function is incompletely understood. The authors examined the binding of monoradioiodinated VIP, [Tyr( 125 I) 10 ] VIP ( 125 I-VIP), to Eos in guinea pigs. The interaction of 125 i-VIP with Eos was rapid, reversible, saturable and linearly dependent on the number of cells. At equilibrium the binding was competitively inhibited by native peptide or by the related peptide helodermin. Scatchard analysis suggested the presence of a single class of VIP binding sites with a low affinity and a high capacity. In the presence of isobutyl-methylxanthine, VIP, PHI or helodermin did not stimulate cyclic AMP accumulation in intact Eos, while PGE 2 or 1-isoproterenol did. VIP also did not inhibit superoxide anion generation from Eos stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate. The authors conclude that: (1) VIP binds to low-affinity, specific sites on guinea pig peritoneal eosinophils; (2) this binding is not coupled to stimulation of adenylate cyclase; and (3) the possible function of these binding sites is at present unknown

Dual Testing Algorithm of BED-CEIA and AxSYM Avidity Index Assays Performs Best in Identifying Recent HIV Infection in a Sample of Rwandan Sex Workers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braunstein, Sarah L.; Nash, Denis; Kim, Andrea A.; Ford, Ken; Mwambarangwe, Lambert; Ingabire, Chantal M.; Vyankandondera, Joseph; van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.

2011-01-01

To assess the performance of BED-CEIA (BED) and AxSYM Avidity Index (Ax-AI) assays in estimating HIV incidence among female sex workers (FSW) in Kigali, Rwanda. Eight hundred FSW of unknown HIV status were HIV tested; HIV-positive women had BED and Ax-AI testing at baseline and ≥12 months later to

Identification of high-affinity calmodulin-binding proteins in rat liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanley, R.M.; Dedman, J.R.; Shenolikar, S.

1987-01-01

The Ca 2+ -dependent binding of [ 125 I] calmodulin (CaM) to hepatic proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was utilized to identify CaM binding or acceptor proteins or CAPs. Two proteins of apparent molecular weight of 60,000 (CAP-60) and 45,000 (CAP-45) comprised > 80% of the Ca 2+ -dependent CaM binding in rat liver cytosol. CAP-60 and CAP-45 were partially purified by a variety of chromatographic steps, including affinity chromatography on CaM Sepharose. CAP-60 possessed a native molecular size of 400,000, indicating it to be the CaM-binding subunit of a larger oligomeric complex. In contrast, CAP-45 was monomeric as judged by gel filtration. Neither CAP-60 nor CAP-45 possessed chromatographic properties consistent with known CaM-dependent enzymes reported in the literature. Two-dimensional peptide mapping provided convincing evidence that CAP-60 and CAP-45 were unrelated to other well-characterized CAPs, namely Ca 2+ (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II, calcineurin, or the CaM-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The relative abundance and high affinity for CaM could suggest that these novel target proteins, CAP-60 and CAP-45, represent a dominant pathway for CaM action in the mammalian liver

Reconstitution of high affinity α2 adrenergic agonist binding by fusion with a pertussis toxin substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, M.H.; Neubig, R.R.

1986-01-01

High affinity α 2 adrenergic agonist binding is thought to occur via a coupling of the α 2 receptor with N/sub i/, the inhibitory guanyl nucleotide binding protein. Human platelet membranes pretreated at pH 11.5 exhibit a selective inactivation of agonist binding and N/sub i/. To further study the mechanism of agonist binding, alkali treated membranes (ATM) were mixed with membranes pretreated with 10 μM phenoxybenzamine to block α 2 receptors (POB-M). The combined membrane pellet was incubated in 50% polyethylene glycol (PEG) to promote membrane-membrane fusion and assayed for binding to the α 2 agonist [ 3 H]UK 14,304 (UK) and the antagonist [ 3 H] yohimbine. PEG treatment resulted in a 2-4 fold enhancement of UK binding whereas yohimbine binding was unchanged. No enhancement of UK binding was observed in the absence of PEG treatment. The reconstitution was dependent on the addition of POB-M. They found that a 1:1 ratio of POB-M:ATM was optimal. Reconstituted binding was inhibited by GppNHp. Fusion of rat C6 glioma cell membranes, which do not contain α 2 receptors, also enhanced agonist binding to ATM. Fusion of C6 membranes from cells treated with pertussis toxin did not enhance [ 3 H] UK binding. These data show that a pertussis toxin sensitive membrane component, possibly N/sub i/, can reconstitute high affinity α 2 agonist binding

Photoaffinity labelling of high affinity dopamine binding proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, G.M.; McCarry, B.E.; Mishra, R.K.

1986-01-01

A photoactive analogue of the dopamine agonist 2-amino-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronapthalene (ADTN) has been synthesized and used to photoaffinity label dopamine binding proteins prepared from bovine caudate nucleus. N-(3-]N'-4-azidobenzamidol]-aminopropyl)-aminopropyl)-ADTN (AzB-AP-ADTN) was incubated with caudate membranes and irradiated with UV light. Membranes were then repeatedly washed by centrifugation to remove excess photolabel. A binding assay, using ( 3 H)-SCH 23390 (a D 1 specific antagonist), was then performed to evaluate the loss of receptor density in the photolyzed preparation. AzB-AP-ADTN irreversibly blocked ( 3 H)-SCH 23390 binding in a dose-dependent manner. Scatchard analysis revealed a decrease in the B/sub max/, with no significant change in the K/sub d/, of ( 3 H)-SCH 23390 binding. Compounds which compete for D 1 receptor binding (such as dopamine, SKF 38393 or apomorphine), proteted the SCH 23390 binding site from inactivation. This data would suggest that the novel photoaffinity ligand, AzB-AP-ADTN, can covalently label the D 1 (adenylate cyclase linked) dopamine receptor

Antibody Binding Selectivity: Alternative Sets of Antigen Residues Entail High-Affinity Recognition.

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Yves Nominé

Full Text Available Understanding the relationship between protein sequence and molecular recognition selectivity remains a major challenge. The antibody fragment scFv1F4 recognizes with sub nM affinity a decapeptide (sequence 6TAMFQDPQER15 derived from the N-terminal end of human papilloma virus E6 oncoprotein. Using this decapeptide as antigen, we had previously shown that only the wild type amino-acid or conservative replacements were allowed at positions 9 to 12 and 15 of the peptide, indicating a strong binding selectivity. Nevertheless phenylalanine (F was equally well tolerated as the wild type glutamine (Q at position 13, while all other amino acids led to weaker scFv binding. The interfaces of complexes involving either Q or F are expected to diverge, due to the different physico-chemistry of these residues. This would imply that high-affinity binding can be achieved through distinct interfacial geometries. In order to investigate this point, we disrupted the scFv-peptide interface by modifying one or several peptide positions. We then analyzed the effect on binding of amino acid changes at the remaining positions, an altered susceptibility being indicative of an altered role in complex formation. The 23 starting variants analyzed contained replacements whose effects on scFv1F4 binding ranged from minor to drastic. A permutation analysis (effect of replacing each peptide position by all other amino acids except cysteine was carried out on the 23 variants using the PEPperCHIP® Platform technology. A comparison of their permutation patterns with that of the wild type peptide indicated that starting replacements at position 11, 12 or 13 modified the tolerance to amino-acid changes at the other two positions. The interdependence between the three positions was confirmed by SPR (Biacore® technology. Our data demonstrate that binding selectivity does not preclude the existence of alternative high-affinity recognition modes.

New approaches for the reliable in vitro assessment of binding affinity based on high-resolution real-time data acquisition of radioligand-receptor binding kinetics.

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Zeilinger, Markus; Pichler, Florian; Nics, Lukas; Wadsak, Wolfgang; Spreitzer, Helmut; Hacker, Marcus; Mitterhauser, Markus

2017-12-01

Resolving the kinetic mechanisms of biomolecular interactions have become increasingly important in early-phase drug development. Since traditional in vitro methods belong to dose-dependent assessments, binding kinetics is usually overlooked. The present study aimed at the establishment of two novel experimental approaches for the assessment of binding affinity of both, radiolabelled and non-labelled compounds targeting the A 3 R, based on high-resolution real-time data acquisition of radioligand-receptor binding kinetics. A novel time-resolved competition assay was developed and applied to determine the K i of eight different A 3 R antagonists, using CHO-K1 cells stably expressing the hA 3 R. In addition, a new kinetic real-time cell-binding approach was established to quantify the rate constants k on and k off , as well as the dedicated K d of the A 3 R agonist [ 125 I]-AB-MECA. Furthermore, lipophilicity measurements were conducted to control influences due to physicochemical properties of the used compounds. Two novel real-time cell-binding approaches were successfully developed and established. Both experimental procedures were found to visualize the kinetic binding characteristics with high spatial and temporal resolution, resulting in reliable affinity values, which are in good agreement with values previously reported with traditional methods. Taking into account the lipophilicity of the A 3 R antagonists, no influences on the experimental performance and the resulting affinity were investigated. Both kinetic binding approaches comprise tracer administration and subsequent binding to living cells, expressing the dedicated target protein. Therefore, the experiments resemble better the true in vivo physiological conditions and provide important markers of cellular feedback and biological response.

Duration of 18F-FDG avidity in lymph nodes after pandemic H1N1v and seasonal influenza vaccination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomassen, Anders; Lerberg Nielsen, Anne; Gerke, Oke; Johansen, Allan; Petersen, Henrik

2011-01-01

The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity in draining axillary lymph nodes after vaccination against influenza (H1N1v pandemic and seasonal) and to determine the period of increased FDG uptake. During December 2009, patients referred for 18 F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scans (n = 293) filled in a questionnaire concerning vaccination type (seasonal and/or H1N1v), time and anatomical localization of vaccination. Only injections in deltoid regions were evaluated, thus ensuring that draining lymph nodes were axillary. If more vaccinations had been given, only the latest vaccination was evaluated in each deltoid region. Of all patients who underwent PET/CT scans during December 2009, 26% had been vaccinated with at least one influenza vaccination in the deltoid region. A total of 92 'draining' and 60 'reference' (i.e. contralateral, non-vaccinated) axillary lymph nodes were evaluated in 61 patients (19 of 61 patients were scanned twice). The maximal intensity in FDG uptake (SUV max ) in draining lymph nodes was 5 g/ml body weight (BW), whereas the maximal intensity in reference lymph nodes was 1.9 g/ml BW. The SUV max was normalized approximately 40 days after vaccination. No significant enlargement of metabolically active draining lymph nodes could be demonstrated on CT scan. Chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs given within 2 weeks from vaccination did not affect SUV max in the axillary lymph nodes. Influenza vaccination may lead to FDG-avid draining lymph nodes beyond 1 month. (orig.)

High molecular weight polysaccharide that binds and inhibits virus

Science.gov (United States)

Konowalchuk, Thomas W

2014-01-14

This invention provides a high molecular weight polysaccharide capable of binding to and inhibiting virus and related pharmaceutical formulations and methods on inhibiting viral infectivity and/or pathogenicity, as well as immunogenic compositions. The invention further methods of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and of ameliorating a symptom of aging. Additionally, the invention provides methods of detecting and/or quantifying and/or isolating viruses.

High molecular weight polysaccharide that binds and inhibits virus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konowalchuk, Thomas W.; Konowalchuk, Jack

2017-07-18

This invention provides a high molecular weight polysaccharide capable of binding to and inhibiting virus and related pharmaceutical formulations and methods of inhibiting viral infectivity and/or pathogenicity, as well as immunogenic compositions. The invention further includes methods of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and of ameliorating a symptom of aging. Additionally, the invention provides methods of detecting and/or quantifying and/or isolating viruses.

Fc-Binding Ligands of Immunoglobulin G: An Overview of High Affinity Proteins and Peptides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weonu Choe

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The rapidly increasing application of antibodies has inspired the development of several novel methods to isolate and target antibodies using smart biomaterials that mimic the binding of Fc-receptors to antibodies. The Fc-binding domain of antibodies is the primary binding site for e.g., effector proteins and secondary antibodies, whereas antigens bind to the Fab region. Protein A, G, and L, surface proteins expressed by pathogenic bacteria, are well known to bind immunoglobulin and have been widely exploited in antibody purification strategies. Several difficulties are encountered when bacterial proteins are used in antibody research and application. One of the major obstacles hampering the use of bacterial proteins is sample contamination with trace amounts of these proteins, which can invoke an immune response in the host. Many research groups actively develop synthetic ligands that are able to selectively and strongly bind to antibodies. Among the reported ligands, peptides that bind to the Fc-domain of antibodies are attractive tools in antibody research. Besides their use as high affinity ligands in antibody purification chromatography, Fc-binding peptides are applied e.g., to localize antibodies on nanomaterials and to increase the half-life of proteins in serum. In this review, recent developments of Fc-binding peptides are presented and their binding characteristics and diverse applications are discussed.

A Highly Expressed High-Molecular-Weight S-Layer Complex of Pelosinus sp. Strain UFO1 Binds Uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorgersen, Michael P. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Lancaster, W. Andrew [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Rajeev, Lara [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Biological Systems and Engineering Division; Ge, Xiaoxuan [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Vaccaro, Brian J. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Poole, Farris L. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Arkin, Adam P. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Biological Systems and Engineering Division; Mukhopadhyay, Aindrila [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Biological Systems and Engineering Division; Adams, Michael W. W. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2016-12-02

Cell suspensions of Pelosinus sp. strain UFO1 were previously shown, using spectroscopic analysis, to sequester uranium as U(IV) complexed with carboxyl and phosphoryl group ligands on proteins. The goal of our present study was to characterize the proteins involved in uranium binding. Virtually all of the uranium in UFO1 cells was associated with a heterodimeric protein, which was termed the uranium-binding complex (UBC). The UBC was composed of two S-layer domain proteins encoded by UFO1_4202 and UFO1_4203. Samples of UBC purified from the membrane fraction contained 3.3 U atoms/heterodimer, but significant amounts of phosphate were not detected. The UBC had an estimated molecular mass by gel filtration chromatography of 15 MDa, and it was proposed to contain 150 heterodimers (UFO1_4203 and UFO1_4202) and about 500 uranium atoms. The UBC was also the dominant extracellular protein, but when purified from the growth medium, it contained only 0.3 U atoms/heterodimer. The two genes encoding the UBC were among the most highly expressed genes within the UFO1 genome, and their expressions were unchanged by the presence or absence of uranium. Therefore, the UBC appears to be constitutively expressed and is the first line of defense against uranium, including by secretion into the extracellular medium. Although S-layer proteins were previously shown to bind U(VI), here we showed that U(IV) binds to S-layer proteins, we identified the proteins involved, and we quantitated the amount of uranium bound. Widespread uranium contamination from industrial sources poses hazards to human health and to the environment. Here in this paper, we identified a highly abundant uranium-binding complex (UBC) from Pelosinus sp. strain UFO1. The complex makes up the primary protein component of the S-layer of strain UFO1 and binds 3.3 atoms of U(IV) per heterodimer. Finally, while other bacteria have been shown to bind U(VI) on their S-layer, we demonstrate here an example of U(IV) bound by

Identification of high-confidence RNA regulatory elements by combinatorial classification of RNA-protein binding sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang Eric; Xiao, Mu; Shi, Binbin; Yang, Yu-Cheng T; Wang, Dong; Wang, Fei; Marcia, Marco; Lu, Zhi John

2017-09-08

Crosslinking immunoprecipitation sequencing (CLIP-seq) technologies have enabled researchers to characterize transcriptome-wide binding sites of RNA-binding protein (RBP) with high resolution. We apply a soft-clustering method, RBPgroup, to various CLIP-seq datasets to group together RBPs that specifically bind the same RNA sites. Such combinatorial clustering of RBPs helps interpret CLIP-seq data and suggests functional RNA regulatory elements. Furthermore, we validate two RBP-RBP interactions in cell lines. Our approach links proteins and RNA motifs known to possess similar biochemical and cellular properties and can, when used in conjunction with additional experimental data, identify high-confidence RBP groups and their associated RNA regulatory elements.

High-oleic canola oil consumption enriches LDL particle cholesteryl oleate content and reduces LDL proteoglycan binding in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Peter J H; MacKay, Dylan S; Senanayake, Vijitha K; Pu, Shuaihua; Jenkins, David J A; Connelly, Philip W; Lamarche, Benoît; Couture, Patrick; Kris-Etherton, Penny M; West, Sheila G; Liu, Xiaoran; Fleming, Jennifer A; Hantgan, Roy R; Rudel, Lawrence L

2015-02-01

Oleic acid consumption is considered cardio-protective according to studies conducted examining effects of the Mediterranean diet. However, animal models have shown that oleic acid consumption increases LDL particle cholesteryl oleate content which is associated with increased LDL-proteoglycan binding and atherosclerosis. The objective was to examine effects of varying oleic, linoleic and docosahexaenoic acid consumption on human LDL-proteoglycan binding in a non-random subset of the Canola Oil Multi-center Intervention Trial (COMIT) participants. COMIT employed a randomized, double-blind, five-period, cross-over trial design. Three of the treatment oil diets: 1) a blend of corn/safflower oil (25:75); 2) high oleic canola oil; and 3) DHA-enriched high oleic canola oil were selected for analysis of LDL-proteoglycan binding in 50 participants exhibiting good compliance. LDL particles were isolated from frozen plasma by gel filtration chromatography and LDL cholesteryl esters quantified by mass-spectrometry. LDL-proteoglycan binding was assessed using surface plasmon resonance. LDL particle cholesterol ester fatty acid composition was sensitive to the treatment fatty acid compositions, with the main fatty acids in the treatments increasing in the LDL cholesterol esters. The corn/safflower oil and high-oleic canola oil diets lowered LDL-proteoglycan binding relative to their baseline values (p = 0.0005 and p = 0.0012, respectively). At endpoint, high-oleic canola oil feeding resulted in lower LDL-proteoglycan binding than corn/safflower oil (p = 0.0243) and DHA-enriched high oleic canola oil (p = 0.0249), although high-oleic canola oil had the lowest binding at baseline (p = 0.0344). Our findings suggest that high-oleic canola oil consumption in humans increases cholesteryl oleate percentage in LDL, but in a manner not associated with a rise in LDL-proteoglycan binding. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Synthesis and Tritium Labeling of a Selective Ligand for Studying High-affinity γ-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Binding Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Vogensen, Stine B.; Marek, Aleš; Bay, Tina; Wellendorph, Petrine; Kehler, Jan; Bundgaard, Christoffer; Frølund, Bente; Pedersen, Martin H.F.; Clausen, Rasmus P.

2013-01-01

3-Hydroxycyclopent-1-enecarboxylic acid (HOCPCA, 1) is a potent ligand for the high-affinity GHB binding sites in the CNS. An improved synthesis of 1 together with a very efficient synthesis of [3H]-1 is described. The radiosynthesis employs in situ generated lithium trimethoxyborotritide. Screening of 1 against different CNS targets establishes a high selectivity and we demonstrate in vivo brain penetration. In vitro characterization of [3H]-1 binding shows high specificity to the high-affinity GHB binding sites. PMID:24053696

Comparison of high affinity binding of 3H-proadifen and 3H-(-)-cocaine t rat liver membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, S.B.

1995-01-01

The characteristics of the binding of 3 H-proadifen to rat liver membranes were studied and compared to those of 3 H-cocaine. It was found that 3 H-proadifen was bound reversibly with high affinity (K D =1.8±0.5 nM) and large capacity (B max =2010±340 pmol/g wet tissue) to liver membranes. The corresponding values for the 3 H-cocaine binding were 3.5 nM and 1000 pmol/g wet tissue. The binding of 3 H-proadifen was mainly localised to the microsomal fraction. The number of binding sites was not increased by treatment of rats with phenobarbitone. With 1 μM CdCl 2 in the incubation buffer it was possible to differentiate between two 3 H-cocaine binding sites with K d values of 1.6 and 7.7 nM and B max values of 280 and 940 pmol/g wet liver tissue. S-(-)-Alaproclate inhibited the binding of 3 H-proadifen and 3 H-cocaine inhibited the binding of 3 H-proadifen (IC 50 =10 nM) and proadifen that of 3 H-cocaine (IC 50 =1 nM). There was a high correlation coefficient (r r =0.972; P 50 =100-500 nM): chloroquine, phenoxybenzamine, amitriptyline, ajmaline, remoxipride, imipramine and (-)-alaprenolol. CdCl 2 , ZnCl 2 and CuCl 2 inhibited the binding of both ligands with low Hill coefficients, indicating heterogeneous binding sites. The inhibition curve of Cd 2+ on the cocaine binding was biphasic with a high affinity part around 50 nM and a low affinity part at 15μM. The similarity of the characteristics of the binding of these ligands with that of 3 H-alaproclate is discussed. It is suggested that all three compounds bind to the same sites, although additional binding sites seem to exist for proadifen. (au) (9 refs.)

Metallothionein bioconjugates as delivery vehicles for bismuth-212 alpha particle therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macklis, R.M.; Morris, C.; Humm, J.; Hines, J.; Atcher, R.

1991-01-01

Metallothioneins (MTHs) are small cysteine-rich polypeptides that binds cationic metals at physiologic pH ranges through noncovalent -SH ligand interactions. Some leucine-rich renal MTHs have a particular avidity for bismuth. The authors have examined the ability of MTHs to selectively incorporate Bi-212, a short-lived high-energy alpha particle emitter currently under exploration as a potential therapeutic radiolabel for use in molecularly targeted cancer therapy. They find that under physiologic conditions, MTH will selectively incorporate Bi-212 after incubation with an equilibrium mixture of its upstream and downstream parents. The MTH moieties may be linked to tumor-binding macromolecules such as antibodies via thiolation reactions using SPDP, and the resultant Bismuth-avid molecules may be used either as primary delivery vehicles for the Bi-212 or as part of a 2-step release-and-catch isotope localization system in which the MTH-antibody conjugate is pre-localized at the tumor site and the radiometal is then administered and chelated in situ. They present the chemistry, dosimetry and potential clinical applications of this system

Effects of human low and high density lipoproteins on the binding of rat intermediate density lipoproteins to rat liver membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brissette, L.; Nol, S.P.

1986-01-01

Upon incubation with rat liver membranes, radioiodinated rat intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) interacted with at least two binding sites having a low and a high affinity as demonstrated by the curvilinear Scatchard plots obtained from the specific binding data. The purpose of our work was to identify the nature of these binding sites. Human low density lipoproteins (LDL), contain apolipoprotein B only, and human high density lipoproteins (HDL3), containing neither apolipoprotein B nor E, were both capable of decreasing the specific binding of rat 125 I-IDL. The Scatchard analysis clearly revealed that only the low affinity component was affected by the addition of these human lipoproteins. In fact, the low affinity binding component gradually decreased as the amount of human LDL or HDL3 increased in the binding assay. At a 200-fold excess of human LDL or HDL3, the low affinity binding was totally masked, and the Scatchard plot of the specific 125 I-IDL binding became linear. Only the high affinity binding component was left, enabling a precise measurement of its binding parameters. In a series of competitive displacement experiments in which the binding assay contained a 200-fold excess of human LDL or HDL3, only unlabeled rat IDL effectively displaced the binding of rat 125 I-IDL. We conclude that the low affinity binding of rat IDL to rat liver membranes is due to weak interactions with unspecified lipoprotein binding sites. The camouflage of these sites by human lipoproteins makes possible the study of IDL binding to the high affinity component which likely represents the combined effect of IDL binding to both the remnant and the LDL receptors

Single-experiment displacement assay for quantifying high-affinity binding by isothermal titration calorimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Krainer, Georg; Keller, Sandro

2015-04-01

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is the gold standard for dissecting the thermodynamics of a biomolecular binding process within a single experiment. However, reliable determination of the dissociation constant (KD) from a single titration is typically limited to the range 100 μM>KD>1 nM. Interactions characterized by a lower KD can be assessed indirectly by so-called competition or displacement assays, provided that a suitable competitive ligand is available whose KD falls within the directly accessible window. However, this protocol is limited by the fact that it necessitates at least two titrations to characterize one high-affinity inhibitor, resulting in considerable consumption of both sample material and time. Here, we introduce a fast and efficient ITC displacement assay that allows for the simultaneous characterization of both a high-affinity ligand and a moderate-affinity ligand competing for the same binding site on a receptor within a single experiment. The protocol is based on a titration of the high-affinity ligand into a solution containing the moderate-affinity ligand bound to the receptor present in excess. The resulting biphasic binding isotherm enables accurate and precise determination of KD values and binding enthalpies (ΔH) of both ligands. We discuss the theoretical background underlying the approach, demonstrate its practical application to metal ion chelation, explore its potential and limitations with the aid of simulations and statistical analyses, and elaborate on potential applications to protein-inhibitor interactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A high seroprevalence of antibodies to pertussis toxin among Japanese adults: Qualitative and quantitative analyses.

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Takumi Moriuchi

Full Text Available In 2013, national serosurveillance detected a high seroprevalence of antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT from Bordetella pertussis among Japanese adults. Thus, we aimed to determine the cause(s of this high seroprevalence, and analyzed the titers of antibodies to PT and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA among adults (35-44 years old, young children (4-7 years old, and older children (10-14 years old. Our quantitative analyses revealed that adults had higher seroprevalences of anti-PT IgG and PT-neutralizing antibodies, and similar titers of anti-FHA IgG, compared to the young and older children. Positive correlations were observed between the titers of PT-neutralizing antibodies and anti-PT IgG in all age groups (rs values of 0.326-0.522, although the correlation tended to decrease with age. The ratio of PT-neutralizing antibodies to anti-PT IgG was significantly different when we compared the serum and purified IgG fractions among adults (p = 0.016, although this result was not observed among young and older children. Thus, it appears that some adults had non-IgG immunoglobulins to PT. Our analyses also revealed that adults had high-avidity anti-PT IgG (avidity index: 63.5%, similar results were observed among the children; however, the adults had lower-avidity anti-FHA IgG (37.9%, p < 0.05. It is possible that low-avidity anti-FHA IgG is related to infection with other respiratory pathogens (e.g., Bordetella parapertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which produces antibodies to FHA-like proteins. Our observations suggest that these adults had been infected with B. pertussis and other pathogen(s during their adulthood.

The high-affinity peptidoglycan binding domain of Pseudomonas phage endolysin KZ144

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Briers, Yves [Division of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Schmelcher, Mathias; Loessner, Martin J. [Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, ETH Zuerich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zuerich (Switzerland); Hendrix, Jelle; Engelborghs, Yves [Laboratory of Biomolecular Dynamics, Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200G, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Volckaert, Guido [Division of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Lavigne, Rob, E-mail: rob.lavigne@biw.kuleuven.be [Division of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2009-05-29

The binding affinity of the N-terminal peptidoglycan binding domain of endolysin KZ144 (PBD{sub KZ}), originating from Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophage {phi}KZ, has been examined using a fusion protein of PBD{sub KZ} and green fluorescent protein (PBD{sub KZ}-GFP). A fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis of bound PBD{sub KZ}-GFP molecules showed less than 10% fluorescence recovery in the bleached area within 15 min. Surface plasmon resonance analysis confirmed this apparent high binding affinity revealing an equilibrium affinity constant of 2.95 x 10{sup 7} M{sup -1} for the PBD{sub KZ}-peptidoglycan interaction. This unique domain, which binds to the peptidoglycan of all tested Gram-negative species, was harnessed to improve the specific activity of the peptidoglycan hydrolase domain KMV36C. The chimeric peptidoglycan hydrolase (PBD{sub KZ}-KMV36C) exhibits a threefold higher specific activity than the native catalytic domain (KMV36C). These results demonstrate that the modular assembly of functional domains is a rational approach to improve the specific activity of endolysins from phages infecting Gram-negatives.

Magnetic resonance imaging after radiofrequency ablation in a rodent model of liver tumor: tissue characterization using a novel necrosis-avid contrast agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni, Yicheng; Yu, Jie; Marchal, Guy; Chen, Feng; Mulier, Stefaan; Sun, Xihe; Landuyt, Willy; Verbruggen, Alfons

2006-01-01

We exploited a necrosis-avid contrast agent ECIV-7 for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in rodent liver tumors after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Rats bearing liver rhabdomyosarcoma (R1) were randomly allocated to three groups: group I, complete RFA, group II, incomplete RFA, and group III, sham ablation. Within 24 h after RFA, T1-weighted (T1-w) MRI was performed before and after injection of ECIV-7 at 0.05 mmol/kg and followed up from 6-24 h. Signal intensities (SIs) were measured with relative enhancement (RE) and contrast ratio (CR) calculated. The MRI findings were verified histomorphologically. On plain T1-w MRI the contrasts between normal liver, RFA lesion, residual and/or intact tumor were vague. Early after administration of ECIV-7, the liver SI was strongly enhanced (RE=40-50%), leaving the RFA lesion as a hypointense region in groups I and II. At delayed phase, two striking peri-ablational enhancement patterns appeared (RE=90% and CR=1.89%), i.e., ''O'' type of hyperintense rim in group I and ''C'' type of incomplete rim in group II. These MRI manifestations could be proven histologically. In this study, tissue components after RFA could be characterized with discernable contrasts by necrosis-avid contrast agent (NACA)-enhanced MRI, especially at delayed phase. This approach may prove useful for defining the ablated area and identifying residual tumor after RFA. (orig.)

Brain serotonin and dopamine transporter bindings in adults with high-functioning autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Sekine, Yoshimoto; Ouchi, Yasuomi; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Yoshikawa, Etsuji; Futatsubashi, Masami; Tsuchiya, Kenji J; Sugihara, Genichi; Iwata, Yasuhide; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Suda, Shiro; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Takei, Nori; Mori, Norio

2010-01-01

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by repetitive and/or obsessive interests and behavior and by deficits in sociability and communication. Although its neurobiological underpinnings are postulated to lie in abnormalities of the serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems, the details remain unknown. To determine the occurrence of changes in the binding of serotonin and dopamine transporters, which are highly selective markers for their respective neuronal systems. Using positron emission tomography, we measured the binding of brain serotonin and dopamine transporters in each individual with the radioligands carbon 11 ((11)C)-labeled trans-1,2,3,5,6,10-beta-hexahydro-6-[4-(methylthio)phenyl]pyrrolo-[2,1-a]isoquinoline ([(11)C](+)McN-5652) and 2beta-carbomethoxy-3-beta-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane ([(11)C]WIN-35,428), respectively. Statistical parametric mapping was used for between-subject analysis and within-subject correlation analysis with respect to clinical variables. Participants recruited from the community. Twenty men (age range, 18-26 years; mean [SD] IQ, 99.3 [18.1]) with autism and 20 age- and IQ-matched control subjects. Serotonin transporter binding was significantly lower throughout the brain in autistic individuals compared with controls (P dopamine transporter binding was significantly higher in the orbitofrontal cortex of the autistic group (P dopamine transporter binding was significantly inversely correlated with serotonin transporter binding (r = -0.61; P = .004). The brains of autistic individuals have abnormalities in both serotonin transporter and dopamine transporter binding. The present findings indicate that the gross abnormalities in these neurotransmitter systems may underpin the neurophysiologic mechanism of autism. Our sample was not characteristic or representative of a typical sample of adults with autism in the community.

High affinity soluble ILT2 receptor: a potent inhibitor of CD8(+) T cell activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Moysey, Ruth K; Li, Yi; Paston, Samantha J; Baston, Emma E; Sami, Malkit S; Cameron, Brian J; Gavarret, Jessie; Todorov, Penio; Vuidepot, Annelise; Dunn, Steven M; Pumphrey, Nicholas J; Adams, Katherine J; Yuan, Fang; Dennis, Rebecca E; Sutton, Deborah H; Johnson, Andy D; Brewer, Joanna E; Ashfield, Rebecca; Lissin, Nikolai M; Jakobsen, Bent K

2010-12-01

Using directed mutagenesis and phage display on a soluble fragment of the human immunoglobulin super-family receptor ILT2 (synonyms: LIR1, MIR7, CD85j), we have selected a range of mutants with binding affinities enhanced by up to 168,000-fold towards the conserved region of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Produced in a dimeric form, either by chemical cross-linking with bivalent polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives or as a genetic fusion with human IgG Fc-fragment, the mutants exhibited a further increase in ligand-binding strength due to the avidity effect, with resident half-times (t(1/2)) on the surface of MHC I-positive cells of many hours. The novel compounds antagonized the interaction of CD8 co-receptor with MHC I in vitro without affecting the peptide-specific binding of T-cell receptors (TCRs). In both cytokine-release assays and cell-killing experiments the engineered receptors inhibited the activation of CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the presence of their target cells, with subnanomolar potency and in a dose-dependent manner. As a selective inhibitor of CD8(+) CTL responses, the engineered high affinity ILT2 receptor presents a new tool for studying the activation mechanism of different subsets of CTLs and could have potential for the development of novel autoimmunity therapies.

HIV avidity index performance using a modified fourth-generation immunoassay to detect recent HIV infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Suligoi, Barbara; Regine, Vincenza; Raimondo, Mariangela; Rodella, Anna; Terlenghi, Luigina; Caruso, Arnaldo; Bagnarelli, Patrizia; Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria; Zanchetta, Nadia; Ghisetti, Valeria; Galli, Claudio

2017-10-26

Detecting recent HIV infections is important to evaluate incidence and monitor epidemic trends. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and accuracy of the avidity index (AI) for discriminating for recent HIV infections. We collected serum samples from HIV-1 positive individuals: A) with known date of infection (midpoint in time between last HIV-negative and first HIV-positive test); B) infected for >1 year. Samples were divided into two aliquots: one diluted with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and the other with 1 M guanidine. Both aliquots were assayed by the Architect HIV Ag/Ab Combo 4th generation assay (Abbott). We compared AI found in recent (RI=HIV subtype had no impact on AI misclassifications. All individuals in group A reached the AI threshold of 0.80 within 24 months after seroconversion. The AI is an accurate serological marker for discriminating recent from established HIV infections and meets WHO requirements for HIV incidence assays.

Duration of {sup 18}F-FDG avidity in lymph nodes after pandemic H1N1v and seasonal influenza vaccination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomassen, Anders; Lerberg Nielsen, Anne; Gerke, Oke; Johansen, Allan; Petersen, Henrik [OUH, Odense University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense C (Denmark)

2011-05-15

The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity in draining axillary lymph nodes after vaccination against influenza (H1N1v pandemic and seasonal) and to determine the period of increased FDG uptake. During December 2009, patients referred for {sup 18}F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scans (n = 293) filled in a questionnaire concerning vaccination type (seasonal and/or H1N1v), time and anatomical localization of vaccination. Only injections in deltoid regions were evaluated, thus ensuring that draining lymph nodes were axillary. If more vaccinations had been given, only the latest vaccination was evaluated in each deltoid region. Of all patients who underwent PET/CT scans during December 2009, 26% had been vaccinated with at least one influenza vaccination in the deltoid region. A total of 92 'draining' and 60 'reference' (i.e. contralateral, non-vaccinated) axillary lymph nodes were evaluated in 61 patients (19 of 61 patients were scanned twice). The maximal intensity in FDG uptake (SUV{sub max}) in draining lymph nodes was 5 g/ml body weight (BW), whereas the maximal intensity in reference lymph nodes was 1.9 g/ml BW. The SUV{sub max} was normalized approximately 40 days after vaccination. No significant enlargement of metabolically active draining lymph nodes could be demonstrated on CT scan. Chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs given within 2 weeks from vaccination did not affect SUV{sub max} in the axillary lymph nodes. Influenza vaccination may lead to FDG-avid draining lymph nodes beyond 1 month. (orig.)

Nanoscale Synaptic Membrane Mimetic Allows Unbiased High Throughput Screen That Targets Binding Sites for Alzheimer's-Associated Aβ Oligomers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyle C Wilcox

Full Text Available Despite their value as sources of therapeutic drug targets, membrane proteomes are largely inaccessible to high-throughput screening (HTS tools designed for soluble proteins. An important example comprises the membrane proteins that bind amyloid β oligomers (AβOs. AβOs are neurotoxic ligands thought to instigate the synapse damage that leads to Alzheimer's dementia. At present, the identities of initial AβO binding sites are highly uncertain, largely because of extensive protein-protein interactions that occur following attachment of AβOs to surface membranes. Here, we show that AβO binding sites can be obtained in a state suitable for unbiased HTS by encapsulating the solubilized synaptic membrane proteome into nanoscale lipid bilayers (Nanodiscs. This method gives a soluble membrane protein library (SMPL--a collection of individualized synaptic proteins in a soluble state. Proteins within SMPL Nanodiscs showed enzymatic and ligand binding activity consistent with conformational integrity. AβOs were found to bind SMPL Nanodiscs with high affinity and specificity, with binding dependent on intact synaptic membrane proteins, and selective for the higher molecular weight oligomers known to accumulate at synapses. Combining SMPL Nanodiscs with a mix-incubate-read chemiluminescence assay provided a solution-based HTS platform to discover antagonists of AβO binding. Screening a library of 2700 drug-like compounds and natural products yielded one compound that potently reduced AβO binding to SMPL Nanodiscs, synaptosomes, and synapses in nerve cell cultures. Although not a therapeutic candidate, this small molecule inhibitor of synaptic AβO binding will provide a useful experimental antagonist for future mechanistic studies of AβOs in Alzheimer's model systems. Overall, results provide proof of concept for using SMPLs in high throughput screening for AβO binding antagonists, and illustrate in general how a SMPL Nanodisc system can

Nanoscale Synaptic Membrane Mimetic Allows Unbiased High Throughput Screen That Targets Binding Sites for Alzheimer's-Associated Aβ Oligomers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Kyle C; Marunde, Matthew R; Das, Aditi; Velasco, Pauline T; Kuhns, Benjamin D; Marty, Michael T; Jiang, Haoming; Luan, Chi-Hao; Sligar, Stephen G; Klein, William L

2015-01-01

Despite their value as sources of therapeutic drug targets, membrane proteomes are largely inaccessible to high-throughput screening (HTS) tools designed for soluble proteins. An important example comprises the membrane proteins that bind amyloid β oligomers (AβOs). AβOs are neurotoxic ligands thought to instigate the synapse damage that leads to Alzheimer's dementia. At present, the identities of initial AβO binding sites are highly uncertain, largely because of extensive protein-protein interactions that occur following attachment of AβOs to surface membranes. Here, we show that AβO binding sites can be obtained in a state suitable for unbiased HTS by encapsulating the solubilized synaptic membrane proteome into nanoscale lipid bilayers (Nanodiscs). This method gives a soluble membrane protein library (SMPL)--a collection of individualized synaptic proteins in a soluble state. Proteins within SMPL Nanodiscs showed enzymatic and ligand binding activity consistent with conformational integrity. AβOs were found to bind SMPL Nanodiscs with high affinity and specificity, with binding dependent on intact synaptic membrane proteins, and selective for the higher molecular weight oligomers known to accumulate at synapses. Combining SMPL Nanodiscs with a mix-incubate-read chemiluminescence assay provided a solution-based HTS platform to discover antagonists of AβO binding. Screening a library of 2700 drug-like compounds and natural products yielded one compound that potently reduced AβO binding to SMPL Nanodiscs, synaptosomes, and synapses in nerve cell cultures. Although not a therapeutic candidate, this small molecule inhibitor of synaptic AβO binding will provide a useful experimental antagonist for future mechanistic studies of AβOs in Alzheimer's model systems. Overall, results provide proof of concept for using SMPLs in high throughput screening for AβO binding antagonists, and illustrate in general how a SMPL Nanodisc system can facilitate drug discovery

ACYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITIES OF THE HIGH-MOLECULAR-MASS ESSENTIAL PENICILLIN-BINDING PROTEINS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ADAM, M; DAMBLON, C; JAMIN, M; ZORZI, W; DUSART, [No Value; GALLENI, M; ELKHARROUBI, A; PIRAS, G; SPRATT, BG; KECK, W; COYETTE, J; GHUYSEN, JM; NGUYENDISTECHE, M; FRERE, JM

1991-01-01

The high-molecular-mass penicillin-binding proteins (HMM-PBPs), present in the cytoplasmic membranes of all eubacteria, are involved in important physiological events such as cell elongation, septation or shape determination. Up to now it has, however, been very difficult or impossible to study the

High throughput screening of ligand binding to macromolecules using high resolution powder diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Von Dreele, Robert B.; D'Amico, Kevin

2006-10-31

A process is provided for the high throughput screening of binding of ligands to macromolecules using high resolution powder diffraction data including producing a first sample slurry of a selected polycrystalline macromolecule material and a solvent, producing a second sample slurry of a selected polycrystalline macromolecule material, one or more ligands and the solvent, obtaining a high resolution powder diffraction pattern on each of said first sample slurry and the second sample slurry, and, comparing the high resolution powder diffraction pattern of the first sample slurry and the high resolution powder diffraction pattern of the second sample slurry whereby a difference in the high resolution powder diffraction patterns of the first sample slurry and the second sample slurry provides a positive indication for the formation of a complex between the selected polycrystalline macromolecule material and at least one of the one or more ligands.

Binding of (/sup 3/H)imipramine to human platelet membranes with compensation for saturable binding to filters and its implication for binding studies with brain membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, O.M.; Wood, K.M.; Williams, D.C.

1984-08-01

Apparent specific binding of (/sup 3/H)imipramine to human platelet membranes at high concentrations of imipramine showed deviation from that expected of a single binding site, a result consistent with a low-affinity binding site. The deviation was due to displaceable, saturable binding to the glass fibre filters used in the assays. Imipramine, chloripramine, desipramine, and fluoxetine inhibited binding to filters whereas 5-hydroxytryptamine and ethanol were ineffective. Experimental conditions were developed that eliminated filter binding, allowing assay of high- and low-affinity binding to membranes. Failure to correct for filter binding may lead to overestimation of binding parameters, Bmax and KD for high-affinity binding to membranes, and may also be misinterpreted as indicating a low-affinity binding component in both platelet and brain membranes. Low-affinity binding (KD less than 2 microM) of imipramine to human platelet membranes was demonstrated and its significance discussed.

Haptoglobin-related protein is a high-affinity hemoglobin-binding plasma protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Marianne Jensby; Petersen, Steen Vang; Jacobsen, Christian

2006-01-01

Haptoglobin-related protein (Hpr) is a primate-specific plasma protein associated with apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I)-containing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles shown to be a part of the innate immune defense. Despite the assumption hitherto that Hpr does not bind to hemoglobin, the present...

Cell-specific targeting by heterobivalent ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Josan, Jatinder S; Handl, Heather L; Sankaranarayanan, Rajesh; Xu, Liping; Lynch, Ronald M; Vagner, Josef; Mash, Eugene A; Hruby, Victor J; Gillies, Robert J

2011-07-20

Current cancer therapies exploit either differential metabolism or targeting to specific individual gene products that are overexpressed in aberrant cells. The work described herein proposes an alternative approach--to specifically target combinations of cell-surface receptors using heteromultivalent ligands ("receptor combination approach"). As a proof-of-concept that functionally unrelated receptors can be noncovalently cross-linked with high avidity and specificity, a series of heterobivalent ligands (htBVLs) were constructed from analogues of the melanocortin peptide ligand ([Nle(4), dPhe(7)]-α-MSH) and the cholecystokinin peptide ligand (CCK-8). Binding of these ligands to cells expressing the human Melanocortin-4 receptor and the Cholecystokinin-2 receptor was analyzed. The MSH(7) and CCK(6) were tethered with linkers of varying rigidity and length, constructed from natural and/or synthetic building blocks. Modeling data suggest that a linker length of 20-50 Å is needed to simultaneously bind these two different G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). These ligands exhibited up to 24-fold enhancement in binding affinity to cells that expressed both (bivalent binding), compared to cells with only one (monovalent binding) of the cognate receptors. The htBVLs had up to 50-fold higher affinity than that of a monomeric CCK ligand, i.e., Ac-CCK(6)-NH(2). Cell-surface targeting of these two cell types with labeled heteromultivalent ligand demonstrated high avidity and specificity, thereby validating the receptor combination approach. This ability to noncovalently cross-link heterologous receptors and target individual cells using a receptor combination approach opens up new possibilities for specific cell targeting in vivo for therapy or imaging.

Patterns of Relapse in High-Risk Neuroblastoma Patients Treated With and Without Total Body Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Richard; Polishchuk, Alexei; DuBois, Steven; Hawkins, Randall; Lee, Stephanie W.; Bagatell, Rochelle; Shusterman, Suzanne; Hill-Kayser, Christine; Al-Sayegh, Hasan; Diller, Lisa; Haas-Kogan, Daphne A.; Matthay, Katherine K.; London, Wendy B.

2017-01-01

Purpose: External beam radiation therapy to initial sites of disease may influence relapse patterns in high-risk neuroblastoma. However, the effect of systemic irradiation by use of total body irradiation (TBI) on anatomic patterns of relapse has not previously been investigated. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed patients receiving definitive treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma with subsequent relapse in bony metastatic sites, with a date of relapse between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2012. Anatomic sites of disease, defined by metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) avidity, were compared at diagnosis and at first relapse. The Fisher exact test was performed to compare relapse in initially involved sites between patients treated with and without TBI. Results: Seventy-four patients with a median age at diagnosis of 3.5 years (range, 0.3-15.3 years) had relapse in 227 sites of MIBG-avid metastatic disease, with a median time to relapse of 1.8 years. Of the 227 sites of first relapse, 154 sites (68%) were involved at diagnosis. When we compared relapse patterns in patients treated with and without TBI, 12 of 23 patients (52%) treated with TBI had relapse in ≥1 previously MIBG-avid site of disease whereas 40 of 51 patients (78%) treated without TBI had relapse in ≥1 previously MIBG-avid site of disease (P=.03). Conclusions: Patients treated with systemic irradiation in the form of TBI were significantly less likely to have relapse in prior sites of disease. These findings support further investigation into the role of radiopharmaceutical therapies in curative multimodality therapy.

Patterns of Relapse in High-Risk Neuroblastoma Patients Treated With and Without Total Body Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Richard [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Polishchuk, Alexei [School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); DuBois, Steven [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Hawkins, Randall [School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Lee, Stephanie W. [Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Bagatell, Rochelle [Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Shusterman, Suzanne [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Hill-Kayser, Christine [Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Al-Sayegh, Hasan [Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Diller, Lisa [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Haas-Kogan, Daphne A. [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Matthay, Katherine K. [School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); London, Wendy B. [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Dana-Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); and others

2017-02-01

Purpose: External beam radiation therapy to initial sites of disease may influence relapse patterns in high-risk neuroblastoma. However, the effect of systemic irradiation by use of total body irradiation (TBI) on anatomic patterns of relapse has not previously been investigated. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed patients receiving definitive treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma with subsequent relapse in bony metastatic sites, with a date of relapse between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2012. Anatomic sites of disease, defined by metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) avidity, were compared at diagnosis and at first relapse. The Fisher exact test was performed to compare relapse in initially involved sites between patients treated with and without TBI. Results: Seventy-four patients with a median age at diagnosis of 3.5 years (range, 0.3-15.3 years) had relapse in 227 sites of MIBG-avid metastatic disease, with a median time to relapse of 1.8 years. Of the 227 sites of first relapse, 154 sites (68%) were involved at diagnosis. When we compared relapse patterns in patients treated with and without TBI, 12 of 23 patients (52%) treated with TBI had relapse in ≥1 previously MIBG-avid site of disease whereas 40 of 51 patients (78%) treated without TBI had relapse in ≥1 previously MIBG-avid site of disease (P=.03). Conclusions: Patients treated with systemic irradiation in the form of TBI were significantly less likely to have relapse in prior sites of disease. These findings support further investigation into the role of radiopharmaceutical therapies in curative multimodality therapy.

Cooperative binding mitigates the high-dose hook effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Ranjita Dutta; Rosenmund, Christian; Stefan, Melanie I

2017-08-14

The high-dose hook effect (also called prozone effect) refers to the observation that if a multivalent protein acts as a linker between two parts of a protein complex, then increasing the amount of linker protein in the mixture does not always increase the amount of fully formed complex. On the contrary, at a high enough concentration range the amount of fully formed complex actually decreases. It has been observed that allosterically regulated proteins seem less susceptible to this effect. The aim of this study was two-fold: First, to investigate the mathematical basis of how allostery mitigates the prozone effect. And second, to explore the consequences of allostery and the high-dose hook effect using the example of calmodulin, a calcium-sensing protein that regulates the switch between long-term potentiation and long-term depression in neurons. We use a combinatorial model of a "perfect linker protein" (with infinite binding affinity) to mathematically describe the hook effect and its behaviour under allosteric conditions. We show that allosteric regulation does indeed mitigate the high-dose hook effect. We then turn to calmodulin as a real-life example of an allosteric protein. Using kinetic simulations, we show that calmodulin is indeed subject to a hook effect. We also show that this effect is stronger in the presence of the allosteric activator Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), because it reduces the overall cooperativity of the calcium-calmodulin system. It follows that, surprisingly, there are conditions where increased amounts of allosteric activator actually decrease the activity of a protein. We show that cooperative binding can indeed act as a protective mechanism against the hook effect. This will have implications in vivo where the extent of cooperativity of a protein can be modulated, for instance, by allosteric activators or inhibitors. This can result in counterintuitive effects of decreased activity with increased concentrations of

Interactions of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists with dopaminergic D3 binding sites in rat striatum. Evidence that [3H]dopamine can label a high affinity agonist-binding state of the D1 dopamine receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leff, S.E.; Creese, I.

1985-01-01

The interactions of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists with 3 H-agonist labeled D3 dopaminergic binding sites of rat striatum have been characterized by radioligand-binding techniques. When the binding of [ 3 H]dopamine and [ 3 H]apomorphine to D2 dopamine receptors is blocked by the inclusion of D2 selective concentrations of unlabeled spiroperidol or domperidone, these ligands appear to label selectively the previously termed D3 binding site. Antagonist/[ 3 H]dopamine competition curves are of uniformly steep slope (nH . 1.0), suggesting the presence of a single D3 binding site. The relative potencies of antagonists to inhibit D3 specific [ 3 H]dopamine binding are significantly correlated with their potencies to block D1 dopamine receptors as measured by the inhibition of both dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase and [ 3 H]flupentixol-binding activities. The affinities of agonists to inhibit D3 specific [ 3 H]dopamine binding are also correlated with estimates of these agonists affinities for the high affinity binding component of agonist/[ 3 H]flupentixol competition curves. Both D3 specific [ 3 H] dopamine binding and the high affinity agonist-binding component of dopamine/[ 3 H]flupentixol competition curves show a similar sensitivity to guanine nucleotides. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that the D3 binding site is related to a high affinity agonist-binding state of the D1 dopamine receptor

Two high-affinity ligand binding states of uterine estrogen receptor distinguished by modulation of hydrophobic environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutchens, T.W.; Li, C.M.; Zamah, N.M.; Besch, P.K.

1987-01-01

The steroid binding function of soluble (cytosolic) estrogen receptors from calf uteri was evaluated under conditions known to modify the extent of hydrophobic interaction with receptor-associated proteins. Receptor preparations were equilibrated into 6 M urea buffers and control buffers by chromatography through small columns of Sephadex G-25 or by dialysis at 0.6 0 C. Equilibrium dissociation constants (K/sub d/) and binding capacities (n) of experimental and control receptor preparations were determined by 13-point Scatchard analyses using concentrations of 17β-[ 3 H]estradiol from 0.05 to 10 nM. Nonspecific binding was determined at each concentration by parallel incubations with a 200-fold molar excess of the receptor-specific competitor diethylstilbestrol. The control receptor population was consistently found to be a single class of binding sites with a high affinity for estradiol which was unaffected by G-25 chromatography, by dialysis, by dilution, or by the presence of 0.4 M KCl. However, equilibration into 6 M urea induced a discrete (10-fold) reduction in receptor affinity to reveal a second, thermodynamically stable, high-affinity binding state. The presence of 0.4 M KCl did not significantly influence the discrete change in receptor affinity induced by urea. The effects of urea on both receptor affinity and binding capacity were reversible, suggesting a lack of covalent modification. These results demonstrate nonenzymatic means by which not only the binding capacity but also the affinity of receptor for estradiol can be reversibly controlled, suggesting that high concentrations of urea might be more effectively utilized during the physicochemical characterization and purification of steroid receptor proteins

Structure-based engineering to restore high affinity binding of an isoform-selective anti-TGFβ1 antibody

Science.gov (United States)

Honey, Denise M.; Best, Annie; Qiu, Huawei

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Metelimumab (CAT192) is a human IgG4 monoclonal antibody developed as a TGFβ1-specific antagonist. It was tested in clinical trials for the treatment of scleroderma but later terminated due to lack of efficacy. Subsequent characterization of CAT192 indicated that its TGFβ1 binding affinity was reduced by ∼50-fold upon conversion from the parental single-chain variable fragment (scFv) to IgG4. We hypothesized this result was due to decreased conformational flexibility of the IgG that could be altered via engineering. Therefore, we designed insertion mutants in the elbow region and screened for binding and potency. Our results indicated that increasing the elbow region linker length in each chain successfully restored the isoform-specific and high affinity binding of CAT192 to TGFβ1. The crystal structure of the high binding affinity mutant displays large conformational rearrangements of the variable domains compared to the wild-type antigen-binding fragment (Fab) and the low binding affinity mutants. Insertion of two glycines in both the heavy and light chain elbow regions provided sufficient flexibility for the variable domains to extend further apart than the wild-type Fab, and allow the CDR3s to make additional interactions not seen in the wild-type Fab structure. These interactions coupled with the dramatic conformational changes provide a possible explanation of how the scFv and elbow-engineered Fabs bind TGFβ1 with high affinity. This study demonstrates the benefits of re-examining both structure and function when converting scFv to IgG molecules, and highlights the potential of structure-based engineering to produce fully functional antibodies. PMID:29333938

High-throughput molecular binding analysis on open-microfluidic platform

OpenAIRE

Pan, Yuchen

2016-01-01

Biomolecular binding interactions underpin life sciences tools that are essential to fields as diverse as molecular biology and clinical chemistry. Merging needs in life science research entail fast, robust and quantitative binding reaction characterization, such as antibody selection, gene regulation screening and drug screening. Identification, characterization, and optimization of these diverse molecular binding reactions demands the availability of powerful, quantitative analytical tools....

Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of Radioiodinated Hypericin Dicarboxylic Acid as a Necrosis Avid Agent in Rat Models of Induced Hepatic, Muscular, and Myocardial Necroses.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jindian; Zhang, Jian; Yang, Shengwei; Jiang, Cuihua; Zhang, DongJian; Jin, Qiaomei; Wang, Qin; Wang, Cong; Ni, Yicheng; Yin, Zhiqi; Song, Shaoli

2016-01-04

Myocardial infarction (MI) leads to substantial morbidity and mortality around the world. Accurate assessment of myocardial viability is essential to assist therapies and improve patient outcomes. (131)I-hypericin dicarboxylic acid ((131)I-HDA) was synthesized and evaluated as a potential diagnostic agent for earlier assessment of myocardium viability compared to its preceding counterpart (131)I-hypericin ((131)I-Hyp) with strong hydrophobic property, long plasma half-life, and high uptake in mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). Herein, HDA was synthesized and characterized, and self-aggregation constant Kα was analyzed by spectrophotometry. Plasma half-life was determined in healthy rats by γ-counting. (131)I-HDA and (131)I-Hyp were prepared with iodogen as oxidant. In vitro necrosis avidity of (131)I-HDA and (131)I-Hyp was evaluated in necrotic cells induced by hyperthermia. Biodistribution was determined in rat models of induced necrosis using γ-counting, autoradiography, and histopathology. Earlier imaging of necrotic myocardium to assess myocardial viability was performed in rat models of reperfused myocardium infarction using single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). As a result, the self-aggregation constant Kα of HDA was lower than that of Hyp (105602 vs 194644, p HDA displayed a shorter blood half-life compared with (131)I-Hyp (9.21 vs 31.20 h, p HDA relative to that with (131)I-Hyp (5.48 vs 4.63, p HDA showed a higher necrotic-viable myocardium ratio (7.32 vs 3.20, p HDA achieved imaging of necrotic myocardium at 6 h postinjection (p.i.) with SPECT/CT, earlier than what (131)I-Hyp did. Therefore, (131)I-HDA may serve as a promising necrosis-avid diagnostic agent for earlier imaging of necrotic myocardium compared with (131)I-Hyp. This may support further development of radiopharmaceuticals ((123)I and (99m)Tc) based on HDA for SPECT/CT of necrotic myocardium.

Megalin binds and mediates cellular internalization of folate binding protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birn, Henrik; Zhai, Xiaoyue; Holm, Jan

2005-01-01

Folate is an essential vitamin involved in a number of biological processes. High affinity folate binding proteins (FBPs) exist both as glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked, membrane associated folate binding proteins and as soluble FBPs in plasma and some secretory fluids such as milk, saliva...... to express high levels of megalin, is inhibitable by excess unlabeled FBP and by receptor associated protein, a known inhibitor of binding to megalin. Immortalized rat yolk sac cells, representing an established model for studying megalin-mediated uptake, reveal (125)I-labeled FBP uptake which is inhibited...

Nanoscale Synaptic Membrane Mimetic Allows Unbiased High Throughput Screen That Targets Binding Sites for Alzheimer’s-Associated Aβ Oligomers

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Kyle C.; Marunde, Matthew R.; Das, Aditi; Velasco, Pauline T.; Kuhns, Benjamin D.; Marty, Michael T.; Jiang, Haoming; Luan, Chi-Hao; Sligar, Stephen G.; Klein, William L.

2015-01-01

Despite their value as sources of therapeutic drug targets, membrane proteomes are largely inaccessible to high-throughput screening (HTS) tools designed for soluble proteins. An important example comprises the membrane proteins that bind amyloid β oligomers (AβOs). AβOs are neurotoxic ligands thought to instigate the synapse damage that leads to Alzheimer’s dementia. At present, the identities of initial AβO binding sites are highly uncertain, largely because of extensive protein-protein interactions that occur following attachment of AβOs to surface membranes. Here, we show that AβO binding sites can be obtained in a state suitable for unbiased HTS by encapsulating the solubilized synaptic membrane proteome into nanoscale lipid bilayers (Nanodiscs). This method gives a soluble membrane protein library (SMPL)—a collection of individualized synaptic proteins in a soluble state. Proteins within SMPL Nanodiscs showed enzymatic and ligand binding activity consistent with conformational integrity. AβOs were found to bind SMPL Nanodiscs with high affinity and specificity, with binding dependent on intact synaptic membrane proteins, and selective for the higher molecular weight oligomers known to accumulate at synapses. Combining SMPL Nanodiscs with a mix-incubate-read chemiluminescence assay provided a solution-based HTS platform to discover antagonists of AβO binding. Screening a library of 2700 drug-like compounds and natural products yielded one compound that potently reduced AβO binding to SMPL Nanodiscs, synaptosomes, and synapses in nerve cell cultures. Although not a therapeutic candidate, this small molecule inhibitor of synaptic AβO binding will provide a useful experimental antagonist for future mechanistic studies of AβOs in Alzheimer’s model systems. Overall, results provide proof of concept for using SMPLs in high throughput screening for AβO binding antagonists, and illustrate in general how a SMPL Nanodisc system can facilitate drug

Comparison of high affinity binding of {sup 3}H-proadifen and {sup 3}H-(-)-cocaine t rat liver membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, S.B. [Astra Arcus AB, Dept. of Neuropharmacology, Soedertaelje (Sweden)

1995-06-01

The characteristics of the binding of {sup 3}H-proadifen to rat liver membranes were studied and compared to those of {sup 3}H-cocaine. It was found that {sup 3}H-proadifen was bound reversibly with high affinity (K{sub D}=1.8{+-}0.5 nM) and large capacity (B{sub max}=2010{+-}340 pmol/g wet tissue) to liver membranes. The corresponding values for the {sup 3}H-cocaine binding were 3.5 nM and 1000 pmol/g wet tissue. The binding of {sup 3}H-proadifen was mainly localised to the microsomal fraction. The number of binding sites was not increased by treatment of rats with phenobarbitone. With 1 {mu}M CdCl{sub 2} in the incubation buffer it was possible to differentiate between two {sup 3}H-cocaine binding sites with K{sub d} values of 1.6 and 7.7 nM and B{sub max} values of 280 and 940 pmol/g wet liver tissue. S-(-)-Alaproclate inhibited the binding of {sup 3}H-proadifen and {sup 3}H-cocaine inhibited the binding of {sup 3}H-proadifen (IC{sub 50}=10 nM) and proadifen that of {sup 3}H-cocaine (IC{sub 50}=1 nM). There was a high correlation coefficient (r{sub r}=0.972; P<0.01; n=12) in the Spearman rank test between the inhibitory potencies of compounds examined in both systems. Beside some potent alaproclate analogues a couple of compounds had moderately high affinity (IC{sub 50}=100-500 nM): chloroquine, phenoxybenzamine, amitriptyline, ajmaline, remoxipride, imipramine and (-)-alaprenolol. CdCl{sub 2}, ZnCl{sub 2} and CuCl{sub 2} inhibited the binding of both ligands with low Hill coefficients, indicating heterogeneous binding sites. The inhibition curve of Cd{sup 2+} on the cocaine binding was biphasic with a high affinity part around 50 nM and a low affinity part at 15{mu}M. The similarity of the characteristics of the binding of these ligands with that of {sup 3}H-alaproclate is discussed. It is suggested that all three compounds bind to the same sites, although additional binding sites seem to exist for proadifen. (au) (9 refs.).

Characterization of high affinity [3H]triazolam binding in rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Earle, M.; Concas, A.; Yamamura, H.I.

1986-01-01

The hypnotic Triazolam (TZ), a triazolo (1,4)-benzodiazepine, displays a short physiological half life and has been used for the treatment of insomnia related to anxiety states. Specific binding properties of this recently tritiated TZ were characterized. The authors major objectives were the direct measurement of the temperature dependence and the GABA effect on [ 3 H]TZ binding. Saturation studies showed a shift to lower affinity at 37 0 C (K/sub d/ = 0.25 +/- 0.01 nM at O 0 C; K/sub d/ = 1.46 +/- 0.03 nM at 37 0 C) while the B/sub max/ values remained unchanged (1003 +/- 37 fmoles/mg prot. at 0 0 C and 1001 +/- 43 fmoles/mg prot. at 37 0 C). Inhibition studies showed that [ 3 H]TZ binding displayed no GABA shift at 0 0 C(K/sub i/ 0.37 +/- 0.03 nM/- GABA and K/sub i/ = 0.55 +/- 0.13 nM/+GABA) but a nearly two-fold shift was apparent at 37 0 C (K/sub i/ = 2.92 +/- 0.2 nM/-GABA; K/sub i/ = 1.37 +/- 0.11 mM/+GABA). These results were also confirmed by saturation studies in the presence or absence of GABA showing a shift to higher affinity in the presence of GABA only at 37 0 C. In Ro 15-1788/[ 3 H]TZ competition experiments the presence of GABA did not affect the inhibitory potency of Ro 15-1788 on [ 3 H]TZ binding at both temperatures. In conclusion [ 3 H]TZ binding showed an extremely high affinity for benzodiazepine receptors. In contrast to reported literature, the findings suggest that TZ interacts with benzodiazepine receptors similar to other benzodiazepine agonists

Peptides in headlock--a novel high-affinity and versatile peptide-binding nanobody for proteomics and microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Michael B; Traenkle, Bjoern; Koch, Philipp A; Emele, Felix; Weiss, Frederik; Poetz, Oliver; Stehle, Thilo; Rothbauer, Ulrich

2016-01-21

Nanobodies are highly valuable tools for numerous bioanalytical and biotechnical applications. Here, we report the characterization of a nanobody that binds a short peptide epitope with extraordinary affinity. Structural analysis reveals an unusual binding mode where the extended peptide becomes part of a β-sheet structure in the nanobody. This interaction relies on sequence-independent backbone interactions augmented by a small number of specificity-determining side chain contacts. Once bound, the peptide is fastened by two nanobody side chains that clamp it in a headlock fashion. Exploiting this unusual binding mode, we generated a novel nanobody-derived capture and detection system. Matrix-coupled nanobody enables the fast and efficient isolation of epitope-tagged proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Additionally, the fluorescently labeled nanobody visualizes subcellular structures in different cellular compartments. The high-affinity-binding and modifiable peptide tag of this system renders it a versatile and robust tool to combine biochemical analysis with microscopic studies.

The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) binds independently to both sites of the IgG homodimer with identical affinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdiche, Yasmina Noubia; Yeung, Yik Andy; Chaparro-Riggers, Javier; Barman, Ishita; Strop, Pavel; Chin, Sherman Michael; Pham, Amber; Bolton, Gary; McDonough, Dan; Lindquist, Kevin; Pons, Jaume; Rajpal, Arvind

2015-01-01

The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) is expressed by cells of epithelial, endothelial and myeloid lineages and performs multiple roles in adaptive immunity. Characterizing the FcRn/IgG interaction is fundamental to designing therapeutic antibodies because IgGs with moderately increased binding affinities for FcRn exhibit superior serum half-lives and efficacy. It has been hypothesized that 2 FcRn molecules bind an IgG homodimer with disparate affinities, yet their affinity constants are inconsistent across the literature. Using surface plasmon resonance biosensor assays that eliminated confounding experimental artifacts, we present data supporting an alternate hypothesis: 2 FcRn molecules saturate an IgG homodimer with identical affinities at independent sites, consistent with the symmetrical arrangement of the FcRn/Fc complex observed in the crystal structure published by Burmeister et al. in 1994. We find that human FcRn binds human IgG1 with an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 760 ± 60 nM (N = 14) at 25°C and pH 5.8, and shows less than 25% variation across the other human subtypes. Human IgG1 binds cynomolgus monkey FcRn with a 2-fold higher affinity than human FcRn, and binds both mouse and rat FcRn with a 10-fold higher affinity than human FcRn. FcRn/IgG interactions from multiple species show less than a 2-fold weaker affinity at 37°C than at 25°C and appear independent of an IgG's variable region. Our in vivo data in mouse and rat models demonstrate that both affinity and avidity influence an IgG's serum half-life, which should be considered when choosing animals, especially transgenic systems, as surrogates.

Enhanced change detection performance reveals improved strategy use in avid action video game players.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Kait; Fleck, Mathias S; Mitroff, Stephen R

2011-01-01

Recent research has shown that avid action video game players (VGPs) outperform non-video game players (NVGPs) on a variety of attentional and perceptual tasks. However, it remains unknown exactly why and how such differences arise; while some prior research has demonstrated that VGPs' improvements stem from enhanced basic perceptual processes, other work indicates that they can stem from enhanced attentional control. The current experiment used a change-detection task to explore whether top-down strategies can contribute to VGPs' improved abilities. Participants viewed alternating presentations of an image and a modified version of the image and were tasked with detecting and localizing the changed element. Consistent with prior claims of enhanced perceptual abilities, VGPs were able to detect the changes while requiring less exposure to the change than NVGPs. Further analyses revealed this improved change detection performance may result from altered strategy use; VGPs employed broader search patterns when scanning scenes for potential changes. These results complement prior demonstrations of VGPs' enhanced bottom-up perceptual benefits by providing new evidence of VGPs' potentially enhanced top-down strategic benefits. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of CH/π interactions in the high affinity binding of streptavidin and biotin.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozawa, Motoyasu; Ozawa, Tomonaga; Nishio, Motohiro; Ueda, Kazuyoshi

2017-08-01

The streptavidin-biotin complex has an extraordinarily high affinity (Ka: 10 15 mol -1 ) and contains one of the strongest non-covalent interactions known. This strong interaction is widely used in biological tools, including for affinity tags, detection, and immobilization of proteins. Although hydrogen bond networks and hydrophobic interactions have been proposed to explain this high affinity, the reasons for it remain poorly understood. Inspired by the deceased affinity of biotin observed for point mutations of streptavidin at tryptophan residues, we hypothesized that a CH/π interaction may also contribute to the strong interaction between streptavidin and biotin. CH/π interactions were explored and analyzed at the biotin-binding site and at the interface of the subunits by the fragment molecular orbital method (FMO) and extended applications: PIEDA and FMO4. The results show that CH/π interactions are involved in the high affinity for biotin at the binding site of streptavidin. We further suggest that the involvement of CH/π interactions at the subunit interfaces and an extended CH/π network play more critical roles in determining the high affinity, rather than involvement at the binding site. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topography of the high-affinity lysine binding site of plasminogen as defined with a specific antibody probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, L.A.; Plow, E.F.

1986-01-01

An antibody population that reacted with the high-affinity lysine binding site of human plasminogen was elicited by immunizing rabbits with an elastase degradation product containing kringles 1-3 (EDP I). This antibody was immunopurified by affinity chromatography on plasminogen-Sepharose and elution with 0.2 M 6-aminohexanoic acid. The eluted antibodies bound [ 125 I]EDP I, [ 125 I]Glu-plasminogen, and [ 125 I]Lys-plasminogen in radioimmunoassays, and binding of each ligand was at least 99% inhibited by 0.2 M 6-aminohexanoic acid. The concentrations for 50% inhibition of [ 125 I]EDP I binding by tranexamic acid, 6-aminohexanoic acid, and lysine were 2.6, 46, and l730 μM, respectively. Similar values were obtained with plasminogen and suggested that an unoccupied high-affinity lysine binding site was required for antibody recognition. The antiserum reacted exclusively with plasminogen derivatives containing the EDP I region and did not react with those lacking an EDP I region, or with tissue plasminogen activator or prothrombin, which also contains kringles. By immunoblotting analyses, a chymotryptic degradation product of M/sub r/ 20,000 was derived from EDP I that retained reactivity with the antibody. α 2 -Antiplasmin inhibited the binding of radiolabeled EDP I, Glu-plasminogen, or Lys-plasminogen by the antiserum, suggesting that the recognized site is involved in the noncovalent interaction of the inhibitor with plasminogen. The binding of [ 125 I]EDP I to fibrin was also inhibited by the antiserum. The observations provide independent evidence for the role of the high-affinity lysine binding site in the functional interactions of plasminogen with its primary substrate and inhibitor

Antibodies to phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex as an additional diagnostic marker of APS?

Science.gov (United States)

Žigon, P; Čučnik, S; Ambrožič, A; Sodin Šemrl, S; Kveder, T; Božič, B

2012-06-01

Antiprothrombin antibodies can be measured by ELISA using either a prothrombin/phosphatidylserine complex (aPS/PT) or prothrombin alone (aPT) as antigen. We aimed to compare the clinical features of autoimmune patients with avidity of aPS/PT and determine the diagnostic efficiency of aPS/PT and aPT for assessing antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). aPS/PT were of low (n = 9), heterogeneous (n = 31) and high (n = 8) avidity out of 48 cases. None of the samples with low avidity were positive in aPT ELISA. Among patients with heterogeneous or high avidity aPS/PT, there was a significantly greater number of patients with APS as compared to patients with low avidity (38/39 vs. 7/9; p < 0.05). No SLE patients had high avidity antiprothrombin antibodies.

Identification of fluorescent compounds with non-specific binding property via high throughput live cell microscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeeta Nath

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Compounds exhibiting low non-specific intracellular binding or non-stickiness are concomitant with rapid clearing and in high demand for live-cell imaging assays because they allow for intracellular receptor localization with a high signal/noise ratio. The non-stickiness property is particularly important for imaging intracellular receptors due to the equilibria involved. METHOD: Three mammalian cell lines with diverse genetic backgrounds were used to screen a combinatorial fluorescence library via high throughput live cell microscopy for potential ligands with high in- and out-flux properties. The binding properties of ligands identified from the first screen were subsequently validated on plant root hair. A correlative analysis was then performed between each ligand and its corresponding physiochemical and structural properties. RESULTS: The non-stickiness property of each ligand was quantified as a function of the temporal uptake and retention on a cell-by-cell basis. Our data shows that (i mammalian systems can serve as a pre-screening tool for complex plant species that are not amenable to high-throughput imaging; (ii retention and spatial localization of chemical compounds vary within and between each cell line; and (iii the structural similarities of compounds can infer their non-specific binding properties. CONCLUSION: We have validated a protocol for identifying chemical compounds with non-specific binding properties that is testable across diverse species. Further analysis reveals an overlap between the non-stickiness property and the structural similarity of compounds. The net result is a more robust screening assay for identifying desirable ligands that can be used to monitor intracellular localization. Several new applications of the screening protocol and results are also presented.

High-throughput bioscreening system utilizing high-performance affinity magnetic carriers exhibiting minimal non-specific protein binding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanyu, Naohiro; Nishio, Kosuke; Hatakeyama, Mamoru; Yasuno, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Toshiyuki; Tada, Masaru; Nakagawa, Takashi; Sandhu, Adarsh; Abe, Masanori; Handa, Hiroshi

2009-01-01

For affinity purification of drug target protein we have developed magnetic carriers, narrow in size distribution (184±9 nm), which exhibit minimal non-specific binding of unwanted proteins. The carriers were highly dispersed in aqueous solutions and highly resistant to organic solvents, which enabled immobilization of various hydrophobic chemicals as probes on the carrier surfaces. Utilizing the carriers we have automated the process of separation and purification of the target proteins that had been done by manual operation previously.

Cell surface receptors for signal transduction and ligand transport: a design principles study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harish Shankaran

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Receptors constitute the interface of cells to their external environment. These molecules bind specific ligands involved in multiple processes, such as signal transduction and nutrient transport. Although a variety of cell surface receptors undergo endocytosis, the systems-level design principles that govern the evolution of receptor trafficking dynamics are far from fully understood. We have constructed a generalized mathematical model of receptor-ligand binding and internalization to understand how receptor internalization dynamics encodes receptor function and regulation. A given signaling or transport receptor system represents a particular implementation of this module with a specific set of kinetic parameters. Parametric analysis of the response of receptor systems to ligand inputs reveals that receptor systems can be characterized as being: i avidity-controlled where the response control depends primarily on the extracellular ligand capture efficiency, ii consumption-controlled where the ability to internalize surface-bound ligand is the primary control parameter, and iii dual-sensitivity where both the avidity and consumption parameters are important. We show that the transferrin and low-density lipoprotein receptors are avidity-controlled, the vitellogenin receptor is consumption-controlled, and the epidermal growth factor receptor is a dual-sensitivity receptor. Significantly, we show that ligand-induced endocytosis is a mechanism to enhance the accuracy of signaling receptors rather than merely serving to attenuate signaling. Our analysis reveals that the location of a receptor system in the avidity-consumption parameter space can be used to understand both its function and its regulation.

High affinity [3H]glibenclamide binding sites in rat neuronal and cardiac tissue: Localization and developmental characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, J.A.; Velayo, N.L.; Dage, R.C.; Rampe, D.

1991-01-01

We examined the binding of the antidiabetic sulfonylurea [3H] glibenclamide to rat brain and heart membranes. High affinity binding was observed in adult rat forebrain (Kd = 137.3 pM, maximal binding site density = 91.8 fmol/mg of protein) and ventricle (Kd = 77.1 pM, maximal binding site density = 65.1 fmol/mg of protein). Binding site density increased approximately 250% in forebrain membranes during postnatal development but was constant in ventricular membranes. Quantitative autoradiography was used to examine the regional distribution of [3H] glibenclamide binding sites in sections from rat brain, spinal cord and heart. The greatest density of binding in adult brain was found in the substantia nigra and globus pallidus, whereas the other areas displayed heterogenous binding. In agreement with the membrane binding studies, 1-day-old rat brain had significantly fewer [3H]glibenclamide binding sites than adult brain. Additionally, the pattern of distribution of these sites was qualitatively different from that of the adult. In adult rat spinal cord, moderate binding densities were observed in spinal cord gray and displayed a rostral to caudal gradient. In adult rat heart, moderate binding densities were observed and the sites were distributed homogeneously. In conclusion, significant development of [3H]glibenclamide binding sites was seen in the brain but not the heart during postnatal maturation. Furthermore, a heterogeneous distribution of binding sites was observed in both the brain and spinal cord of adult rats

Identification and properties of very high affinity brain membrane-binding sites for a neurotoxic phospholipase from the taipan venom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambeau, G.; Barhanin, J.; Schweitz, H.; Qar, J.; Lazdunski, M.

1989-01-01

Four new monochain phospholipases were purified from the Oxyuranus scutellatus (taipan) venom. Three of them were highly toxic when injected into mice brain. One of these neurotoxic phospholipases, OS2, was iodinated and used in binding experiments to demonstrate the presence of two families of specific binding sites in rat brain synaptic membranes. The affinities were exceptionally high, Kd1 = 1.5 +/- 0.5 pM and Kd2 = 45 +/- 10 pM, and the maximal binding capacities were Bmax 1 = 1 +/- 0.4 and Bmax 2 = 3 +/- 0.5 pmol/mg of protein. Both binding sites were sensitive to proteolysis and demonstrated to be located on proteins of Mr 85,000-88,000 and 36,000-51,000 by cross-linking and photoaffinity labeling techniques. The binding of 125 I-OS2 to synaptic membranes was dependent on Ca2+ ions and enhanced by Zn2+ ions which inhibit phospholipase activity. Competition experiments have shown that, except for beta-bungarotoxin, a number of known toxic snake or bee phospholipases have very high affinities for the newly identified binding sites. A good correlation (r = 0.80) was observed between toxicity and affinity but not between phospholipase activity and affinity

[3]tetrahydrotrazodone binding. Association with serotonin binding sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kendall, D.A.; Taylor, D.P.; Enna, S.J.

1983-01-01

High (17 nM) and low (603 nM) affinity binding sites for [ 3 ]tetrahydrotrazodone ([ 3 ] THT), a biologically active analogue of trazodone, have been identified in rat brain membranes. The substrate specificity, concentration, and subcellular and regional distributions of these sites suggest that they may represent a component of the serotonin transmitter system. Pharmacological analysis of [ 3 ]THT binding, coupled with brain lesion and drug treatment experiments, revealed that, unlike other antidepressants, [ 3 ] THT does not attach to either a biogenic amine transporter or serotonin binding sites. Rather, it would appear that [ 3 ]THT may be an antagonist ligand for the serotonin binding site. This probe may prove of value in defining the mechanism of action of trazodone and in further characterizing serotonin receptors

Synthesis and crystal structure elucidation of new copper(II)-based chemotherapeutic agent coupled with 1,2-DACH and orthovanillin: Validated by in vitro DNA/HSA binding profile and pBR322 cleavage pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaki, Mehvash; Afzal, Mohd; Ahmad, Musheer; Tabassum, Sartaj

2016-08-01

New copper(II)-based complex (1) was synthesized and characterized by analytical, spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The in vitro binding studies of complex 1 with CT DNA and HSA have been investigated by employing biophysical techniques to examine the binding propensity of 1 towards DNA and HSA. The results showed that 1 avidly binds to CT DNA via electrostatic mode along with the hydrogen bonding interaction of NH2 and CN groups of Schiff base ligand with the base pairs of DNA helix, leads to partial unwinding and destabilization of the DNA double helix. Moreover, the CD spectral studies revealed that complex 1 binds through groove binding interaction that stabilizes the right-handed B-form of DNA. Complex 1 showed an impressive photoinduced nuclease activity generating single-strand breaks in comparison with the DNA cleavage activity in presence of visible light. The mechanistic investigation revealed the efficiency of 1 to cleave DNA strands by involving the generation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the time dependent DNA cleavage activity showed that there was gradual increase in the amount of NC DNA on increasing the photoexposure time. However, the interaction of 1 and HSA showed that the change of intrinsic fluorescence intensity of HSA was induced by the microenvironment of Trp residue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing DNA binding rate using optical trapping of high-density gold nanodisks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, En-Hung; Pan, Ming-Yang; Lee, Ming-Chang; Wei, Pei-Kuen

2014-01-01

We present the dynamic study of optical trapping of fluorescent molecules using high-density gold nanodisk arrays. The gold nanodisks were fabricated by electron beam lithography with a diameter of 500 nm and a period of 1 μm. Dark-field illumination showed ∼15 times enhancement of fluorescence near edges of nanodisks. Such enhanced near-field generated an optical trapping force of ∼10 fN under 3.58 × 10 3 W/m 2 illumination intensity as calculated from the Brownian motions of 590 nm polystyrene beads. Kinetic observation of thiolated DNA modified with Cy5 dye showed different binding rates of DNA under different illumination intensity. The binding rate increased from 2.14 × 10 3 s −1 (I = 0.7 × 10 3 W/m 2 ) to 1.15 × 10 5 s −1 (I = 3.58 × 10 3 W/m 2 ). Both enhanced fluorescence and binding rate indicate that gold nanodisks efficiently improve both detection limit and interaction time for microarrays

Chromate Binding and Removal by the Molybdate-Binding Protein ModA.

Science.gov (United States)

Karpus, Jason; Bosscher, Michael; Ajiboye, Ifedayo; Zhang, Liang; He, Chuan

2017-04-04

Effective and cheap methods and techniques for the safe removal of hexavalent chromate from the environment are in increasingly high demand. High concentrations of hexavalent chromate have been shown to have numerous harmful effects on human biology. We show that the E. coli molybdate-binding protein ModA is a genetically encoded tool capable of removing chromate from aqueous solutions. Although previously reported to not bind chromate, we show that ModA binds chromate tightly and is capable of removing chromate to levels well below current US federal standards. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Peptide Binding to HLA Class I Molecules: Homogenous, High-Throughput Screening, and Affinity Assays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harndahl, Mikkel; Justesen, Sune Frederik Lamdahl; Lamberth, Kasper

2009-01-01

, better signal-to-background ratios, and a higher capacity. They also describe an efficient approach to screen peptides for binding to HLA molecules. For the occasional user, this will serve as a robust, simple peptide-HLA binding assay. For the more dedicated user, it can easily be performed in a high-throughput...... the luminescent oxygen channeling immunoassay technology (abbreviated LOCI and commercialized as AlphaScreen (TM)). Compared with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based peptide-HLA class I binding assay, the LOCI assay yields virtually identical affinity measurements, although having a broader dynamic range...... screening mode using standard liquid handling robotics and 384-well plates. We have successfully applied this assay to more than 60 different HLA molecules, leading to more than 2 million measurements. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2009: 173-180)...

Peptides in headlock – a novel high-affinity and versatile peptide-binding nanobody for proteomics and microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Michael B.; Traenkle, Bjoern; Koch, Philipp A.; Emele, Felix; Weiss, Frederik; Poetz, Oliver; Stehle, Thilo; Rothbauer, Ulrich

2016-01-01

Nanobodies are highly valuable tools for numerous bioanalytical and biotechnical applications. Here, we report the characterization of a nanobody that binds a short peptide epitope with extraordinary affinity. Structural analysis reveals an unusual binding mode where the extended peptide becomes part of a β-sheet structure in the nanobody. This interaction relies on sequence-independent backbone interactions augmented by a small number of specificity-determining side chain contacts. Once bound, the peptide is fastened by two nanobody side chains that clamp it in a headlock fashion. Exploiting this unusual binding mode, we generated a novel nanobody-derived capture and detection system. Matrix-coupled nanobody enables the fast and efficient isolation of epitope-tagged proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Additionally, the fluorescently labeled nanobody visualizes subcellular structures in different cellular compartments. The high-affinity-binding and modifiable peptide tag of this system renders it a versatile and robust tool to combine biochemical analysis with microscopic studies. PMID:26791954

DIVERSITY in binding, regulation, and evolution revealed from high-throughput ChIP.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Sneha; Biswas, Anushua; Narlikar, Leelavati

2018-04-23

Genome-wide in vivo protein-DNA interactions are routinely mapped using high-throughput chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). ChIP-reported regions are typically investigated for enriched sequence-motifs, which are likely to model the DNA-binding specificity of the profiled protein and/or of co-occurring proteins. However, simple enrichment analyses can miss insights into the binding-activity of the protein. Note that ChIP reports regions making direct contact with the protein as well as those binding through intermediaries. For example, consider a ChIP experiment targeting protein X, which binds DNA at its cognate sites, but simultaneously interacts with four other proteins. Each of these proteins also binds to its own specific cognate sites along distant parts of the genome, a scenario consistent with the current view of transcriptional hubs and chromatin loops. Since ChIP will pull down all X-associated regions, the final reported data will be a union of five distinct sets of regions, each containing binding sites of one of the five proteins, respectively. Characterizing all five different motifs and the corresponding sets is important to interpret the ChIP experiment and ultimately, the role of X in regulation. We present diversity which attempts exactly this: it partitions the data so that each partition can be characterized with its own de novo motif. Diversity uses a Bayesian approach to identify the optimal number of motifs and the associated partitions, which together explain the entire dataset. This is in contrast to standard motif finders, which report motifs individually enriched in the data, but do not necessarily explain all reported regions. We show that the different motifs and associated regions identified by diversity give insights into the various complexes that may be forming along the chromatin, something that has so far not been attempted from ChIP data. Webserver at http://diversity.ncl.res.in/; standalone (Mac OS X/Linux) from https

Identification and properties of very high affinity brain membrane-binding sites for a neurotoxic phospholipase from the taipan venom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambeau, G.; Barhanin, J.; Schweitz, H.; Qar, J.; Lazdunski, M. (Centre de Biochimie, Nice (France))

1989-07-05

Four new monochain phospholipases were purified from the Oxyuranus scutellatus (taipan) venom. Three of them were highly toxic when injected into mice brain. One of these neurotoxic phospholipases, OS2, was iodinated and used in binding experiments to demonstrate the presence of two families of specific binding sites in rat brain synaptic membranes. The affinities were exceptionally high, Kd1 = 1.5 +/- 0.5 pM and Kd2 = 45 +/- 10 pM, and the maximal binding capacities were Bmax 1 = 1 +/- 0.4 and Bmax 2 = 3 +/- 0.5 pmol/mg of protein. Both binding sites were sensitive to proteolysis and demonstrated to be located on proteins of Mr 85,000-88,000 and 36,000-51,000 by cross-linking and photoaffinity labeling techniques. The binding of {sup 125}I-OS2 to synaptic membranes was dependent on Ca2+ ions and enhanced by Zn2+ ions which inhibit phospholipase activity. Competition experiments have shown that, except for beta-bungarotoxin, a number of known toxic snake or bee phospholipases have very high affinities for the newly identified binding sites. A good correlation (r = 0.80) was observed between toxicity and affinity but not between phospholipase activity and affinity.

Oligomeric recombinant H5 HA1 vaccine produced in bacteria protects ferrets from homologous and heterologous wild-type H5N1 influenza challenge and controls viral loads better than subunit H5N1 vaccine by eliciting high-affinity antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Swati; Dimitrova, Milena; Munjal, Ashok; Fontana, Juan; Crevar, Corey J; Carter, Donald M; Ross, Ted M; Khurana, Surender; Golding, Hana

2012-11-01

Recombinant hemagglutinin from influenza viruses with pandemic potential can be produced rapidly in various cell substrates. In this study, we compared the functionality and immunogenicity of bacterially produced oligomeric or monomeric HA1 proteins from H5N1 (A/Vietnam/1203/04) with those of the egg-based licensed subunit H5N1 (SU-H5N1) vaccine in ferrets challenged with homologous or heterologous H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza strains. Ferrets were vaccinated twice with the oligomeric or monomeric rHA1 or with SU-H5N1 (Sanofi Pasteur) emulsified with Titermax adjuvant and were challenged with wild-type homologous (A/Vietnam/1203/04; clade 1) or heterologous (A/Whooperswan/Mongolia/244/2005; clade 2.2) virus. Only the oligomeric rHA1 (not the monomeric rHA1) immunogen and the SU-H5N1 vaccine provided protection against the lethality and morbidity of homologous and heterologous highly pathogenic H5N1. Oligomeric rHA1 generated more cross-neutralizing antibodies and higher levels of serum antibody binding to HA1, with stronger avidity and a better IgG/IgM ratio, than monomeric HA1 and SU-H5N1 vaccines, as determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Importantly, viral loads after heterologous H5N1 challenge were more efficiently controlled in ferrets vaccinated with the oligomeric rHA1 immunogen than in SU-H5N1-vaccinated ferrets. The reduction of viral loads in the nasal washes correlated strongly with higher-avidity antibodies to oligomeric rHA1 derived from H5N1 clade 1 and clade 2.2 viruses, as measured by SPR. This is the first study to show the role of antibody avidity for the HA1 globular head domain in reduction of viral loads in the upper respiratory tract, which could significantly reduce viral transmission.

High- and low-affinity binding of S-citalopram to the human serotonin transporter mutated at 20 putatively important amino acid positions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plenge, Per; Wiborg, Ove

2005-01-01

of presumed importance. Binding of S-citalopram, both to the high-affinity-binding site and to the allosteric binding site, was measured in these mutants with the purpose of investigating the connection between the two binding sites. The amino acid substitutions did not introduce large changes in the two...

Mangiferin binding to serum albumin is non-saturable and induces conformational changes at high concentrations

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Freitas, P.G.; Barbosa, A.F. [Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Unifal-MG, R. Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000 Alfenas, MG (Brazil); Saraiva, L.A. [Phytochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Unifal-MG (Brazil); Camps, I. [Physics Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Unifal-MG (Brazil); Silveira, N.J.F. da [Bioinformatics Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Unifal-MG (Brazil); Veloso, M.P. [Phytochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Unifal-MG (Brazil); Santos, M.H., E-mail: poliany.santos@gmail.com [Phytochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Unifal-MG (Brazil); Schneedorf, J.M., E-mail: zemasfs@gmail.com [Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Unifal-MG, R. Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000 Alfenas, MG (Brazil)

2012-11-15

The binding interaction between mangiferin (MGF), which a natural xanthone isolated from mangoes, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied with absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and molecular modeling. The data were analyzed to assess the binding mechanism, effect of pH and ionic strength, conformational changes in the protein and electrical charge transfer involved. The MGF-BSA complex exhibited positive cooperativity with a 1:1 stoichiometry (K{sub d}=0.38 mmol L{sup -1}) for the first binding site and a non-saturable binding at high ligand concentrations. Furthermore, the data also suggest an increase in drug bioavailability in the acidic region and relatively low ionic strength values, which are close to physiological levels. The data suggest a specific electrostatic interaction together with hydrophobic effects and H-bonding displayed in MGF binding to the BSA IIA subdomain. Synchronous fluorescence spectra indicate that there are conformational changes in the polypeptide backbone upon ligand binding. Cyclic voltammetry indicates that there is an irreversible charge transfer between MGF and BSA that is modulated by diffusion on the electrode surface, where two electrons are transferred. These results can help the knowledge of the pharmacokinetic activities of natural or chemical xanthone-based drugs. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The MGF-BSA complex exhibited positive cooperativity beyond 1:1 stoichiometry. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The interaction of MGF with BSA is non-saturable at higher ligand concentration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The binding was accomplished by H-bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic forces. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The apparent binding constant for MGF-BSA was 0.38 mmol L{sup -1}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MGF binds electrostatically to BSA, different from a hydrophobic interaction to HSA.

Discovery of Radioiodinated Monomeric Anthraquinones as a Novel Class of Necrosis Avid Agents for Early Imaging of Necrotic Myocardium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qin; Yang, Shengwei; Jiang, Cuihua; Li, Jindian; Wang, Cong; Chen, Linwei; Jin, Qiaomei; Song, Shaoli; Feng, Yuanbo; Ni, Yicheng; Zhang, Jian; Yin, Zhiqi

2016-02-16

Assessment of myocardial viability is deemed necessary to aid in clinical decision making whether to recommend revascularization therapy for patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Dianthraquinones such as hypericin (Hyp) selectively accumulate in necrotic myocardium, but were unsuitable for early imaging after administration to assess myocardial viability. Since dianthraquinones can be composed by coupling two molecules of monomeric anthraquinone and the active center can be found by splitting chemical structure, we propose that monomeric anthraquinones may be effective functional groups for necrosis targetability. In this study, eight radioiodinated monomeric anthraquinones were evaluated as novel necrosis avid agents (NAAs) for imaging of necrotic myocardium. All (131)I-anthraquinones showed high affinity to necrotic tissues and (131)I-rhein emerged as the most promising compound. Infarcts were visualized on SPECT/CT images at 6 h after injection of (131)I-rhein, which was earlier than that with (131)I-Hyp. Moreover, (131)I-rhein showed satisfactory heart-to-blood, heart-to-liver and heart-to-lung ratios for obtaining images of good diagnostic quality. (131)I-rhein was a more promising "hot spot imaging" tracer for earlier visualization of necrotic myocardium than (131)I-Hyp, which supported further development of radiopharmaceuticals based on rhein for SPECT/CT ((123)I and (99m)Tc) or PET/CT imaging ((18)F and (124)I) of myocardial necrosis.

Effect of high fat and high sugar diet on insulin binding and insulin action in isolated rat adipocytes

OpenAIRE

岡﨑,悟

1987-01-01

To clarify on a cellular basis the mechanism of the diabetogenic effect of the westernized diet, insulin binding, insulin stimulated 3-o-methylglucose uptake and glucose oxidation were studied in isolated adipocytes from rats fed experimental diets : low fat-no sugar diet (energy ratio of 10% fat, 70% starch, a model of the traditional Japanese diet), high fat-high sugar diet (40% fat, 20% starch, 20% sugar, a model of the westernized diet), low fat-high sugar diet (10% fat, 50% starch, 20% s...

Cyr61/CCN1 displays high-affinity binding to the somatomedin B(1-44 domain of vitronectin.

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Ivo M B Francischetti

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Cyr61 is a member of the CCN (Cyr61, connective tissue growth, NOV family of extracellular-associated (matricellular proteins that present four distinct functional modules, namely insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP, von Willebrand factor type C (vWF, thrombospondin type 1 (TSP, and C-terminal growth factor cysteine knot (CT domain. While heparin sulphate proteoglycans reportedly mediate the interaction of Cyr61 with the matrix and cell surface, the role of other extracellular associated proteins has not been revealed.In this report, surface plasmon resonance (SPR experiments and solid-phase binding assays demonstrate that recombinant Cyr61 interacts with immobilized monomeric or multimeric vitronectin (VTNC with K(D in the nanomolar range. Notably, the binding site for Cyr61 was identified as the somatomedin B domain (SMTB(1-44 of VTNC, which mediates its interaction with PAI-1, uPAR, and integrin alphav beta3. Accordingly, PAI-1 outcompetes Cyr61 for binding to immobilized SMTB(1-44, and Cyr61 attenuates uPAR-mediated U937 adhesion to VTNC. In contrast, isothermal titration calorimetry shows that Cyr61 does not display high-affinity binding for SMTB(1-44 in solution. Nevertheless, competitive ELISA revealed that multimeric VTNC, heat-modified monomeric VTNC, or SMTB(1-44 at high concentrations attenuate Cyr61 binding to immobilized VTNC, while monomeric VTNC was ineffective. Therefore, immobilization of VTNC exposes cryptic epitopes that recognize Cyr61 with high affinity, as reported for a number of antibodies, beta-endorphin, and other molecules.The finding that Cyr61 interacts with the SMTB(1-44 domain suggests that VTNC represent a point of anchorage for CCN family members to the matrix. Results are discussed in the context of the role of CCN and VTNC in matrix biology and angiogenesis.

Peptides in headlock ? a novel high-affinity and versatile peptide-binding nanobody for proteomics and microscopy

OpenAIRE

Braun, Michael B.; Traenkle, Bjoern; Koch, Philipp A.; Emele, Felix; Weiss, Frederik; Poetz, Oliver; Stehle, Thilo; Rothbauer, Ulrich

2016-01-01

Nanobodies are highly valuable tools for numerous bioanalytical and biotechnical applications. Here, we report the characterization of a nanobody that binds a short peptide epitope with extraordinary affinity. Structural analysis reveals an unusual binding mode where the extended peptide becomes part of a ?-sheet structure in the nanobody. This interaction relies on sequence-independent backbone interactions augmented by a small number of specificity-determining side chain contacts. Once boun...

Comparison of immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoglobulin G avidity techniques for screening of anti: Toxoplasma antibodies among single serum sample pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran

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Mehrangiz Rajaii

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Congenital toxoplasmosis is that pregnant women acquire the infection during gestation; diagnosis of the acute infection during pregnancy is a complex subject of maternal toxoplasmosis. Thus, the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG and/or IgM Toxoplasma antibodies in a single serum sample drawn during gestation cannot be used to define whether the infection was recently acquired or chronic. Materials and Methods: At this cross-sectional descriptive study, sera of 391 pregnant women examined and compared. They were in an age range of 21-35 years, referred by gynecologists and infectious disease specialists, during March 2012-April 2013. They have referred, 215 (54.98%, 102 (26%, 74 (18.92% in the first, second and third trimesters of gestation, respectively. For each of them, a questionnaire was completed and serum samples were prepared in an equal condition, examined according to the procedures of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and IgG Avidity techniques. Results: We have found 111 (28.38% seronegative and 280 (71.61% seropositive cases by IIF and 124 (31.70% seronegative, 267 (68.28% seropositive cases by ELISA. The IgG avidity test confirmed 45 (69.23% and 7 (10.76% doubtful cases of IgM test in IIF and ELISA techniques. Conclusions: This study highlights how to manage pregnant women with toxoplasmosis, especially in a single serum sample condition.

Autoradiographic imaging and quantification of the high-affinity GHB binding sites in rodent brain using (3)H-HOCPCA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klein, A B; Bay, T; Villumsen, I S

2016-01-01

analogue, 3-hydroxycyclopent-1-enecarboxylic acid (HOCPCA) as a tritiated version ((3)H-HOCPCA) to radioactively label the specific GHB high-affinity binding site and gain further insight into the density, distribution and developmental profile of this protein. We show that, in low nanomolar concentrations...... brain development. Due to the high sensitivity of this radioligand, we were able to detect low levels of specific binding already at E15 in mouse brain, which increased progressively until adulthood. Collectively, we show that (3)H-HOCPCA is a highly sensitive radioligand, offering advantages over...

RBPmap: a web server for mapping binding sites of RNA-binding proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, Inbal; Kosti, Idit; Ares, Manuel; Cline, Melissa; Mandel-Gutfreund, Yael

2014-07-01

Regulation of gene expression is executed in many cases by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that bind to mRNAs as well as to non-coding RNAs. RBPs recognize their RNA target via specific binding sites on the RNA. Predicting the binding sites of RBPs is known to be a major challenge. We present a new webserver, RBPmap, freely accessible through the website http://rbpmap.technion.ac.il/ for accurate prediction and mapping of RBP binding sites. RBPmap has been developed specifically for mapping RBPs in human, mouse and Drosophila melanogaster genomes, though it supports other organisms too. RBPmap enables the users to select motifs from a large database of experimentally defined motifs. In addition, users can provide any motif of interest, given as either a consensus or a PSSM. The algorithm for mapping the motifs is based on a Weighted-Rank approach, which considers the clustering propensity of the binding sites and the overall tendency of regulatory regions to be conserved. In addition, RBPmap incorporates a position-specific background model, designed uniquely for different genomic regions, such as splice sites, 5' and 3' UTRs, non-coding RNA and intergenic regions. RBPmap was tested on high-throughput RNA-binding experiments and was proved to be highly accurate. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Predicting DNA-binding proteins and binding residues by complex structure prediction and application to human proteome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huiying Zhao

Full Text Available As more and more protein sequences are uncovered from increasingly inexpensive sequencing techniques, an urgent task is to find their functions. This work presents a highly reliable computational technique for predicting DNA-binding function at the level of protein-DNA complex structures, rather than low-resolution two-state prediction of DNA-binding as most existing techniques do. The method first predicts protein-DNA complex structure by utilizing the template-based structure prediction technique HHblits, followed by binding affinity prediction based on a knowledge-based energy function (Distance-scaled finite ideal-gas reference state for protein-DNA interactions. A leave-one-out cross validation of the method based on 179 DNA-binding and 3797 non-binding protein domains achieves a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC of 0.77 with high precision (94% and high sensitivity (65%. We further found 51% sensitivity for 82 newly determined structures of DNA-binding proteins and 56% sensitivity for the human proteome. In addition, the method provides a reasonably accurate prediction of DNA-binding residues in proteins based on predicted DNA-binding complex structures. Its application to human proteome leads to more than 300 novel DNA-binding proteins; some of these predicted structures were validated by known structures of homologous proteins in APO forms. The method [SPOT-Seq (DNA] is available as an on-line server at http://sparks-lab.org.

Synthetic LPS-Binding Polymer Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Tian

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), one of the principal components of most gram-negative bacteria's outer membrane, is a type of contaminant that can be frequently found in recombinant DNA products. Because of its strong and even lethal biological effects, selective LPS removal from bioproducts solution is of particular importance in the pharmaceutical and health care industries. In this thesis, for the first time, a proof-of-concept study on preparing LPS-binding hydrogel-like NPs through facile one-step free-radical polymerization was presented. With the incorporation of various hydrophobic (TBAm), cationic (APM, GUA) monomers and cross-linkers (BIS, PEG), a small library of NPs was constructed. Their FITC-LPS binding behaviors were investigated and compared with those of commercially available LPS-binding products. Moreover, the LPS binding selectivity of the NPs was also explored by studying the NPs-BSA interactions. The results showed that all NPs obtained generally presented higher FITC-LPS binding capacity in lower ionic strength buffer than higher ionic strength. However, unlike commercial poly-lysine cellulose and polymyxin B agarose beads' nearly linear increase of FITC-LPS binding with particle concentration, NPs exhibited serious aggregation and the binding quickly saturated or even decreased at high particle concentration. Among various types of NPs, higher FITC-LPS binding capacity was observed for those containing more hydrophobic monomers (TBAm). However, surprisingly, more cationic NPs with higher content of APM exhibited decreased FITC-LPS binding in high ionic strength conditions. Additionally, when new cationic monomer and cross-linker, GUA and PEG, were applied to replace APM and BIS, the obtained NPs showed improved FITC-LPS binding capacity at low NP concentration. But compared with APM- and BIS-containing NPs, the FITC-LPS binding capacity of GUA- and PEG-containing NPs saturated earlier. To investigate the NPs' binding to proteins, we tested the NPs

Insulin binding to individual rat skeletal muscles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koerker, D.J.; Sweet, I.R.; Baskin, D.G.

1990-01-01

Studies of insulin binding to skeletal muscle, performed using sarcolemmal membrane preparations or whole muscle incubations of mixed muscle or typical red (soleus, psoas) or white [extensor digitorum longus (EDL), gastrocnemius] muscle, have suggested that red muscle binds more insulin than white muscle. We have evaluated this hypothesis using cryostat sections of unfixed tissue to measure insulin binding in a broad range of skeletal muscles; many were of similar fiber-type profiles. Insulin binding per square millimeter of skeletal muscle slice was measured by autoradiography and computer-assisted densitometry. We found a 4.5-fold range in specific insulin tracer binding, with heart and predominantly slow-twitch oxidative muscles (SO) at the high end and the predominantly fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) muscles at the low end of the range. This pattern reflects insulin sensitivity. Evaluation of displacement curves for insulin binding yielded linear Scatchard plots. The dissociation constants varied over a ninefold range (0.26-2.06 nM). Binding capacity varied from 12.2 to 82.7 fmol/mm2. Neither binding parameter was correlated with fiber type or insulin sensitivity; e.g., among three muscles of similar fiber-type profile, the EDL had high numbers of low-affinity binding sites, whereas the quadriceps had low numbers of high-affinity sites. In summary, considerable heterogeneity in insulin binding was found among hindlimb muscles of the rat, which can be attributed to heterogeneity in binding affinities and the numbers of binding sites. It can be concluded that a given fiber type is not uniquely associated with a set of insulin binding parameters that result in high or low binding

Antioxidant mechanism of milk mineral-high-affinity iron binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, K; Cornforth, D

2007-01-01

Milk mineral (MM), a by-product of whey processing, is an effective antioxidant in meat systems, but the antioxidant mechanism has not been established. MM has been postulated to chelate iron and prevent iron-catalysis of lipid oxidation. The objective of this research was to examine this putative mechanism. MM was compared to sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), calcium phosphate monobasic (CPM), and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) to determine iron-binding capacity, sample solubility, and eluate soluble phosphorus after treating samples with a ferrous chloride standard. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was used to localize minerals on iron-treated MM particle surfaces. Histochemical staining for calcium was performed on raw and cooked ground beef samples with added MM. MM bound more iron per gram (P compounds, and was much less soluble (P iron across the MM particle surface, directly demonstrating iron binding to MM particles. Unlike other common chelating agents, such as STPP and citrate, histochemical staining demonstrated that MM remained insoluble in ground beef, even after cooking. The ability of MM to bind iron and remain insoluble may enhance its antioxidant effect by removing iron ions from solution. However, MM particles must be small and well distributed in order to adequately bind iron throughout the food system.

Interaction Entropy: A New Paradigm for Highly Efficient and Reliable Computation of Protein-Ligand Binding Free Energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Lili; Liu, Xiao; Zhang, John Z H

2016-05-04

Efficient and reliable calculation of protein-ligand binding free energy is a grand challenge in computational biology and is of critical importance in drug design and many other molecular recognition problems. The main challenge lies in the calculation of entropic contribution to protein-ligand binding or interaction systems. In this report, we present a new interaction entropy method which is theoretically rigorous, computationally efficient, and numerically reliable for calculating entropic contribution to free energy in protein-ligand binding and other interaction processes. Drastically different from the widely employed but extremely expensive normal mode method for calculating entropy change in protein-ligand binding, the new method calculates the entropic component (interaction entropy or -TΔS) of the binding free energy directly from molecular dynamics simulation without any extra computational cost. Extensive study of over a dozen randomly selected protein-ligand binding systems demonstrated that this interaction entropy method is both computationally efficient and numerically reliable and is vastly superior to the standard normal mode approach. This interaction entropy paradigm introduces a novel and intuitive conceptual understanding of the entropic effect in protein-ligand binding and other general interaction systems as well as a practical method for highly efficient calculation of this effect.

On the roles of polyvalent binding in immune recognition : perspectives in the nanoscience of immunology and the immune response to nanomedicines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorup-Jensen, Thomas

2014-01-01

Immunology often conveys the image of large molecules, either in the soluble state or in the membrane of leukocytes, forming multiple contacts with a target for actions of the immune system. Avidity names the ability of a polyvalent molecule to form multiple connections of the same kind with liga......Immunology often conveys the image of large molecules, either in the soluble state or in the membrane of leukocytes, forming multiple contacts with a target for actions of the immune system. Avidity names the ability of a polyvalent molecule to form multiple connections of the same kind...

Benzodiazepines have high-affinity binding sites and induce melanogenesis in B16/C3 melanoma cells.

OpenAIRE

Matthew, E; Laskin, J D; Zimmerman, E A; Weinstein, I B; Hsu, K C; Engelhardt, D L

1981-01-01

We found that two markers of differentiation, tyrosinase (monophenol, dihydroxyphenylalanine:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1) activity and melanin synthesis, are induced by diazepam in B16/C3 mouse melanoma cells. We also demonstrated high-affinity binding sites for [3H]diazepam in these cells by radioreceptor assay, and we visualized binding to the cell surface by fluorescence microscopy with a benzodiazepine analog conjugated to a fluorescein-labeled protein. Our studies also showed tha...

A case report of hyperfunctioning metastatic thyroid cancer and rare I-131 avid liver metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunawudhi, Anchisa; Promteangtrong, Chetsadaporn; Chotipanich, Chanisa

2016-01-01

Thyroid cancer is usually, relatively hypofunctional; most patients with thyroid cancer are clinically euthyroid. The combination of thyroid cancer and thyrotoxicosis is not common. We herein, report a case of follicular thyroid cancer with hyperfunctioning metastasis in a 43-year-old woman who presented with thyrotoxicosis, a cold right thyroid nodule, and low I-131 uptake at the thyroid bed. An additional total body scan with I-131 revealed a large radioiodine avid osteolytic bone metastasis with soft tissue masses and liver metastasis. The patient received treatment with total thyroidectomy, methimazole, and I-131 at a cumulative dose of 600 mCi along with recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone before the first I-131 treatment and palliative radiation. The patient had normal liver function test and experienced a mild degree of bone marrow suppression after I-131. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient was still alive with the progression of bone metastases but was doing well with less severe thyrotoxicosis, good ambulation, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2. Clinicians should be aware of the unusual concurrent presentation of thyrotoxicosis and thyroid cancer, a differential diagnosis in patients with thyrotoxicosis and low or normal radioiodine uptake over the neck and also potential pitfalls during radionuclide treatment

Defining immune engagement thresholds for in vivo control of virus-driven lymphoproliferation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Godinho-Silva

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Persistent infections are subject to constant surveillance by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTL. Their control should therefore depend on MHC class I-restricted epitope presentation. Many epitopes are described for γ-herpesviruses and form a basis for prospective immunotherapies and vaccines. However the quantitative requirements of in vivo immune control for epitope presentation and recognition remain poorly defined. We used Murid Herpesvirus-4 (MuHV-4 to determine for a latently expressed viral epitope how MHC class-I binding and CTL functional avidity impact on host colonization. Tracking MuHV-4 recombinants that differed only in epitope presentation, we found little latitude for sub-optimal MHC class I binding before immune control failed. By contrast, control remained effective across a wide range of T cell functional avidities. Thus, we could define critical engagement thresholds for the in vivo immune control of virus-driven B cell proliferation.

Feature Binding in Zebrafish

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P Neri

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Binding operations are primarily ascribed to cortex or similarly complex avian structures. My experiments show that the zebrafish, a lower vertebrate lacking cortex, supports visual feature binding of form and motion for the purpose of social behavior. These results challenge the notion that feature binding may require highly evolved neural structures and demonstrate that the nervous system of lower vertebrates can afford unexpectedly complex computations.

Antibody Maturation in Trypanosoma cruzi-Infected Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Marcipar, Iván S.; Risso, Marikena G.; Silber, Ariel M.; Revelli, Silvia; Marcipar, Alberto J.

2001-01-01

The study of antibody avidity changes during infection has improved the understanding of the pathologic processes involved in several infectious diseases. In some infections, like toxoplasmosis, this information is being used for diagnostic purposes. Results of the evolution of antibody avidity for different specific antigens in Trypanosome cruzi-infected rats are presented. A Western blotting technique, combined with avidity analysis to identify antigens that elicit high-avidity antibodies, is suggested. In this system, antibodies showed high avidity values only during the chronic phase of infection and only in relation to antibodies against 21-, 33-, 41-, 42-, 56-, 58-, 66-, and 72-kDa antigens. Finally, a 97-kDa T. cruzi antigen, which was recognized by high-avidity antibodies and occurred in noninfected rats, was identified. These results allow us to evaluate the different antigens in chagasic infection. Our results show that with the correct choice of antigen it is possible to detect differences in maturation of antibodies and to discriminate, in an experimental model, between recent (acute) and chronic infections. PMID:11427430

Nanoscale Synaptic Membrane Mimetic Allows Unbiased High Throughput Screen That Targets Binding Sites for Alzheimer?s-Associated A? Oligomers

OpenAIRE

Wilcox, Kyle C.; Marunde, Matthew R.; Das, Aditi; Velasco, Pauline T.; Kuhns, Benjamin D.; Marty, Michael T.; Jiang, Haoming; Luan, Chi-Hao; Sligar, Stephen G.; Klein, William L.

2015-01-01

Despite their value as sources of therapeutic drug targets, membrane proteomes are largely inaccessible to high-throughput screening (HTS) tools designed for soluble proteins. An important example comprises the membrane proteins that bind amyloid β oligomers (AβOs). AβOs are neurotoxic ligands thought to instigate the synapse damage that leads to Alzheimer's dementia. At present, the identities of initial AβO binding sites are highly uncertain, largely because of extensive protein-protein int...

Receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV spike protein induces highly potent neutralizing antibodies: implication for developing subunit vaccine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Yuxian; Zhou Yusen; Liu Shuwen; Kou Zhihua; Li Wenhui; Farzan, Michael; Jiang Shibo

2004-01-01

The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV), a type I transmembrane envelope glycoprotein, consists of S1 and S2 domains responsible for virus binding and fusion, respectively. The S1 contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that can specifically bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the receptor on target cells. Here we show that a recombinant fusion protein (designated RBD-Fc) containing 193-amino acid RBD (residues 318-510) and a human IgG1 Fc fragment can induce highly potent antibody responses in the immunized rabbits. The antibodies recognized RBD on S1 domain and completely inhibited SARS-CoV infection at a serum dilution of 1:10,240. Rabbit antisera effectively blocked binding of S1, which contains RBD, to ACE2. This suggests that RBD can induce highly potent neutralizing antibody responses and has potential to be developed as an effective and safe subunit vaccine for prevention of SARS

Potential role of combined FDG PET/CT & contrast enhancement MRI in a rectal carcinoma model with nodal metastases characterized by a poor FDG-avidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Farace, Paolo; Conti, Giamaica; Merigo, Flavia; Tambalo, Stefano; Marzola, Pasquina; Sbarbati, Andrea; Quarta, Carmelo; D'Ambrosio, Daniela; Chondrogiannis, Sotirios; Nanni, Cristina; Rubello, Domenico

2012-04-01

To investigate the additional role of MRI contrast enhancement (CE) in the primary tumor and the FDG uptake at PET in the lymph-node metastases. A model of colorectal cancer induced by orthotopic HT-29 cells microinjection, producing pelvic lymph node metastases, was assessed using CE-MRI and FDG-PET. Histology and GLUT-1 immunohistochemistry were performed on primary tumors and iliac lymph nodes. Primary tumors were characterized by low FDG-uptake but high CE-MRI, particularly at tumor periphery. Undetectable FDG-uptake characterized the metastatic lymph-nodes. Histology revealed large stromal bundles at tumor periphery and a dense network of stromal fibers and neoplastic cells in the inner portion of the tumors. Both primary tumors and positive lymph nodes showed poor GLUT-1 staining. Our data support the complementary role of MRI-CE and FDG PET in some types of carcinomas characterized by abundant cancer-associated stroma and poor FDG avidity consequent to poor GLUT-1 transported. In these tumors FDG-PET alone may be not completely adequate to obtain an adequate tumor radiotherapy planning, and a combination with dual CE-MRI is strongly recommended. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

High non-specific binding of the {beta}{sub 1}-selective radioligand 2-{sup 125}I-ICI-H

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riemann, B. [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Department of Nuclear Medicine; Law, M.P. [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Department of Nuclear Medicine; Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom). MRC Clinical Sciences Centre; Kopka, K. [Muenster Univ. (DE). Department of Nuclear Medicine] [and others

2003-08-01

Aim: As results of cardiac biopsies suggest, myocardial {beta}{sub 1}-adrenoceptor density is reduced in patients with chronic heart failure. However, changes in cardiac {beta}{sub 2}-adrenoceptors vary. With suitable radiopharmaceuticals single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) offer the opportunity to assess {beta}-adrenoceptors non-invasively. Among the novel racemic analogues of the established {beta}{sub 1}-selective adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 89.406 the iodinated 2-I-ICI-H showed high affinity and selectivity to {beta}{sub 1}-adrenoceptors in murine ventricular membranes. The aim of this study was its evaluation as a putative subtype selective {beta}{sub 1}-adrenergic radioligand in cardiac imaging. Methods: Competition studies in vitro and in vivo were used to investigate the kinetics of 2-I-ICI-H binding to cardiac {beta}-adrenoceptors in mice and rats. In addition, the radiosynthesis of 2-{sup 125}I-ICI-H from the silylated precursor 2-SiMe{sub 3}-ICI-H was established. The specific activity was 80 GBq/{mu}mol, the radiochemical yield ranged from 70 to 80%. Results: The unlabelled compound 2-I-ICI-H showed high {beta}{sub 1}-selectivity and -affinity in the in vitro competition studies. In vivo biodistribution studies apparently showed low affinity to cardiac {beta}-adrenoceptors. The radiolabelled counterpart 2-{sup 125}I-ICI-H showed a high degree of non-specific binding in vitro and no specific binding to cardiac {beta}{sub 1}-adrenoceptors in vivo. Conclusion: Because of its high non-specific binding 2-{sup 125}I-ICI-H is no suitable radiotracer for imaging in vivo. (orig.)

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase: high affinity tetrahydrophthalimide radioligand for the inhibitor/herbicide-binding site in mouse liver mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Birchfield, N B; Casida, J E

1996-01-01

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox), the last common enzyme in heme and chlorophyll biosynthesis, is the target of several classes of herbicides acting as inhibitors in both plants and mammals. N-(4-Chloro-2-fluoro-5-(propargyloxy)phenyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro phthalimide (a potent protox inhibitor referred to as THP) was synthesized as a candidate radioligand ([3H]-THP) by selective catalytic reduction of 3,6-dihydrophthalic anhydride (DHPA) with tritium gas followed by condensation in 45% yield with 4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-(propargyloxy)aniline. Insertion of tritium at the 3 and 6 carbons of DHPA as well as the expected 4 and 5 carbons resulted in high specific activity [3H]THP (92 Ci/mmol). This radioligand undergoes rapid, specific, saturable, and reversible binding to the inhibitor/herbicide binding site of the protox component of cholate-solubilized mouse liver mitochondria with an apparent Kd of 0.41 nM and Bmax of 0.40 pmol/mg of protein. In the standard assay, mouse preparation (150 micrograms of protein) and [3H]THP (0.5 nM) are incubated in 500 microL of phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 for 15 min at 25 degrees C followed by addition of ammonium sulfate and filtration with glass fiber filters. The potencies of five nitrodiphenyl ethers and two other herbicides as inhibitors of [3H]THP binding correlate well with those for inhibition of protox activity (r2 = 0.97, n = 7), thus validating the binding assay as relevant to enzyme inhibition. It is also suitable to determine in vivo block as illustrated by an approximately 50% decrease in [3H]THP binding in liver mitochondria from mice treated ip with oxyfluorfen at 4 mg/kg. This is the first report of a binding assay for protox in mammals. The high affinity and specific activity of [3H]THP facilitate quantitation of protox and therefore research on a sensitive inhibition site for porphyrin biosynthesis.

Mutational analysis of the high-affinity zinc binding site validates a refined human dopamine transporter homology model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Stockner

Full Text Available The high-resolution crystal structure of the leucine transporter (LeuT is frequently used as a template for homology models of the dopamine transporter (DAT. Although similar in structure, DAT differs considerably from LeuT in a number of ways: (i when compared to LeuT, DAT has very long intracellular amino and carboxyl termini; (ii LeuT and DAT share a rather low overall sequence identity (22% and (iii the extracellular loop 2 (EL2 of DAT is substantially longer than that of LeuT. Extracellular zinc binds to DAT and restricts the transporter's movement through the conformational cycle, thereby resulting in a decrease in substrate uptake. Residue H293 in EL2 praticipates in zinc binding and must be modelled correctly to allow for a full understanding of its effects. We exploited the high-affinity zinc binding site endogenously present in DAT to create a model of the complete transmemberane domain of DAT. The zinc binding site provided a DAT-specific molecular ruler for calibration of the model. Our DAT model places EL2 at the transporter lipid interface in the vicinity of the zinc binding site. Based on the model, D206 was predicted to represent a fourth co-ordinating residue, in addition to the three previously described zinc binding residues H193, H375 and E396. This prediction was confirmed by mutagenesis: substitution of D206 by lysine and cysteine affected the inhibitory potency of zinc and the maximum inhibition exerted by zinc, respectively. Conversely, the structural changes observed in the model allowed for rationalizing the zinc-dependent regulation of DAT: upon binding, zinc stabilizes the outward-facing state, because its first coordination shell can only be completed in this conformation. Thus, the model provides a validated solution to the long extracellular loop and may be useful to address other aspects of the transport cycle.

DNA Binding in High Salt: Analysing the Salt Dependence of Replication Protein A3 from the Halophile Haloferax volcanii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jody A. Winter

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Halophilic archaea maintain intracellular salt concentrations close to saturation to survive in high-salt environments and their cellular processes have adapted to function under these conditions. Little is known regarding halophilic adaptation of the DNA processing machinery, particularly intriguing since protein-DNA interactions are classically salt sensitive. To investigate such adaptation, we characterised the DNA-binding capabilities of recombinant RPA3 from Haloferax volcanii (HvRPA3. Under physiological salt conditions (3 M KCl, HvRPA3 is monomeric, binding 18 nucleotide ssDNA with nanomolar affinity, demonstrating that RPAs containing the single OB-fold/zinc finger architecture bind with broadly comparable affinity to two OB-fold/zinc finger RPAs. Reducing the salt concentration to 1 M KCl induces dimerisation of the protein, which retains its ability to bind DNA. On circular ssDNA, two concentration-dependent binding modes are observed. Conventionally, increased salt concentration adversely affects DNA binding but HvRPA3 does not bind DNA in 0.2 M KCl, although multimerisation may occlude the binding site. The single N-terminal OB-fold is competent to bind DNA in the absence of the C-terminal zinc finger, albeit with reduced affinity. This study represents the first quantitative characterisation of DNA binding in a halophilic protein in extreme salt concentrations.

Cartilage Acidic Protein 2 a hyperthermostable, high affinity calcium-binding protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Anjos, Liliana; Gomes, Ana S; Melo, Eduardo P; Canário, Adelino V; Power, Deborah M

2013-03-01

Cartilage Acidic Protein 2 (CRTAC2) is a novel protein present from prokaryotes to vertebrates with abundant expression in the teleost fish pituitary gland and an isoform of CRTAC1, a chondrocyte marker in humans. The two proteins are non-integrins containing N-terminal integrin-like Ca(2+)-binding motifs and their structure and function remain to be assigned. Structural studies of recombinant sea bream (sb)CRTAC2 revealed it is composed of 8.8% α-helix, 33.4% β-sheet and 57.8% unordered protein. sbCRTAC2 bound Ca(2+) with high affinity (K(d)=1.46nM) and favourable Gibbs free energy (∆G=-12.4kcal/mol). The stoichiometry for Ca(2+) bound to sbCRTAC2 at saturation indicated six Ca(2+) ligand-binding sites exist per protein molecule. No conformational change in sbCRTAC2 occurred in the presence of Ca(2+). Fluorescence emission revealed that the tertiary structure of the protein is hyperthermostable between 25°C and 95°C and the fully unfolded state is only induced by chemical denaturing (4M GndCl). sbCRTAC has a widespread tissue distribution and is present as high molecular weight aggregates, although strong reducing conditions promote formation of the monomer. sbCRTAC2 promotes epithelial cell outgrowth in vitro suggesting it may share functional homology with mammalian CRTAC1, recently implicated in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterizing low affinity epibatidine binding to α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Person Alexandra M

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Along with high affinity binding of epibatidine (Kd1≈10 pM to α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR, low affinity binding of epibatidine (Kd2≈1-10 nM to an independent binding site has been reported. Studying this low affinity binding is important because it might contribute understanding about the structure and synthesis of α4β2 nAChR. The binding behavior of epibatidine and α4β2 AChR raises a question about interpreting binding data from two independent sites with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding, both of which can affect equilibrium binding of [3H]epibatidine and α4β2 nAChR. If modeled incorrectly, ligand depletion and nonspecific binding lead to inaccurate estimates of binding constants. Fitting total equilibrium binding as a function of total ligand accurately characterizes a single site with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding. The goal of this study was to determine whether this approach is sufficient with two independent high and low affinity sites. Results Computer simulations of binding revealed complexities beyond fitting total binding for characterizing the second, low affinity site of α4β2 nAChR. First, distinguishing low-affinity specific binding from nonspecific binding was a potential problem with saturation data. Varying the maximum concentration of [3H]epibatidine, simultaneously fitting independently measured nonspecific binding, and varying α4β2 nAChR concentration were effective remedies. Second, ligand depletion helped identify the low affinity site when nonspecific binding was significant in saturation or competition data, contrary to a common belief that ligand depletion always is detrimental. Third, measuring nonspecific binding without α4β2 nAChR distinguished better between nonspecific binding and low-affinity specific binding under some circumstances of competitive binding than did presuming nonspecific binding to be residual [3H]epibatidine binding after

Characterizing low affinity epibatidine binding to α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Along with high affinity binding of epibatidine (Kd1≈10 pM) to α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), low affinity binding of epibatidine (Kd2≈1-10 nM) to an independent binding site has been reported. Studying this low affinity binding is important because it might contribute understanding about the structure and synthesis of α4β2 nAChR. The binding behavior of epibatidine and α4β2 AChR raises a question about interpreting binding data from two independent sites with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding, both of which can affect equilibrium binding of [3H]epibatidine and α4β2 nAChR. If modeled incorrectly, ligand depletion and nonspecific binding lead to inaccurate estimates of binding constants. Fitting total equilibrium binding as a function of total ligand accurately characterizes a single site with ligand depletion and nonspecific binding. The goal of this study was to determine whether this approach is sufficient with two independent high and low affinity sites. Results Computer simulations of binding revealed complexities beyond fitting total binding for characterizing the second, low affinity site of α4β2 nAChR. First, distinguishing low-affinity specific binding from nonspecific binding was a potential problem with saturation data. Varying the maximum concentration of [3H]epibatidine, simultaneously fitting independently measured nonspecific binding, and varying α4β2 nAChR concentration were effective remedies. Second, ligand depletion helped identify the low affinity site when nonspecific binding was significant in saturation or competition data, contrary to a common belief that ligand depletion always is detrimental. Third, measuring nonspecific binding without α4β2 nAChR distinguished better between nonspecific binding and low-affinity specific binding under some circumstances of competitive binding than did presuming nonspecific binding to be residual [3H]epibatidine binding after adding a large concentration of

Structural basis for high substrate-binding affinity and enantioselectivity of 3-quinuclidinone reductase AtQR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Feng; Miyakawa, Takuya; Kataoka, Michihiko; Takeshita, Daijiro; Kumashiro, Shoko; Uzura, Atsuko; Urano, Nobuyuki; Nagata, Koji; Shimizu, Sakayu; Tanokura, Masaru

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Crystal structure of AtQR has been determined at 1.72 Å. • NADH binding induces the formation of substrate binding site. • AtQR possesses a conserved hydrophobic wall for stereospecific binding of substrate. • Additional Glu197 residue is critical to the high binding affinity. - Abstract: (R)-3-Quinuclidinol, a useful compound for the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals, can be enantioselectively produced from 3-quinuclidinone by 3-quinuclidinone reductase. Recently, a novel NADH-dependent 3-quinuclidionone reductase (AtQR) was isolated from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and showed much higher substrate-binding affinity (>100 fold) than the reported 3-quinuclidionone reductase (RrQR) from Rhodotorula rubra. Here, we report the crystal structure of AtQR at 1.72 Å. Three NADH-bound protomers and one NADH-free protomer form a tetrameric structure in an asymmetric unit of crystals. NADH not only acts as a proton donor, but also contributes to the stability of the α7 helix. This helix is a unique and functionally significant part of AtQR and is related to form a deep catalytic cavity. AtQR has all three catalytic residues of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases family and the hydrophobic wall for the enantioselective reduction of 3-quinuclidinone as well as RrQR. An additional residue on the α7 helix, Glu197, exists near the active site of AtQR. This acidic residue is considered to form a direct interaction with the amine part of 3-quinuclidinone, which contributes to substrate orientation and enhancement of substrate-binding affinity. Mutational analyses also support that Glu197 is an indispensable residue for the activity

Structural basis for high substrate-binding affinity and enantioselectivity of 3-quinuclidinone reductase AtQR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Feng; Miyakawa, Takuya [Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Kataoka, Michihiko [Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai 559-8531 (Japan); Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Takeshita, Daijiro [Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Kumashiro, Shoko [Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Uzura, Atsuko [Research and Development Center, Nagase and Co., Ltd., 2-2-3 Muratani, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2241 (Japan); Urano, Nobuyuki [Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai 559-8531 (Japan); Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Nagata, Koji [Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Shimizu, Sakayu [Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Faculty of Bioenvironmental Science, Kyoto Gakuen University, Sogabe-cho, Kameoka 621-8555 (Japan); Tanokura, Masaru, E-mail: amtanok@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan)

2014-04-18

Highlights: • Crystal structure of AtQR has been determined at 1.72 Å. • NADH binding induces the formation of substrate binding site. • AtQR possesses a conserved hydrophobic wall for stereospecific binding of substrate. • Additional Glu197 residue is critical to the high binding affinity. - Abstract: (R)-3-Quinuclidinol, a useful compound for the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals, can be enantioselectively produced from 3-quinuclidinone by 3-quinuclidinone reductase. Recently, a novel NADH-dependent 3-quinuclidionone reductase (AtQR) was isolated from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and showed much higher substrate-binding affinity (>100 fold) than the reported 3-quinuclidionone reductase (RrQR) from Rhodotorula rubra. Here, we report the crystal structure of AtQR at 1.72 Å. Three NADH-bound protomers and one NADH-free protomer form a tetrameric structure in an asymmetric unit of crystals. NADH not only acts as a proton donor, but also contributes to the stability of the α7 helix. This helix is a unique and functionally significant part of AtQR and is related to form a deep catalytic cavity. AtQR has all three catalytic residues of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases family and the hydrophobic wall for the enantioselective reduction of 3-quinuclidinone as well as RrQR. An additional residue on the α7 helix, Glu197, exists near the active site of AtQR. This acidic residue is considered to form a direct interaction with the amine part of 3-quinuclidinone, which contributes to substrate orientation and enhancement of substrate-binding affinity. Mutational analyses also support that Glu197 is an indispensable residue for the activity.

Multivalent cyclic RGD ligands: influence of linker lengths on receptor binding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kubas, Holger; Schaefer, Martin; Bauder-Wuest, Ulrike; Eder, Matthias; Oltmanns, Doerte [Department of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Haberkorn, Uwe; Mier, Walter [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Eisenhut, Michael, E-mail: m.eisenhut@dkfz.d [Department of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2010-11-15

Peptides involving the RGD motive (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) recognize members of the integrin receptor family. Since the receptors are located mainly on the surface of endothelial cells, structural modifications including multimers of c(RGDfE) were recently found to improve the binding avidity for {alpha}{sub v{beta}3} integrin significantly. The multivalent RGD peptides exhibited rather loose linkages partly including oligo(ethylene glycol) spacers (EG{sub n}) with different chain lengths. Therefore, the dependence of multivalent RGD systems with and without EG{sub n} linkers were investigated on their binding properties to cultured {alpha}{sub v{beta}3} integrin-expressing U87MG cells. Methods: We synthesized a series of di-, tri- and tetravalent rigid scaffolds (terephthalic acid, trimesic acid and adamantane-1,3,5,7-tetracarboxylic acid) conjugated to c(RGDyK) ligands, which were linked contiguously or separated by the oligo(ethylene glycol) spacers. The inhibition constants of these c(RGDyK) derivatives were determined by competition assays with {sup 125}I-labeled echistatin. Results: While c(RGDyK) function is a relative weak competitor against [{sup 125}I]echistatin (K{sub i}, 329{+-}18 nM) for {alpha}{sub v{beta}3} integrin-expressing U87MG cells, RGD dimers improved the competition potency considerably (K{sub i}, 64{+-}23 nM). This effect was even more pronounced with the RGD trimers (K{sub i}, 40{+-}7 nM) and tetramers (K{sub i}, 26{+-}9 nM). The introduction of EG{sub n} spacers and the increase of linker lengths proved to be detrimental since more competitors were needed to compete with [{sup 125}I]echistatin. The EG{sub 6} group, for example, reduced the inhibition constants by 29% (dimer), 57% (trimer) and 97% (tetramer). Conclusion: The binding experiments performed with the three forms of multivalent RGD ligands indicate the weakening of competitive potency against [{sup 125}I]echistatin with the introduction of EG{sub n} spacers. This effect

CC12, a high-affinity ligand for [3H]cimetidine binding, is an improgan antagonist

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hough, L.H.; Nalwalk, J.B.; Phillips, J.R.; Kern, B.; Shan, Z.; Wentland, M.; de Esch, I.J.P.; Janssen, EA; Barr, T.; Stadel, R.

2007-01-01

Improgan, a chemical congener of cimetidine, is a highly effective non-opioid analgesic when injected into the CNS. Despite extensive characterization, neither the improgan receptor, nor a pharmacological antagonist of improgan has been previously described. Presently, the specific binding of [

Pectins from the albedo of immature lemon fruitlets have high water binding capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Schröder, Roswitha; Clark, Christopher J; Sharrock, Keith; Hallett, Ian C; MacRae, Elspeth A

2004-04-01

The white part of citrus peel, the albedo, has a special role in water relations of both fruit and leaves from early on in fruit development. In times of drought, this tissue acts as a water reservoir for juice sacs, seeds and leaves. When water was injected into the albedo, free water was undetectable using magnetic resonance imaging. Microscopy showed tightly packed cells with little intercellular space, and thick cell walls. Cell wall material comprised 21% of the fresh albedo weight, and contained 26.1% galacturonic acid, the main constituent of pectin. From this, we postulated that pectin of the cell wall was responsible for the high water-binding capacity of the immature lemon albedo. Cell wall material was extracted using mild procedures that keep polymers intact, and four pectic fractions were recovered. Of these fractions, the SDS and chelator-soluble fractions showed viscosities ten and twenty times higher than laboratory-grade citrus pectin or the other albedo-derived pectins. The yield of these two pectins represented 28% of the cell walls and 62% of the galacturonic acid content of immature lemon albedo. We concluded that, from viscosity and abundance, these types of pectin account for the high water-binding capacity of this tissue. Compositional analyses showed that the two highly viscous pectic fractions differ in galacturonic acid content, degree of branching and length of side chains from the less viscous albedo-derived pectins. The most striking feature of these highly viscous pectins, however, was their high molecular weight distribution compared to the other pectic fractions.

Irreversible blockade of the high and low affinity (3H) naloxone binding sites by C-6 derivatives of morphinane-6-ones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krizsan, D.; Varga, E.; Benyhe, S.; Szucs, M.; Borsodi, A.; Hosztafi, S.

1991-01-01

C-6 derivatives-hydrazones, phenylhydrazones, dinitrophenylhydrazones, oximes and semicarbazones - of morphinane-6-ones were synthesized and their binding characteristics were studied on rat brain membranes. The dihydromorphinone and oxymorphone derivatives compete for the ( 3 H)naloxone binding sites with high affinity, while the dihydrocodeinone and oxycodone derivatives are less potent. The affinity of the new compounds is decreased for the delta sites as compared to the parent ligands. The ligands bearing bulky substituents also bind with low affinity to the kappa sites. The modification decreased the Na + -index of compounds indicating their mixed agonist-antagonist character. The dihydromorphinone derivatives are all capable to block irreversibly the high affinity binding site of ( 3 H)naloxone, whereas the dihydrocodeinone derivatives block irreversibly the low affinity site. A possible mechanism for the inhibition is suggested

Assessing high affinity binding to HLA-DQ2.5 by a novel peptide library based approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jüse, Ulrike; Arntzen, Magnus; Højrup, Peter

2011-01-01

Here we report on a novel peptide library based method for HLA class II binding motif identification. The approach is based on water soluble HLA class II molecules and soluble dedicated peptide libraries. A high number of different synthetic peptides are competing to interact with a limited amount...... library. The eluted sequences fit very well with the previously described HLA-DQ2.5 peptide binding motif. This novel method, limited by library complexity and sensitivity of mass spectrometry, allows the analysis of several thousand synthetic sequences concomitantly in a simple water soluble format....

Agonistic Human Antibodies Binding to Lecithin-Cholesterol Acyltransferase Modulate High Density Lipoprotein Metabolism*

Science.gov (United States)

Gunawardane, Ruwanthi N.; Fordstrom, Preston; Piper, Derek E.; Masterman, Stephanie; Siu, Sophia; Liu, Dongming; Brown, Mike; Lu, Mei; Tang, Jie; Zhang, Richard; Cheng, Janet; Gates, Andrew; Meininger, David; Chan, Joyce; Carlson, Tim; Walker, Nigel; Schwarz, Margrit; Delaney, John; Zhou, Mingyue

2016-01-01

Drug discovery opportunities where loss-of-function alleles of a target gene link to a disease-relevant phenotype often require an agonism approach to up-regulate or re-establish the activity of the target gene. Antibody therapy is increasingly recognized as a favored drug modality due to multiple desirable pharmacological properties. However, agonistic antibodies that enhance the activities of the target enzymes are rarely developed because the discovery of agonistic antibodies remains elusive. Here we report an innovative scheme of discovery and characterization of human antibodies capable of binding to and agonizing a circulating enzyme lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). Utilizing a modified human LCAT protein with enhanced enzymatic activity as an immunogen, we generated fully human monoclonal antibodies using the XenoMouseTM platform. One of the resultant agonistic antibodies, 27C3, binds to and substantially enhances the activity of LCAT from humans and cynomolgus macaques. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the 2.45 Å LCAT-27C3 complex shows that 27C3 binding does not induce notable structural changes in LCAT. A single administration of 27C3 to cynomolgus monkeys led to a rapid increase of plasma LCAT enzymatic activity and a 35% increase of the high density lipoprotein cholesterol that was observed up to 32 days after 27C3 administration. Thus, this novel scheme of immunization in conjunction with high throughput screening may represent an effective strategy for discovering agonistic antibodies against other enzyme targets. 27C3 and other agonistic human anti-human LCAT monoclonal antibodies described herein hold potential for therapeutic development for the treatment of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. PMID:26644477

Binding of Multiple Features in Memory by High-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Dermot M.; Gaigg, Sebastian B.; Gardiner, John M.

2014-01-01

Diminished episodic memory and diminished use of semantic information to aid recall by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both thought to result from diminished relational binding of elements of complex stimuli. To test this hypothesis, we asked high-functioning adults with ASD and typical comparison participants to study grids in…

Occurrence of tetrodotoxin-binding high molecular weight substances in the body fluid of shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus).

Science.gov (United States)

Shiomi, K; Yamaguchi, S; Kikuchi, T; Yamamori, K; Matsui, T

1992-12-01

The shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) is highly resistant to tetrodotoxin (TTX) although it contains no detectable amount of TTX (less than 5 MU/g, where 1 MU is defined as the amount of TTX killing a 20 g mouse in 30 min). Its body fluid was examined for neutralizing effects against the lethal activity of TTX. When the mixture of the body fluid and TTX was injected i.p. into mice, the lethal activity of TTX was significantly reduced; 1 ml of the body fluid was evaluated to neutralize 3.6-4.0 MU of TTX. Higher neutralizing activity (7.2-12.5 MU/ml of the body fluid) was exhibited by i.v. administration of the body fluid into mice before or after i.p. challenge of TTX. The lethal effect of paralytic shellfish poisons was not counteracted by the body fluid. Analysis by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B revealed that the body fluid contained TTX-binding high mol. wt substances (> 2,000,000) responsible for the neutralizing activity of the body fluid against TTX, which accounts for the high resistibility of the crab to TTX. When the crude toxin extracted from the liver of puffer (Takifugu niphobles) was mixed with the body fluid and chromatographed on Sepharose 6B, almost pure TTX was obtained from the fractions containing the TTX-binding high mol. wt substances, suggesting that the TTX-binding high mol. wt substances could be useful in purification of TTX from biological samples.

Electrical storm presages nonsudden death: the antiarrhythmics versus implantable defibrillators (AVID) trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Exner, D V; Pinski, S L; Wyse, D G; Renfroe, E G; Follmann, D; Gold, M; Beckman, K J; Coromilas, J; Lancaster, S; Hallstrom, A P

2001-04-24

Electrical storm, multiple temporally related episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), is a frequent problem among recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). However, insufficient data exist regarding its prognostic significance. This analysis includes 457 patients who received an ICD in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial and who were followed for 31 +/- 13 months. Electrical storm was defined as > or = 3 separate episodes of VT/VF within 24 hours. Characteristics and survival of patients surviving electrical storm (n = 90), those with VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm (n = 184), and the remaining patients (n = 183) were compared. The 3 groups differed in terms of ejection fraction, index arrhythmia, revascularization status, and baseline medication use. Survival was evaluated using time-dependent Cox modeling. Electrical storm occurred 9.2 +/- 11.5 months after ICD implantation, and most episodes (86%) were due to VT. Electrical storm was a significant risk factor for subsequent death, independent of ejection fraction and other prognostic variables (relative risk [RR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 4.2; P = 0.003), but VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm was not (RR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7; P = 0.9). The risk of death was greatest 3 months after electrical storm (RR, 5.4; 95% Cl, 2.4 to 12.3; P = 0.0001) and diminished beyond this time (RR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0 to 3.6; P=0.04). Electrical storm is an important, independent marker for subsequent death among ICD recipients, particularly in the first 3 months after its occurrence. However, the development of VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of subsequent death.

High-affinity DNA-binding Domains of Replication Protein A (RPA) Direct SMARCAL1-dependent Replication Fork Remodeling*

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Bhat, Kamakoti P.; Bétous, Rémy; Cortez, David

2015-01-01

SMARCAL1 catalyzes replication fork remodeling to maintain genome stability. It is recruited to replication forks via an interaction with replication protein A (RPA), the major ssDNA-binding protein in eukaryotic cells. In addition to directing its localization, RPA also activates SMARCAL1 on some fork substrates but inhibits it on others, thereby conferring substrate specificity to SMARCAL1 fork-remodeling reactions. We investigated the mechanism by which RPA regulates SMARCAL1. Our results indicate that although an interaction between SMARCAL1 and RPA is essential for SMARCAL1 activation, the location of the interacting surface on RPA is not. Counterintuitively, high-affinity DNA binding of RPA DNA-binding domain (DBD) A and DBD-B near the fork junction makes it easier for SMARCAL1 to remodel the fork, which requires removing RPA. We also found that RPA DBD-C and DBD-D are not required for SMARCAL1 regulation. Thus, the orientation of the high-affinity RPA DBDs at forks dictates SMARCAL1 substrate specificity. PMID:25552480

High-affinity DNA-binding domains of replication protein A (RPA) direct SMARCAL1-dependent replication fork remodeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, Kamakoti P; Bétous, Rémy; Cortez, David

2015-02-13

SMARCAL1 catalyzes replication fork remodeling to maintain genome stability. It is recruited to replication forks via an interaction with replication protein A (RPA), the major ssDNA-binding protein in eukaryotic cells. In addition to directing its localization, RPA also activates SMARCAL1 on some fork substrates but inhibits it on others, thereby conferring substrate specificity to SMARCAL1 fork-remodeling reactions. We investigated the mechanism by which RPA regulates SMARCAL1. Our results indicate that although an interaction between SMARCAL1 and RPA is essential for SMARCAL1 activation, the location of the interacting surface on RPA is not. Counterintuitively, high-affinity DNA binding of RPA DNA-binding domain (DBD) A and DBD-B near the fork junction makes it easier for SMARCAL1 to remodel the fork, which requires removing RPA. We also found that RPA DBD-C and DBD-D are not required for SMARCAL1 regulation. Thus, the orientation of the high-affinity RPA DBDs at forks dictates SMARCAL1 substrate specificity. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Primary Nocardia Infection Causing a Fluorodeoxyglucose-Avid Right Renal Mass in a Redo Lung Transplant Recipient

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Sreeja Biswas Roy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Immunosuppression after lung transplantation may increase susceptibility to opportunistic infection and is associated with early and delayed deaths in lung transplant recipients. Factors that may predispose lung transplant recipients to opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections include prolonged corticosteroid use, renal impairment, treatment of acute rejection, and post-transplant diabetes mellitus. We present a unique case of a 63-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus who underwent redo lung transplantation. Three years after her right-sided single redo lung transplant, she presented with right-sided abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Upon examination, computed tomography showed a 4.5 × 3.3 cm heterogeneous, enhancing right renal mass with a patent renal vein. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a T1/T2 hypointense, diffusion-restricting, right mid-renal mass that was fluorodeoxyglucose-avid on positron emission tomography. We initially suspected primary renal cell carcinoma. However, after a right nephrectomy, no evidence of neoplasia was observed; instead, a renal abscess containing filamentous bacteria was noted, raising suspicion for infection of the Nocardia species. Special stains confirmed a diagnosis of Nocardia renal abscess. Computed tomography of the chest and brain revealed no lesions consistent with infection. We initiated a long-term therapeutic regimen of anti-Nocardia therapy with imipenem and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Potential role of combined FDG PET/CT and contrast enhancement MRI in a rectal carcinoma model with nodal metastases characterized by a poor FDG-avidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farace, Paolo; Conti, Giamaica; Merigo, Flavia; Tambalo, Stefano; Marzola, Pasquina; Sbarbati, Andrea; Quarta, Carmelo; D’Ambrosio, Daniela; Chondrogiannis, Sotirios; Nanni, Cristina; Rubello, Domenico

2012-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the additional role of MRI contrast enhancement (CE) in the primary tumor and the FDG uptake at PET in the lymph-node metastases. Materials and methods: A model of colorectal cancer induced by orthotopic HT-29 cells microinjection, producing pelvic lymph node metastases, was assessed using CE-MRI and FDG-PET. Histology and GLUT-1 immunohistochemistry were performed on primary tumors and iliac lymph nodes. Results: Primary tumors were characterized by low FDG-uptake but high CE-MRI, particularly at tumor periphery. Undetectable FDG-uptake characterized the metastatic lymph-nodes. Histology revealed large stromal bundles at tumor periphery and a dense network of stromal fibers and neoplastic cells in the inner portion of the tumors. Both primary tumors and positive lymph nodes showed poor GLUT-1 staining. Conclusion: Our data support the complementary role of MRI-CE and FDG PET in some types of carcinomas characterized by abundant cancer-associated stroma and poor FDG avidity consequent to poor GLUT-1 transported. In these tumors FDG-PET alone may be not completely adequate to obtain an adequate tumor radiotherapy planning, and a combination with dual CE-MRI is strongly recommended.

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women: high seroprevalence and risk factors in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Science.gov (United States)

Doudou, Yobi; Renaud, Piarroux; Coralie, L'Ollivier; Jacqueline, Franck; Hypolite, Situakibanza; Hypolite, Muhindo; Patrick, Mitashi; Andreia, Inocêncio da Luz Raquel; Van Sprundel, Marc; Marleen, Boelaert; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Pascal, Lutumba

2014-01-01

To determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, as well as the proportion of acutely infected and risk factors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thirty maternities in Kinshasa were randomly selected and women attending antenatal consultation were invited to participate. They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire about known risk factors (age, meat consumption, contact with soil, and presence of cat) and a venous blood sample was taken. Sera were analysed for total immunoglobulins (Ig) by VIDAS Toxo Competition using Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay. IgM was determined by VIDIA Toxo IgM and IgG avidity by VIDAS Toxo IgG avidity. A total of 781 women were included. Median age was 28 years old (IQR: 8.5). And 627 women (80.3%; 95% CI: 77.5-83.1) were found to be positive to total Ig and 17 out of 387 (4.4%; 95% CI: 2.3-6.4) were positive to IgM. IgG avidity was low for 2 (11.8%) women, intermediate for 2 (11.8%) and high for 13 women (76.4%). There was no statistically significant association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and any risk factors assessed. In Kinshasa, toxoplasmosis endemicity is highly prevalent. One woman out of twenty five had a recent toxoplasmosis infection and 20% were not protected against primo-infection, indicating a need for measures to prevent and control toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Copyright © 2014 Asian Pacific Tropical Biomedical Magazine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative studies of vertebrate scavenger receptor class B type 1: a high-density lipoprotein binding protein

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Holmes RS

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Roger S Holmes,1,2 Laura A Cox11Department of Genetics and Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA; 2School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, AustraliaAbstract: Scavenger receptor class B type 1 protein (SCARB1 plays an essential role in cholesterol homeostasis and functions in binding high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL in liver and other tissues of the body. SCARB1 also functions in lymphocyte homeostasis and in the uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV by the liver. A genetic deficiency of this protein results in autoimmune disorders and significant changes in blood cholesterol phenotype. Comparative SCARB1 amino acid sequences and structures and SCARB1 gene locations were examined using data from several vertebrate genome projects. Vertebrate SCARB1 sequences shared 50%–99% identity as compared with 28%–31% sequence identities with other CD36-like superfamily members, ie, SCARB2 and SCARB3 (also called CD36. At least eight N-glycosylation sites were conserved among most of the vertebrate SCARB1 proteins examined. Sequence alignments, key amino acid residues, and conserved predicted secondary structures were also studied, including: cytoplasmic, transmembrane, and exoplasmic sequences; conserved N-terminal and C-terminal transmembrane glycines which participate in oligomer formation; conserved cystine disulfides and a free SH residue which participates in lipid transport; carboxyl terminal PDZ-binding domain sequences (Ala507-Arg/Lys508-Leu509; and 30 conserved proline and 18 conserved glycine residues, which may contribute to short loop formation within the exoplasmic HDL-binding sequence. Vertebrate SCARB1 genes usually contained 12 coding exons. The human SCARB1 gene contained CpG islands, micro RNA binding sites, and several transcription factor binding sites (including PPARG which may contribute to the high level (13.7 times

Entrapment of alpha1-acid glycoprotein in high-performance affinity columns for drug-protein binding studies.

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Bi, Cong; Jackson, Abby; Vargas-Badilla, John; Li, Rong; Rada, Giana; Anguizola, Jeanethe; Pfaunmiller, Erika; Hage, David S

2016-05-15

A slurry-based method was developed for the entrapment of alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) for use in high-performance affinity chromatography to study drug interactions with this serum protein. Entrapment was achieved based on the physical containment of AGP in hydrazide-activated porous silica supports and by using mildly oxidized glycogen as a capping agent. The conditions needed for this process were examined and optimized. When this type of AGP column was used in binding studies, the association equilibrium constant (Ka) measured by frontal analysis at pH 7.4 and 37°C for carbamazepine with AGP was found to be 1.0 (±0.5)×10(5)M(-1), which agreed with a previously reported value of 1.0 (±0.1)×10(5)M(-1). Binding studies based on zonal elution were conducted for several other drugs with such columns, giving equilibrium constants that were consistent with literature values. An entrapped AGP column was also used in combination with a column containing entrapped HSA in a screening assay format to compare the binding of various drugs to AGP and HSA. These results also agreed with previous data that have been reported in literature for both of these proteins. The same entrapment method could be extended to other proteins and to the investigation of additional types of drug-protein interactions. Potential applications include the rapid quantitative analysis of biological interactions and the high-throughput screening of drug candidates for their binding to a given protein. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[3H]cytisine binding to nicotinic cholinergic receptors in brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pabreza, L.A.; Dhawan, S.; Kellar, K.J.

1991-01-01

Cytisine, a ganglionic agonist, competes with high affinity for brain nicotinic cholinergic receptors labeled by any of several nicotinic 3 H-agonist ligands. Here we have examined the binding of [ 3 H]cytisine in rat brain homogenates. [ 3 H]Cytisine binds with high affinity (Kd less than 1 nM), and specific binding represented 60-90% of total binding at all concentrations examined up to 15 nM. The nicotinic cholinergic agonists nicotine, acetylcholine, and carbachol compete with high affinity for [ 3 H]cytisine binding sites, whereas among nicotinic receptor antagonists only dihydro-beta-erythroidine competes with high affinity (in the nanomolar range). Comparison of binding in several brain regions showed that [ 3 H]cytisine binding is higher in the thalamus, striatum, and cortex than in the hippocampus, cerebellum, or hypothalamus. The pharmacology and brain regional distribution of [ 3 H]cytisine binding sites are those predicted for neuronal nicotinic receptor agonist recognition sites. The high affinity and low nonspecific binding of [ 3 H]cytisine should make it a very useful ligand for studying neuronal nicotinic receptors

Protein binding of psychotropic agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, H.A.

1990-01-01

Based upon fluorescence measurements, protein binding of some psychotropic agents (chlorpromazine, promethazine, and trifluoperazine) to human IgG and HSA was studied in aqueous cacodylate buffer, PH7. The interaction parameters determined from emission quenching of the proteins. The interaction parameters determined include the equilibrium constant (K), calculated from equations derived by Borazan and coworkers, the number of binding sites (n) available to the monomer molecules on a single protein molecule. The results revealed a high level of affinity, as reflected by high values of K, and the existence of specific binding sites, since a limited number of n values are obtained. 39 tabs.; 37 figs.; 83 refs

Mechanisms of zinc binding to the solute-binding protein AztC and transfer from the metallochaperone AztD.

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Neupane, Durga P; Avalos, Dante; Fullam, Stephanie; Roychowdhury, Hridindu; Yukl, Erik T

2017-10-20

Bacteria can acquire the essential metal zinc from extremely zinc-limited environments by using ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. These transporters are critical virulence factors, relying on specific and high-affinity binding of zinc by a periplasmic solute-binding protein (SBP). As such, the mechanisms of zinc binding and release among bacterial SBPs are of considerable interest as antibacterial drug targets. Zinc SBPs are characterized by a flexible loop near the high-affinity zinc-binding site. The function of this structure is not always clear, and its flexibility has thus far prevented structural characterization by X-ray crystallography. Here, we present intact structures for the zinc-specific SBP AztC from the bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans in the zinc-bound and apo-states. A comparison of these structures revealed that zinc loss prompts significant structural rearrangements, mediated by the formation of a sodium-binding site in the apo-structure. We further show that the AztC flexible loop has no impact on zinc-binding affinity, stoichiometry, or protein structure, yet is essential for zinc transfer from the metallochaperone AztD. We also found that 3 His residues in the loop appear to temporarily coordinate zinc and then convey it to the high-affinity binding site. Thus, mutation of any of these residues to Ala abrogated zinc transfer from AztD. Our structural and mechanistic findings conclusively identify a role for the AztC flexible loop in zinc acquisition from the metallochaperone AztD, yielding critical insights into metal binding by AztC from both solution and AztD. These proteins are highly conserved in human pathogens, making this work potentially useful for the development of novel antibiotics. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Acylated heptapeptide binds albumin with high affinity and application as tag furnishes long-acting peptides.

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Zorzi, Alessandro; Middendorp, Simon J; Wilbs, Jonas; Deyle, Kaycie; Heinis, Christian

2017-07-17

The rapid renal clearance of peptides in vivo limits this attractive platform for the treatment of a broad range of diseases that require prolonged drug half-lives. An intriguing approach for extending peptide circulation times works through a 'piggy-back' strategy in which peptides bind via a ligand to the long-lived serum protein albumin. In accordance with this strategy, we developed an easily synthesized albumin-binding ligand based on a peptide-fatty acid chimera that has a high affinity for human albumin (K d =39 nM). This ligand prolongs the elimination half-life of cyclic peptides in rats 25-fold to over seven hours. Conjugation to a peptide factor XII inhibitor developed for anti-thrombotic therapy extends the half-life from 13 minutes to over five hours, inhibiting coagulation for eight hours in rabbits. This high-affinity albumin ligand could potentially extend the half-life of peptides in human to several days, substantially broadening the application range of peptides as therapeutics.

Acylated heptapeptide binds albumin with high affinity and application as tag furnishes long-acting peptides

Science.gov (United States)

Zorzi, Alessandro; Middendorp, Simon J.; Wilbs, Jonas; Deyle, Kaycie; Heinis, Christian

2017-07-01

The rapid renal clearance of peptides in vivo limits this attractive platform for the treatment of a broad range of diseases that require prolonged drug half-lives. An intriguing approach for extending peptide circulation times works through a `piggy-back' strategy in which peptides bind via a ligand to the long-lived serum protein albumin. In accordance with this strategy, we developed an easily synthesized albumin-binding ligand based on a peptide-fatty acid chimera that has a high affinity for human albumin (Kd=39 nM). This ligand prolongs the elimination half-life of cyclic peptides in rats 25-fold to over seven hours. Conjugation to a peptide factor XII inhibitor developed for anti-thrombotic therapy extends the half-life from 13 minutes to over five hours, inhibiting coagulation for eight hours in rabbits. This high-affinity albumin ligand could potentially extend the half-life of peptides in human to several days, substantially broadening the application range of peptides as therapeutics.

Specific insulin binding in bovine chromaffin cells; demonstration of preferential binding to adrenalin-storing cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serck-Hanssen, G.; Soevik, O.

1987-01-01

Insulin binding was studied in subpopulations of bovine chromaffin cells enriched in adrenalin-producing cells (A-cells) or noradrenalin-producing cells (NA-cells). Binding of 125 I-insulin was carried out at 15 0 C for 3 hrs in the absence or presence of excess unlabeled hormone. Four fractions of cells were obtained by centrifugation on a stepwise bovine serum albumin gradient. The four fractions were all shown to bind insulin in a specific manner and the highest binding was measured in the cell layers of higher densities, containing mainly A-cells. The difference in binding of insulin to the four subpopulations of chromaffin cells seemed to be related to differences in numbers of receptors as opposed to receptor affinities. The authors conclude that bovine chromaffin cells possess high affinity binding sites for insulin and that these binding sites are mainly confined to A-cells. 24 references, 2 figures, 1 table

{sup 18}F-FDG-Avid Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum Presenting as a Subtle Filling Defect on Maximum Intensity Projection Image: Report of a Case

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahk, Yong Whee; Lee, Kwang Chan [SungAe General Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2009-04-15

{sup 18}F-FDG avid polypoid or tumefacient carcinomas of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract including the rectum are characteristically featured on PET-CT as an intraluminal tumor surrounded by completely or partially cleared background. However, the carcinomas of intramural or sessile variant may not so easily be detected especially when tumors are obliterated by feces or mucus retained in the host bowel loop. Recently, we observed a case of cauliflower-like adenocarcinoma of the rectum that was diagnosed by noting a subtle, flat filling defect created against the background of 'black' feces-mucus filled rectum. To our knowledge such a 'filling defect' produced by sessile tumor has not previously been reported as a useful diagnostic sign of GI tract carcinoma on PET-CT.

DNA-Aptamers Binding Aminoglycoside Antibiotics

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Nadia Nikolaus

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Aptamers are short, single stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that are able to bind specifically and with high affinity to their non-nucleic acid target molecules. This binding reaction enables their application as biorecognition elements in biosensors and assays. As antibiotic residues pose a problem contributing to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and thereby reducing the effectiveness of the drug to fight human infections, we selected aptamers targeted against the aminoglycoside antibiotic kanamycin A with the aim of constructing a robust and functional assay that can be used for water analysis. With this work we show that aptamers that were derived from a Capture-SELEX procedure targeting against kanamycin A also display binding to related aminoglycoside antibiotics. The binding patterns differ among all tested aptamers so that there are highly substance specific aptamers and more group specific aptamers binding to a different variety of aminoglycoside antibiotics. Also the region of the aminoglycoside antibiotics responsible for aptamer binding can be estimated. Affinities of the different aptamers for their target substance, kanamycin A, are measured with different approaches and are in the micromolar range. Finally, the proof of principle of an assay for detection of kanamycin A in a real water sample is given.

High-mobility group (HMG) protein HMG-1 and TATA-binding protein-associated factor TAF(II)30 affect estrogen receptor-mediated transcriptional activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Verrier, C S; Roodi, N; Yee, C J; Bailey, L R; Jensen, R A; Bustin, M; Parl, F F

1997-07-01

The estrogen receptor (ER) belongs to a family of ligand-inducible nuclear receptors that exert their effects by binding to cis-acting DNA elements in the regulatory region of target genes. The detailed mechanisms by which ER interacts with the estrogen response element (ERE) and affects transcription still remain to be elucidated. To study the ER-ERE interaction and transcription initiation, we employed purified recombinant ER expressed in both the baculovirus-Sf9 and his-tagged bacterial systems. The effect of high-mobility group (HMG) protein HMG-1 and purified recombinant TATA-binding protein-associated factor TAF(II)30 on ER-ERE binding and transcription initiation were assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and in vitro transcription from an ERE-containing template (pERE2LovTATA), respectively. We find that purified, recombinant ER fails to bind to ERE in spite of high ligand-binding activity and electrophoretic and immunological properties identical to ER in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. HMG-1 interacts with ER and promotes ER-ERE binding in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The effectiveness of HMG-1 to stimulate ER-ERE binding in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay depends on the sequence flanking the ERE consensus as well as the position of the latter in the oligonucleotide. We find that TAF(II)30 has no effect on ER-ERE binding either alone or in combination with ER and HMG-1. Although HMG-1 promotes ER-ERE binding, it fails to stimulate transcription initiation either in the presence or absence of hormone. In contrast, TAF(II)30, while not affecting ER-ERE binding, stimulates transcription initiation 20-fold in the presence of HMG-1. These results indicate that HMG-1 and TAF(II)30 act in sequence, the former acting to promote ER-ERE binding followed by the latter to stimulate transcription initiation.

Sugar-Binding Profiles of Chitin-Binding Lectins from the Hevein Family: A Comprehensive Study

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Yoko Itakura

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Chitin-binding lectins form the hevein family in plants, which are defined by the presence of single or multiple structurally conserved GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine-binding domains. Although they have been used as probes for chito-oligosaccharides, their detailed specificities remain to be investigated. In this study, we analyzed six chitin-binding lectins, DSA, LEL, PWM, STL, UDA, and WGA, by quantitative frontal affinity chromatography. Some novel features were evident: WGA showed almost comparable affinity for pyridylaminated chitotriose and chitotetraose, while LEL and UDA showed much weaker affinity, and DSA, PWM, and STL had no substantial affinity for the former. WGA showed selective affinity for hybrid-type N-glycans harboring a bisecting GlcNAc residue. UDA showed extensive binding to high-mannose type N-glycans, with affinity increasing with the number of Man residues. DSA showed the highest affinity for highly branched N-glycans consisting of type II LacNAc (N-acetyllactosamine. Further, multivalent features of these lectins were investigated by using glycoconjugate and lectin microarrays. The lectins showed substantial binding to immobilized LacNAc as well as chito-oligosaccharides, although the extents to which they bound varied among them. WGA showed strong binding to heavily sialylated glycoproteins. The above observations will help interpret lectin-glycoprotein interactions in histochemical studies and glyco-biomarker investigations.

RBscore&NBench: a high-level web server for nucleic acid binding residues prediction with a large-scale benchmarking database.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Zhichao; Westhof, Eric

2016-07-08

RBscore&NBench combines a web server, RBscore and a database, NBench. RBscore predicts RNA-/DNA-binding residues in proteins and visualizes the prediction scores and features on protein structures. The scoring scheme of RBscore directly links feature values to nucleic acid binding probabilities and illustrates the nucleic acid binding energy funnel on the protein surface. To avoid dataset, binding site definition and assessment metric biases, we compared RBscore with 18 web servers and 3 stand-alone programs on 41 datasets, which demonstrated the high and stable accuracy of RBscore. A comprehensive comparison led us to develop a benchmark database named NBench. The web server is available on: http://ahsoka.u-strasbg.fr/rbscorenbench/. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Labelling of pneumococcal penicillin-binding proteins with [3H]propionyl-ampicillin. A rapid method for monitoring penicillin-binding activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakenbeck, R.; Kohiyama, M.

1982-01-01

Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are membrane components ubiquitous to all bacteria examined so far. Some of them are present in only a few copies per cell. The conventional method of visualizing these proteins consists in binding of radioactive penicillin to the fractions containing PBPs followed by SDS-PAGE and finally fluorography. Although this procedure is laborious, it is necessary for the determination of the identity as well as for the quantification of each PBP. On the other hand, when penicillin-binding conditions are to be examined or binding activity has to be followed through fractionation and purification of PBPs, no fast monitoring device for these proteins has been available. The authors developed a rapid and easy assay for penicillin-binding activity with a filter-binding technique using [ 3 H]propionyl ampicillin ( 3 H-PA) of high specific activity. As little 2μg of crude membranes obtained from the highly penicillin-sensitive, β-lactamase-negative organism Streptococcus pneumoniae, are sufficient to detect binding activity. In this paper they describe optimum conditions for the assay of PBPs and show that this binding activity correlates with the presence of native penicillin-binding proteins. (Auth.)

High density of benzodiazepine binding sites in the substantia innominata of the rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarter, M.; Schneider, H.H.

1988-01-01

In order to study the neuronal basis of the pharmacological interactions between benzodiazepine receptor ligands and cortical cholinergic turnover, we examined the regional distribution of specific benzodiazepine binding sites using in vitro autoradiography. In the basal forebrain, the substantia innominata contained a high density of [ 3 H]lormetazepam (LMZ) binding sites (Bmax = 277 fmol/mg tissue; Kd = 0.55 nM). The label could be displaced by diazepam (IC50 = 100 nM), the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist beta-carboline ZK 93426 (45 nM) and the partial inverse agonist beta-carboline FG 7142 (540 nM). It is hypothesized that the amnesic effects of benzodiazepine receptor agonists are exerted through benzodiazepine receptors which are situated on cholinergic neurons in the substantia innominata and are involved in a tonic inhibition of cortical acetylcholine release. The benzodiazepine receptor antagonist ZK 93426 may exert its nootropic effects via benzodiazepine receptors in the substantia innominata and, consequently, by disinhibiting cortical acetylcholine release

Recent improvements to Binding MOAD: a resource for protein–ligand binding affinities and structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Aqeel; Smith, Richard D.; Clark, Jordan J.; Dunbar, James B.; Carlson, Heather A.

2015-01-01

For over 10 years, Binding MOAD (Mother of All Databases; http://www.BindingMOAD.org) has been one of the largest resources for high-quality protein–ligand complexes and associated binding affinity data. Binding MOAD has grown at the rate of 1994 complexes per year, on average. Currently, it contains 23 269 complexes and 8156 binding affinities. Our annual updates curate the data using a semi-automated literature search of the references cited within the PDB file, and we have recently upgraded our website and added new features and functionalities to better serve Binding MOAD users. In order to eliminate the legacy application server of the old platform and to accommodate new changes, the website has been completely rewritten in the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) environment. The improved user interface incorporates current third-party plugins for better visualization of protein and ligand molecules, and it provides features like sorting, filtering and filtered downloads. In addition to the field-based searching, Binding MOAD now can be searched by structural queries based on the ligand. In order to remove redundancy, Binding MOAD records are clustered in different families based on 90% sequence identity. The new Binding MOAD, with the upgraded platform, features and functionalities, is now equipped to better serve its users. PMID:25378330

Five of Five VHHs Neutralizing Poliovirus Bind the Receptor-Binding Site.

Science.gov (United States)

Strauss, Mike; Schotte, Lise; Thys, Bert; Filman, David J; Hogle, James M

2016-01-13

Nanobodies, or VHHs, that recognize poliovirus type 1 have previously been selected and characterized as candidates for antiviral agents or reagents for standardization of vaccine quality control. In this study, we present high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions of poliovirus with five neutralizing VHHs. All VHHs bind the capsid in the canyon at sites that extensively overlap the poliovirus receptor-binding site. In contrast, the interaction involves a unique (and surprisingly extensive) surface for each of the five VHHs. Five regions of the capsid were found to participate in binding with all five VHHs. Four of these five regions are known to alter during the expansion of the capsid associated with viral entry. Interestingly, binding of one of the VHHs, PVSS21E, resulted in significant changes of the capsid structure and thus seems to trap the virus in an early stage of expansion. We describe the cryo-electron microscopy structures of complexes of five neutralizing VHHs with the Mahoney strain of type 1 poliovirus at resolutions ranging from 3.8 to 6.3Å. All five VHHs bind deep in the virus canyon at similar sites that overlap extensively with the binding site for the receptor (CD155). The binding surfaces on the VHHs are surprisingly extensive, but despite the use of similar binding surfaces on the virus, the binding surface on the VHHs is unique for each VHH. In four of the five complexes, the virus remains essentially unchanged, but for the fifth there are significant changes reminiscent of but smaller in magnitude than the changes associated with cell entry, suggesting that this VHH traps the virus in a previously undescribed early intermediate state. The neutralizing mechanisms of the VHHs and their potential use as quality control agents for the end game of poliovirus eradication are discussed. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Dual time point FDG PET imaging in evaluating pulmonary nodules with low FDG avidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiang; Zhao Jinhua; Song Jianhua; Xing Yan; Wang Taisong; Qiao Wenli

2010-01-01

A standardized uptake value (SUV) of 2.5 is frequently used as criteria to evaluate pulmonary lesions. However, false results may occur. Some studies have shown the usefulness of delayed PET for improving accuracy, while others recently have shown fewer promising results. This study was designed to investigate the accuracy of dual time point (DTP) FDG PET imaging in the evaluation of pulmonary lesions with an initial SUV less than 2.5. DTP FDG PET studies were conducted about 1 and 2 hours after FDG injection, and pulmonary lesions with an initial SUV less than 2.5 were identified. Nodules with pathologic results or imaging follow up were included. The differences in SUV and retention index (RI) between benign and malignant pulmonary lesions were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminating validity of SUV and RI. 51 lesions were finally included. A RI greater than 0% was observed in 64% of the benign lesions; 56% had a RI greater than 10%. Among the malignancies, 80.8% had a RI greater than 0%, and 61.5% had a RI greater than 10%. We found no significant differences in SUV and RI between benign and malignant lesions. The area under the ROC curve did not differ from 0.5 whether using SUV or the retention index. Utilizing a SUV increase of 10%, the sensitivity was 61.5%, specificity 44% and accuracy was 52.9%. Dual time point FDG PET may not be of benefit in the evaluation of pulmonary nodules with low FDG avidity. (authors)

Mapping of barley alpha-amylases and outer subsite mutants reveals dynamic high-affinity subsites and barriers in the long substrate binding cleft

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kandra, L.; Abou Hachem, Maher; Gyemant, G.

2006-01-01

Subsite affinity maps of long substrate binding clefts in barley alpha-amylases, obtained using a series of maltooligosaccharides of degree of polymerization of 3-12, revealed unfavorable binding energies at the internal subsites -3 and -5 and at subsites -8 and +3/+4 defining these subsites...... as binding barriers. Barley a-amylase I mutants Y105A and T212Y at subsite -6 and +4 resulted in release or anchoring of bound substrate, thus modifying the affinities of other high-affinity subsites (-2 and +2) and barriers. The double mutant Y105A-T212Y displayed a hybrid subsite affinity profile......, converting barriers to binding areas. These findings highlight the dynamic binding energy distribution and the versatility of long maltooligosaccharide derivatives in mapping extended binding clefts in a-amylases....

High-throughput screening identifies small molecules that bind to the RAS:SOS:RAS complex and perturb RAS signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Michael C; Howes, Jennifer E; Sun, Qi; Little, Andrew J; Camper, DeMarco V; Abbott, Jason R; Phan, Jason; Lee, Taekyu; Waterson, Alex G; Rossanese, Olivia W; Fesik, Stephen W

2018-05-01

K-RAS is mutated in approximately 30% of human cancers, resulting in increased RAS signaling and tumor growth. Thus, RAS is a highly validated therapeutic target, especially in tumors of the pancreas, lung and colon. Although directly targeting RAS has proven to be challenging, it may be possible to target other proteins involved in RAS signaling, such as the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Son of Sevenless (SOS). We have previously reported on the discovery of small molecules that bind to SOS1, activate SOS-mediated nucleotide exchange on RAS, and paradoxically inhibit ERK phosphorylation (Burns et al., PNAS, 2014). Here, we describe the discovery of additional, structurally diverse small molecules that also bind to SOS1 in the same pocket and elicit similar biological effects. We tested >160,000 compounds in a fluorescence-based assay to assess their effects on SOS-mediated nucleotide exchange. X-Ray structures revealed that these small molecules bind to the CDC25 domain of SOS1. Compounds that elicited high levels of nucleotide exchange activity in vitro increased RAS-GTP levels in cells, and inhibited phospho ERK levels at higher treatment concentrations. The identification of structurally diverse SOS1 binding ligands may assist in the discovery of new molecules designed to target RAS-driven tumors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A first principles study of the binding of formic acid in catalase complementing high resolution X-ray structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovira, Carme; Alfonso-Prieto, Mercedes; Biarnes, Xevi; Carpena, Xavi; Fita, Ignacio; Loewen, Peter C.

2006-01-01

Density functional molecular dynamics simulations using a QM/MM approach are used to get insight into the binding modes of formic acid in catalase. Two ligand binding sites are found, named A and B, in agreement with recent high resolution structures of catalase with bound formic acid. In addition, the calculations show that the His56 residue is protonated and the ligand is present as a formate anion. The lowest energy minimum structure (A) corresponds to the ligand interacting with both the heme iron and the catalytic residues (His56 and Asn129). The second minimum energy structure (B) corresponds to the situation in which the ligand interacts solely with the catalytic residues. A mechanism for the process of formic acid binding in catalase is suggested

A first principles study of the binding of formic acid in catalase complementing high resolution X-ray structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rovira, Carme [Centre especial de Recerca en Quimica Teorica, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)], E-mail: crovira@pcb.ub.es; Alfonso-Prieto, Mercedes [Centre especial de Recerca en Quimica Teorica, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Biarnes, Xevi [Centre especial de Recerca en Quimica Teorica, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Carpena, Xavi [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas y Parc Cientific de Barcelona (CSIC-PCB), Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Fita, Ignacio [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas y Parc Cientific de Barcelona (CSIC-PCB), Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Loewen, Peter C. [Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada MB R3T 2N2 (Canada)

2006-03-31

Density functional molecular dynamics simulations using a QM/MM approach are used to get insight into the binding modes of formic acid in catalase. Two ligand binding sites are found, named A and B, in agreement with recent high resolution structures of catalase with bound formic acid. In addition, the calculations show that the His56 residue is protonated and the ligand is present as a formate anion. The lowest energy minimum structure (A) corresponds to the ligand interacting with both the heme iron and the catalytic residues (His56 and Asn129). The second minimum energy structure (B) corresponds to the situation in which the ligand interacts solely with the catalytic residues. A mechanism for the process of formic acid binding in catalase is suggested.

Bivalent Llama Single-Domain Antibody Fragments against Tumor Necrosis Factor Have Picomolar Potencies due to Intramolecular Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Els Beirnaert

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF, a cytokine involved in inflammatory pathologies, can be inhibited by antibodies or trap molecules. Herein, llama-derived variable heavy-chain domains of heavy-chain antibody (VHH, also called Nanobodies™ were generated for the engineering of bivalent constructs, which antagonize the binding of TNF to its receptors with picomolar potencies. Three monomeric VHHs (VHH#1, VHH#2, and VHH#3 were characterized in detail and found to bind TNF with sub-nanomolar affinities. The crystal structures of the TNF–VHH complexes demonstrate that VHH#1 and VHH#2 share the same epitope, at the center of the interaction area of TNF with its TNFRs, while VHH#3 binds to a different, but partially overlapping epitope. These structures rationalize our results obtained with bivalent constructs in which two VHHs were coupled via linkers of different lengths. Contrary to conventional antibodies, these bivalent Nanobody™ constructs can bind to a single trimeric TNF, thus binding with avidity and blocking two of the three receptor binding sites in the cytokine. The different mode of binding to antigen and the engineering into bivalent constructs supports the design of highly potent VHH-based therapeutic entities.

Highly accessible AU-rich regions in 3’ untranslated regions are hotspots for binding of regulatory factors

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Post-transcriptional regulation is regarded as one of the major processes involved in the regulation of gene expression. It is mainly performed by RNA binding proteins and microRNAs, which target RNAs and typically affect their stability. Recent efforts from the scientific community have aimed at understanding post-transcriptional regulation at a global scale by using high-throughput sequencing techniques such as cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP), which facilitates identification of binding sites of these regulatory factors. However, the diversity in the experimental procedures and bioinformatics analyses has hindered the integration of multiple datasets and thus limited the development of an integrated view of post-transcriptional regulation. In this work, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of 107 CLIP datasets from 49 different RBPs in HEK293 cells to shed light on the complex interactions that govern post-transcriptional regulation. By developing a more stringent CLIP analysis pipeline we have discovered the existence of conserved regulatory AU-rich regions in the 3’UTRs where miRNAs and RBPs that regulate several processes such as polyadenylation or mRNA stability bind. Analogous to promoters, many factors have binding sites overlapping or in close proximity in these hotspots and hence the regulation of the mRNA may depend on their relative concentrations. This hypothesis is supported by RBP knockdown experiments that alter the relative concentration of RBPs in the cell. Upon AGO2 knockdown (KD), transcripts containing “free” target sites show increased expression levels compared to those containing target sites in hotspots, which suggests that target sites within hotspots are less available for miRNAs to bind. Interestingly, these hotspots appear enriched in genes with regulatory functions such as DNA binding and RNA binding. Taken together, our results suggest that hotspots are functional regulatory elements that define an extra layer

Bitopic Ligands and Metastable Binding Sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fronik, Philipp; Gaiser, Birgit I; Sejer Pedersen, Daniel

2017-01-01

of orthosteric binding sites. Bitopic ligands have been employed to address the selectivity problem by combining (linking) an orthosteric ligand with an allosteric modulator, theoretically leading to high-affinity subtype selective ligands. However, it remains a challenge to identify suitable allosteric binding...... that have been reported to date, this type of bitopic ligands would be composed of two identical pharmacophores. Herein, we outline the concept of bitopic ligands, review metastable binding sites, and discuss their potential as a new source of allosteric binding sites....

Recent improvements to Binding MOAD: a resource for protein-ligand binding affinities and structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Aqeel; Smith, Richard D; Clark, Jordan J; Dunbar, James B; Carlson, Heather A

2015-01-01

For over 10 years, Binding MOAD (Mother of All Databases; http://www.BindingMOAD.org) has been one of the largest resources for high-quality protein-ligand complexes and associated binding affinity data. Binding MOAD has grown at the rate of 1994 complexes per year, on average. Currently, it contains 23,269 complexes and 8156 binding affinities. Our annual updates curate the data using a semi-automated literature search of the references cited within the PDB file, and we have recently upgraded our website and added new features and functionalities to better serve Binding MOAD users. In order to eliminate the legacy application server of the old platform and to accommodate new changes, the website has been completely rewritten in the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) environment. The improved user interface incorporates current third-party plugins for better visualization of protein and ligand molecules, and it provides features like sorting, filtering and filtered downloads. In addition to the field-based searching, Binding MOAD now can be searched by structural queries based on the ligand. In order to remove redundancy, Binding MOAD records are clustered in different families based on 90% sequence identity. The new Binding MOAD, with the upgraded platform, features and functionalities, is now equipped to better serve its users. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Design, Synthesis, and in Vitro Pharmacology of New Radiolabeled γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid Analogues Including Photolabile Analogues with Irreversible Binding to the High-Affinity γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid Binding Sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sabbatini, Paola; Wellendorph, Petrine; Høg, Signe

2010-01-01

γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a psychotropic compound endogenous to the brain. Despite its potential physiological significance, the complete molecular mechanisms of action remain unexplained. To facilitate the isolation and identification of the high-affinity GHB binding site, we herein report ...

Identification of a High Affinity Nucleocapsid Protein Binding Element from The Bovine Leukemia Virus Genome

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz, F. Zehra; Babalola, Kathleen; Summers, Michael F.

2012-01-01

Retroviral genome recognition is mediated by interactions between the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of the virally encoded Gag polyprotein and cognate RNA packaging elements that, for most retroviruses, appear to reside primarily within the 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) of the genome. Recent studies suggest that a major packaging determinant of Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV), a member of the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)/BLV family and a non-primate animal model for HTLV-induced leukemogenesis, resides within the gag open reading frame. We have prepared and purified the recombinant BLV NC protein and conducted electrophoretic mobility shift and isothermal titration calorimetry studies with RNA fragments corresponding to these proposed packaging elements. The gag-derived RNAs did not exhibit significant affinity for NC, suggesting an alternate role in packaging. However, an 83-nucleotide fragment of the 5′-UTR that resides just upstream of the gag start codon binds NC stoichiometrically and with high affinity (Kd = 136 ± 21 nM). These nucleotides were predicted to form tandem hairpin structures, and studies with smaller fragments indicate that the NC binding site resides exclusively within the distal hairpin (residues G369- U399, Kd = 67 ± 8 nM at physiological ionic strength). Unlike all other structurally characterized retroviral NC binding RNAs, this fragment is not expected to contain exposed guanosines, suggesting that RNA binding may be mediated by a previously uncharacterized mechanism. PMID:22846919

An in silico analysis of the binding modes and binding affinities of small molecule modulators of PDZ-peptide interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garima Tiwari

Full Text Available Inhibitors of PDZ-peptide interactions have important implications in a variety of biological processes including treatment of cancer and Parkinson's disease. Even though experimental studies have reported characterization of peptidomimetic inhibitors of PDZ-peptide interactions, the binding modes for most of them have not been characterized by structural studies. In this study we have attempted to understand the structural basis of the small molecule-PDZ interactions by in silico analysis of the binding modes and binding affinities of a set of 38 small molecules with known K(i or K(d values for PDZ2 and PDZ3 domains of PSD-95 protein. These two PDZ domains show differential selectivity for these compounds despite having a high degree of sequence similarity and almost identical peptide binding pockets. Optimum binding modes for these ligands for PDZ2 and PDZ3 domains were identified by using a novel combination of semi-flexible docking and explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD simulations. Analysis of the binding modes revealed most of the peptidomimectic ligands which had high K(i or K(d moved away from the peptide binding pocket, while ligands with high binding affinities remained in the peptide binding pocket. The differential specificities of the PDZ2 and PDZ3 domains primarily arise from differences in the conformation of the loop connecting βB and βC strands, because this loop interacts with the N-terminal chemical moieties of the ligands. We have also computed the MM/PBSA binding free energy values for these 38 compounds with both the PDZ domains from multiple 5 ns MD trajectories on each complex i.e. a total of 228 MD trajectories of 5 ns length each. Interestingly, computational binding free energies show good agreement with experimental binding free energies with a correlation coefficient of approximately 0.6. Thus our study demonstrates that combined use of docking and MD simulations can help in identification of potent inhibitors

Mu opioid receptor binding sites in human brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilapil, C.; Welner, S.; Magnan, J.; Zamir, N.; Quirion, R.

1986-01-01

Our experiments focused on the examination of the distribution of mu opioid receptor binding sites in normal human brain using the highly selective ligand [ 3 H]DAGO, in both membrane binding assay and in vitro receptor autoradiography. Mu opioid binding sites are very discretely distributed in human brain with high densities of sites found in the posterior amygdala, caudate, putamen, hypothalamus and certain cortical areas. Moreover the autoradiographic distribution of [ 3 H]DAGO binding sites clearly reveals the discrete lamination (layers I and III-IV) of mu sites in cortical areas

How to deal with multiple binding poses in alchemical relative protein-ligand binding free energy calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaus, Joseph W; Harder, Edward; Lin, Teng; Abel, Robert; McCammon, J Andrew; Wang, Lingle

2015-06-09

Recent advances in improved force fields and sampling methods have made it possible for the accurate calculation of protein–ligand binding free energies. Alchemical free energy perturbation (FEP) using an explicit solvent model is one of the most rigorous methods to calculate relative binding free energies. However, for cases where there are high energy barriers separating the relevant conformations that are important for ligand binding, the calculated free energy may depend on the initial conformation used in the simulation due to the lack of complete sampling of all the important regions in phase space. This is particularly true for ligands with multiple possible binding modes separated by high energy barriers, making it difficult to sample all relevant binding modes even with modern enhanced sampling methods. In this paper, we apply a previously developed method that provides a corrected binding free energy for ligands with multiple binding modes by combining the free energy results from multiple alchemical FEP calculations starting from all enumerated poses, and the results are compared with Glide docking and MM-GBSA calculations. From these calculations, the dominant ligand binding mode can also be predicted. We apply this method to a series of ligands that bind to c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK1) and obtain improved free energy results. The dominant ligand binding modes predicted by this method agree with the available crystallography, while both Glide docking and MM-GBSA calculations incorrectly predict the binding modes for some ligands. The method also helps separate the force field error from the ligand sampling error, such that deviations in the predicted binding free energy from the experimental values likely indicate possible inaccuracies in the force field. An error in the force field for a subset of the ligands studied was identified using this method, and improved free energy results were obtained by correcting the partial charges assigned to the

How To Deal with Multiple Binding Poses in Alchemical Relative Protein–Ligand Binding Free Energy Calculations

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Recent advances in improved force fields and sampling methods have made it possible for the accurate calculation of protein–ligand binding free energies. Alchemical free energy perturbation (FEP) using an explicit solvent model is one of the most rigorous methods to calculate relative binding free energies. However, for cases where there are high energy barriers separating the relevant conformations that are important for ligand binding, the calculated free energy may depend on the initial conformation used in the simulation due to the lack of complete sampling of all the important regions in phase space. This is particularly true for ligands with multiple possible binding modes separated by high energy barriers, making it difficult to sample all relevant binding modes even with modern enhanced sampling methods. In this paper, we apply a previously developed method that provides a corrected binding free energy for ligands with multiple binding modes by combining the free energy results from multiple alchemical FEP calculations starting from all enumerated poses, and the results are compared with Glide docking and MM-GBSA calculations. From these calculations, the dominant ligand binding mode can also be predicted. We apply this method to a series of ligands that bind to c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK1) and obtain improved free energy results. The dominant ligand binding modes predicted by this method agree with the available crystallography, while both Glide docking and MM-GBSA calculations incorrectly predict the binding modes for some ligands. The method also helps separate the force field error from the ligand sampling error, such that deviations in the predicted binding free energy from the experimental values likely indicate possible inaccuracies in the force field. An error in the force field for a subset of the ligands studied was identified using this method, and improved free energy results were obtained by correcting the partial charges assigned to the

The RNA-Binding Site of Poliovirus 3C Protein Doubles as a Phosphoinositide-Binding Domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Shengjuler, Djoshkun; Chan, Yan Mei; Sun, Simou; Moustafa, Ibrahim M; Li, Zhen-Lu; Gohara, David W; Buck, Matthias; Cremer, Paul S; Boehr, David D; Cameron, Craig E

2017-12-05

Some viruses use phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) to mark membranes used for genome replication or virion assembly. PIP-binding motifs of cellular proteins do not exist in viral proteins. Molecular-docking simulations revealed a putative site of PIP binding to poliovirus (PV) 3C protein that was validated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The PIP-binding site was located on a highly dynamic α helix, which also functions in RNA binding. Broad PIP-binding activity was observed in solution using a fluorescence polarization assay or in the context of a lipid bilayer using an on-chip, fluorescence assay. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the 3C protein-membrane interface revealed PIP clustering and perhaps PIP-dependent conformations. PIP clustering was mediated by interaction with residues that interact with the RNA phosphodiester backbone. We conclude that 3C binding to membranes will be determined by PIP abundance. We suggest that the duality of function observed for 3C may extend to RNA-binding proteins of other viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motif III in superfamily 2 "helicases" helps convert the binding energy of ATP into a high-affinity RNA binding site in the yeast DEAD-box protein Ded1.

Science.gov (United States)

Banroques, Josette; Doère, Monique; Dreyfus, Marc; Linder, Patrick; Tanner, N Kyle

2010-03-05

Motif III in the putative helicases of superfamily 2 is highly conserved in both its sequence and its structural context. It typically consists of the sequence alcohol-alanine-alcohol (S/T-A-S/T). Historically, it was thought to link ATPase activity with a "helicase" strand displacement activity that disrupts RNA or DNA duplexes. DEAD-box proteins constitute the largest family of superfamily 2; they are RNA-dependent ATPases and ATP-dependent RNA binding proteins that, in some cases, are able to disrupt short RNA duplexes. We made mutations of motif III (S-A-T) in the yeast DEAD-box protein Ded1 and analyzed in vivo phenotypes and in vitro properties. Moreover, we made a tertiary model of Ded1 based on the solved structure of Vasa. We used Ded1 because it has relatively high ATPase and RNA binding activities; it is able to displace moderately stable duplexes at a large excess of substrate. We find that the alanine and the threonine in the second and third positions of motif III are more important than the serine, but that mutations of all three residues have strong phenotypes. We purified the wild-type and various mutants expressed in Escherichia coli. We found that motif III mutations affect the RNA-dependent hydrolysis of ATP (k(cat)), but not the affinity for ATP (K(m)). Moreover, mutations alter and reduce the affinity for single-stranded RNA and subsequently reduce the ability to disrupt duplexes. We obtained intragenic suppressors of the S-A-C mutant that compensate for the mutation by enhancing the affinity for ATP and RNA. We conclude that motif III and the binding energy of gamma-PO(4) of ATP are used to coordinate motifs I, II, and VI and the two RecA-like domains to create a high-affinity single-stranded RNA binding site. It also may help activate the beta,gamma-phosphoanhydride bond of ATP. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discover binding pathways using the sliding binding-box docking approach: application to binding pathways of oseltamivir to avian influenza H5N1 neuraminidase

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Diem-Trang T.; Le, Ly T.; Truong, Thanh N.

2013-08-01

Drug binding and unbinding are transient processes which are hardly observed by experiment and difficult to analyze by computational techniques. In this paper, we employed a cost-effective method called "pathway docking" in which molecular docking was used to screen ligand-receptor binding free energy surface to reveal possible paths of ligand approaching protein binding pocket. A case study was applied on oseltamivir, the key drug against influenza a virus. The equilibrium pathways identified by this method are found to be similar to those identified in prior studies using highly expensive computational approaches.

Fungal-type carbohydrate binding modules from the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi show binding affinity to cellulose and chitin.

Science.gov (United States)

Rooijakkers, Bart J M; Ikonen, Martina S; Linder, Markus B

2018-01-01

Six fungal-type cellulose binding domains were found in the genome of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Sequence comparison indicate high similarity to fungal cellulose binding domains, raising the question of why these domains exist in coccolithophores. The proteins were tested for binding with cellulose and chitin as ligands, which resulted in the identification of two functional carbohydrate binding modules: EHUX2 and EHUX4. Compared to benchmark fungal cellulose binding domain Cel7A-CBM1 from Trichoderma reesei, these proteins showed slightly lower binding to birch and bacterial cellulose, but were more efficient chitin binders. Finally, a set of cellulose binding domains was created based on the shuffling of one well-functioning and one non-functional domain. These were characterized in order to get more information of the binding domain's sequence-function relationship, indicating characteristic differences between the molecular basis of cellulose versus chitin recognition. As previous reports have showed the presence of cellulose in coccoliths and here we find functional cellulose binding modules, a possible connection is discussed.

Fungal-type carbohydrate binding modules from the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi show binding affinity to cellulose and chitin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bart J M Rooijakkers

Full Text Available Six fungal-type cellulose binding domains were found in the genome of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Sequence comparison indicate high similarity to fungal cellulose binding domains, raising the question of why these domains exist in coccolithophores. The proteins were tested for binding with cellulose and chitin as ligands, which resulted in the identification of two functional carbohydrate binding modules: EHUX2 and EHUX4. Compared to benchmark fungal cellulose binding domain Cel7A-CBM1 from Trichoderma reesei, these proteins showed slightly lower binding to birch and bacterial cellulose, but were more efficient chitin binders. Finally, a set of cellulose binding domains was created based on the shuffling of one well-functioning and one non-functional domain. These were characterized in order to get more information of the binding domain's sequence-function relationship, indicating characteristic differences between the molecular basis of cellulose versus chitin recognition. As previous reports have showed the presence of cellulose in coccoliths and here we find functional cellulose binding modules, a possible connection is discussed.

ZnO nanorod biosensor for highly sensitive detection of specific protein binding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Suk; Park, Won Il; Lee, Chul Ho; Yi, Gyu Chul

2006-01-01

We report on the fabrication of electrical biosensors based on functionalized ZnO nanorod surfaces with biotin for highly sensitive detection of biological molecules. Due to the clean interface and easy surface modification, the ZnO nanorod sensors can easily detect streptavidin binding down to a concentration of 25 nM, which is more sensitive than previously reported one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure electrical biosensors. In addition, the unique device structure with a micrometer-scale hole at the center of the ZnO nanorod's conducting channel reduces the leakage current from the aqueous solution, hence enhancing device sensitivity. Moreover, ZnO nanorod field-effect-transistor (FET) sensors may open up opportunities to create many other oxide nanorod electrical sensors for highly sensitive and selective real-time detection of a wide variety of biomolecules.

Binding of alkylpyridinium chloride surfactants to sodium polystyrene sulfonate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ishiguro, M.; Koopal, L.K.

2009-01-01

Binding of cationic surfactants to anionic polymers is well studied. However, the surfactant binding characteristics at very low concentration near the start of binding and at high concentration, where charge compensation may Occur. are less well known. Therefore, the binding characteristics of

Quantification of Cooperativity in Heterodimer-DNA Binding Improves the Accuracy of Binding Specificity Models*

Science.gov (United States)

Isakova, Alina; Berset, Yves; Hatzimanikatis, Vassily; Deplancke, Bart

2016-01-01

Many transcription factors (TFs) have the ability to cooperate on DNA elements as heterodimers. Despite the significance of TF heterodimerization for gene regulation, a quantitative understanding of cooperativity between various TF dimer partners and its impact on heterodimer DNA binding specificity models is still lacking. Here, we used a novel integrative approach, combining microfluidics-steered measurements of dimer-DNA assembly with mechanistic modeling of the implicated protein-protein-DNA interactions to quantitatively interrogate the cooperative DNA binding behavior of the adipogenic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ):retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) heterodimer. Using the high throughput MITOMI (mechanically induced trapping of molecular interactions) platform, we derived equilibrium DNA binding data for PPARγ, RXRα, as well as the PPARγ:RXRα heterodimer to more than 300 target DNA sites and variants thereof. We then quantified cooperativity underlying heterodimer-DNA binding and derived an integrative heterodimer DNA binding constant. Using this cooperativity-inclusive constant, we were able to build a heterodimer-DNA binding specificity model that has superior predictive power than the one based on a regular one-site equilibrium. Our data further revealed that individual nucleotide substitutions within the target site affect the extent of cooperativity in PPARγ:RXRα-DNA binding. Our study therefore emphasizes the importance of assessing cooperativity when generating DNA binding specificity models for heterodimers. PMID:26912662

Quantification of Cooperativity in Heterodimer-DNA Binding Improves the Accuracy of Binding Specificity Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Isakova, Alina; Berset, Yves; Hatzimanikatis, Vassily; Deplancke, Bart

2016-05-06

Many transcription factors (TFs) have the ability to cooperate on DNA elements as heterodimers. Despite the significance of TF heterodimerization for gene regulation, a quantitative understanding of cooperativity between various TF dimer partners and its impact on heterodimer DNA binding specificity models is still lacking. Here, we used a novel integrative approach, combining microfluidics-steered measurements of dimer-DNA assembly with mechanistic modeling of the implicated protein-protein-DNA interactions to quantitatively interrogate the cooperative DNA binding behavior of the adipogenic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ):retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) heterodimer. Using the high throughput MITOMI (mechanically induced trapping of molecular interactions) platform, we derived equilibrium DNA binding data for PPARγ, RXRα, as well as the PPARγ:RXRα heterodimer to more than 300 target DNA sites and variants thereof. We then quantified cooperativity underlying heterodimer-DNA binding and derived an integrative heterodimer DNA binding constant. Using this cooperativity-inclusive constant, we were able to build a heterodimer-DNA binding specificity model that has superior predictive power than the one based on a regular one-site equilibrium. Our data further revealed that individual nucleotide substitutions within the target site affect the extent of cooperativity in PPARγ:RXRα-DNA binding. Our study therefore emphasizes the importance of assessing cooperativity when generating DNA binding specificity models for heterodimers. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Enzymes in Commercial Cellulase Preparations Bind Differently to Dioxane Extracted Lignins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yarbrough, John M.; Mittal, Ashutosh; Katahira, Rui; Mansfield, Elisabeth; Taylor, Larry E.; Decker, Stephen R.; Himmel, Michael E.; Vinzant, Todd

2017-04-24

Commercial fungal cellulases used in biomass-to-biofuels processes can be grouped into three general classes: native, augmented, and engineered. To evaluate lignin binding affinities of different enzyme activities in various commercial cellulase formulations in order to determine if enzyme losses due to lignin binding can be modulated by using different enzymes of the same activity We used water:dioxane (1:9) to extract lignin from pretreated corn stover. Commercial cellulases were incubated with lignin and the unbound supernatants were evaluated for individual enzyme loss by SDS=PAGE and these were correlated with activity loss using various pNP-sugar substrates. Colorimetric assays for general glycosyl hydrolase activities showed distinct differences in enzyme binding to lignin for each enzyme activity. Native systems demonstrated low binding of endo- and exo-cellulases, high binding of xylanase, and moderate ..beta..-glucosidase binding. Engineered cellulase mixtures exhibited low binding of exo-cellulases, very strong binding of endocellulases and ..beta..- glucosidase, and mixed binding of xylanase activity. The augmented cellulase had low binding of exocellulase, high binding of endocellulase and xylanase, and moderate binding of ..beta..-glucosidase activities. Bound and unbound activities were correlated with general molecular weight ranges of proteins as measured by loss of proteins bands in bound fractions on SDS-PAGE gels. Lignin-bound high molecular weight bands correlated with binding of ..beta..-glucosidase activity. While ..beta..-glucosidases demonstrated high binding in many cases, they have been shown to remain active. Bound low molecular weight bands correlated with xylanase activity binding. Contrary to other literature, exocellulase activity did not show strong lignin binding. The variation in enzyme activity binding between the three classes of cellulases preparations indicate that it is certainly possible to alter the binding of specific

Influence of intermittent preventive treatment on antibodies to VAR2CSA in pregnant Cameroonian women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Babakhanyan, Anna; Tutterrow, Yeung L; Bobbili, Naveen

2016-01-01

Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) and insecticide-treated bed nets are the standard of care for preventing malaria in pregnant women. Since these preventive measures reduce exposure to malaria, their influence on the antibody (Ab) response to the parasite antigen VAR2CSA was evaluated...... in pregnant Cameroonian women exposed to holoendemic malaria. Ab levels to full-length VAR2CSA (FV2), variants of the six Duffy binding like (DBL) domains, and proportion of high avidity Ab to FV2 were measured longitudinally in 92 women before and 147 women after IPT. As predicted, reduced exposure...

Crystal structure of the botulinum neurotoxin type G binding domain: insight into cell surface binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenmark, Pål; Dong, Min; Dupuy, Jérôme; Chapman, Edwin R; Stevens, Raymond C

2010-04-16

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) typically bind the neuronal cell surface via dual interactions with both protein receptors and gangliosides. We present here the 1.9-A X-ray structure of the BoNT serotype G (BoNT/G) receptor binding domain (residues 868-1297) and a detailed view of protein receptor and ganglioside binding regions. The ganglioside binding motif (SxWY) has a conserved structure compared to the corresponding regions in BoNT serotype A and BoNT serotype B (BoNT/B), but several features of interactions with the hydrophilic face of the ganglioside are absent at the opposite side of the motif in the BoNT/G ganglioside binding cleft. This may significantly reduce the affinity between BoNT/G and gangliosides. BoNT/G and BoNT/B share the protein receptor synaptotagmin (Syt) I/II. The Syt binding site has a conserved hydrophobic plateau located centrally in the proposed protein receptor binding interface (Tyr1189, Phe1202, Ala1204, Pro1205, and Phe1212). Interestingly, only 5 of 14 residues that are important for binding between Syt-II and BoNT/B are conserved in BoNT/G, suggesting that the means by which BoNT/G and BoNT/B bind Syt diverges more than previously appreciated. Indeed, substitution of Syt-II Phe47 and Phe55 with alanine residues had little effect on the binding of BoNT/G, but strongly reduced the binding of BoNT/B. Furthermore, an extended solvent-exposed hydrophobic loop, located between the Syt binding site and the ganglioside binding cleft, may serve as a third membrane association and binding element to contribute to high-affinity binding to the neuronal membrane. While BoNT/G and BoNT/B are homologous to each other and both utilize Syt-I/Syt-II as their protein receptor, the precise means by which these two toxin serotypes bind to Syt appears surprisingly divergent. Copyright (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Specificity of Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxins is correlated with the presence of high-affinity binding sites in the brush border membrane of target insect midguts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, C.; Vanderbruggen, H.; Hoefte, H.; Van Rie, J.; Jansens, S.; Van Mellaert, H.

1988-01-01

Binding studies were performed with two 125 I-labeled Bacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxins on brush border membrane vesicles prepared from the larval midgut of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta or the cabbage butterfly Pieris brassicae. One δ-endotoxin, Bt2-protoxin, is a 130-kDa recombinant crystalline protein from B. thuringiensis subsp. berliner. It kills larvae of both insect species. The active Bt2-toxin is a 60-kDa proteolytic fragment of the Bt2-protoxin. It binds saturably and with high affinity to brush border membrane vesicles from the midgut of both species. The other δ-endotoxin, Bt4412-protoxin, is a 136-kDa crystalline protein from B. thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis, which is highly toxic for P. brassicae, but not for M. sexta larvae. Bt4412-toxin, obtained after proteolytic activation of Bt4412-protoxin, shows high-affinity saturable binding to P. brassicae vesicles but not to M. sexta vesicles. The correlation between toxicity and specific binding is further strengthened by competition studies. Other B. thuringiensis δ-endotoxins active against M. sexta compete for binding of 125 I-labeled Bt2-toxin to M. sexta vesicles, whereas toxins active against dipteran or coleopteran larvae do not compete. Bt2-toxin and Bt4412-toxin bind to different sites on P. brassicae vesicles

Engineering of bispecific affinity proteins with high affinity for ERBB2 and adaptable binding to albumin.

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Johan Nilvebrant

Full Text Available The epidermal growth factor receptor 2, ERBB2, is a well-validated target for cancer diagnostics and therapy. Recent studies suggest that the over-expression of this receptor in various cancers might also be exploited for antibody-based payload delivery, e.g. antibody drug conjugates. In such strategies, the full-length antibody format is probably not required for therapeutic effect and smaller tumor-specific affinity proteins might be an alternative. However, small proteins and peptides generally suffer from fast excretion through the kidneys, and thereby require frequent administration in order to maintain a therapeutic concentration. In an attempt aimed at combining ERBB2-targeting with antibody-like pharmacokinetic properties in a small protein format, we have engineered bispecific ERBB2-binding proteins that are based on a small albumin-binding domain. Phage display selection against ERBB2 was used for identification of a lead candidate, followed by affinity maturation using second-generation libraries. Cell surface display and flow-cytometric sorting allowed stringent selection of top candidates from pools pre-enriched by phage display. Several affinity-matured molecules were shown to bind human ERBB2 with sub-nanomolar affinity while retaining the interaction with human serum albumin. Moreover, parallel selections against ERBB2 in the presence of human serum albumin identified several amino acid substitutions that dramatically modulate the albumin affinity, which could provide a convenient means to control the pharmacokinetics. The new affinity proteins competed for ERBB2-binding with the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab and recognized the native receptor on a human cancer cell line. Hence, high affinity tumor targeting and tunable albumin binding were combined in one small adaptable protein.

Assessment of algorithms for inferring positional weight matrix motifs of transcription factor binding sites using protein binding microarray data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaron Orenstein

Full Text Available The new technology of protein binding microarrays (PBMs allows simultaneous measurement of the binding intensities of a transcription factor to tens of thousands of synthetic double-stranded DNA probes, covering all possible 10-mers. A key computational challenge is inferring the binding motif from these data. We present a systematic comparison of four methods developed specifically for reconstructing a binding site motif represented as a positional weight matrix from PBM data. The reconstructed motifs were evaluated in terms of three criteria: concordance with reference motifs from the literature and ability to predict in vivo and in vitro bindings. The evaluation encompassed over 200 transcription factors and some 300 assays. The results show a tradeoff between how the methods perform according to the different criteria, and a dichotomy of method types. Algorithms that construct motifs with low information content predict PBM probe ranking more faithfully, while methods that produce highly informative motifs match reference motifs better. Interestingly, in predicting high-affinity binding, all methods give far poorer results for in vivo assays compared to in vitro assays.

Binding of multiple features in memory by high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder

OpenAIRE

Bowler, D. M.; Gaigg, S. B.; Gardiner, J. M.

2014-01-01

Diminished episodic memory and diminished use of semantic information to aid recall by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both thought to result from diminished relational binding of elements of complex stimuli. To test this hypothesis, we asked high-functioning adults with ASD and typical comparison participants to study grids in which some cells contained drawings of objects in non-canonical colours. Participants were told at study which features (colour, item, location) wo...

Quantitative autoradiography of the binding sites for [125I] iodoglyburide, a novel high-affinity ligand for ATP-sensitive potassium channels in rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehlert, D.R.; Gackenheimer, S.L.; Mais, D.E.; Robertson, D.W.

1991-01-01

We have developed a high specific activity ligand for localization of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in the brain. When brain sections were incubated with [ 125 I]iodoglyburide (N-[2-[[[(cyclohexylamino)carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]ethyl]-5- 125 I-2- methoxybenzamide), the ligand bound to a single site with a KD of 495 pM and a maximum binding site density of 176 fmol/mg of tissue. Glyburide was the most potent inhibitor of specific [ 125 I]iodoglyburide binding to rat forebrain sections whereas iodoglyburide and glipizide were slightly less potent. The binding was also sensitive to ATP which completely inhibited binding at concentrations of 10 mM. Autoradiographic localization of [ 125 I]iodoglyburide binding indicated a broad distribution of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel in the brain. The highest levels of binding were seen in the globus pallidus and ventral pallidum followed by the septohippocampal nucleus, anterior pituitary, the CA2 and CA3 region of the hippocampus, ventral pallidum, the molecular layer of the cerebellum and substantia nigra zona reticulata. The hilus and dorsal subiculum of the hippocampus, molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, cerebral cortex, lateral olfactory tract nucleus, olfactory tubercle and the zona incerta contained relatively high levels of binding. A lower level of binding (approximately 3- to 4-fold) was found throughout the remainder of the brain. These results indicate that the ATP-sensitive potassium channel has a broad presence in the rat brain and that a few select brain regions are enriched in this subtype of neuronal potassium channels

Salt modulates the stability and lipid binding affinity of the adipocyte lipid-binding proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Schoeffler, Allyn J.; Ruiz, Carmen R.; Joubert, Allison M.; Yang, Xuemei; LiCata, Vince J.

2003-01-01

Adipocyte lipid-binding protein (ALBP or aP2) is an intracellular fatty acid-binding protein that is found in adipocytes and macrophages and binds a large variety of intracellular lipids with high affinity. Although intracellular lipids are frequently charged, biochemical studies of lipid-binding proteins and their interactions often focus most heavily on the hydrophobic aspects of these proteins and their interactions. In this study, we have characterized the effects of KCl on the stability and lipid binding properties of ALBP. We find that added salt dramatically stabilizes ALBP, increasing its Delta G of unfolding by 3-5 kcal/mol. At 37 degrees C salt can more than double the stability of the protein. At the same time, salt inhibits the binding of the fluorescent lipid 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) to the protein and induces direct displacement of the lipid from the protein. Thermodynamic linkage analysis of the salt inhibition of ANS binding shows a nearly 1:1 reciprocal linkage: i.e. one ion is released from ALBP when ANS binds, and vice versa. Kinetic experiments show that salt reduces the rate of association between ANS and ALBP while simultaneously increasing the dissociation rate of ANS from the protein. We depict and discuss the thermodynamic linkages among stability, lipid binding, and salt effects for ALBP, including the use of these linkages to calculate the affinity of ANS for the denatured state of ALBP and its dependence on salt concentration. We also discuss the potential molecular origins and potential intracellular consequences of the demonstrated salt linkages to stability and lipid binding in ALBP.

Annotating MYC Status in Treatment-Resistant Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer With Gallium-68 Citrate PET

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

which avidly binds to circulating transferrin) labeled transferrin (Tf) can detect MYC-positive prostate cancer tumors, since the transferrin receptor ...Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer with Androgen Receptor - Axis Imaging. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0469 TITLE: Annotating MYC Status in Treatment-Resistant Metastatic Castration- Resistant Prostate Cancer With

Opioid binding sites in the guinea pig and rat kidney: Radioligand homogenate binding and autoradiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dissanayake, V.U.; Hughes, J.; Hunter, J.C. (Parke-Davis Research Unit, Addenbrookes Hospital Site, Cambridge (England))

1991-07-01

The specific binding of the selective {mu}-, {delta}-, and {kappa}-opioid ligands (3H)(D-Ala2,MePhe4,Gly-ol5)enkephalin ((3H) DAGOL), (3H)(D-Pen2,D-Pen5)enkephalin ((3H)DPDPE), and (3H)U69593, respectively, to crude membranes of the guinea pig and rat whole kidney, kidney cortex, and kidney medulla was investigated. In addition, the distribution of specific 3H-opioid binding sites in the guinea pig and rat kidney was visualized by autoradiography. Homogenate binding and autoradiography demonstrated the absence of {mu}- and {kappa}-opioid binding sites in the guinea pig kidney. No opioid binding sites were demonstrable in the rat kidney. In the guinea pig whole kidney, cortex, and medulla, saturation studies demonstrated that (3H)DPDPE bound with high affinity (KD = 2.6-3.5 nM) to an apparently homogeneous population of binding sites (Bmax = 8.4-30 fmol/mg of protein). Competition studies using several opioid compounds confirmed the nature of the {delta}-opioid binding site. Autoradiography experiments demonstrated that specific (3H)DPDPE binding sites were distributed radially in regions of the inner and outer medulla and at the corticomedullary junction of the guinea pig kidney. Computer-assisted image analysis of saturation data yielded KD values (4.5-5.0 nM) that were in good agreement with those obtained from the homogenate binding studies. Further investigation of the {delta}-opioid binding site in medulla homogenates, using agonist ((3H)DPDPE) and antagonist ((3H)diprenorphine) binding in the presence of Na+, Mg2+, and nucleotides, suggested that the {delta}-opioid site is linked to a second messenger system via a GTP-binding protein. Further studies are required to establish the precise localization of the {delta} binding site in the guinea pig kidney and to determine the nature of the second messenger linked to the GTP-binding protein in the medulla.

Superresolution microscopy with transient binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Molle, Julia; Raab, Mario; Holzmeister, Susanne; Schmitt-Monreal, Daniel; Grohmann, Dina; He, Zhike; Tinnefeld, Philip

2016-06-01

For single-molecule localization based superresolution, the concentration of fluorescent labels has to be thinned out. This is commonly achieved by photophysically or photochemically deactivating subsets of molecules. Alternatively, apparent switching of molecules can be achieved by transient binding of fluorescent labels. Here, a diffusing dye yields bright fluorescent spots when binding to the structure of interest. As the binding interaction is weak, the labeling is reversible and the dye ligand construct diffuses back into solution. This approach of achieving superresolution by transient binding (STB) is reviewed in this manuscript. Different realizations of STB are discussed and compared to other localization-based superresolution modalities. We propose the development of labeling strategies that will make STB a highly versatile tool for superresolution microscopy at highest resolution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rejection of a kidney transplant does not always lead to priming of cytotoxic T cells against mismatched donor HLA class I antigens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Kampen, C. A.; Versteeg-van der Voort Maarschalk, M. F.; Roelen, D. L.; ten Berge, I. J.; Claas, F. H.

2001-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed that graft rejection is often associated with the presence of primed cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) with a high avidity for donor cells. Similar high avidity CTLs have been found in individuals who have formed IgG anti-HLA antibodies. The presence of such CTLs to a

Functional recombinant MHC class II molecules and high-throughput peptide-binding assays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Sune; Harndahl, Mikkel; Lamberth, Kasper

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Molecules of the class II major histocompability complex (MHC-II) specifically bind and present exogenously derived peptide epitopes to CD4+ T helper cells. The extreme polymorphism of the MHC-II hampers the complete analysis of peptide binding. It is also a significant hurdle......-II molecules and accompanying HTS peptide-binding assay were successfully developed for nine different MHC-II molecules including the DPA1*0103/DPB1*0401 (DP401) and DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201, where both alpha and beta chains are polymorphic, illustrating the advantages of producing the two chains separately....... CONCLUSION: We have successfully developed versatile MHC-II resources, which may assist in the generation of MHC class II -wide reagents, data, and tools....

Amino Terminal Region of Dengue Virus NS4A Cytosolic Domain Binds to Highly Curved Liposomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Fu Hung

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV is an important human pathogen causing millions of disease cases and thousands of deaths worldwide. Non-structural protein 4A (NS4A is a vital component of the viral replication complex (RC and plays a major role in the formation of host cell membrane-derived structures that provide a scaffold for replication. The N-terminal cytoplasmic region of NS4A(1–48 is known to preferentially interact with highly curved membranes. Here, we provide experimental evidence for the stable binding of NS4A(1–48 to small liposomes using a liposome floatation assay and identify the lipid binding sequence by NMR spectroscopy. Mutations L6E;M10E were previously shown to inhibit DENV replication and to interfere with the binding of NS4A(1–48 to small liposomes. Our results provide new details on the interaction of the N-terminal region of NS4A with membranes and will prompt studies of the functional relevance of the curvature sensitive membrane anchor at the N-terminus of NS4A.

Increased thyrotropin binding in hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller-Gärtner, H W; Schneider, C; Bay, V; Tadt, A; Rehpenning, W; de Heer, K; Jessel, M

1987-08-01

The object of this study was to investigate TSH receptors in hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules (HFN). In HFN, obtained from seven patients, 125-I-TSH binding as determined by equilibrium binding analysis on particulate membrane preparations, was found to be significantly increased as compared with normal thyroid tissues (five patients; P less than 0.001). Scatchard analysis of TSH-binding revealed two kinds of binding sites for both normal thyroid tissue and HFN, and displayed significantly increased association constants of high- and low-affinity binding sites in HFN (Ka = 11.75 +/- 6.8 10(9) M-1, P less than 0.001 and Ka = 2.1 +/- 1.0 10(7) M-1, P less than 0.025; x +/- SEM) as compared with normal thyroid tissue (Ka = 0.25 +/- 0.06 10(9) M-1, Ka = 0.14 +/- 0.03 10(7) M-1; x +/- SEM). The capacity of the high-affinity binding sites in HFN was found to be decreased (1.8 +/- 1.1 pmol/mg protein, x +/- SEM) in comparison with normal thyroid tissue (4.26 +/- 1.27 pmol/mg protein; x +/- SEM). TSH-receptor autoradiography applied to cryostatic tissue sections confirmed increased TSH binding of the follicular epithelium in HFN. These data suggest that an increased affinity of TSH-receptor sites in HFN in iodine deficient areas may be an important event in thyroid autonomy.

Likelihood of Bone Recurrence in Prior Sites of Metastasis in Patients With High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polishchuk, Alexei L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, California (United States); Li, Richard [Division of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber/Boston Children' s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Hill-Kayser, Christine [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Little, Anthony [Division of Oncology, Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Hawkins, Randall A. [Department of Radiology, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, California (United States); Hamilton, Jeffrey; Lau, Michael [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, California (United States); Tran, Hung Chi [Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children' s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Strahlendorf, Caron [Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada); Lemons, Richard S. [Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah (United States); Weinberg, Vivian [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, California (United States); Matthay, Katherine K.; DuBois, Steven G. [Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital, San Francisco, California (United States); and others

2014-07-15

Purpose/Objectives: Despite recent improvements in outcomes, 40% of children with high-risk neuroblastoma will experience relapse, facing a guarded prognosis for long-term cure. Whether recurrences are at new sites or sites of original disease may guide decision making during initial therapy. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients were retrospectively identified from institutional databases at first metastatic relapse of high-risk neuroblastoma. Included patients had disease involving metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid metastatic sites at diagnosis and first relapse, achieved a complete or partial response with no more than one residual MIBG-avid site before first relapse, and received no total body irradiation or therapy with {sup 131}I-MIBG before first relapse. Anatomically defined metastatic sites were tracked from diagnosis through first relapse to determine tendency of disease to recur at previously involved versus uninvolved sites and to assess whether this pattern was influenced by site irradiation. Results: Of 159 MIBG-avid metastatic sites identified among 43 patients at first relapse, 131 (82.4%) overlapped anatomically with the set of 525 sites present at diagnosis. This distribution was similar for bone sites, but patterns of relapse were more varied for the smaller subset of soft tissue metastases. Among all metastatic sites at diagnosis in our subsequently relapsed patient cohort, only 3 of 19 irradiated sites (15.8%) recurred as compared with 128 of 506 (25.3%) unirradiated sites. Conclusions: Metastatic bone relapse in neuroblastoma usually occurs at anatomic sites of previous disease. Metastatic sites identified at diagnosis that did not receive radiation during frontline therapy appeared to have a higher risk of involvement at first relapse relative to previously irradiated metastatic sites. These observations support the current paradigm of irradiating metastases that persist after induction chemotherapy in high-risk patients. Furthermore

Pheromone Binding Protein EhipPBP1 Is Highly Enriched in the Male Antennae of the Seabuckthorn Carpenterworm and Is Binding to Sex Pheromone Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Hu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The seabuckthorn carpenterworm moth Eogystia hippophaecolus is a major threat to seabuckthorn plantations, causing considerable ecological and economic losses in China. Transcriptomic analysis of E. hippophaecolus previously identified 137 olfactory proteins, including three pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs. We investigated the function of E. hippophaecolus PBP1 by studying its mRNA and protein expression profiles and its binding ability with different compounds. The highest levels of expression were in the antennae, particularly in males, with much lower levels of expression in the legs and external genitals. Recombinant PBP1 showed strong binding to sex-pheromone components, suggesting that antennal EhipPBP1 is involved in binding sex-pheromone components during pheromone communication.

Determination of High-affinity Antibody-antigen Binding Kinetics Using Four Biosensor Platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Danlin; Singh, Ajit; Wu, Helen; Kroe-Barrett, Rachel

2017-04-17

Label-free optical biosensors are powerful tools in drug discovery for the characterization of biomolecular interactions. In this study, we describe the use of four routinely used biosensor platforms in our laboratory to evaluate the binding affinity and kinetics of ten high-affinity monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9). While both Biacore T100 and ProteOn XPR36 are derived from the well-established Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology, the former has four flow cells connected by serial flow configuration, whereas the latter presents 36 reaction spots in parallel through an improvised 6 x 6 crisscross microfluidic channel configuration. The IBIS MX96 also operates based on the SPR sensor technology, with an additional imaging feature that provides detection in spatial orientation. This detection technique coupled with the Continuous Flow Microspotter (CFM) expands the throughput significantly by enabling multiplex array printing and detection of 96 reaction sports simultaneously. In contrast, the Octet RED384 is based on the BioLayer Interferometry (BLI) optical principle, with fiber-optic probes acting as the biosensor to detect interference pattern changes upon binding interactions at the tip surface. Unlike the SPR-based platforms, the BLI system does not rely on continuous flow fluidics; instead, the sensor tips collect readings while they are immersed in analyte solutions of a 384-well microplate during orbital agitation. Each of these biosensor platforms has its own advantages and disadvantages. To provide a direct comparison of these instruments' ability to provide quality kinetic data, the described protocols illustrate experiments that use the same assay format and the same high-quality reagents to characterize antibody-antigen kinetics that fit the simple 1:1 molecular interaction model.

Clinical relevance of drug binding to plasma proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Ascenzi, Paolo; Fanali, Gabriella; Fasano, Mauro; Pallottini, Valentina; Trezza, Viviana

2014-12-01

Binding to plasma proteins highly influences drug efficacy, distribution, and disposition. Serum albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, is a monomeric multi-domain macromolecule that displays an extraordinary ligand binding capacity, providing a depot and carrier for many endogenous and exogenous compounds, such as fatty acids and most acidic drugs. α-1-Acid glycoprotein, the second main plasma protein, is a glycoprotein physiologically involved in the acute phase reaction and is the main carrier for basic and neutral drugs. High- and low-density lipoproteins play a limited role in drug binding and are natural drug delivery system only for few lipophilic drugs or lipid-based formulations. Several factors influence drug binding to plasma proteins, such as pathological conditions, concurrent administration of drugs, sex, and age. Any of these factors, in turn, influences drug efficacy and toxicity. Here, biochemical, biomedical, and biotechnological aspects of drug binding to plasma proteins are reviewed.

[3H]idazoxan binding to the ovine myometrium. Binding characteristics and changes due to steroid hormones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vass-Lopez, A.; Garcia-Villar, R.; Lafontan, M.; Toutain, P.L.

1990-01-01

[3H]idazoxan binding to myometrial membranes was investigated in four groups of ewes under different steroid hormone status: control, estradiol-treated and progesterone plus estradiol-treated ovariectomized ewes and pregnant ewes. [3H]idazoxan binding to myometrial membrane fractions was saturable, reversible, specific and of high affinity. The affinity did not vary significantly between the four groups of ewes (2.8 less than KD less than 4.7 nM). Maximal binding capacity varied significantly among groups: binding of [3H]idazoxan was lower in control ovariectomized ewes than in either estradiol or progestagen plus estrogen-treated ewes (maximal binding capacity, 73 +/- 11 fmol/mg of protein vs. 108 +/- 16 and 318 +/- 65, respectively). The highest [3H]idazoxan binding was measured in pregnant ewes (maximal binding capacity, 1302 +/- 256 fmol/mg of protein). Based on the saturation studies with accurate nonspecific binding definition (phentolamine vs. epinephrine), and on the relative order of potency for selected adrenergic drugs, it could be stated that the binding sites labeled by [3H]idazoxan in our study exhibited most of the alpha-2 adrenoceptor properties. Nevertheless, these alpha-2 adrenoceptors obviously differed from the standard alpha-2A-subtype based on Ki values obtained with yohimbine and prazosin in competition studies of [3H]idazoxan binding. The increase in the number of alpha-2 adrenoceptors under progesterone domination, and especially during gestation, supported the hypothesis that this adrenoceptor subtype could play a major role in the control of the motility pattern of the ovine pregnant uterus

Crystal structure of the high-affinity Na+K+-ATPase-ouabain complex with Mg2+ bound in the cation binding site.

Science.gov (United States)

Laursen, Mette; Yatime, Laure; Nissen, Poul; Fedosova, Natalya U

2013-07-02

The Na(+),K(+)-ATPase maintains electrochemical gradients for Na(+) and K(+) that are critical for animal cells. Cardiotonic steroids (CTSs), widely used in the clinic and recently assigned a role as endogenous regulators of intracellular processes, are highly specific inhibitors of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. Here we describe a crystal structure of the phosphorylated pig kidney Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in complex with the CTS representative ouabain, extending to 3.4 Å resolution. The structure provides key details on CTS binding, revealing an extensive hydrogen bonding network formed by the β-surface of the steroid core of ouabain and the side chains of αM1, αM2, and αM6. Furthermore, the structure reveals that cation transport site II is occupied by Mg(2+), and crystallographic studies indicate that Rb(+) and Mn(2+), but not Na(+), bind to this site. Comparison with the low-affinity [K2]E2-MgF(x)-ouabain structure [Ogawa et al. (2009) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106(33):13742-13747) shows that the CTS binding pocket of [Mg]E2P allows deep ouabain binding with possible long-range interactions between its polarized five-membered lactone ring and the Mg(2+). K(+) binding at the same site unwinds a turn of αM4, dragging residues Ile318-Val325 toward the cation site and thereby hindering deep ouabain binding. Thus, the structural data establish a basis for the interpretation of the biochemical evidence pointing at direct K(+)-Mg(2+) competition and explain the well-known antagonistic effect of K(+) on CTS binding.

The involvement of coordinative interactions in the binding of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase to titanium dioxide-Localization of a putative binding site.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayan, Avraham; Babin, Gilad; Ganoth, Assaf; Kayouf, Nivin Samir; Nitoker Eliaz, Neta; Mukkala, Srijana; Tsfadia, Yossi; Fleminger, Gideon

2017-08-01

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely used in orthodontic and orthopedic implants by virtue to their high biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and high resistance to corrosion. Biointegration of the implants with the tissue requires strong interactions, which involve biological molecules, proteins in particular, with metal oxide surfaces. An exocellular high-affinity titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )-binding protein (TiBP), purified from Rhodococcus ruber, has been previously studied in our lab. This protein was shown to be homologous with the orthologous cytoplasmic rhodococcal dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (rhDLDH). We have found that rhDLDH and its human homolog (hDLDH) share the TiO 2 -binding capabilities with TiBP. Intrigued by the unique TiO 2 -binding properties of hDLDH, we anticipated that it may serve as a molecular bridge between Ti-based medical structures and human tissues. The objective of the current study was to locate the region and the amino acids of the protein that mediate the protein-TiO 2 surface interaction. We demonstrated the role of acidic amino acids in the nonelectrostatic enzyme/dioxide interactions at neutral pH. The observation that the interaction of DLDH with various metal oxides is independent of their isoelectric values strengthens this notion. DLDH does not lose its enzymatic activity upon binding to TiO 2 , indicating that neither the enzyme undergoes major conformational changes nor the TiO 2 binding site is blocked. Docking predictions suggest that both rhDLDH and hDLDH bind TiO 2 through similar regions located far from the active site and the dimerization sites. The putative TiO 2 -binding regions of both the bacterial and human enzymes were found to contain a CHED (Cys, His, Glu, Asp) motif, which has been shown to participate in metal-binding sites in proteins. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DNA Mismatch Binding and Antiproliferative Activity of Rhodium Metalloinsertors

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, Russell J.; Song, Hang; Barton, Jacqueline K.

2009-01-01

Deficiencies in mismatch repair (MMR) are associated with carcinogenesis. Rhodium metalloinsertors bind to DNA base mismatches with high specificity and inhibit cellular proliferation preferentially in MMR-deficient cells versus MMR-proficient cells. A family of chrysenequinone diimine complexes of rhodium with varying ancillary ligands that serve as DNA metalloinsertors has been synthesized, and both DNA mismatch binding affinities and antiproliferative activities against the human colorectal carcinoma cell lines HCT116N and HCT116O, an isogenic model system for MMR deficiency, have been determined. DNA photocleavage experiments reveal that all complexes bind to the mismatch sites with high specificities; DNA binding affinities to oligonucleotides containing single base CA and CC mismatches, obtained through photocleavage titration or competition, vary from 104 to 108 M−1 for the series of complexes. Significantly, binding affinities are found to be inversely related to ancillary ligand size and directly related to differential inhibition of the HCT116 cell lines. The observed trend in binding affinity is consistent with the metalloinsertion mode where the complex binds from the minor groove with ejection of mismatched base pairs. The correlation between binding affinity and targeting of the MMR-deficient cell line suggests that rhodium metalloinsertors exert their selective biological effects on MMR-deficient cells through mismatch binding in vivo. PMID:19175313

Two unique ligand-binding clamps of Rhizopus oryzae starch binding domain for helical structure disruption of amylose.

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Ting-Ying Jiang

Full Text Available The N-terminal starch binding domain of Rhizopus oryzae glucoamylase (RoSBD has a high binding affinity for raw starch. RoSBD has two ligand-binding sites, each containing a ligand-binding clamp: a polyN clamp residing near binding site I is unique in that it is expressed in only three members of carbohydrate binding module family 21 (CBM21 members, and a Y32/F58 clamp located at binding site II is conserved in several CBMs. Here we characterized different roles of these sites in the binding of insoluble and soluble starches using an amylose-iodine complex assay, atomic force microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, site-directed mutagenesis, and structural bioinformatics. RoSBD induced the release of iodine from the amylose helical cavity and disrupted the helical structure of amylose type III, thereby significantly diminishing the thickness and length of the amylose type III fibrils. A point mutation in the critical ligand-binding residues of sites I and II, however, reduced both the binding affinity and amylose helix disruption. This is the first molecular model for structure disruption of the amylose helix by a non-hydrolytic CBM21 member. RoSBD apparently twists the helical amylose strands apart to expose more ligand surface for further SBD binding. Repeating the process triggers the relaxation and unwinding of amylose helices to generate thinner and shorter amylose fibrils, which are more susceptible to hydrolysis by glucoamylase. This model aids in understanding the natural roles of CBMs in protein-glycan interactions and contributes to potential molecular engineering of CBMs.

High familial risk for mood disorder is associated with low dorsolateral prefrontal cortex serotonin transporter binding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frokjaer, Vibe G; Vinberg, Maj; Erritzoe, David

2009-01-01

at risk for developing depression. The aim of this study was to explore whether abnormalities in SERT might be present in healthy individuals with familial predisposition to mood disorder. Nine individuals at high familial risk (mean age 32.2+/-4.2 years) and 11 individuals at low risk (mean age 32......Mood disorders are elicited through a combination of genetic and environmental stress factors, and treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ameliorates depressive symptoms. Changes in the serotonin transporter (SERT) binding may therefore occur in depressive patients and in subjects.......4+/-5.0 years) for developing mood disorder were included. The subjects were healthy twins with or without a co-twin history of mood disorder identified by linking information from the Danish Twin Register and the Danish Psychiatric Central Register. Regional in vivo brain serotonin transporter binding...

Targeted Nanotechnology for Cancer Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Toy, Randall; Bauer, Lisa; Hoimes, Christopher; Ghaghada, Ketan B.; Karathanasis, Efstathios

2014-01-01

Targeted nanoparticle imaging agents provide many benefits and new opportunities to facilitate accurate diagnosis of cancer and significantly impact patient outcome. Due to the highly engineerable nature of nanotechnology, targeted nanoparticles exhibit significant advantages including increased contrast sensitivity, binding avidity and targeting specificity. Considering the various nanoparticle designs and their adjustable ability to target a specific site and generate detectable signals, nanoparticles can be optimally designed in terms of biophysical interactions (i.e., intravascular and interstitial transport) and biochemical interactions (i.e., targeting avidity towards cancer-related biomarkers) for site-specific detection of very distinct microenvironments. This review seeks to illustrate that the design of a nanoparticle dictates its in vivo journey and targeting of hard-to-reach cancer sites, facilitating early and accurate diagnosis and interrogation of the most aggressive forms of cancer. We will report various targeted nanoparticles for cancer imaging using X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear imaging and optical imaging. Finally, to realize the full potential of targeted nanotechnology for cancer imaging, we will describe the challenges and opportunities for the clinical translation and widespread adaptation of targeted nanoparticles imaging agents. PMID:25116445

DNABP: Identification of DNA-Binding Proteins Based on Feature Selection Using a Random Forest and Predicting Binding Residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xin; Guo, Jing; Sun, Xiao

2016-01-01

DNA-binding proteins are fundamentally important in cellular processes. Several computational-based methods have been developed to improve the prediction of DNA-binding proteins in previous years. However, insufficient work has been done on the prediction of DNA-binding proteins from protein sequence information. In this paper, a novel predictor, DNABP (DNA-binding proteins), was designed to predict DNA-binding proteins using the random forest (RF) classifier with a hybrid feature. The hybrid feature contains two types of novel sequence features, which reflect information about the conservation of physicochemical properties of the amino acids, and the binding propensity of DNA-binding residues and non-binding propensities of non-binding residues. The comparisons with each feature demonstrated that these two novel features contributed most to the improvement in predictive ability. Furthermore, to improve the prediction performance of the DNABP model, feature selection using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) method combined with incremental feature selection (IFS) was carried out during the model construction. The results showed that the DNABP model could achieve 86.90% accuracy, 83.76% sensitivity, 90.03% specificity and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.727. High prediction accuracy and performance comparisons with previous research suggested that DNABP could be a useful approach to identify DNA-binding proteins from sequence information. The DNABP web server system is freely available at http://www.cbi.seu.edu.cn/DNABP/.

High affinity and temperature sensitivity of blood oxygen binding in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus due to lack of chloride-hemoglobin allosteric interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damsgaard, Christian; Phuong, Le My; Huong, Do Thi Thanh

2015-01-01

Air-breathing fishes represent interesting organisms in terms of understanding the physiological changes associated with the terrestrialization of vertebrates, and, further, are of great socio-economic importance for aquaculture in Southeast Asia. To understand how environmental factors......, such as high temperature, affect O2 transport in air-breathing fishes, this study assessed the effects of temperature on O2 binding of blood and Hb in the economically important air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. To determine blood O2 binding properties, blood was drawn from resting cannulated...

Chondroitin sulphate A (CSA)-binding of single recombinant Duffy-binding-like domains is not restricted to Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 expressed by CSA-binding parasites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Resende, Mafalda; Ditlev, Sisse B; Nielsen, Morten A

2009-01-01

Individuals living in areas with high Plasmodium falciparum transmission acquire immunity to malaria over time and adults have a markedly reduced risk of contracting severe disease. However, pregnant women constitute an important exception. Pregnancy-associated malaria is a major cause of mother....... In this study, we confirm the CSA-binding of these DBL domains, however, the analysis of a number of DBL domains of a non-VAR2CSA origin shows that CSA-binding is not exclusively restricted to VAR2CSA DBL domains. Furthermore, we show that the VAR2CSA DBL domains as well as other DBL domains also bind heparan...

CLIPZ: a database and analysis environment for experimentally determined binding sites of RNA-binding proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Khorshid, Mohsen; Rodak, Christoph; Zavolan, Mihaela

2011-01-01

The stability, localization and translation rate of mRNAs are regulated by a multitude of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that find their targets directly or with the help of guide RNAs. Among the experimental methods for mapping RBP binding sites, cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP) coupled with deep sequencing provides transcriptome-wide coverage as well as high resolution. However, partly due to their vast volume, the data that were so far generated in CLIP experiments have not been put in a form that enables fast and interactive exploration of binding sites. To address this need, we have developed the CLIPZ database and analysis environment. Binding site data for RBPs such as Argonaute 1-4, Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 1-3, TNRC6 proteins A-C, Pumilio 2, Quaking and Polypyrimidine tract binding protein can be visualized at the level of the genome and of individual transcripts. Individual users can upload their own sequence data sets while being able to limit the access to these data to specific users, and analyses of the public and private data sets can be performed interactively. CLIPZ, available at http://www.clipz.unibas.ch, aims to provide an open access repository of information for post-transcriptional regulatory elements.

Metastatic Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma Secreting Thyroid Hormone and Radioiodine Avid without Stimulation: A Case Report and Literature Review

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Syed A. Abid

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. This is an extremely rare case of a patient with metastatic follicular thyroid cancer who continued to produce thyroid hormone and was iodine scan positive without stimulation after thyroidectomy and radioiodine (I-131 therapy. Patient Findings. A 76-year-old Caucasian male was diagnosed with metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma on lung nodule biopsy. Total thyroidectomy was performed and he was ablated with 160 mCi of I-131 after recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH stimulation. Whole body scan (WBS after treatment showed uptake in bilateral lungs, right sacrum, and pelvis. The thyroglobulin decreased from 2,063 to 965 four months after treatment but rapidly increased to 2,506 eleven months after I-131. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH remained suppressed and free T4 remained elevated after I-131 therapy without thyroid hormone supplementation. He was treated with an additional 209 mCi with WBS findings positive in lung and pelvis. Despite I-131, new metastatic lesions were noted in the left thyroid bed and large destructive lesion to the first cervical vertebrae four months after the second I-131 dose. Conclusions. This case is exceptional because of its rarity and also due to the dissociation between tumor differentiation and aggressiveness. The metastatic lesions continued to secrete thyroid hormone and remained radioiodine avid with rapid progression after I-131 therapy.

Ligand binding and crystal structures of the substrate-binding domain of the ABC transporter OpuA.

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Justina C Wolters

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The ABC transporter OpuA from Lactococcus lactis transports glycine betaine upon activation by threshold values of ionic strength. In this study, the ligand binding characteristics of purified OpuA in a detergent-solubilized state and of its substrate-binding domain produced as soluble protein (OpuAC was characterized.The binding of glycine betaine to purified OpuA and OpuAC (K(D = 4-6 microM did not show any salt dependence or cooperative effects, in contrast to the transport activity. OpuAC is highly specific for glycine betaine and the related proline betaine. Other compatible solutes like proline and carnitine bound with affinities that were 3 to 4 orders of magnitude lower. The low affinity substrates were not noticeably transported by membrane-reconstituted OpuA. OpuAC was crystallized in an open (1.9 A and closed-liganded (2.3 A conformation. The binding pocket is formed by three tryptophans (Trp-prism coordinating the quaternary ammonium group of glycine betaine in the closed-liganded structure. Even though the binding site of OpuAC is identical to that of its B. subtilis homolog, the affinity for glycine betaine is 4-fold higher.Ionic strength did not affect substrate binding to OpuA, indicating that regulation of transport is not at the level of substrate binding, but rather at the level of translocation. The overlap between the crystal structures of OpuAC from L.lactis and B.subtilis, comprising the classical Trp-prism, show that the differences observed in the binding affinities originate from outside of the ligand binding site.

A FRET-based high throughput screening assay to identify inhibitors of anthrax protective antigen binding to capillary morphogenesis gene 2 protein.

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Michael S Rogers

Full Text Available Anti-angiogenic therapies are effective for the treatment of cancer, a variety of ocular diseases, and have potential benefits in cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and psoriasis. We have previously shown that anthrax protective antigen (PA, a non-pathogenic component of anthrax toxin, is an inhibitor of angiogenesis, apparently as a result of interaction with the cell surface receptors capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2 protein and tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8. Hence, molecules that bind the anthrax toxin receptors may be effective to slow or halt pathological vascular growth. Here we describe development and testing of an effective homogeneous steady-state fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET high throughput screening assay designed to identify molecules that inhibit binding of PA to CMG2. Molecules identified in the screen can serve as potential lead compounds for the development of anti-angiogenic and anti-anthrax therapies. The assay to screen for inhibitors of this protein-protein interaction is sensitive and robust, with observed Z' values as high as 0.92. Preliminary screens conducted with a library of known bioactive compounds identified tannic acid and cisplatin as inhibitors of the PA-CMG2 interaction. We have confirmed that tannic acid both binds CMG2 and has anti-endothelial properties. In contrast, cisplatin appears to inhibit PA-CMG2 interaction by binding both PA and CMG2, and observed cisplatin anti-angiogenic effects are not mediated by interaction with CMG2. This work represents the first reported high throughput screening assay targeting CMG2 to identify possible inhibitors of both angiogenesis and anthrax intoxication.

New Synthesis and Tritium Labeling of a Selective Ligand for Studying High-Affinity γ-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Binding Sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogensen, Stine B.; Marek, Ales; Bay, Tina

2013-01-01

3-Hydroxycyclopent-1-enecarboxylic acid (HOCPCA, 1) is a potent ligand for the high-affinity GHB binding sites in the CNS. An improved synthesis of 1 together with a very efficient synthesis of [3H]-1 is described. The radiosynthesis employs in situ generated lithium trimethoxyborotritide. Screen...

ZipA binds to FtsZ with high affinity and enhances the stability of FtsZ protofilaments.

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Anuradha Kuchibhatla

Full Text Available A bacterial membrane protein ZipA that tethers FtsZ to the membrane is known to promote FtsZ assembly. In this study, the binding of ZipA to FtsZ was monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy. ZipA was found to bind to FtsZ with high affinities at three different (6.0, 6.8 and 8.0 pHs, albeit the binding affinity decreased with increasing pH. Further, thick bundles of FtsZ protofilaments were observed in the presence of ZipA under the pH conditions used in this study indicating that ZipA can promote FtsZ assembly and stabilize FtsZ polymers under unfavorable conditions. Bis-ANS, a hydrophobic probe, decreased the interaction of FtsZ and ZipA indicating that the interaction between FtsZ and ZipA is hydrophobic in nature. ZipA prevented the dilution induced disassembly of FtsZ polymers suggesting that it stabilizes FtsZ protofilaments. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled ZipA was found to be uniformly distributed along the length of the FtsZ protofilaments indicating that ZipA stabilizes FtsZ protofilaments by cross-linking them.

Gentamicin binds to the megalin receptor as a competitive inhibitor using the common ligand binding motif of complement type repeats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dagil, Robert; O'Shea, Charlotte; Nykjær, Anders

2013-01-01

megalin and investigated its interaction with gentamicin. Using NMR titration data in HADDOCK, we have generated a three-dimensional model describing the complex between megalin and gentamicin. Gentamicin binds to megalin with low affinity and exploits the common ligand binding motif previously described...... to megalin is highly similar to gentamicin binding to calreticulin. We discuss the impact of this novel insight for the future structure-based design of gentamicin antagonists....

Membrane invagination induced by Shiga toxin B-subunit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pezeshkian, W.; Hansen, Allan Grønhøj; Johannes, Ludger

2016-01-01

-atom molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations we show that the molecular architecture of STxB enables the following sequence of events: the Gb3 binding sites on STxB are arranged such that tight avidity-based binding results in a small increment of local curvature. Membrane-mediated clustering of several...... toxin molecules then creates a tubular membrane invagination that drives toxin entry into the cell. This mechanism requires: (1) a precise molecular architecture of the STxB binding sites; (2) a fluid bilayer in order for the tubular invagination to form. Although, STxB binding to the membrane requires...... specific interactions with Gb3 lipids, our study points to a generic molecular design principle for clathrin-independent endocytosis of nanoparticles....

High Throughput Combinatorial Formatting of PcrV Nanobodies for Efficient Potency Improvement*

Science.gov (United States)

De Tavernier, Evelyn; Detalle, Laurent; Morizzo, Erika; Roobrouck, Annelies; De Taeye, Severine; Rieger, Melanie; Verhaeghe, Tom; Correia, Andreia; Van Hegelsom, Rob; Figueirido, Rita; Noens, Jeroen; Steffensen, Søren; Stöhr, Thomas; Van de Velde, Willem; Depla, Erik; Dombrecht, Bruno

2016-01-01

Improving potencies through concomitant blockage of multiple epitopes and avid binding by fusing multiple (different) monovalent Nanobody building blocks via linker sequences into one multivalent polypeptide chain is an elegant alternative to affinity maturation. We explored a large and random formatting library of bivalent (combinations of two identical) and biparatopic (combinations of two different) Nanobodies for functional blockade of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PcrV. PcrV is an essential part of the P. aeruginosa type III secretion system (T3SS), and its oligomeric nature allows for multiple complex binding and blocking options. The library screening yielded a large number of promising biparatopic lead candidates, revealing significant (and non-trivial) preferences in terms of Nanobody building block and epitope bin combinations and orientations. Excellent potencies were confirmed upon further characterization in two different P. aeruginosa T3SS-mediated cytotoxicity assays. Three biparatopic Nanobodies were evaluated in a lethal mouse P. aeruginosa challenge pneumonia model, conferring 100% survival upon prophylactic administration and reducing lung P. aeruginosa burden by up to 2 logs. At very low doses, they protected the mice from P. aeruginosa infection-related changes in lung histology, myeloperoxidase production, and lung weight. Importantly, the most potent Nanobody still conferred protection after therapeutic administration up to 24 h post-infection. The concept of screening such formatting libraries for potency improvement is applicable to other targets and biological therapeutic platforms. PMID:27226529

CARBOHYDRATE-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS WHICH BIND TO CARBOHYDRATE BINDING RECEPTORS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

1995-01-01

Carbohydrate-containing compounds which contain saccharides or derivatives thereof and which bind to carbohydrate binding receptors are useful in pharmaceutical products for treatment of inflammatory diseases and other diseases.......Carbohydrate-containing compounds which contain saccharides or derivatives thereof and which bind to carbohydrate binding receptors are useful in pharmaceutical products for treatment of inflammatory diseases and other diseases....

Septide and neurokinin A are high-affinity ligands on the NK-1 receptor: evidence from homologous versus heterologous binding analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hastrup, H; Schwartz, T W

1996-12-16

The three main tachykinins, substance P, neurokinin A (NKA), and neurokinin B, are believed to be selective ligands for respectively the NK-1, NK-2 and NK-3 receptors. However, NKA also has actions which cannot be mediated through its normal NK-2 receptor and the synthetic peptide [pGlu6,Pro9]-Substance P9-11--called septide--is known to have tachykinin-like actions despite its apparent lack of binding to any known tachykinin receptor. In the cloned NK-1 receptor expressed in COS-7 cells NKA and septide as expected were poor competitors for radiolabeled substance P. However, by using radiolabeled NKA and septide directly, it was found that both peptides in homologous binding assays as well as in competition against each other in fact bound to the NK-1 receptor with high affinity: Kd values of 0.51 +/- 0.15 nM (NKA) and 0.55 +/- 0.03 nM (septide). It is concluded that NKA and septide are high-affinity ligands for the NK-1 receptor but that they are poor competitors for substance P, which in contrast competes very well for binding with both NKA and septide.

Recognition of anesthetic barbiturates by a protein binding site: a high resolution structural analysis.

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Simon Oakley

Full Text Available Barbiturates potentiate GABA actions at the GABA(A receptor and act as central nervous system depressants that can induce effects ranging from sedation to general anesthesia. No structural information has been available about how barbiturates are recognized by their protein targets. For this reason, we tested whether these drugs were able to bind specifically to horse spleen apoferritin, a model protein that has previously been shown to bind many anesthetic agents with affinities that are closely correlated with anesthetic potency. Thiopental, pentobarbital, and phenobarbital were all found to bind to apoferritin with affinities ranging from 10-500 µM, approximately matching the concentrations required to produce anesthetic and GABAergic responses. X-ray crystal structures were determined for the complexes of apoferritin with thiopental and pentobarbital at resolutions of 1.9 and 2.0 Å, respectively. These structures reveal that the barbiturates bind to a cavity in the apoferritin shell that also binds haloalkanes, halogenated ethers, and propofol. Unlike these other general anesthetics, however, which rely entirely upon van der Waals interactions and the hydrophobic effect for recognition, the barbiturates are recognized in the apoferritin site using a mixture of both polar and nonpolar interactions. These results suggest that any protein binding site that is able to recognize and respond to the chemically and structurally diverse set of compounds used as general anesthetics is likely to include a versatile mixture of both polar and hydrophobic elements.

Modeling Shear Induced Von Willebrand Factor Binding to Collagen

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Chuqiao; Wei, Wei; Morabito, Michael; Webb, Edmund; Oztekin, Alparslan; Zhang, Xiaohui; Cheng, Xuanhong

2017-11-01

Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a blood glycoprotein that binds with platelets and collagen on injured vessel surfaces to form clots. VWF bioactivity is shear flow induced: at low shear, binding between VWF and other biological entities is suppressed; for high shear rate conditions - as are found near arterial injury sites - VWF elongates, activating its binding with platelets and collagen. Based on parameters derived from single molecule force spectroscopy experiments, we developed a coarse-grain molecular model to simulate bond formation probability as a function of shear rate. By introducing a binding criterion that depends on the conformation of a sub-monomer molecular feature of our model, the model predicts shear-induced binding, even for conditions where binding is highly energetically favorable. We further investigate the influence of various model parameters on the ability to predict shear-induced binding (vWF length, collagen site density and distribution, binding energy landscape, and slip/catch bond length) and demonstrate parameter ranges where the model provides good agreement with existing experimental data. Our results may be important for understanding vWF activity and also for achieving targeted drug therapy via biomimetic synthetic molecules. National Science Foundation (NSF),Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS).

Identification of Rift Valley fever virus nucleocapsid protein-RNA binding inhibitors using a high-throughput screening assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellenbecker, Mary; Lanchy, Jean-Marc; Lodmell, J Stephen

2012-09-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an emerging infectious pathogen that causes severe disease in humans and livestock and has the potential for global spread. Currently, there is no proven effective treatment for RVFV infection, and there is no licensed vaccine. Inhibition of RNA binding to the essential viral nucleocapsid (N) protein represents a potential antiviral therapeutic strategy because all of the functions performed by N during infection involve RNA binding. To target this interaction, we developed a fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput drug-screening assay and tested 26 424 chemical compounds for their ability to disrupt an N-RNA complex. From libraries of Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, druglike molecules, and natural product extracts, we identified several lead compounds that are promising candidates for medicinal chemistry.

Unusual binding of ursodeoxycholic acid to ileal bile acid binding protein: role in activation of FXRα[S

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Changming; Filipp, Fabian V.; Smith, Jeffrey W.

2012-01-01

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, ursodiol) is used to prevent damage to the liver in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. The drug also prevents the progression of colorectal cancer and the recurrence of high-grade colonic dysplasia. However, the molecular mechanism by which UDCA elicits its beneficial effects is not entirely understood. The aim of this study was to determine whether ileal bile acid binding protein (IBABP) has a role in mediating the effects of UDCA. We find that UDCA binds to a single site on IBABP and increases the affinity for major human bile acids at a second binding site. As UDCA occupies one of the bile acid binding sites on IBABP, it reduces the cooperative binding that is often observed for the major human bile acids. Furthermore, IBABP is necessary for the full activation of farnesoid X receptor α (FXRα) by bile acids, including UDCA. These observations suggest that IBABP may have a role in mediating some of the intestinal effects of UDCA. PMID:22223860

Human chorionic ganodotropin binding sites in the human endometrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharya, S.; Banerjee, J.; Sen, S.; Manna, P.R.

1993-01-01

The existence of high-affinity and low-capacity specific binding sites for luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been reported in porcine, rabbit and rat uteri. The authors have identified the hCG binding sites in the human endometrium collected from 35-42-year-old ovulatory and anovulatory women. The binding characteristics of hCG to endometrial tissue preparations from ovulatory and anovulatory women showed saturability with high affinity and low capacity. Scatchard plot analysis showed the dissociation constant of specific binding sites in the ovulatory women to be 3.5x10 -10 mol/l and in anovulatory women to be 3.1x10 -10 mol/l. The maximum binding capacity varied considerably between ovulatory and anovulatory endometrium. Among the divalent metal ions tested Zn 2+ effected a remarkable increase in [ 125 I]hCG binding to the endometrium, whereas Mn 2+ showed a marginal increase and other metal ions did not have any effect. Data obtained with human endometrium indicate an influence of the functional state of the ovary on [ 125 I]hCG binding to endometrium. 14 refs., 3 figs

Conformational Plasticity in the Transsynaptic Neurexin-Cerebellin-Glutamate Receptor Adhesion Complex

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Shouqiang; Seven, Alpay B.; Wang, Jing; Skiniotis, Georgios; Özkan, Engin (UC); (Michigan)

2016-12-01

Synaptic specificity is a defining property of neural networks. In the cerebellum, synapses between parallel fiber neurons and Purkinje cells are specified by the simultaneous interactions of secreted protein cerebellin with pre-synaptic neurexin and post-synaptic delta-type glutamate receptors (GluD). Here, we determined the crystal structures of the trimeric C1q-like domain of rat cerebellin-1, and the first complete ectodomain of a GluD, rat GluD2. Cerebellin binds to the LNS6 domain of α- and β-neurexin-1 through a high-affinity interaction that involves its highly flexible N-terminal domain. In contrast, we show that the interaction of cerebellin with isolated GluD2 ectodomain is low affinity, which is not simply an outcome of lost avidity when compared with binding with a tetrameric full-length receptor. Rather, high-affinity capture of cerebellin by post-synaptic terminals is likely controlled by long-distance regulation within this transsynaptic complex. Altogether, our results suggest unusual conformational flexibility within all components of the complex.

Affinity chromatographic purification of tetrodotoxin by use of tetrodotoxin-binding high molecular weight substances in the body fluid of shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) as ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiomi, K; Yamaguchi, S; Shimakura, K; Nagashima, Y; Yamamori, K; Matsui, T

1993-12-01

A purification method for tetrodotoxin (TTX), based on affinity chromatography using the TTX-binding high mol. wt substances in the body fluid of shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) as ligands, was developed. This method was particularly useful for analysis of TTX in biological samples with low concentrations of TTX. The affinity gel prepared was highly specific for TTX, having no ability to bind 4-epi-TTX and anhydro-TTX as well as saxitoxin.

Reduced CGP12177 binding to cardiac β-adrenoceptors in hyperglycemic high-fat-diet-fed, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thackeray, James T.; Parsa-Nezhad, Maryam; Kenk, Miran; Thorn, Stephanie L.; Kolajova, Maria; Beanlands, Rob S.B.; DaSilva, Jean N.

2011-01-01

Introduction: Abnormal sympathetic nervous system and β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) signaling is associated with diabetes. [ 3 H]CGP12177 is a nonselective β-AR antagonist that can be labeled with carbon-11 for positron emission tomography. The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of this tracer for evaluation of altered β-AR expression in diabetic rat hearts. Methods: Ex vivo biodistribution with [ 3 H]CGP12177 was carried out in normal Sprague-Dawley rats for evaluation of specific binding and response to continuous β-AR stimulation by isoproterenol. In a separate group, high-fat-diet feeding imparted insulin resistance and a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) or vehicle evoked hyperglycemia (blood glucose >11 mM). [ 3 H]CGP12177 biodistribution was assessed at 2 and 8 weeks post-STZ to measure β-AR binding in heart, 30 min following tracer injection. Western blotting of β-AR subtypes was completed in parallel. Results: Infusion of isoproterenol over 14 days did not affect cardiac binding of [ 3 H]CGP12177. Approximately half of rats treated with STZ exhibited sustained hyperglycemia and progressive hypoinsulinemia. Myocardial [ 3 H]CGP12177 specific binding was unchanged at 2 weeks post-STZ but significantly reduced by 30%-40% at 8 weeks in hyperglycemic but not euglycemic STZ-treated rats compared with vehicle-treated controls. Western blots supported a significant decrease in β 1 -AR in hyperglycemic rats. Conclusions: Reduced cardiac [ 3 H]CGP12177 specific binding in the presence of sustained hyperglycemia corresponds to a decrease in relative β 1 -AR expression. These data indirectly support the use of [ 11 C]CGP12177 for assessment of cardiac dysfunction in diabetes.

Radiation damage to DNA-binding proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Culard, G.; Eon, S.; DeVuyst, G.; Charlier, M.; Spotheim-Maurizot, M.

2003-01-01

The DNA-binding properties of proteins are strongly affected upon irradiation. The tetrameric lactose repressor (a dimer of dimers) losses its ability to bind operator DNA as soon as at least two damages per protomer of each dimer occur. The monomeric MC1 protein losses its ability to bind DNA in two steps : i) at low doses only the specific binding is abolished, whereas the non-specific one is still possible; ii) at high doses all binding vanishes. Moreover, the DNA bending induced by MC1 binding is less pronounced for a protein that underwent the low dose irradiation. When the entire DNA-protein complexes are irradiated, the observed disruption of the complexes is mainly due to the damage of the proteins and not to that of DNA. The doses necessary for complex disruption are higher than those inactivating the free protein. This difference, larger for MC1 than for lactose repressor, is due to the protection of the protein by the bound DNA. The oxidation of the protein side chains that are accessible to the radiation-induced hydroxyl radicals seems to represent the inactivating damage

Zinc Binding by Lactic Acid Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jasna Mrvčić

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Zinc is an essential trace element in all organisms. A common method for the prevention of zinc deficiency is pharmacological supplementation, especially in a highly available form of a metalloprotein complex. The potential of different microbes to bind essential and toxic heavy metals has recently been recognized. In this work, biosorption of zinc by lactic acid bacteria (LAB has been investigated. Specific LAB were assessed for their ability to bind zinc from a water solution. Significant amount of zinc ions was bound, and this binding was found to be LAB species-specific. Differences among the species in binding performance at a concentration range between 10–90 mg/L were evaluated with Langmuir model for biosorption. Binding of zinc was a fast process, strongly influenced by ionic strength, pH, biomass concentration, and temperature. The most effective metal-binding LAB species was Leuconostoc mesenteroides (27.10 mg of Zn2+ per gram of dry mass bound at pH=5 and 32 °C, during 24 h. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis and electron microscopy demonstrated that passive adsorption and active uptake of the zinc ions were involved.

Characterization of (/sup 3/H)paroxetine binding in rat brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marcusson, J.O.; Bergstroem, M.E.; Eriksson, K.; Ross, S.B.

1988-06-01

The binding of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) uptake inhibitor (3H)paroxetine to rat cortical homogenates has been characterized. The effect of tissue concentration was examined and, with 0.75 mg wet weight tissue/ml in a total volume of 1,600 microliter, the binding was optimized with an apparent dissociation constant (KD) of 0.03-0.05 nM. Competition experiments with 5-HT, citalopram, norzimeldine, and desipramine revealed a high (90%) proportion of displaceable binding that fitted a single-site binding model. Fluoxetine and imipramine revealed, in addition to a high-affinity (nanomolar) site, also a low-affinity (micromolar) site representing approximately 10% of the displaceable binding. The specificity of the (3H)paroxetine binding was emphasized by the fact that 5-HT was the only active neurotransmitter bound and that the serotonin S1 and S2 antagonist methysergide was without effect on the binding. Both 5-HT- and fluoxetine-sensitive (3H)paroxetine binding was completely abolished after protease treatment, suggesting that the binding site is of protein nature. Saturation studies with 5-HT (100 microM) sensitive (3H)paroxetine binding were also consistent with a single-site binding model, and the binding was competitively inhibited by 5-HT and imipramine. The number of binding sites (Bmax) for 5-HT-sensitive (3H)paroxetine and (3H)imipramine binding was the same, indicating that the radioligands bind to the same sites. Lesion experiments with p-chloroamphetamine resulted in a binding in frontal and parietal cortices becoming undetectable and a greater than 60% reduction in the striatum and hypothalamus, indicating a selective localization on 5-HT terminals. Together these findings suggest that (3H)paroxetine specifically and selectively labels the substrate recognition site for 5-HT uptake in rat brain.

A mosquito hemolymph odorant-binding protein family member specifically binds juvenile hormone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Il Hwan; Pham, Van; Jablonka, Willy; Goodman, Walter G.; Ribeiro, José M. C.; Andersen, John F.

2017-07-27

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a key regulator of insect development and reproduction. In adult mosquitoes, it is essential for maturation of the ovary and normal male reproductive behavior, but how JH distribution and activity is regulated after secretion is unclear. Here, we report a new type of specific JH-binding protein, given the name mosquito juvenile hormone-binding protein (mJHBP), which circulates in the hemolymph of pupal and adult Aedes aegypti males and females. mJHBP is a member of the odorant-binding protein (OBP) family, and orthologs are present in the genomes of Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles mosquito species. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that mJHBP specifically binds JH II and JH III but not eicosanoids or JH derivatives. mJHBP was crystallized in the presence of JH III and found to have a double OBP domain structure reminiscent of salivary “long” D7 proteins of mosquitoes. We observed that a single JH III molecule is contained in the N-terminal domain binding pocket that is closed in an apparent conformational change by a C-terminal domain-derived α-helix. The electron density for the ligand indicated a high occupancy of the natural 10R enantiomer of JH III. Of note, mJHBP is structurally unrelated to hemolymph JHBP from lepidopteran insects. A low level of expression of mJHBP in Ae. aegypti larvae suggests that it is primarily active during the adult stage where it could potentially influence the effects of JH on egg development, mating behavior, feeding, or other processes.

A mosquito hemolymph odorant-binding protein family member specifically binds juvenile hormone.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il Hwan; Pham, Van; Jablonka, Willy; Goodman, Walter G; Ribeiro, José M C; Andersen, John F

2017-09-15

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a key regulator of insect development and reproduction. In adult mosquitoes, it is essential for maturation of the ovary and normal male reproductive behavior, but how JH distribution and activity is regulated after secretion is unclear. Here, we report a new type of specific JH-binding protein, given the name mosquito juvenile hormone-binding protein (mJHBP), which circulates in the hemolymph of pupal and adult Aedes aegypti males and females. mJHBP is a member of the odorant-binding protein (OBP) family, and orthologs are present in the genomes of Aedes , Culex , and Anopheles mosquito species. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that mJHBP specifically binds JH II and JH III but not eicosanoids or JH derivatives. mJHBP was crystallized in the presence of JH III and found to have a double OBP domain structure reminiscent of salivary "long" D7 proteins of mosquitoes. We observed that a single JH III molecule is contained in the N-terminal domain binding pocket that is closed in an apparent conformational change by a C-terminal domain-derived α-helix. The electron density for the ligand indicated a high occupancy of the natural 10 R enantiomer of JH III. Of note, mJHBP is structurally unrelated to hemolymph JHBP from lepidopteran insects. A low level of expression of mJHBP in Ae. aegypti larvae suggests that it is primarily active during the adult stage where it could potentially influence the effects of JH on egg development, mating behavior, feeding, or other processes.

Increased serum cortisol binding in chronic active hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orbach, O.; Schussler, G.C.

1989-01-01

A high serum cortisol concentration, apparently due to increased cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), was found in a patient (index case) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). We therefore performed further studies to determine whether increased cortisol binding is generally associated with CAH. Serum samples were obtained from 15 hospitalized patients with long-term liver function test elevations but no evidence of cirrhosis, 15 normal subjects without a history of hepatitis, four healthy pregnant women, and 10 alcoholic patients with stigmata of cirrhosis. Serum cortisol binding was measured by an adaptation of a previously described charcoal uptake method. Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined by radioimmunoassays. Charcoal uptake of 125I cortisol from sera of normal subjects and additional patients with CAH revealed that increased serum cortisol binding by a saturable site, presumably CBG, was associated with CAH. Cortisol binding was significantly correlated with immunoassayable TBG, suggesting that in CAH, similar mechanisms may be responsible for increasing the serum concentrations of CBG and TBG

Synthesis of Tumor-avid Photosensitizer-Gd(III)DTPA conjugates: impact of the number of gadolinium units in T1/T2 relaxivity, intracellular localization, and photosensitizing efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, Lalit N; White, William H; Spernyak, Joseph A; Ethirajan, Manivannan; Chen, Yihui; Missert, Joseph R; Morgan, Janet; Mazurchuk, Richard; Pandey, Ravindra K

2010-05-19

To develop novel bifunctional agents for tumor imaging (MR) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), certain tumor-avid photosensitizers derived from chlorophyll-a were conjugated with variable number of Gd(III)aminobenzyl DTPA moieties. All the conjugates containing three or six gadolinium units showed significant T(1) and T(2) relaxivities. However, as a bifunctional agent, the 3-(1'-hexyloxyethyl)pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) containing 3Gd(III) aminophenyl DTPA was most promising with possible applications in tumor-imaging and PDT. Compared to HPPH, the corresponding 3- and 6Gd(III)aminobenzyl DTPA conjugates exhibited similar electronic absorption characteristics with a slightly decreased intensity of the absorption band at 660 nm. However, compared to HPPH, the excitation of the broad "Soret" band (near 400 nm) of the corresponding 3Gd(III)aminobenzyl-DTPA analogues showed a significant decrease in the fluorescence intensity at 667 nm.

Structures of Orf Virus Chemokine Binding Protein in Complex with Host Chemokines Reveal Clues to Broad Binding Specificity.

Science.gov (United States)

Couñago, Rafael M; Knapp, Karen M; Nakatani, Yoshio; Fleming, Stephen B; Corbett, Michael; Wise, Lyn M; Mercer, Andrew A; Krause, Kurt L

2015-07-07

The chemokine binding protein (CKBP) from orf virus (ORFV) binds with high affinity to chemokines from three classes, C, CC, and CXC, making it unique among poxvirus CKBPs described to date. We present its crystal structure alone and in complex with three CC chemokines, CCL2, CCL3, and CCL7. ORFV CKBP possesses a β-sandwich fold that is electrostatically and sterically complementary to its binding partners. Chemokines bind primarily through interactions involving the N-terminal loop and a hydrophobic recess on the ORFV CKBP β-sheet II surface, and largely polar interactions between the chemokine 20s loop and a negatively charged surface groove located at one end of the CKBP β-sheet II surface. ORFV CKBP interacts with leukocyte receptor and glycosaminoglycan binding sites found on the surface of bound chemokines. SEC-MALLS and chromatographic evidence is presented supporting that ORFV CKBP is a dimer in solution over a broad range of protein concentrations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thyroxine binding to serum thyronine-binding globulin in thyroidectomized adult and normal neonatal rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, R.A.; Meyers, B.; Alex, S.; Fang, S.L.; Braverman, L.E.

1988-01-01

The amount of tracer [125I]T4 bound to serum thyronine-binding globulin (TBG) was measured by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in adult thyroidectomized (TX) rats and normal 1-day to 4-week-old rat puts. Thyroidectomy was associated with the appearance of significant amounts of [125I]T4 binding to serum TBG in lean rats, but not in obese Zucker rats. Treatment of the TX rats in vivo with replacement doses of T4 prevented this increase in TBG binding, but enrichment of serum from TX rats with T4 did not. Significant amounts of tracer [125I]T4 binding to TBG was present in serum from 1- to 3-week-old normal rat pups, but not in 1-day- or 4-week-old pups. There were significantly higher levels of TBG binding of [125I]T4 in serum from 2-week-old rat pups raised in litters of 16 pups compared to those raised in litters of 4 pups. All manipulations that result in the appearance of TBG in rat serum also result in either weight loss or a slowing in the rate of growth, suggesting that the appearance of TBG in rat serum has a nutritional component. This possibility is further supported by the observations that increases in TBG binding of [125I]T4 are not found in obese Zucker rats fed a low protein-high carbohydrate diet for 14 days or fasted for 7 days, or after thyroidectomy, perhaps owing to the large stores of fuel in the obese rat

Gamma-aminobutyric acid-modulated benzodiazepine binding sites in bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lummis, S.C.R.; Johnston, G.A.R.; Nicoletti, G.; Holan, G.

1991-01-01

Benzodiazepine binding sites, which were once considered to exist only in higher vertebrates, are here demonstrated in the bacteria E. coli. The bacterial [ 3 H]diazepam binding sites are modulated by GABA; the modulation is dose dependent and is reduced at high concentrations. The most potent competitors of E.Coli [ 3 H]diazepam binding are those that are active in displacing [ 3 H]benzodiazepines from vertebrate peripheral benzodiazepine binding sites. These vertebrate sites are not modulated by GABA, in contrast to vertebrate neuronal benzodiazepine binding sites. The E.coli benzodiazepine binding sites therefore differ from both classes of vertebrate benzodiazepine binding sites; however the ligand spectrum and GABA-modulatory properties of the E.coli sites are similar to those found in insects. This intermediate type of receptor in lower species suggests a precursor for at least one class of vertebrate benzodiazepine binding sites may have existed

Ropizine concurrently enhances and inhibits [3H] dextromethorpan binding to different structures of the guinea pig brain: Autoradiographic evidence for multiple binding sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canoll, P.D.; Smith, P.R.; and Musacchio, J.M.

1990-01-01

Ropizine produces a simultaneous enhancement and inhibition of [ 3 H] dextromethorphan (DM) high-affinity binding to different areas of the guinea pig brain. These results imply that there are two distinct types of high-affinity [ 3 H]DM binding sites, which are present in variable proportions in different brain structures. The ropizine-enhances [ 3 H]DM binding type was preferentially inhibited by (+)-pentazocine. This is consistent with the presumption that the (+)-pentazocine-sensitive site is identical with the common site for DM and 3-(-3-Hydroxphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine ((+)-3-PPP). The second binding type, which is inhibited by ropizine and is not so sensitive to (+)- pentazocine, has not been fully characterized. This study demonstrates that the biphasic effects to ropizine are due, at least in part, to the effects of ropizine on two different types of [ 3 H]DM binding sites. However, this study does not rule out that the common DM/(+)-3-PPP site also might be inhibited by higher concentrations of ropizine

Reduced CGP12177 binding to cardiac {beta}-adrenoceptors in hyperglycemic high-fat-diet-fed, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thackeray, James T.; Parsa-Nezhad, Maryam; Kenk, Miran; Thorn, Stephanie L. [Molecular Function and Imaging Program, National Cardiac PET Centre, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y4W7 (Canada); Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Roger Guindon Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H8M5 (Canada); Kolajova, Maria [Molecular Function and Imaging Program, National Cardiac PET Centre, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y4W7 (Canada); Beanlands, Rob S.B. [Molecular Function and Imaging Program, National Cardiac PET Centre, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y4W7 (Canada); Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Roger Guindon Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H8M5 (Canada); DaSilva, Jean N., E-mail: jdasilva@ottawaheart.ca [Molecular Function and Imaging Program, National Cardiac PET Centre, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y4W7 (Canada); Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Roger Guindon Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H8M5 (Canada)

2011-10-15

Introduction: Abnormal sympathetic nervous system and {beta}-adrenoceptor ({beta}-AR) signaling is associated with diabetes. [{sup 3}H]CGP12177 is a nonselective {beta}-AR antagonist that can be labeled with carbon-11 for positron emission tomography. The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of this tracer for evaluation of altered {beta}-AR expression in diabetic rat hearts. Methods: Ex vivo biodistribution with [{sup 3}H]CGP12177 was carried out in normal Sprague-Dawley rats for evaluation of specific binding and response to continuous {beta}-AR stimulation by isoproterenol. In a separate group, high-fat-diet feeding imparted insulin resistance and a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) or vehicle evoked hyperglycemia (blood glucose >11 mM). [{sup 3}H]CGP12177 biodistribution was assessed at 2 and 8 weeks post-STZ to measure {beta}-AR binding in heart, 30 min following tracer injection. Western blotting of {beta}-AR subtypes was completed in parallel. Results: Infusion of isoproterenol over 14 days did not affect cardiac binding of [{sup 3}H]CGP12177. Approximately half of rats treated with STZ exhibited sustained hyperglycemia and progressive hypoinsulinemia. Myocardial [{sup 3}H]CGP12177 specific binding was unchanged at 2 weeks post-STZ but significantly reduced by 30%-40% at 8 weeks in hyperglycemic but not euglycemic STZ-treated rats compared with vehicle-treated controls. Western blots supported a significant decrease in {beta}{sub 1}-AR in hyperglycemic rats. Conclusions: Reduced cardiac [{sup 3}H]CGP12177 specific binding in the presence of sustained hyperglycemia corresponds to a decrease in relative {beta}{sub 1}-AR expression. These data indirectly support the use of [{sup 11}C]CGP12177 for assessment of cardiac dysfunction in diabetes.

Evaluating the binding efficiency of pheromone binding protein with its natural ligand using molecular docking and fluorescence analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ilayaraja, Renganathan; Rajkumar, Ramalingam; Rajesh, Durairaj; Muralidharan, Arumugam Ramachandran; Padmanabhan, Parasuraman; Archunan, Govindaraju

2014-06-01

Chemosignals play a crucial role in social and sexual communication among inter- and intra-species. Chemical cues are bound with protein that is present in the pheromones irrespective of sex are commonly called as pheromone binding protein (PBP). In rats, the pheromone compounds are bound with low molecular lipocalin protein α2u-globulin (α2u). We reported farnesol is a natural endogenous ligand (compound) present in rat preputial gland as a bound volatile compound. In the present study, an attempt has been made through computational method to evaluating the binding efficiency of α2u with the natural ligand (farnesol) and standard fluorescent molecule (2-naphthol). The docking analysis revealed that the binding energy of farnesol and 2-naphthol was almost equal and likely to share some binding pocket of protein. Further, to extrapolate the results generated through computational approach, the α2u protein was purified and subjected to fluorescence titration and binding assay. The results showed that the farnesol is replaced by 2-naphthol with high hydrophobicity of TYR120 in binding sites of α2u providing an acceptable dissociation constant indicating the binding efficiency of α2u. The obtained results are in corroboration with the data made through computational approach.

Emerging functions of natural IgM and its Fc receptor FCMR in immune homeostasis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongsheng eWang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Most natural IgM antibodies are encoded by germline Ig sequences and are produced in large quantities by both mice and humans in the absence of intentional immunization. Natural IgM are reactive with many conserved epitopes, including those shared by microorganisms and autoantigens. As a result, these antibodies play important roles in clearing intruding pathogens, as well as apoptotic/necrotic cells and otherwise damaged tissues. While natural IgM binds to target structures with low affinity due to a lack of significant selection by somatic hypermutation, its pentameric structure with 10 antigen binding sites enables these antibodies to bind multivalent target antigens with high avidity. Opsonization of antigen complexed with IgM is mediated by cell surface Fc receptors. While the existence of Fc alpha/mu receptor has been known for some time, only recently has the Fc receptor specific for IgM (FCMR been identified. In this review, we focus on our current understandings of how natural IgM and FCMR regulate the immune system and maintain homeostasis under physiological and pathological conditions.

Highly Specific Binding on Antifouling Zwitterionic Polymer-Coated Microbeads as Measured by Flow Cytometry.

Science.gov (United States)

van Andel, Esther; de Bus, Ian; Tijhaar, Edwin J; Smulders, Maarten M J; Savelkoul, Huub F J; Zuilhof, Han

2017-11-08

Micron- and nano-sized particles are extensively used in various biomedical applications. However, their performance is often drastically hampered by the nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules, a process called biofouling, which can cause false-positive and false-negative outcomes in diagnostic tests. Although antifouling coatings have been extensively studied on flat surfaces, their use on micro- and nanoparticles remains largely unexplored, despite the widespread experimental (specifically, clinical) uncertainties that arise because of biofouling. Here, we describe the preparation of magnetic micron-sized beads coated with zwitterionic sulfobetaine polymer brushes that display strong antifouling characteristics. These coated beads can then be equipped with recognition elements of choice, to enable the specific binding of target molecules. First, we present a proof of principle with biotin-functionalized beads that are able to specifically bind fluorescently labeled streptavidin from a complex mixture of serum proteins. Moreover, we show the versatility of the method by demonstrating that it is also possible to functionalize the beads with mannose moieties to specifically bind the carbohydrate-binding protein concanavalin A. Flow cytometry was used to show that thus-modified beads only bind specifically targeted proteins, with minimal/near-zero nonspecific protein adsorption from other proteins that are present. These antifouling zwitterionic polymer-coated beads, therefore, provide a significant advancement for the many bead-based diagnostic and other biosensing applications that require stringent antifouling conditions.

Association and dissociation of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin from rat brush border membrane receptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, M.B.; Thompson, M.R.; Overmann, G.J.; Giannella, R.A.

1987-01-01

Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) binds to receptors on rat intestinal cells and brush border membranes (BBM). We devised experiments to examine the reversibility of ST binding. We found that both 125 I-labeled ST and native ST were spontaneously dissociable from the BBM receptor. Radiolabeled ST bound to BBM was also dissociated by the addition of avid goat anti-ST antiserum. Furthermore, using a computer program for analysis of ligand binding, we calculated an apparent Ka of 10(8) liters/mol from competitive inhibition and saturation-binding data. This is significantly lower than the value previously reported by others. Our findings, of a lower Ka and a reversible ST-binding process, suggest that a therapeutic strategy of removing bound ST from its receptor or competing with the enterocyte receptor for unbound ST might be successful in terminating ST-induced secretion

HAMS: High-Affinity Mass Spectrometry Screening. A High-Throughput Screening Method for Identifying the Tightest-Binding Lead Compounds for Target Proteins with No False Positive Identifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Imaduwage, Kasun P; Go, Eden P; Zhu, Zhikai; Desaire, Heather

2016-11-01

A major challenge in drug discovery is the identification of high affinity lead compounds that bind a particular target protein; these leads are typically identified by high throughput screens. Mass spectrometry has become a detection method of choice in drug screening assays because the target and the ligand need not be modified. Label-free assays are advantageous because they can be developed more rapidly than assays requiring labels, and they eliminate the risk of the label interfering with the binding event. However, in commonly used MS-based screening methods, detection of false positives is a major challenge. Here, we describe a detection strategy designed to eliminate false positives. In this approach, the protein and the ligands are incubated together, and the non-binders are separated for detection. Hits (protein binders) are not detectable by MS after incubation with the protein, but readily identifiable by MS when the target protein is not present in the incubation media. The assay was demonstrated using three different proteins and hundreds of non-inhibitors; no false positive hits were identified in any experiment. The assay can be tuned to select for ligands of a particular binding affinity by varying the quantity of protein used and the immobilization method. As examples, the method selectively detected inhibitors that have K i values of 0.2 μM, 50 pM, and 700 pM. These findings demonstrate that the approach described here compares favorably with traditional MS-based screening methods. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

THE USE OF DEDICATED PEPTIDE LIBRARIES PERMITS THE DISCOVERY OF HIGH-AFFINITY BINDING PEPTIDES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DEKOSTER, HS; AMONS, R; BENCKHUIJSEN, WE; FEIJLBRIEF, M; SCHELLEKENS, GA; DRIJFHOUT, JW

1995-01-01

The motif for peptide binding to monoclonal antibody mAb A16, which is known to be directed against glycoprotein D of Herpes simplex virus type 1, was determined using two dedicated peptide libraries. As a starting point for this study we used an A-16 binding lead sequence, which had previously been

Handheld highly selective plasmonic chem/biosensor using engineered binding proteins for extreme conformational changes

Science.gov (United States)

Kosciolek, Derek J.; Sonar, Ajay; Lepak, Lori A.; Schnatz, Peter; Bendoym, Igor; Brown, Mia C.; Koder, Ronald L.; Crouse, David T.

2017-08-01

In this project we develop a handheld, portable, highly selective and sensitive chem/biosensor that has potential applications in both airborne and water-based environmental sensing. The device relies on a plasmonic chip of subwavelength-scale periodic gold rods engineered to resonate in the near infrared. The chip is functionalized with a novel class of proteins that exhibit large conformational changes upon binding to a specific target analyte. The subsequent change in local refractive index near the surface of the gold is one to two orders of magnitude greater than current conventional methods, which produces a readily measurable 5 to 10 percent difference in light transmission. This allows us to forgo traditional, bulky tabletop setups in favor of a compact form factor. Using commercially available optics to construct a transmission-based optical train, measured changes in bulk refractive index are presented here. While synthesis of binding protein efforts are focused on heme as analyte for proof of concept validation, the functionalized protein can be engineered to pair with a wide variety of analytes with minimal alterations to the plasmonic chip or device design. Such flexibility allows for this device to potentially meet the needs of first responders and health care professionals in a multitude of scenarios.

Cytoplasmic protein binding to highly conserved sequences in the 3' untranslated region of mouse protamine 2 mRNA, a translationally regulated transcript of male germ cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Y.K.; Hecht, N.B.

1991-01-01

The expression of the protamines, the predominant nuclear proteins of mammalian spermatozoa, is regulated translationally during male germ-cell development. The 3' untranslated region (UTR) of protamine 1 mRNA has been reported to control its time of translation. To understand the mechanisms controlling translation of the protamine mRNAs, we have sought to identify cis elements of the 3' UTR of protamine 2 mRNA that are recognized by cytoplasmic factors. From gel retardation assays, two sequence elements are shown to form specific RNA-protein complexes. Protein binding sites of the two complexes were determined by RNase T1 mapping, by blocking the putative binding sites with antisense oligonucleotides, and by competition assays. The sequences of these elements, located between nucleotides + 537 and + 572 in protamine 2 mRNA, are highly conserved among postmeiotic translationally regulated nuclear proteins of the mammalian testis. Two closely linked protein binding sites were detected. UV-crosslinking studies revealed that a protein of about 18 kDa binds to one of the conserved sequences. These data demonstrate specific protein binding to a highly conserved 3' UTR of translationally regulated testicular mRNA

Characterization and DNA-binding specificities of Ralstonia TAL-like effectors

KAUST Repository

Li, Lixin

2013-07-01

Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) from Xanthomonas sp. have been used as customizable DNA-binding modules for genome-engineering applications. Ralstonia solanacearum TALE-like proteins (RTLs) exhibit similar structural features to TALEs, including a central DNA-binding domain composed of 35 amino acid-long repeats. Here, we characterize the RTLs and show that they localize in the plant cell nucleus, mediate DNA binding, and might function as transcriptional activators. RTLs have a unique DNA-binding architecture and are enriched in repeat variable di-residues (RVDs), which determine repeat DNA-binding specificities. We determined the DNA-binding specificities for the RVD sequences ND, HN, NP, and NT. The RVD ND mediates highly specific interactions with C nucleotide, HN interacts specifically with A and G nucleotides, and NP binds to C, A, and G nucleotides. Moreover, we developed a highly efficient repeat assembly approach for engineering RTL effectors. Taken together, our data demonstrate that RTLs are unique DNA-targeting modules that are excellent alternatives to be tailored to bind to user-selected DNA sequences for targeted genomic and epigenomic modifications. These findings will facilitate research concerning RTL molecular biology and RTL roles in the pathogenicity of Ralstonia spp. © 2013 The Author.

Quantitative Autoradiography on [(35)S]TBPS Binding Sites of Gamma- Aminobutyric Acid(A) Receptors in Discrete Brain Regions of High- Alcohol-Drinking and Low-Alcohol- Drinking Rats Selectively Bred forHigh- and Low-Alcohol Preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, B.H.; Kunkler, P.E.; Lumeng, L.

1997-01-01

It has been documented that ethanol can potentiate brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic function, and there is a close link between the GABA(A) receptor complex and effects of ethanol, including reinforcement of alcohol which is a fundamental element of alcohol preference. However, it is unknown in what discrete brain regions GABA(A) receptors might be associated with alcohol preference. In the present study, [(35)S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([(35)S]TBPS) was used to localize GABA(A) receptors in high-alcohol-drinking (HAD) rats and low-alcohol-drinking (LAD) rats which were selectively bred for high and low alcohol preference, respectively. Initial qualitative observations indicated that [(35)S]TBPS binding sites were abundant in many brain areas including the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and amygdala of HAD and LAD rats. Furthermore, the quantitative autoradiographic analysis revealed fewer [(35)S]TBPS binding sites of GABA(A) receptors in the amygdaloid complex, central medial thalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic nucleus and anterior hypothalamic nucleus of HAD rats than LAD rats. Collectively, this study has indicated that HAD rats selectively bred for high alcohol preference possess lower [(35)S]TBPS binding in the brain. Since lower TBPS binding has been proposed to reflect enhanced GABAergic function, as evidenced in rats with seizure or under alcohol withdrawal, the results from the present study suggest that HAD rats might have an enhanced GABAergic function. It is thus likely that enhanced GABAergic function in the brain might be related to high alcohol preference which is characteristic in HAD rats. In addition, the present result showing no difference of [(35)S]TBPS binding in the nucleus accumbens is also in agreement with a notion that [(35)S]TBPS binding may represent only a small spectrum of the GABA(A) receptor complex which is constituted of a sophisticated subunit combination whose functional compositions are still unknown. In

LHRH-pituitary plasma membrane binding: the presence of specific binding sites in other tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, J C; Shakespear, R A; Odell, W D

1976-11-01

Two specific binding sites for LHRH are present on plasma membranes prepared from rat and bovine anterior pituitary glands. One site is of high affinity (K = 2X108 1/MOL) and the second is of lower affinity (8-5X105 1/mol) and much greater capacity. Studies on membrane fractions prepared from other tissues showed the presence of a single specific site for LHRH. The kinetics and specificity of this site were similar to those of the lower affinity pituitary receptor. These results indicate that only pituitary membranes possess the higher affinity binding site and suggest that the low affinity site is not of physiological importance in the regulation of gonadotrophin secretion. After dissociation from membranes of non-pituitary tissues 125I-LHRH rebound to pituitary membrane preparations. Thus receptor binding per se does not result in degradation of LHRH and the function of these peripheral receptors remains obscure.

Biosynthesis, purification and receptor binding properties of high specific radioactivity 1α,24(R), 25-trihydroxy-[26,27-methyl-3H]-vitamin D3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandler, J.S.; Pike, J.W.; Haussler, M.R.

1982-01-01

A procedure for the biosynthesis and purification of 1α,24(R),25-trihydroxy[26,27-methyl- 3 H]-vitamin D 3 (1,24,25-(OH) 3 [ 3 H]D 3 ) is reported. A kidney homogenate from chicks receiving a high calcium diet (3%) and oral supplements of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 ) was used for C-24-hydroxylation of 1α,25-dihydroxy[26,27-methyl- 3 H]-vitamin D 3 (1,25-(OH) 2 [ 3 H]D 3 ), in vitro. Extraction and purification of the homogenate lipid fraction by Sephadex LH-20 and high performance liquid chromatography yielded radiochemically pure 1,24,25-(OH) 3 [ 3 H]D 3 with a specific radioactivity equivalent to the initial substrate (166 Ci/mmol). The authenticity of the generated metabolite was assessed by co-migration with synthetic 1,24,25-(OH) 3 D 3 on high performance liquid chromatography and by equimolar competition with authentic radioinert 1,24,25-(OH) 3 D 3 for binding to a purified receptor protein from rat kidney. Binding studies indicate the trihydroxylated metabolite competes 40-50% as effectively as 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 for hormone binding sites. Further analysis of 1,24,25-(OH) 3 D 3 -receptor interaction reveals a high-affinity, saturable binding with an apparent Ksub(d) of 2.2 x 10 -9 M. These studies demonstrate that although slightly less active than 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 , 1,24,25-(OH) 3 D 3 is capable of hormone-like interactions, in vitro. The availability of this high specific radioactivity sterol should allow for clarification of its potential physiologic significance. (author)

High-resolution detection of DNA binding sites of the global transcriptional regulator GlxR in Corynebacterium glutamicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jungwirth, Britta; Sala, Claudia; Kohl, Thomas A

2013-01-01

of the 6C non-coding RNA gene and to non-canonical DNA binding sites within protein-coding regions. The present study underlines the dynamics within the GlxR regulon by identifying in vivo targets during growth on glucose and contributes to the expansion of knowledge of this important transcriptional......The transcriptional regulator GlxR has been characterized as a global hub within the gene-regulatory network of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Chromatin immunoprecipitation with a specific anti-GlxR antibody and subsequent high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) was applied to C. glutamicum to get new...... mapping of these data on the genome sequence of C. glutamicum, 107 enriched DNA fragments were detected from cells grown with glucose as carbon source. GlxR binding sites were identified in the sequence of 79 enriched DNA fragments, of which 21 sites were not previously reported. Electrophoretic mobility...

Triazatriangulene as binding group for molecular electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wei, Zhongming; Wang, Xintai; Borges, Anders

2014-01-01

The triazatriangulene (TATA) ring system was investigated as a binding group for tunnel junctions of molecular wires on gold surfaces. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of TATA platforms with three different lengths of phenylene wires were fabricated, and their electrical conductance was recorded ...... with its high stability and directionality make this binding group very attractive for molecular electronic measurements and devices. (Figure Presented)....

Dopamine receptors in the guinea-pig heart. A binding study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandrini, M.; Benelli, A.; Baraldi, M.

1984-01-01

The binding of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists to guinea-pig myocardial membrane preparations was studied using 3 H-dopamine and 3 H-spiperone as radioligand. 3 H-Dopamine bound specifically to heart membranes while 3 H-spiperone did not. A Scatchard analysis of 3 H-dopamine binding showed a curvilinear plot indicating the presence of two dopamine receptor populations that we have termed high- (K/sub d/ = 1.2 nM, B/sub mx/ = 52.9 fmol/mg prot.) and low- (K/sub d/ = 11.8 nM, B/sub mx/ = 267.3 fmol/gm prot.) affinity binding sites, respectively. The charactization of the high-affinity component of 3 H-dopamine binding indicated that the binding is rapid, saturable, stereospecific, pH- and temperature-dependent, and displaced by dopaminergic agonists and antagonists known to act similarly in vivo. The finding that pretreatment with dibenamine (which has been described as an α-adrenoceptor irreversible blocker) did not affect the binding of dopamine to cardiac membrane preparations suggests that α-adrenoceptors and dopamine receptors have separate recognition sites in the heart. It is concluded that 3 H-dopamine binds to specific dopamine receptors in the heart of guinea-pigs

Substrate-Triggered Exosite Binding: Synergistic Dendrimer/Folic Acid Action for Achieving Specific, Tight-Binding to Folate Binding Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Junjie; van Dongen, Mallory A; Merzel, Rachel L; Dougherty, Casey A; Orr, Bradford G; Kanduluru, Ananda Kumar; Low, Philip S; Marsh, E Neil G; Banaszak Holl, Mark M

2016-03-14

Polymer-ligand conjugates are designed to bind proteins for applications as drugs, imaging agents, and transport scaffolds. In this work, we demonstrate a folic acid (FA)-triggered exosite binding of a generation five poly(amidoamine) (G5 PAMAM) dendrimer scaffold to bovine folate binding protein (bFBP). The protein exosite is a secondary binding site on the protein surface, separate from the FA binding pocket, to which the dendrimer binds. Exosite binding is required to achieve the greatly enhanced binding constants and protein structural change observed in this study. The G5Ac-COG-FA1.0 conjugate bound tightly to bFBP, was not displaced by a 28-fold excess of FA, and quenched roughly 80% of the initial fluorescence. Two-step binding kinetics were measured using the intrinsic fluorescence of the FBP tryptophan residues to give a KD in the low nanomolar range for formation of the initial G5Ac-COG-FA1.0/FBP* complex, and a slow conversion to the tight complex formed between the dendrimer and the FBP exosite. The extent of quenching was sensitive to the choice of FA-dendrimer linker chemistry. Direct amide conjugation of FA to G5-PAMAM resulted in roughly 50% fluorescence quenching of the FBP. The G5Ac-COG-FA, which has a longer linker containing a 1,2,3-triazole ring, exhibited an ∼80% fluorescence quenching. The binding of the G5Ac-COG-FA1.0 conjugate was compared to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) conjugates of FA (PEGn-FA). PEG2k-FA had a binding strength similar to that of FA, whereas other PEG conjugates with higher molecular weight showed weaker binding. However, no PEG conjugates gave an increased degree of total fluorescence quenching.

Binding of anandamide to bovine serum albumin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bojesen, I.N.; Hansen, Harald S.

2003-01-01

The endocannabinoid anandamide is of lipid nature and may thus bind to albumin in the vascular system, as do fatty acids. The knowledge of the free water-phase concentration of anandamide is essential for the investigations of its transfer from the binding protein to cellular membranes, because...... a water-phase shuttle of monomers mediates such transfers. We have used our method based upon the use of albumin-filled red cell ghosts as a dispersed biological "reference binder" to measure the water-phase concentrations of anandamide. These concentrations were measured in buffer (pH 7.3) in equilibrium...... that BSA has one high-affinity binding site for anandamide at all four temperatures. The free energy of anandamide binding (¿G) is calculated to -43.05 kJ mol with a large enthalpy (¿H ) contribution of -42.09 kJ mol. Anandamide has vasodilator activity, and the binding to albumin may mediate its transport...

Immunoglobulin M indirect-fluorescent antibody test for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy in the avidity era: A 14-year experience at the Tuscany Reference Center for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy, Florence, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotta, Michele; Borchi, Beatrice; Zammarchi, Lorenzo; Sterrantino, Gaetana; Brogi, Michela; Kiros, Seble Tekle; Lorini, Chiara; Bonaccorsi, Guglielmo; Colao, Maria Grazia; Bartoloni, Alessandro

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate immunoglobulin M indirect-fluorescent antibody test (IgM IFAT) for the diagnosis of acute or chronic Toxoplasma infection in pregnancy. Pregnant women with suspected acute toxoplasmosis referred to the Tuscany Reference Center for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy during the period 1998-2012 were retrospectively enrolled. All women were tested with a panel of serological tests, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG avidity and IgM IFAT. On the basis of anamnestic, clinical, and serological criteria, pregnant women were classified into three groups: recently infected (RI), latently infected (LI), and doubtful latently infected (DLI). Patients classified as DLI were excluded from the analysis. The association between IgM IFAT (positive or negative) and the diagnosis of infection (acute or chronic) was assessed. Positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the IgM IFAT were calculated. A total of 810 pregnant women were enrolled in the study: 302 in the RI group and 508 in the LI group. Fifty-two women classified as DLI were excluded. IgM IFAT was positive in 172 out of 302 (56.9%) pregnant women in the RI group and in 29 out of 508 (5.7%) in the LI group. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of IgM IFAT in predicting RI was 85.6% and 78.6%, respectively. IgM IFAT has reasonable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing recent infection and, mostly in case of borderline avidity test, could be considered as a further aid for an accurate diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Two zinc-binding domains in the transporter AdcA from Streptococcus pyogenes facilitate high-affinity binding and fast transport of zinc.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Kun; Li, Nan; Wang, Hongcui; Cao, Xin; He, Jiaojiao; Zhang, Bing; He, Qing-Yu; Zhang, Gong; Sun, Xuesong

2018-04-20

Zinc is an essential metal in bacteria. One important bacterial zinc transporter is AdcA, and most bacteria possess AdcA homologs that are single-domain small proteins due to better efficiency of protein biogenesis. However, a double-domain AdcA with two zinc-binding sites is significantly overrepresented in Streptococcus species, many of which are major human pathogens. Using molecular simulation and experimental validations of AdcA from Streptococcus pyogenes , we found here that the two AdcA domains sequentially stabilize the structure upon zinc binding, indicating an organization required for both increased zinc affinity and transfer speed. This structural organization appears to endow Streptococcus species with distinct advantages in zinc-depleted environments, which would not be achieved by each single AdcA domain alone. This enhanced zinc transport mechanism sheds light on the significance of the evolution of the AdcA domain fusion, provides new insights into double-domain transporter proteins with two binding sites for the same ion, and indicates a potential target of antimicrobial drugs against pathogenic Streptococcus species. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Predicting nucleic acid binding interfaces from structural models of proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Dror, Iris; Shazman, Shula; Mukherjee, Srayanta; Zhang, Yang; Glaser, Fabian; Mandel-Gutfreund, Yael

2012-02-01

The function of DNA- and RNA-binding proteins can be inferred from the characterization and accurate prediction of their binding interfaces. However, the main pitfall of various structure-based methods for predicting nucleic acid binding function is that they are all limited to a relatively small number of proteins for which high-resolution three-dimensional structures are available. In this study, we developed a pipeline for extracting functional electrostatic patches from surfaces of protein structural models, obtained using the I-TASSER protein structure predictor. The largest positive patches are extracted from the protein surface using the patchfinder algorithm. We show that functional electrostatic patches extracted from an ensemble of structural models highly overlap the patches extracted from high-resolution structures. Furthermore, by testing our pipeline on a set of 55 known nucleic acid binding proteins for which I-TASSER produces high-quality models, we show that the method accurately identifies the nucleic acids binding interface on structural models of proteins. Employing a combined patch approach we show that patches extracted from an ensemble of models better predicts the real nucleic acid binding interfaces compared with patches extracted from independent models. Overall, these results suggest that combining information from a collection of low-resolution structural models could be a valuable approach for functional annotation. We suggest that our method will be further applicable for predicting other functional surfaces of proteins with unknown structure. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SdAb heterodimer formation using leucine zippers

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Ellen R.; Anderson, George P.; Brozozog-Lee, P. Audrey; Zabetakis, Dan

2013-05-01

Single domain antibodies (sdAb) are variable domains cloned from camel, llama, or shark heavy chain only antibodies, and are among the smallest known naturally derived antigen binding fragments. SdAb derived from immunized llamas are able to bind antigens with high affinity, and most are capable of refolding after heat or chemical denaturation to bind antigen again. We hypothesized that the ability to produce heterodimeric sdAb would enable reagents with the robust characteristics of component sdAb, but with dramatically improved overall affinity through increased avidity. Previously we had constructed multimeric sdAb by genetically linking sdAb that bind non-overlapping epitopes on the toxin, ricin. In this work we explored a more flexible approach; the construction of multivalent binding reagents using multimerization domains. We expressed anti-ricin sdAb that recognize different epitopes on the toxin as fusions with differently charged leucine zippers. When the initially produced homodimers are mixed the leucine zipper domains will pair to produce heterodimers. We used fluorescence resonance energy transfer to confirm heterodimer formation. Surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, and fluid array assays were used to characterize the multimer constructs, and evaluate their utility in toxin detection.

Characterization of actions of dopamine in the pituitary of the goldfish, Carassius auratus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omeljaniuk, R.J.

1988-01-01

The dopamine receptor in the goldfish (Carassius auratus) pituitary and its involvement with inhibition of gonadotropin (GtH) and {alpha}-melanocyte stimulating hormone ({alpha}-MSH) release was studied. In vitro dopamine, in a dose-related manner, inhibited spontaneous GtH and {alpha}-MSH release from superfused fragments of pars distalis (PD) and neurointermediate lob (NIL), respectively; dopamine also inhibited sGnRH-A stimulation of GtH release. Thyrotropin releasing-hormone (TRH), in a dose-related manner, stimulated {alpha}-MSH release from NIL fragments; dopamine inhibited TRH action. The stereoisomers of apomorphine were equivalent in inhibiting GtH and {alpha}-MSH release from fragments treated with releasing factors. Domperidone, in a dose-related manner, antagonized dopamine action. ({sup 3}H)-Spiperone was used to radiolabel the goldfish pituitary dopamine receptor in vitro. The binding of ({sup 3}H)-spiperone had the characteristics of a receptor: tissue specificity, dependence on tissue quantity, reversibility, saturability, displaceability, specificity of binding with various drugs and a correlation of binding with biological effects were demonstrated. This is a low-affinity, high-capacity receptor which does not show binding stereoselectivity for apomorphine; domperidone binds avidly to this receptor. The NIL contains significantly greater numbers of this receptor compared to the PD.

High-Affinity Low-Capacity and Low-Affinity High-Capacity N-Acetyl-2-Aminofluorene (AAF) Macromolecular Binding Sites Are Revealed During the Growth Cycle of Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Katherine S; Moran, Tom; Shier, W Thomas; Leffert, Hyam L

2018-05-01

Long-term cultures of primary adult rat hepatocytes were used to study the effects of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) on hepatocyte proliferation during the growth cycle; on the initiation of hepatocyte DNA synthesis in quiescent cultures; and, on hepatocyte DNA replication following the initiation of DNA synthesis. Scatchard analyses were used to identify the pharmacologic properties of radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to hepatocyte macromolecules. Two classes of growth cycle-dependent AAF metabolite binding sites-a high-affinity low-capacity site (designated Site I) and a low-affinity high-capacity site (designated Site II)-associated with two spatially distinct classes of macromolecular targets, were revealed. Based upon radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to purified hepatocyte genomic DNA or to DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids from isolated nuclei, Site IDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 2-4×10-6 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 6 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with genomic DNA; and with AAF metabolized by a nuclear cytochrome P450. Based upon radiolabeled AAF binding to total cellular lysates, Site IIDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 1.5×10-3 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 350 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with cytoplasmic proteins; and with AAF metabolized by cytoplasmic cytochrome P450s. DNA synthesis was not inhibited by concentrations of AAF that saturated DNA binding in the neighborhood of the Site I KD. Instead, hepatocyte DNA synthesis inhibition required higher concentrations of AAF approaching the Site II KD. These observations raise the possibility that carcinogenic DNA adducts derived from AAF metabolites form below concentrations of AAF that inhibit replicative and repair DNA synthesis.

The endocytic receptor megalin binds the iron transporting neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin with high affinity and mediates its cellular uptake

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidberg, Vibeke; Jacobsen, Christian; Strong, Roland K

2005-01-01

Neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a prominent protein of specific granules of human neutrophils also synthesized by epithelial cells during inflammation. NGAL binds bacterial siderophores preventing bacteria from retrieving iron from this source. Also, NGAL may be important in ...... by surface plasmon resonance analysis. Furthermore, a rat yolk sac cell line known to express high levels of megalin, endocytosed NGAL by a mechanism completely blocked by an antibody against megalin.......Neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a prominent protein of specific granules of human neutrophils also synthesized by epithelial cells during inflammation. NGAL binds bacterial siderophores preventing bacteria from retrieving iron from this source. Also, NGAL may be important...

High insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) is associated with low relative muscle mass in older women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stilling, Frej; Wallenius, Sara; Michaëlsson, Karl

2017-01-01

. In the present study we investigate the association between serum IGFBP-1 and muscle mass. Design Cross-sectional analysis of 4908 women, between 55 and 85 years old, participating in the Swedish Mammography Cohort-Clinical. Methods We defined low relative muscle mass (LRMM) as an appendicular lean mass divided...... relative muscle mass. High IGFBP-1 may be a marker of a catabolic state.......Objective Skeletal muscles serve several important roles in maintaining good health. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a promoter of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. Its binding protein, Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) can be one determinant of IGF-1 activity...

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I binding to a cell membrane associated IGF binding protein-3 acid-labile subunit complex in human anterior pituitary gland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilczak, N; Kuhl, N; Chesik, D; Geerts, A; Luiten, P; De Keyser, J

The binding characteristics of [(125) I]insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I were studied in human brain and pituitary gland. Competition binding studies with DES(1-3)IGF-I and R-3 -IGF-I, which display high affinity for the IGF-I receptor and low affinity for IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), were

High glucose suppresses human islet insulin biosynthesis by inducing miR-133a leading to decreased polypyrimidine tract binding protein-expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fred, Rikard G; Bang-Berthelsen, Claus H; Mandrup-Poulsen, Thomas

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prolonged periods of high glucose exposure results in human islet dysfunction in vitro. The underlying mechanisms behind this effect of high glucose are, however, unknown. The polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) is required for stabilization of insulin mRNA and the PTB mRNA 3......'-UTR contains binding sites for the microRNA molecules miR-133a, miR-124a and miR-146. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate whether high glucose increased the levels of these three miRNAs in association with lower PTB levels and lower insulin biosynthesis rates. METHODOLOGY...... for real-time RT-PCR analysis of miR-133a, miR-124a, miR-146, insulin mRNA and PTB mRNA contents. Insulin biosynthesis rates were determined by radioactive labeling and immunoprecipitation. Synthetic miR-133a precursor and inhibitor were delivered to dispersed islet cells by lipofection, and PTB...

Item-location binding in working memory: is it hippocampus-dependent?

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Richard J; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh; Baddeley, Alan D

2014-07-01

A general consensus is emerging that the hippocampus has an important and active role in the creation of new long-term memory representations of associations or bindings between elements. However, it is less clear whether this contribution can be extended to the creation of temporary bound representations in working memory, involving the retention of small numbers of items over short delays. We examined this by administering a series of recognition and recall tests of working memory for colour-location binding and object-location binding to a patient with highly selective hippocampal damage (Jon), and groups of control participants. Jon achieved high levels of accuracy in all working memory tests of recognition and recall binding across retention intervals of up to 10s. In contrast, Jon performed at chance on an unexpected delayed test of the same object-location binding information. These findings indicate a clear dissociation between working memory and long-term memory, with no evidence for a critical hippocampal contribution to item-location binding in working memory. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacterial periplasmic sialic acid-binding proteins exhibit a conserved binding site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gangi Setty, Thanuja [Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065 (India); Cho, Christine [Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1109 (United States); Govindappa, Sowmya [Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065 (India); Apicella, Michael A. [Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1109 (United States); Ramaswamy, S., E-mail: ramas@instem.res.in [Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065 (India)

2014-07-01

Structure–function studies of sialic acid-binding proteins from F. nucleatum, P. multocida, V. cholerae and H. influenzae reveal a conserved network of hydrogen bonds involved in conformational change on ligand binding. Sialic acids are a family of related nine-carbon sugar acids that play important roles in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These sialic acids are incorporated/decorated onto lipooligosaccharides as terminal sugars in multiple bacteria to evade the host immune system. Many pathogenic bacteria scavenge sialic acids from their host and use them for molecular mimicry. The first step of this process is the transport of sialic acid to the cytoplasm, which often takes place using a tripartite ATP-independent transport system consisting of a periplasmic binding protein and a membrane transporter. In this paper, the structural characterization of periplasmic binding proteins from the pathogenic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, Pasteurella multocida and Vibrio cholerae and their thermodynamic characterization are reported. The binding affinities of several mutations in the Neu5Ac binding site of the Haemophilus influenzae protein are also reported. The structure and the thermodynamics of the binding of sugars suggest that all of these proteins have a very well conserved binding pocket and similar binding affinities. A significant conformational change occurs when these proteins bind the sugar. While the C1 carboxylate has been identified as the primary binding site, a second conserved hydrogen-bonding network is involved in the initiation and stabilization of the conformational states.

Bacterial periplasmic sialic acid-binding proteins exhibit a conserved binding site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gangi Setty, Thanuja; Cho, Christine; Govindappa, Sowmya; Apicella, Michael A.; Ramaswamy, S.

2014-01-01

Structure–function studies of sialic acid-binding proteins from F. nucleatum, P. multocida, V. cholerae and H. influenzae reveal a conserved network of hydrogen bonds involved in conformational change on ligand binding. Sialic acids are a family of related nine-carbon sugar acids that play important roles in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These sialic acids are incorporated/decorated onto lipooligosaccharides as terminal sugars in multiple bacteria to evade the host immune system. Many pathogenic bacteria scavenge sialic acids from their host and use them for molecular mimicry. The first step of this process is the transport of sialic acid to the cytoplasm, which often takes place using a tripartite ATP-independent transport system consisting of a periplasmic binding protein and a membrane transporter. In this paper, the structural characterization of periplasmic binding proteins from the pathogenic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, Pasteurella multocida and Vibrio cholerae and their thermodynamic characterization are reported. The binding affinities of several mutations in the Neu5Ac binding site of the Haemophilus influenzae protein are also reported. The structure and the thermodynamics of the binding of sugars suggest that all of these proteins have a very well conserved binding pocket and similar binding affinities. A significant conformational change occurs when these proteins bind the sugar. While the C1 carboxylate has been identified as the primary binding site, a second conserved hydrogen-bonding network is involved in the initiation and stabilization of the conformational states

Isolation and partial characterization of gypsy moth BTR-270, an anionic brush border membrane glycoconjugate that binds Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1A toxins with high affinity

Science.gov (United States)

Algimantas P. Valaitis; Jeremy L. Jenkins; Mi Kyong Lee; Donald H. Dean; Karen J. Garner

2001-01-01

BTR-270, a gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) brush border membrane molecule that binds Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1A toxins with high affinity, was purified by preparative gel electrophoresis. Rabbit antibodies specific for the Bt toxin-binding molecule were raised. Attempts to label BTR-270 by protein-directed techniques were...

Developing a Novel Hydrogen Sponge with Ideal Binding Energy and High Surface Area for Practical Hydrogen Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, T. C. Mike

2018-04-19

This Phase I (5 quarters) research project was to examine the validity of a new class of boron-containing polymer (B-polymer) frameworks, serving as the adsorbents for the practical onboard H2 storage applications. Three B-polymer frameworks were synthesized and investigated, which include B-poly(butyenylstyrene) (B-PBS) framework (A), B-poly(phenyldiacetyene) (B-PPDA) framework (B), and B-poly(phenyltriacetylene) (B-PPTA) framework (C). They are 2-D polymer structures with the repeating cyclic units that spontaneously form open morphology and the B-doped (p-type) π-electrons delocalized surfaces. The ideal B-polymer framework shall exhibit open micropores (pore size in the range of 1-1.5nm) with high surface area (>3000 m²/g), and the B-dopants in the conjugated framework shall provide high surface energy for interacting with H₂ molecules (an ideal H₂ binding energy in the range of 15-25 kJ/mol). The pore size distribution and H2 binding energy were investigated at both Penn State and NREL laboratories. So far, the experimental results show the successful synthesis of B-polymer frameworks with the relatively well-defined planar (2-D) structures. The intrinsically formed porous morphology exhibits a broad pore size distribution (in the range of 0.5-10 nm) with specific surface area (~1000 m²/g). The miss-alignment between 2-D layers may block some micropore channels and limit gas diffusion throughout the entire matrix. In addition, the 2-D planar conjugated structure may also allow free π-electrons delocalization throughout the framework, which significantly reduces the acidity of B-moieties (electron-deficiency).The resulting 2-D B-polymer frameworks only exhibit a small increase of H₂ binding energy in the range of 8-9 KJ/mole (quite constant over the whole sorption range).

TGF-Beta Induction of PMEPA1: Role in Bone Metastasis Due to Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

101–106 18. Thomas R, Anderson WA, Raman V, Reddi AH: Androgen-dependent 742 Fournier and Guise AJP September 2007, Vol. 171, No. 3 gene expression...hydroxyl group) allow bisphosphonates to bind avidly to hydroxyapatite crystals in the skeleton (3). The R2 side chain determines the potency of...from kinetic studies on hydroxyapatite crystal growth using Langmuir isotherm plots, as previously described (14, 15). Cell viability assay. Cell

Extracellular and intracellular steroid binding proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, R.K.

1978-01-01

Steroid hormone binding proteins can be measured, after the removal of endogenous steroids, as specific complexes with radio-labelled hormones. In this study all the requirements for a quantitative determination of steroid hormone binding proteins are defined. For different methods, agargel electrophoresis, density gradient centrifugation, equilibrium dialysis and polyacrylamide electrophoresis have been evaluated. Agar electrophoresis at low temperature was found to be the simplest and most useful procedure. With this method the dissociation rates of high affinity complexes can be assessed and absolute binding protein concentrations can be determined. The dissociation rates of the oestradiol-oestrogen receptor complex and the R-5020-progestin receptor complex are low (1-2% per h run time.) In contrast, that of complexes between androgen receptor and dihydrotestosterone (17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one (DHT), progestin receptor and progesterone, corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) and cortisol or progesterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and DHT were hign (16-27% per h run time). Target tissue extracts (cytosols) contain, besides soluble tissue proteins, large amounts of plasma proteins. The extent of this plasma contamination can be determined by measuring the albumin concentration in cytosols by immunodiffusion. In cytosols of 4 different human target tissues the albumin content varied from 20-30% corresponding to an even higher whole plasma concentration. Steroid binding plasma proteins, such as CBG and SHBG are constituents of this containment. (author)

Distribution of biomolecules in porous nitrocellulose membrane pads using confocal laser scanning microscopy and high-speed cameras.

Science.gov (United States)

Mujawar, Liyakat Hamid; Maan, Abid Aslam; Khan, Muhammad Kashif Iqbal; Norde, Willem; van Amerongen, Aart

2013-04-02

The main focus of our research was to study the distribution of inkjet printed biomolecules in porous nitrocellulose membrane pads of different brands. We produced microarrays of fluorophore-labeled IgG and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on FAST, Unisart, and Oncyte-Avid slides and compared the spot morphology of the inkjet printed biomolecules. The distribution of these biomolecules within the spot embedded in the nitrocellulose membrane was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy in the "Z" stack mode. By applying a "concentric ring" format, the distribution profile of the fluorescence intensity in each horizontal slice was measured and represented in a graphical color-coded way. Furthermore, a one-step diagnostic antibody assay was performed with a primary antibody, double-labeled amplicons, and fluorophore-labeled streptavidin in order to study the functionality and distribution of the immune complex in the nitrocellulose membrane slides. Under the conditions applied, the spot morphology and distribution of the primary labeled biomolecules was nonhomogenous and doughnut-like on the FAST and Unisart nitrocellulose slides, whereas a better spot morphology with more homogeneously distributed biomolecules was observed on the Oncyte-Avid slide. Similar morphologies and distribution patterns were observed when the diagnostic one-step nucleic acid microarray immunoassay was performed on these nitrocellulose slides. We also investigated possible reasons for the differences in the observed spot morphology by monitoring the dynamic behavior of a liquid droplet on and in these nitrocellulose slides. Using high speed cameras, we analyzed the wettability and fluid flow dynamics of a droplet on the various nitrocellulose substrates. The spreading of the liquid droplet was comparable for the FAST and Unisart slides but different, i.e., slower, for the Oncyte-Avid slide. The results of the spreading of the droplet and the penetration behavior of the liquid in the

Calculation of Relative Binding Free Energy in the Water-Filled Active Site of Oligopeptide-Binding Protein A.

Science.gov (United States)

Maurer, Manuela; de Beer, Stephanie B A; Oostenbrink, Chris

2016-04-15

The periplasmic oligopeptide binding protein A (OppA) represents a well-known example of water-mediated protein-ligand interactions. Here, we perform free-energy calculations for three different ligands binding to OppA, using a thermodynamic integration approach. The tripeptide ligands share a high structural similarity (all have the sequence KXK), but their experimentally-determined binding free energies differ remarkably. Thermodynamic cycles were constructed for the ligands, and simulations conducted in the bound and (freely solvated) unbound states. In the unbound state, it was observed that the difference in conformational freedom between alanine and glycine leads to a surprisingly slow convergence, despite their chemical similarity. This could be overcome by increasing the softness parameter during alchemical transformations. Discrepancies remained in the bound state however, when comparing independent simulations of the three ligands. These difficulties could be traced to a slow relaxation of the water network within the active site. Fluctuations in the number of water molecules residing in the binding cavity occur mostly on a timescale larger than the simulation time along the alchemical path. After extensive simulations, relative binding free energies that were converged to within thermal noise could be obtained, which agree well with available experimental data.

Lipoprotein receptors in copper-deficient rats: in vitro binding of high-density lipoprotein subfractions to liver membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassel, C.A.

1986-01-01

Three studies were conducted to determine whether the elevated plasma and HDL cholesterol levels observed in copper-deficient rats could be explained by the interaction of 125 I-HDL subfractions with liver membrane preparations in vitro. Rats from all studies were randomly divided into two dietary treatments, copper-deficient and adequate (0.7 mg and 8.0 mg Cukg diet, respectively). Total binding data and computer derived estimates (K/sub d/ and B/sub max/) were used to compare differences between treatments. Binding data from all experiments conformed to a one-site model. In all cases, binding was saturable and EDTA and pronase insensitive. Treatment differences were observed in Study I ( 125 I-apo E-free HDL binding to crude liver membranes). Significantly lower total binding and B/sub max/ were observed when lipoproteins and membranes from copper-deficient animals were used in the assay. Competition experiments from Studies II and III demonstrate that the different HDL subfractions competed effectively with one another for binding sites, indicating that apo E is not a determinant in binding of rat 125 I-HDL subfractions to purified liver plasma membranes

A new generation of starch products as excipient in pharmaceutical tablets .1. Preparation and binding properties of high surface area potato starch products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wierik, GHPT; ArendsScholte, AW; Eissens, AC; Lerk, CF

1996-01-01

A new pharmaceutical excipient with a high binding capacity was prepared from potato starch by enzymatic degradation, followed by suitable dehydration of the precipitated and filtered retrograded starch to produce high specific surface area products. Thermal dehydration methods like drying at room

High-Mannose Specific Lectin and Its Recombinants from a Carrageenophyta Kappaphycus alvarezii Represent a Potent Anti-HIV Activity Through High-Affinity Binding to the Viral Envelope Glycoprotein gp120.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirayama, Makoto; Shibata, Hiromi; Imamura, Koji; Sakaguchi, Takemasa; Hori, Kanji

2016-02-01

We previously reported that a high-mannose binding lectin KAA-2 from the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii, which is an economically important species and widely cultivated as a source of carrageenans, had a potent anti-influenza virus activity. In this study, the full-length sequences of two KAA isoforms, KAA-1 and KAA-2, were elucidated by a combination of peptide mapping and complementary DNA (cDNA) cloning. They consisted of four internal tandem-repeated domains, which are conserved in high-mannose specific lectins from lower organisms, including a cyanobacterium Oscillatoria agardhii and a red alga Eucheuma serra. Using an Escherichia coli expression system, an active recombinant form of KAA-1 (His-tagged rKAA-1) was successfully generated in the yield of 115 mg per liter of culture. In a detailed oligosaccharide binding analysis by a centrifugal ultrafiltration-HPLC method with 27 pyridylaminated oligosaccharides, His-tagged rKAA-1 and rKAA-1 specifically bound to high-mannose N-glycans with an exposed α1-3 mannose in the D2 arm as the native lectin did. Predicted from oligosaccharide binding specificity, a surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed that the recombinants exhibit strong interaction with gp120, a heavily glycosylated envelope glycoprotein of HIV with high association constants (1.48 - 1.61 × 10(9) M(-1)). Native KAAs and the recombinants inhibited the HIV-1 entry at IC50s of low nanomolar levels (7.3-12.9 nM). Thus, the recombinant proteins would be useful as antiviral reagents targeting the viral surface glycoproteins with high-mannose N-glycans, and the cultivated alga K. alvarezii could also be a good source of not only carrageenans but also this functional lectin(s).

FRET-based binding assay between a fluorescent cAMP analogue and a cyclic nucleotide-binding domain tagged with a CFP.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Francisco; Santana-Calvo, Carmen; Sánchez-Guevara, Yoloxochitl; Nishigaki, Takuya

2017-09-01

The cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) functions as a regulatory domain of many proteins involved in cyclic nucleotide signalling. We developed a straightforward and reliable binding assay based on intermolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between an adenosine-3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate analogue labelled with fluorescein and a recombinant CNBD of human EPAC1 tagged with a cyan fluorescence protein (CFP). The high FRET efficiency of this method (~ 80%) allowed us to perform several types of binding experiments with nanomolar range of sample using conventional equipment. In addition, the CFP tag on the CNBD enabled us to perform a specific binding experiment using an unpurified protein. Considering these advantages, this technique is useful to study poorly characterized CNBDs. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Nuclear import of high risk HPV16 E7 oncoprotein is mediated by its zinc-binding domain via hydrophobic interactions with Nup62

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eberhard, Jeremy; Onder, Zeynep; Moroianu, Junona, E-mail: moroianu@bc.edu

2013-11-15

We previously discovered that nuclear import of high risk HPV16 E7 is mediated by a cNLS located within the zinc-binding domain via a pathway that is independent of karyopherins/importins (Angeline et al., 2003; Knapp et al., 2009). In this study we continued our characterization of the cNLS and nuclear import pathway of HPV16 E7. We find that an intact zinc-binding domain is essential for the cNLS function in mediating nuclear import of HPV16 E7. Mutagenesis of cysteine residues to alanine in each of the two CysXXCys motifs involved in zinc-binding changes the nuclear localization of the EGFP-16E7 and 2xEGFP-16E7 mutants. We further discover that a patch of hydrophobic residues, {sub 65}LRLCV{sub 69}, within the zinc-binding domain of HPV16 E7 mediates its nuclear import via hydrophobic interactions with the FG domain of the central channel nucleoporin Nup62. - Highlights: • An intact zinc-binding domain is essential for the nuclear localization of HPV16 E7. • Identification of a hydrophobic patch that is critical for the nuclear import of HPV16 E7. • HPV16 E7 interacts via its zinc-binding domain with the FG domain of Nup62.

Comparison of the fibronectin-binding ability and antitumor efficacy of various mycobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, M A; Ritchey, J K; Catalona, W J; Brown, E J; Ratliff, T L

1990-07-01

Although the mechanism by which Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) exerts an antitumor effect on superficial bladder tumors is not fully understood, recent evidence has implicated binding of BCG organisms to fibronectin (FN) as requisite for this antitumor efficacy. Various substrains of BCG and other mycobacteria were tested in vitro for their relative capacities to bind both matrix and soluble FN. A substrain of Mycobacterium kansasii, designated the "high-binding strain," was found to bind FN more readily (P less than 0.05) in in vitro studies, when compared to commercially available substrains of BCG (Tice, Connaught, and Armand Frappier). The binding by the three commercial strains of BCG to FN in vitro appeared to be equivalent. The high-binding strain was further demonstrated to attach more readily in vivo to the acutely injured murine bladder (P less than 0.005) than the Armand Frappier substrain. Finally, using the MB49 murine bladder tumor model, an enhanced antitumor effect (P less than 0.05) was noted in mice treated with intravesical high-binding strain, in comparison to the Armand Frappier substrain, during five weekly treatments. It appears not only that the commercial substrains of BCG bind FN in an equivalent manner but also that the relative binding capacities of the substrains correlate directly with antitumor activity. A substrain of M. kansasii appears to have been identified which may prove more clinically effective than the currently available strains of BCG.

Structure and ligand-binding properties of the biogenic amine-binding protein from the saliva of a blood-feeding insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Xueqing; Chang, Bianca W. [NIH/NIAID, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States); Mans, Ben J. [NIH/NIAID, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States); Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort 0110 (South Africa); Ribeiro, Jose M. C.; Andersen, John F., E-mail: jandersen@niaid.nih.gov [NIH/NIAID, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States)

2013-01-01

Biogenic amine-binding proteins mediate the anti-inflammatory and antihemostatic activities of blood-feeding insect saliva. The structure of the amine-binding protein from R. prolixus reveals the interaction of biogenic amine ligands with the protein. Proteins that bind small-molecule mediators of inflammation and hemostasis are essential for blood-feeding by arthropod vectors of infectious disease. In ticks and triatomine insects, the lipocalin protein family is greatly expanded and members have been shown to bind biogenic amines, eicosanoids and ADP. These compounds are potent mediators of platelet activation, inflammation and vascular tone. In this paper, the structure of the amine-binding protein (ABP) from Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the trypanosome that causes Chagas disease, is described. ABP binds the biogenic amines serotonin and norepinephrine with high affinity. A complex with tryptamine shows the presence of a binding site for a single ligand molecule in the central cavity of the β-barrel structure. The cavity contains significant additional volume, suggesting that this protein may have evolved from the related nitrophorin proteins, which bind a much larger heme ligand in the central cavity.

Structure and ligand-binding properties of the biogenic amine-binding protein from the saliva of a blood-feeding insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Xueqing; Chang, Bianca W.; Mans, Ben J.; Ribeiro, Jose M. C.; Andersen, John F.

2013-01-01

Biogenic amine-binding proteins mediate the anti-inflammatory and antihemostatic activities of blood-feeding insect saliva. The structure of the amine-binding protein from R. prolixus reveals the interaction of biogenic amine ligands with the protein. Proteins that bind small-molecule mediators of inflammation and hemostasis are essential for blood-feeding by arthropod vectors of infectious disease. In ticks and triatomine insects, the lipocalin protein family is greatly expanded and members have been shown to bind biogenic amines, eicosanoids and ADP. These compounds are potent mediators of platelet activation, inflammation and vascular tone. In this paper, the structure of the amine-binding protein (ABP) from Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the trypanosome that causes Chagas disease, is described. ABP binds the biogenic amines serotonin and norepinephrine with high affinity. A complex with tryptamine shows the presence of a binding site for a single ligand molecule in the central cavity of the β-barrel structure. The cavity contains significant additional volume, suggesting that this protein may have evolved from the related nitrophorin proteins, which bind a much larger heme ligand in the central cavity

Mannose-Binding Lectin Binds to Amyloid Protein and Modulates Inflammation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mykol Larvie

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Mannose-binding lectin (MBL, a soluble factor of the innate immune system, is a pattern recognition molecule with a number of known ligands, including viruses, bacteria, and molecules from abnormal self tissues. In addition to its role in immunity, MBL also functions in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. We present evidence here that MBL binds to amyloid β peptides. MBL binding to other known carbohydrate ligands is calcium-dependent and has been attributed to the carbohydrate-recognition domain, a common feature of other C-type lectins. In contrast, we find that the features of MBL binding to Aβ are more similar to the reported binding characteristics of the cysteine-rich domain of the unrelated mannose receptor and therefore may involve the MBL cysteine-rich domain. Differences in MBL ligand binding may contribute to modulation of inflammatory response and may correlate with the function of MBL in processes such as coagulation and tissue homeostasis.

Normal physiologic and Benign foci with F-18 FDG avidity on PET/CT in patients with breast cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Soon Ah; Lee, Kwang Man; Choi, Un Jong; Kim, Hun Soo; Kim, Hye Won; Song, Jeong Hoon [College of Medicine, Wonkwnag University, Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

2010-12-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiologic and benign F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avid foci in patients with breast cancer. On 309 F-18 FDG PET/CT scans of 241 women with breast cancer, the hypermetabolic lesions compared with the surrounding normal region were evaluated retrospectively. Available reports of other relevant radiological imaging medical records, and follow-up PET/CT were reviewed for explanations of the abnormal uptake. Among the 70 physiologic foci, muscular uptake of the lower neck following the surgical and/or radiation therapy of ipsilateral breast (29%), hypermetabolic ovaries (16%) and uterine (10%) uptake during the ovulatory and menstrual phases during the normal menstrual cycle were identified, and also hypermetabolic brown fat in cold-induced thermogenesis (7%), non-specific bowel uptake (35%) were observed. Among the 147 benign lesions, sequelae of the chest wall and breasts following surgical and/or radiation therapy, were often observed (27%). Hypermetabolic thyroid glands were noted as adenomas and chronic thyroiditis (18%). Reactive hyperplasia of cervical or mediastinal lymph nodes (32%), degenerative osteoarthritis and healed fractures (15%), hypermetabolic benign lung lesions (6%) were observed. Altered physiologic and benign F-18 FDG uptake in the cervical muscle and chest wall following ipsilateral breast surgery or radiotherapy were common, and also normal physiologic uptake in ovary and uterus, brown fat, thyroid were considered as predominant findings in women patients with breast cancer. Knowledge of these findings might aid in the interpretation of FDG PET/CT in patients with breast cancer

Effects of Surface Epitope Coverage on the Sensitivity of Displacement Assays that Employ Modified Nanoparticles: Using Bisphenol A as a Model Analyte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Lu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available With the ever-increasing use of nanoparticles in immunosensors, a fundamental study on the effect of epitope density is presented herein, with a small molecule epitope, on the performance of the displacement assay format in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Thiolated bisphenol A (BPA functionalized gold nanoparticles (cysBPAv-AuNPs and specific anti-BPA antibodies are employed for this purpose. It is shown that the displacement of cysBPAv-AuNPs bound to the immobilized antibodies was influenced by both the avidity of bound cysBPAv-AuNPs and the concentration of free BPA to displace it. The importance of surface epitope density was that it changed the number of epitopes in close proximity to the antibody-binding site. This then influenced the avidity of cysBPAv-AuNPs bound to the immobilized antibody. Furthermore, the molar epitope concentration in an assay appears to affect the degree of antibody binding site saturation. Controlling surface epitope density of the functionalized nanoparticles and molar epitope concentration in an assay leads to a decrease of the concentration of free BPA required to displace the bound cysBPAv-AuNP, and hence better assay performance with regards to the D50 value and dynamic range in the displacement assay.

Binding of C-reactive protein to human polymorphonuclear leukocytes: evidence for association of binding sites with Fc receptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, H.; Fehr, J.

1986-01-01

The functional similarities between C-reactive protein (CRP) and IgG raised the question as to whether human phagocytes are stimulated by CRP in the same way as by binding of antigen-complexes or aggregated IgG to their Fc receptors. Studies with the use of highly purified 125 I-labeled CRP showed specific and saturable binding to human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PNM) with a K/sub D/ of 10.5 +/- 5.7 x 10 -8 M only when carried out in heat-inactivated plasma. The number of specific binding sites per cell was estimated at 1 to 3 x 10 6 . Competitive inhibition of CRP binding by antigen-complexed or aggregated IgG suggests CRP binding sites to be associated IgG suggests CRP binding sites to be associated with PMN Fc receptors. Only when assayed in heat-inactivated plasma did CRP binding induce adherence of cells to tissue culture dishes. However, no metabolic and potentially cytotoxic simulation of PMN was detected during CRP plasma-dependent attachment to surfaces: induction of aggregation, release of secondary granule constituents, and activation of the hexose monophosphate pathway were not observed. These results imply that CRP-PMN interactions is dependent on an additional factor present in heat-inactivated plasma and is followed only by a complement-independent increase in PMN attachment to surfaces. Because CRP was found to be deposits at sites of tissue injury, the CRP-mediated adherence of PMN may be an important step in localizing an inflammatory focus

DNA-binding specificity and molecular functions of NAC transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Addie Nina; Ernst, Heidi Asschenfeldt; Lo Leggio, Leila

2005-01-01

The family of NAC (NAM/ATAF1,2/CUC2) transcription factors has been implicated in a wide range of plant processes, but knowledge on the DNA-binding properties of the family is limited. Using a reiterative selection procedure on random oligonucleotides, we have identified consensus binding sites....... Furthermore, NAC protein binding to the CaMV 35S promoter was shown to depend on sequences similar to the consensus of the selected oligonucleotides. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that NAC proteins bind DNA as homo- or heterodimers and that dimerization is necessary for stable DNA binding....... The ability of NAC proteins to dimerize and to bind DNAwas analysed by structure-based mutagenesis. This identified two salt bridge-forming residues essential for NAC protein dimerization. Alteration of basic residues in a loop region containing several highly conserved residues abolished DNA binding. Thus...

Binding energies of cluster ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parajuli, R.; Matt, S.; Scheier, P.; Echt, O.; Stamatovic, A.; Maerk, T.D.

2002-01-01

The binding energy of charged clusters may be measured by analyzing the kinetic energy released in the metastable decay of mass selected parent ions. Using finite heat bath theory to determine the binding energies of argon, neon, krypton, oxygen and nitrogen from their respective average kinetic energy released were carried out. A high-resolution double focussing two-sector mass spectrometer of reversed Nier-Johnson type geometry was used. MIKE ( mass-analysed ion kinetic energy) were measured to investigate decay reactions of mass-selected ions. For the inert gases neon (Ne n + ), argon (Ar n + ) and krypton (Kr n + ), it is found that the binding energies initially decrease with increasing size n and then level off at a value above the enthalpy of vaporization of the condensed phase. Oxygen cluster ions shown a characteristic dependence on cluster size (U-shape) indicating a change in the metastable fragmentation mechanism when going from the dimer to the decamer ion. (nevyjel)

Cation Binding to Xanthorhodopsin: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Magnetic Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolensky Koganov, Elena; Leitus, Gregory; Rozin, Rinat; Weiner, Lev; Friedman, Noga; Sheves, Mordechai

2017-05-04

Xanthorhodopsin (xR) is a member of the retinal protein family and acts as a proton pump in the cell membranes of the extremely halophilic eubacterium Salinibacter ruber. In addition to the retinal chromophore, xR contains a carotenoid, which acts as a light-harvesting antenna as it transfers 40% of the quanta it absorbs to the retinal. Our previous studies have shown that the CD and absorption spectra of xR are dramatically affected due to the protonation of two different residues. It is still unclear whether xR can bind cations. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy used in the present study revealed that xR can bind divalent cations, such as Mn 2+ and Ca 2+ , to deionized xR (DI-xR). We also demonstrate that xR can bind 1 equiv of Mn 2+ to a high-affinity binding site followed by binding of ∼40 equiv in cooperative manner and ∼100 equiv of Mn 2+ that are weakly bound. SQUID magnetic studies suggest that the high cooperative binding of Mn 2+ cations to xR is due to the formation of Mn 2+ clusters. Our data demonstrate that Ca 2+ cations bind to DI-xR with a lower affinity than Mn 2+ , supporting the assumption that binding of Mn 2+ occurs through cluster formation, because Ca 2+ cations cannot form clusters in contrast to Mn 2+ .

C. difficile 630Δerm Spo0A regulates sporulation, but does not contribute to toxin production, by direct high-affinity binding to target DNA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina E Rosenbusch

Full Text Available Clostridium difficile is a Gram positive, anaerobic bacterium that can form highly resistant endospores. The bacterium is the causative agent of C. difficile infection (CDI, for which the symptoms can range from a mild diarrhea to potentially fatal pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon. Endospore formation in Firmicutes, including C. difficile, is governed by the key regulator for sporulation, Spo0A. In Bacillus subtilis, this transcription factor is also directly or indirectly involved in various other cellular processes. Here, we report that C. difficile Spo0A shows a high degree of similarity to the well characterized B. subtilis protein and recognizes a similar binding sequence. We find that the laboratory strain C. difficile 630Δerm contains an 18bp-duplication near the DNA-binding domain compared to its ancestral strain 630. In vitro binding assays using purified C-terminal DNA binding domain of the C. difficile Spo0A protein demonstrate direct binding to DNA upstream of spo0A and sigH, early sporulation genes and several other putative targets. In vitro binding assays suggest that the gene encoding the major clostridial toxin TcdB may be a direct target of Spo0A, but supernatant derived from a spo0A negative strain was no less toxic towards Vero cells than that obtained from a wild type strain, in contrast to previous reports. These results identify for the first time direct (putative targets of the Spo0A protein in C. difficile and make a positive effect of Spo0A on production of the large clostridial toxins unlikely.

A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model to Predict the Pharmacokinetics of Highly Protein-Bound Drugs and Impact of Errors in Plasma Protein Binding

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Min; Nagar, Swati; Korzekwa, Ken

2015-01-01

Predicting the pharmacokinetics of highly protein-bound drugs is difficult. Also, since historical plasma protein binding data was often collected using unbuffered plasma, the resulting inaccurate binding data could contribute to incorrect predictions. This study uses a generic physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict human plasma concentration-time profiles for 22 highly protein-bound drugs. Tissue distribution was estimated from in vitro drug lipophilicity data, plasma protein binding, and blood: plasma ratio. Clearance was predicted with a well-stirred liver model. Underestimated hepatic clearance for acidic and neutral compounds was corrected by an empirical scaling factor. Predicted values (pharmacokinetic parameters, plasma concentration-time profile) were compared with observed data to evaluate model accuracy. Of the 22 drugs, less than a 2-fold error was obtained for terminal elimination half-life (t1/2, 100% of drugs), peak plasma concentration (Cmax, 100%), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0–t, 95.4%), clearance (CLh, 95.4%), mean retention time (MRT, 95.4%), and steady state volume (Vss, 90.9%). The impact of fup errors on CLh and Vss prediction was evaluated. Errors in fup resulted in proportional errors in clearance prediction for low-clearance compounds, and in Vss prediction for high-volume neutral drugs. For high-volume basic drugs, errors in fup did not propagate to errors in Vss prediction. This is due to the cancellation of errors in the calculations for tissue partitioning of basic drugs. Overall, plasma profiles were well simulated with the present PBPK model. PMID:26531057

Lack of conventional oxygen-linked proton and anion binding sites does not impair allosteric regulation of oxygen binding in dwarf caiman hemoglobin

Science.gov (United States)

Fago, Angela; Malte, Hans; Storz, Jay F.; Gorr, Thomas A.

2013-01-01

In contrast to other vertebrate hemoglobins (Hbs) whose high intrinsic O2 affinities are reduced by red cell allosteric effectors (mainly protons, CO2, organic phosphates, and chloride ions), crocodilian Hbs exhibit low sensitivity to organic phosphates and high sensitivity to bicarbonate (HCO3−), which is believed to augment Hb-O2 unloading during diving and postprandial alkaline tides when blood HCO3− levels and metabolic rates increase. Examination of α- and β-globin amino acid sequences of dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) revealed a unique combination of substitutions at key effector binding sites compared with other vertebrate and crocodilian Hbs: β82Lys→Gln, β143His→Val, and β146His→Tyr. These substitutions delete positive charges and, along with other distinctive changes in residue charge and polarity, may be expected to disrupt allosteric regulation of Hb-O2 affinity. Strikingly, however, P. palpebrosus Hb shows a strong Bohr effect, and marked deoxygenation-linked binding of organic phosphates (ATP and DPG) and CO2 as carbamate (contrasting with HCO3− binding in other crocodilians). Unlike other Hbs, it polymerizes to large complexes in the oxygenated state. The highly unusual properties of P. palpebrosus Hb align with a high content of His residues (potential sites for oxygenation-linked proton binding) and distinctive surface Cys residues that may form intermolecular disulfide bridges upon polymerization. On the basis of its singular properties, P. palpebrosus Hb provides a unique opportunity for studies on structure-function coupling and the evolution of compensatory mechanisms for maintaining tissue O2 delivery in Hbs that lack conventional effector-binding residues. PMID:23720132

Characterization of [³H] oxymorphone binding sites in mouse brain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yoo, Ji Hoon; Borsodi, Anna; Tóth, Géza

2017-01-01

Oxymorphone, one of oxycodone's metabolic products, is a potent opioid receptor agonist which is thought to contribute to the analgesic effect of its parent compound and may have high potential abuse liability. Nonetheless, the in vivo pharmacological binding profile of this drug is still unclear....... This study uses mice lacking mu (MOP), kappa (KOP) or delta (DOP) opioid receptors as well as mice lacking all three opioid receptors to provide full characterisation of oxymorphone binding sites in the brain. Saturation binding studies using [3H]oxymorphone revealed high affinity binding sites in mouse......]Oxymorphone binding was completely abolished across the majority of the brain regions in mice lacking MOP as well as in mice lacking all three opioid receptors. DOP and KOP knockout mice retained [3H]oxymorphone binding sites suggesting oxymorphone may not target DOP or KOP. These results confirm that the MOP...

The Tomato Nucleotide-binding Leucine-rich Repeat Immune Receptor I-2 Couples DNA-binding to Nucleotide-binding Domain Nucleotide Exchange*

Science.gov (United States)

Fenyk, Stepan; Dixon, Christopher H.; Gittens, William H.; Townsend, Philip D.; Sharples, Gary J.; Pålsson, Lars-Olof; Takken, Frank L. W.; Cann, Martin J.

2016-01-01

Plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins enable plants to recognize and respond to pathogen attack. Previously, we demonstrated that the Rx1 NLR of potato is able to bind and bend DNA in vitro. DNA binding in situ requires its genuine activation following pathogen perception. However, it is unknown whether other NLR proteins are also able to bind DNA. Nor is it known how DNA binding relates to the ATPase activity intrinsic to NLR switch function required to immune activation. Here we investigate these issues using a recombinant protein corresponding to the N-terminal coiled-coil and nucleotide-binding domain regions of the I-2 NLR of tomato. Wild type I-2 protein bound nucleic acids with a preference of ssDNA ≈ dsDNA > ssRNA, which is distinct from Rx1. I-2 induced bending and melting of DNA. Notably, ATP enhanced DNA binding relative to ADP in the wild type protein, the null P-loop mutant K207R, and the autoactive mutant S233F. DNA binding was found to activate the intrinsic ATPase activity of I-2. Because DNA binding by I-2 was decreased in the presence of ADP when compared with ATP, a cyclic mechanism emerges; activated ATP-associated I-2 binds to DNA, which enhances ATP hydrolysis, releasing ADP-bound I-2 from the DNA. Thus DNA binding is a general property of at least a subset of NLR proteins, and NLR activation is directly linked to its activity at DNA. PMID:26601946

The Tomato Nucleotide-binding Leucine-rich Repeat Immune Receptor I-2 Couples DNA-binding to Nucleotide-binding Domain Nucleotide Exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenyk, Stepan; Dixon, Christopher H; Gittens, William H; Townsend, Philip D; Sharples, Gary J; Pålsson, Lars-Olof; Takken, Frank L W; Cann, Martin J

2016-01-15

Plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins enable plants to recognize and respond to pathogen attack. Previously, we demonstrated that the Rx1 NLR of potato is able to bind and bend DNA in vitro. DNA binding in situ requires its genuine activation following pathogen perception. However, it is unknown whether other NLR proteins are also able to bind DNA. Nor is it known how DNA binding relates to the ATPase activity intrinsic to NLR switch function required to immune activation. Here we investigate these issues using a recombinant protein corresponding to the N-terminal coiled-coil and nucleotide-binding domain regions of the I-2 NLR of tomato. Wild type I-2 protein bound nucleic acids with a preference of ssDNA ≈ dsDNA > ssRNA, which is distinct from Rx1. I-2 induced bending and melting of DNA. Notably, ATP enhanced DNA binding relative to ADP in the wild type protein, the null P-loop mutant K207R, and the autoactive mutant S233F. DNA binding was found to activate the intrinsic ATPase activity of I-2. Because DNA binding by I-2 was decreased in the presence of ADP when compared with ATP, a cyclic mechanism emerges; activated ATP-associated I-2 binds to DNA, which enhances ATP hydrolysis, releasing ADP-bound I-2 from the DNA. Thus DNA binding is a general property of at least a subset of NLR proteins, and NLR activation is directly linked to its activity at DNA. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Inhibition of Enterococcus faecium adherence to collagen by antibodies against high-affinity binding subdomains of Acm.

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Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Sillanpää, Jouko; Ganesh, Vannakambadi K; Höök, Magnus; Murray, Barbara E

2007-06-01

Strains of Enterococcus faecium express a cell wall-anchored protein, Acm, which mediates adherence to collagen. Here, we (i) identify the minimal and high-affinity binding subsegments of Acm and (ii) show that anti-Acm immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) purified against these subsegments reduced E. faecium TX2535 strain collagen adherence up to 73 and 50%, respectively, significantly more than the total IgGs against the full-length Acm A domain (28%) (P Acm adherence with functional subsegment-specific antibodies raises the possibility of their use as therapeutic or prophylactic agents.

Retinoid-binding proteins: similar protein architectures bind similar ligands via completely different ways.

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Yu-Ru Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Retinoids are a class of compounds that are chemically related to vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient that plays a key role in vision, cell growth and differentiation. In vivo, retinoids must bind with specific proteins to perform their necessary functions. Plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP and epididymal retinoic acid binding protein (ERABP carry retinoids in bodily fluids, while cellular retinol-binding proteins (CRBPs and cellular retinoic acid-binding proteins (CRABPs carry retinoids within cells. Interestingly, although all of these transport proteins possess similar structures, the modes of binding for the different retinoid ligands with their carrier proteins are different. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this work, we analyzed the various retinoid transport mechanisms using structure and sequence comparisons, binding site analyses and molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that in the same family of proteins and subcellular location, the orientation of a retinoid molecule within a binding protein is same, whereas when different families of proteins are considered, the orientation of the bound retinoid is completely different. In addition, none of the amino acid residues involved in ligand binding is conserved between the transport proteins. However, for each specific binding protein, the amino acids involved in the ligand binding are conserved. The results of this study allow us to propose a possible transport model for retinoids. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results reveal the differences in the binding modes between the different retinoid-binding proteins.