Schistosoma mansoni: chemical stabilization of cercariae by aldehydes.

Chemically stabilized cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni have been developed by inactivating surface glycoproteins which are essential for their survival. The inactivation was achieved by reaction with 0.01-0.1% glutaraldehyde, 0.1-1% formaldehyde, and 0.37-3.7 microliters citraconic anhydride. The cercariae lost their viability but retained the ability to exclude trypan blue for up to 2 years in a manner similar to live cercariae and in contrast to cercariae killed by other means, which took up the dye immediately. The chemically stabilized cercariae reacted with polyclonal and monoclonal antischistosome antibodies in an indirect immunofluorescence assay for up to 2 years, indicating the retention and preservation of surface antigens. Chemically stabilized cercariae revealed the presence of antischistosome antibodies as early as 1 week after infection when used for immunodiagnosis of mouse and rat infections. The presence of Fc receptors for human IgG on the stabilized cercariae interfered in their use as an immunodiagnostic reagent of human schistosomiasis. The stabilized cercariae were also used to screen cultures for monoclonal antischistosome antibodies. Preliminary results indicated that immunization of mice with glutaraldehyde stabilized cercariae imparted protective immunity to mice.

Chemically attenuated larvae of S. mansoni as a novel tool in schistosomiasis research: 2. Chemical attenuation of cercariae by diimidoesters.

A novel approach to chemically attenuate cercariae of S. mansoni is presented. The method utilizes the biologically active surface proteins/glycoproteins which are essential for the survival of the organism as a target for inactivation. The inactivation was achieved by reaction with 0.01 M dimethyl adipimidate, dimethyl pimelimidate or dimethyl suberimidate at pH 8.5. The cercariae lost their viability, but retained the ability to exclude trypan blue for up to 2 years when stored at 4 degrees C in a manner similar to live cercariae and in contrast to dead cercariae which took up the dye immediately. In addition, the attenuated cercariae reacted with monoclonal and polyclonal antischistosome antibodies in an indirect immunofluorescence assay indicating the retention and preservation of surface antigens after attenuation. The immunochemical reactivity of the attenuated cercariae was preserved after storage for 2 years at 4 degrees C as shown by reaction with antisera from infected mice and rats in IIF assay. Attenuated cercariae revealed the presence of antischistosome antibodies as early as one week after infection in mice and rats. The presence of receptors for the Fc portion of human IgG on the attenuated cercariae interfered in their use as an immunodiagnostic reagent for human schistosomiasis. The attenuated cercariae were also used to screen cultures for monoclonal antischistosome antibodies. Preliminary results indicated that immunization with attenuated cercariae was capable of imparting protective immunity in mice.

Chemically attenuated larvae of S. mansoni as a novel tool in schistosomiasis research: 2. Chemical attenuation of cercariae by diimidoesters

A novel approach to chemicallu attenuate cercariae fo S. mansoni is presented. The method utilizes the biologically active surface proteins/glycoproteins which are essential for the survival of the organism as a target for inactivation. The inactivation was achieved by reaction with 0.01 M dimethil adipimidate, dimethyl pimelimidate or dimethyl suberimidate at pH 8.5. The cercariae lost their viability, but retained the ability to exclude trypan blue for up to 2 years when stored at 4-C in a manner similar to live cecariae and in contrast to dead cercariae witch took up the dye immediately. In addition, the attenuated cercariae reacted with monoclonal and policlonal antischistosome antibodies in an indirect immunofluorescence assay indacting the retention and preservation of surface antigens after attenuation. The immunochemical reactivity of the attenuated cercariae was preserved after storage for 2 years at 4-C as shown by reaction with antisera from infected mice and rats in IIF assay. Attenuated cercariae revealed the presence of antischistosome antibodies as early as one week after infection in mice and rats. The presence of receptors for the Fc portion of human IgG on the attenuated cercariae interfered in their use as an immunodiagnostic reagent for human schistosomiasis. The attenuated cercariae were also used to screen cultures for monoclonal antischistosome antibodies. preliminary results indicated that immunozation with attenuated cercariae was capable of imparting protective immunity in mice

Preparation of human immunoglobulin by caprylic acid precipitation.

Caprylic acid was used to precipitate nonimmunoglobulin proteins from human plasma. The crude IgG present in the supernatant (which contained 26-29% of the total protein in terms of absorbance units or 78-87% of IgG by weight) was fractionated on DEAE-cellulose, to yield pure IgG as shown by disc electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis and gel filtration. Pure IgG was free of plasmin and plasminogen and did not exhibit any fragmentation or aggregation during storage for periods up to 4 weeks at 40 degrees C, and its anticomplementary activity was low. Antibodies to viral agents were recovered unchanged.

Comparative studies on radiolabeling of lysozyme by iodination and reductive methylation.

Before attempting to radiolabel proteins it is essential that conditions be found for optimal reaction by use of cold reagents. Iodination by the chloramine-T method was not suitable for radiolabeling of lysozyme as it resulted in reduced solubility, large conformational changes, loss of enzymic activity and a decrease in immunochemical reactivity. On the other hand, reductive methylation of lysozyme by formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride was considered suitable for radiolabeling of lysozyme. The extent of reaction with the free amino groups was dependent on the concentration of lysozyme and the molar ratios of the reactants (lysozyme, NaCNBH3 and HCHO). The molecular weight, net charge and enzymic activity of the lysozyme derivatives were similar to the native molecule. The immunochemical reactivity was reduced by 6-13% when more than 6 amino groups were modified. Reductively methylated rabbit IgG showed unaltered molecular weight, net charge and very little conformational changes compared to native IgG. Partial reaction, by reductive methylation using [14C]HCHO, lysozyme with specific activity of 11.1 X 10(6) cpm/mg protein and pig anti lysozyme antibody with specific activity of 2.95 X 10(5) cpm/mg protein were prepared.

Methylazoxymethanol: effect on the immune response of rats to human serum albumin.

Inbred male F344 rats treated with 20 mg methylazoxymethanol (MAM)/kg body weight showed minimal damage to DNA in bone marrow, spleen, and thymus and no suppression of the humoral immune response to human serum albumin (HSA). At high doses of MAM (40, 60, and 80 mg/kg), damage to DNA of bone marrow, spleen, and thymus was noted. The effect on the humoral immune responses was nonuniform. Some rats responded normally by eliciting precipitating antibodies, whereas others responded by synthesizing nonprecipitating antibodies at low levels. The production of nonprecipitating antibodies may indicate a restriction of the recognition of HSA antigenic determinants in rats given injections of MAM prior to immunization. The restriction may be a consequence of suppression or elimination of certain clones of lymphocytes responsible for recognition of certain antigenic determinants. This interference in some clones of lymphocytes would result in the synthesis of antibodies against one or two antigenic sites on the HSA and the concomitant inability of the produced antibodies to form complete lattice structure with antigen.

A novel preparation of immunoadsorbents. Controlled coupling of proteins to Sepharose-gelatin by heterobifunctional reagent.

The heterobifunctional reagent, N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate, was utilized for controlled coupling of lysozyme and bovine serum albumin to Sepharose-gelatin. Initially the protein (lysozyme or bovine serum albumin) was reacted with N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate at the free amino groups to give 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionyl-protein. The latter was reduced to thiopropionyl-protein and was conjugated to 3-(2-pyridyldithio)-propionyl-Sepharose-gelatin through sulfhydryl-disulfide exchange. Sepharose-gelatin-lysozyme and Sepharose-gelatin-albumin were prepared in this manner. They were capable of binding their respective antibody and the eluted antibody was found to be pure on electrophoresis in SDS-polyacrylamide gels and to show heterogeneity by isoelectric focusing. Antibodies bound to Sepharose-gelatin-albumin were found to be less tightly bound to the immunoadsorbent than in the case of Sepharose-albumin, as more antibodies were eluted on the former immunoadsorbent with 0.1 M glycine-HCl (pH 3) than on the latter. The new method permits controlled coupling of proteins to an insoluble matrix (Sepharose-gelatin), and the bond through which reaction occurs is known with precision.

Evaluation of polyethylene glycol's suitability for quantitative determination of non-precipitating antibody.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used extensively in the quantitative precipitin reaction and for the determination of soluble immune complexes. It has now been found that the optimum concentration of PEG for precipitation of non-precipitating antibodies in the quantitative precipitin reaction varies with the dilution of antisera. Immune precipitates obtained with PEG were examined for their protein content by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to detect non-specific precipitation of serum proteins. Determination of non-precipitating antibodies in sera of goats and pigs immunized with chicken egg-white lysozyme by the quantitative precipitin reaction in the presence of PEG, yielded lower values than obtained by immunoabsorbents. Care should be exercised in interpreting results when PEG is used to enhance precipitation.

Immunochemistry of bovine serum albumin.

Two fragments were isolated from BSA one was derived from the first terminal third of the molecule and the second from the last third of the molecule. Each fragment inhibited the reaction of BSA-anti BSA by 90% or better. An immunoabsorbent of each bound 90% of anti BSA. Each fragment bound two antibody molecules per mole of fragment. These results are explained by the concept that BSA contains repeating identical or similar antigenic determinants. Conformational non identity of various batches of BSA was revealed by reactivity of the disulfide bonds at the neutral transition. Trypsin was found to cleave GSA, PSA, and HSA to yield an immunochemically reactive fragment. At least in the case of HSA, the fragment exhibited all the immunochemical reactivity of the native protein.

Preparation of human immunoglobulin free of plasmin and anticomplement activities.

Human IgG separated by Cohn fractionation showed variability in the content of aggregates, plasminogen and anticomplement activity. The plasminogen was removed or markedly reduced by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-lysine. Anticomplement activity was reduced by chromatography of Cohn fraction II on DEAE-cellulose. Preparations of IgG obtained by chromatography of intermediates from Cohn fractionation (e.g. Cohn FII + FIII or FII + FIII W) on DEAE-cellulose were devoid of aggregates, plasminogen and exhibited reduced anticomplement activity. The initial levels of specific antibody activity to viral agents were recovered in the IgG fractions. Fragmentation of IgG during storage was prevented or greatly reduced by removal of plasminogen by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-lysine.

A fragment comprising the last third of bovine serum albumin which accounts for almost all the antigenic reactivity of the native protein.

The fragmentation of native bovine serum albumin by trypsin has been studied in aqueous solution under various conditions with regard to the yield and size of the fragments obtained. From a partial tryptic hydrolysate at pH 8.2 (40 degrees, 1 hour), a homogeneous fragment was isolated in high yield by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The molecular weight of the fragment by gel filtration on calibrated Sephadex G-100 columns and by sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis was 22,500. After reduction of the disulfide bonds followed by alkylation of the resultant thiol groups with iodoacetamide, the fragment retained homogeneity by disc electrophoresis and its molecular weight remained unchanged, indicating that it was composed of a single polypeptide chain. From its amino acid composition, sequence of the first 20 residues, and actions of carboxypeptidases A or B, it was unequivocally assigned to positions 377-571 in albumin. The inhibitory activity of the fragment was 90 to 93% towards the immune reaction of the protein with the IgG fraction of the antisera. The IgGfraction accounted for 96% of the total antibody activity in the antisera. An immunoabsorbent of fragment 377-571 removed 89 to 95% of the antibody to albumin. A fluorescent derivative of the fragment, which retained full immunochemical activity, was found to bind 2 mol of antibody/mol of peptide. The disulfides in peptide 377-571 were essential for its immunochemical reaction because the latter was entirely abolished upon reduction and S-alkylation of the disulfides. Since this fragment comprised only a third of the albumin molecule, but accounted for 90 to 95% of its antigenic reactivity, the results indicated that native albumin carries identical repeating antigenic reactive sites.

Enzymic and immunochemical properties of lysozyme. XIII. Accurate delineation of the reactive site around the disulfide 6-127 by immunochemical study of beta-propiolactone lysozyme derivative and of synthetic disulfide peptides.

In previous reports from this laboratory it was shown that an antigenic reactive site resides around the sequences 6-13 and 126-128 linked by the disulfide 6-127. The present work provides a strong support for the location of the reactive site by an independent approach. It also determines accurately the boundaries of the reactive site. 1. The two methionine residues in lysozyme were carboxyethylated by reaction with beta-propiolactone. The electrophoretically homogeneous derivative had no other modified amino acids and showed no conformational changes, relative to native lysozyme, as determined by ORD and CD measurements. However, it exhibited a slight increase in disulfide reducibility relative to native lysozyme and its lytic activity was about half that of native lysozyme, probably as a result of the slight conformational change. On the other hand, the antigenic reactivity of the derivative was equal to that of native lysozyme with several goat and rabbit antisera to lysozyem. It was therefore concluded that methionines 12 and 105 were not parts of antigenic reactive sites in native lysozyme. 2. Eleven peptides, corresponding to various sequences on the two sides of the disulfide 6-127 (i.e. two groups of peptides) were synthesized, purified and characterized. One group (A) of peptides comprised sequences 3-14, 5-14, 6-14, 5-13, 5-12 and an analog of sequence 5-14 in which methionine 12 is replaced by glycine. The second group (B) of peptides comprised sequences 125-129, 125-128, 126-128, 127-128, and 125-127. From groups A and B, nine disulfide-containing peptides (see Fig. 2) were synthesized, purified, characterized and their immunochemical interactions with antisera to native lysozyme studied. Towards each of the antisera studied here, Phe-3, Gly-4, Arg-5, Arg-125 and Leu-129 were not essential parts of the reactive site. On the other hand, Arg-14, Lys-13, Gly-126 and with some antisera Arg-128 were each critical for the reactivity of the site. Peptides from group A alone or group B alone did not inhibit the reaction of lysozyme with its antisera, confirming our previous findings that the integrity of the disulfide bond is essential for bringing the two distant (in sequence) parts of the site together. Finally, replacement of Met-12 by glycine did not influence the immunochemical reactivity of the site, confirming the above conclusion that neither of the two methionine residues takes part in interaction of lysozyme with its antibodies. An accurate delineation of the antigenic reactive site is, therefore derived here and its shape in the three-dimensional structure of native lysozyme is described.

Preparation of human immunoglobulin by ammonium sulfate precipitation.

Crude IgG precipitated from plasma by the addition of an equal volume of 4 M ammonium sulfate was fractionated on DEAE-cellulose column to obtain pure IgG as shown by disc electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis and gel filtration. The processed IgG was free of plasmin and plasminogen and did not undergo fragmentation or aggregation on storage at 40 degrees C for at least 4 weeks. The anticomplement activity was low and the antibody activity was retained.

Studies on epsilon-prototoxin of Clostridium perfringens type D. Physicochemical and chemical properties of epsilon-prototoxin.

epsilon-Prototoxin of clostridium perfringens type D consists of one polypeptide chain of 311 amino acids with the following composition: Asp52 Thr31 Ser25 Glu28 Pro12 Gly17 Ala14 Val28 Met5 Ile15 Leu18 Tyr17 Phe8 Lys31 His2 Arg5 Tyr2. It has no free cysteine but contains one blocked cysteine. The N-terminal as well as the C-terminal residue is lysine. The ultracentrifuge pattern gave one single boundary having S020,w = 2.15 S and Do20,w = 5.56-10(-7) cm2/s. Calculation of the molecular weight from D020,w and S020,w gave a value of 34 250. The molecular weight determined from sedimentation equilibrium using ultraviolet optics gave a value of 33 000 +/- 1000. On the other hand molecular weights calculated from a calibrated Sephadex G-100 column in borate buffer was 25 000 and that in sodium phosphate, ionic strength 0.2, was 27 500. This discrepancy between values obtained in the ultracentrifuge and by gel filtration is attributed to adsorption of epsilon-prototoxin by Sephadex.

Enzymic and immunochemical properties of lysozyme. X. Conformation, enzymic activity and immunochemistry of lysozyme reduced at two carboxyl groups.

Reduction of lysozyme by diborane, followed by air oxidation of the reduced disulfides and chromatography on CM-cellulose, yielded a homogeneous derivative. In the derivative, the carboxyl groups of aspartic acid 119 and the end-chain leucine residue were reduced to their corresponding alcohols. Correct re-forming of the disulfide bonds was demonstrated by peptide mapping of the tryptic hydrolysates of the derivative and lysozyme without breaking the disulfide bonds, followed by identification of the disulfide-containing peptides. Correct disulfide pairing in the two-disulfide peptide in the tryptic hydrolysate was established from its immunochemical behavior. Preparations of the two-disulfide fragment from lysozyme and derivative had equal inhibitory activities (26 or 32%) of the reaction of lysozyme with two homologous antisera. In ORD measurements, lysozyme and the derivative had equal rotatory powers at neutral pH. However, the bo value for the derivative decreased by about 10%. Below pH 6.4 and above pH 8.0, the derivative was less rotatory than native lysozyme. In CD measurements at neutral pH, the negative ellipticity bands at 220 and 208 nm showed little or no decrease in the derivative relative to the native protein. Although conformational differences between the derivative and its parent protein were almost undetectable by ORD and CD measurements, they were readily detected by chemical monitoring of the conformation. In the derivative, both accessibility to tryptic hydrolysis and reducibility of the disulfide bonds increased markedly. The enzymic activity of the derivative was decreased but retained the same pH optimum. With antisera to lysozyme or antisera to the derivative, lysozyme and its derivative possessed equal antigenic reactivities. The immunochemical findings further confirm the correct refolding of the disulfides. Also, they indicate that aspartic acid 119 and the C-terminal leucine residue are not part of an antigenic reactive region in lysozyme.