Development of α-Gal-Antibody Conjugates to Increase Immune Response by Recruiting Natural Antibodies.

Cancer treatment with antibodies (Abs) is one of the most successful therapeutic strategies for obtaining high selectivity. In this study, α-gal-Ab conjugates were developed that dramatically increased cellular cytotoxicity by recruiting natural Abs through the interaction between α-gal and anti-gal Abs. The potency of the α-gal-Ab conjugates depended on the amount of α-gal conjugated to the antibody: the larger the amount of α-gal introduced, the higher the level of cytotoxicity observed. The conjugation of antibodies with an α-gal dendrimer allowed the introduction of large amounts of α-gal to the Ab, without loss of affinity for the target cell. The method described here will enable the re-development of Abs to improve their potency.

Molecular and Cytogenetic Characterization of a Powdery Mildew-Resistant Wheat-Aegilops mutica Partial Amphiploid and Addition Line.

Aegilops mutica Boiss., a diploid species (2n = 2x = 14, TT), has been rarely studied before. In this research, a hexaploid wheat (cv. Chinese Spring)-Ae. mutica partial amphiploid and a wheat-Ae. mutica addition line were characterized by chromosome karyotyping, FISH using oligonucleotides Oligo-pTa535-1, Oligo-pSc119.2-1, and (GAA)8 as probes, and EST-based molecular markers. The results showed that the partial amphiploid strain consisted of 20 pairs of wheat chromosomes and 7 pairs of Ae. mutica chromosomes, with both wheat 7B chromosomes missing. EST-based molecular marker data suggested that the wheat-Ae. mutica addition line carries the 7T chromosome. Resistance tests indicated that both the partial amphiploid and the 7T addition line were highly resistant to powdery mildew, whereas the wheat control line Chinese Spring was highly susceptible, indicating the presence of a potentially new powdery mildew resistance gene on the Ae. mutica 7T chromosome. The karyotype, FISH patterns, and molecular markers can now be used to identify Ae. mutica chromatin in a wheat background, and the 7T addition could be used as a new powdery mildew resistance source for wheat breeding.