Identification of anti-CD98 antibody mimotopes for inducing antibodies with antitumor activity by mimotope immunization.

A mimotope is an antibody-epitope-mimicking peptide retrieved from a phage display random peptide library. Immunization with antitumor antibody-derived mimotopes is promising for inducing antitumor immunity in hosts. In this study, we isolated linear and constrained mimotopes from HBJ127, a tumor-suppressing anti-CD98 heavy chain mAb, and determined their abilities for induction of antitumor activity equal to that of the parent antibody. We detected elevated levels of antipeptide responses, but failed to detect reactivity against native CD98-expressing HeLa cells in sera of immunized mice. Phage display panning and selection of mimotope-immunized mouse spleen-derived antibody Fab library showed that HeLa cell-reactive Fabs were successfully retrieved from the library. This finding indicates that native antigen-reactive Fab clones represented an undetectable minor population in mimotope-induced antibody repertoire. Functional and structural analysis of retrieved Fab clones revealed that they were almost identical to the parent antibody. From these results, we confirmed that mimotope immunization was promising for retrieving antitumor antibodies equivalent to the parent antibody, although the co-administration of adjuvant compounds such as T-cell epitope peptides and Toll-like receptor 4 agonist peptides is likely to be necessary for inducing stronger antitumor immunity than mimotope injection alone.

Antibody epitope peptides as potential inducers of IgG antibodies against CD98 oncoprotein.

An epitope is an antibody-recognition site on a target antigen. As such, active immunization of epitope peptides may induce therapeutic efficacy equivalent to the administration of parent antibody medicines. In the present study, we designed peptides based on the epitope recognized by the tumor-suppresive anti-CD98 monoclonal antibody HBJ127, and investigated their efficacy for induction of antitumor immunity. The immune sera showed reactivity against the corresponding peptide-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and peptide-bovine serum abumin (BSA) conjugates, although they did not react with CD98-positive HeLa cells or recombinant CD98 heavy chain. To elucidate whether the epitope peptide failed to induce antitumor immunity or not, we constructed the IgG1, kappa Fab phage display libraries from spleen cells of immunized mice and tried to retrieve CD98-reactive recombinant Fab (rFab) fragments by panning against either epitope peptide-BSA conjugates or live HeLa cells. RFab fragments retrieved from peptide-BSA panning showed no reactivity to HeLa cells. Their variable-region sequences were different from HBJ127. However, rFab fragments retrieved from HeLa cell panning showed reactivity to CD98 by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. Moreover, they were structurally almost identical to HBJ127. Although the immunogenicity of epitope peptides may be insufficient for induction of expected antitumor activity in vivo, we used antibody phage display to show that IgG antibodies almost identical to HBJ127 were an undetectable population in epitope peptide-induced immune sera.

Human recombinant Fab fragment from combinatorial libraries of a B-cell lymphoma patient recognizes core protein of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4.

CD antigens are well known as therapeutic targets of B-cell lymphoma. To isolate therapeutic antibodies that recognize novel targets other than CD antigens, we constructed a phage display combinatorial antibody Fab library from bone marrow lymphocytes of B-cell lymphoma patient. To eliminate antibodies reactive with known B-cell lymphoma antigen, non-hematopoietic and patient's sera reactive HeLaS3 cells was selected as a target of whole cell panning. Five rounds of panning against live HeLaS3 cells retrieved single Fab clone, termed AHSA (Antibody to HeLa Surface Antigen). Using phage display random peptide library, LSYLEP was identified as an epitope sequence of AHSA. LC-MS/MS analysis of AHSA-precipitated HeLaS3 cell lysates detected several fragments corresponding to the sequence of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) core protein. Since LSYLEP sequence was at the position of 313-318 of CSPG4, we considered that CSPG4 was AHSA-associated antigen. Double staining of CSPG4-postive MDA-MB-435S cells with AHSA and anti-CSPG4 rabbit antibody showed identical staining position, and reduced AHSA reactivity was observed in CSPG4-siRNA treated MDA-MB-435S cells. In conclusion, we retrieved a human Fab from antibody library of B-cell lymphoma patient, and identified CSPG4 as a recognizing antigen. AHSA may have potential benefits for development of CSPG4-targeting theranostics for B-cell lymphoma.

A single nucleotide polymorphism of reduced folate carrier 1 predicts methotrexate efficacy in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

  Methotrexate (MTX) exhibits large inter-individual and inter-ethnic differences in the dose required for its anti-rheumatic effect. To maintain low disease activity, patients may require increased MTX doses or co-administration of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). The availability of a marker predicting the effect of MTX will make it possible to increase the MTX dose and prescribe bDMARDs to patients at an early stage. To establish individualized medication for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we investigated genetic polymorphisms of the folate pathway in Japanese RA patients. Eighty-nine patients were treated with MTX alone (MTX group). MTX and bDMARDs were co-administered to 81 patients because of insufficient MTX efficacy (MTX + bDMARDs group); an equally stable therapeutic effect was achieved in both groups. Polymorphism analyses using bDMARD co-treatment as the objective variable revealed a significant association between age and the G80A polymorphism of the reduced folate carrier 1 gene (RFC1) as an explanatory variable. Compared to patients with the A allele, patients with the G allele may have less intracellular MTX uptake and, therefore, poor efficacy; a greater number of them were found to be bDMARD concomitant cases. The results of this study suggest that the RFC1 G80A polymorphism may be a useful marker for predicting MTX efficacy in Japanese patients with RA.

Concise synthesis of catechin probes enabling analysis and imaging of EGCg.

A concise synthesis of APDOEGCg (3) was accomplished. Due to the reactivity of its amine group, the compound could be easily converted to the fluorescein probe 21 and immunogen probe 22 efficiently. We then demonstrated the usefulness of the probes for imaging studies and the generation of antibodies.

Generation of Fab fragment-like molecular recognition proteins against staphylococcal enterotoxin B by phage display technology.

Antigen-binding fragments (Fab fragments) and single-chain variable fragments (scFv) against staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) were produced by phage display technology. SEB epitopes were first identified by phage display approach using the commercial anti-SEB monoclonal antibody ab53981 as the target. Heptamer and dodecamer mimotope peptides recognized by ab53981 were screened from Ph.D-7 or Ph.D-12 random peptide phage libraries expressed in Escherichia coli. The isolated 7-mer and 12-mer mimotopes were shown to share a sequence homologous to 8PDELHK¹4S in the amino acid sequence of SEB. The N-terminal 15-mer peptide of SEB was determined to be an epitope of ab53981. After immunization of mice with maltose-binding protein-tagged N-terminal 15-mer peptide, a phage display Fab library was constructed using cDNA prepared from the mRNAs of spleen cells. Three phage clones displaying the Fab molecule which recognized SEB were isolated through three rounds of panning. Only one of them produced a soluble Fab fragment from the transformed cells, and the fragment fused with a histidine tag sequence was produced in E. coli cells and converted into scFv. Surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that the dissociation constants of these proteins with SEB were (4.1 ± 1.1) × 10⁻9 M and (8.4 ± 2.3) × 10⁻¹° M, respectively. The produced molecule was applied to the determination of SEB by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis.

Generation of AcGFP fusion with single-chain Fv selected from a phage display library constructed from mice hyperimmunized against 5-methyl 2'-deoxycytidine.

DNA methylation is involved in many diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity. We generated recombinant single-chain Fv (scFv) antibodies against 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (m(5)dCyd) using phage display technology and a hyperimmunized mouse, and the scFv of most interest were constructed as fusion proteins with green fluorescent protein obtained from Aequorea coerulescens GFP (AcGFP). Using RNA isolated from mouse spleens, we constructed a scFv library consisting of λ light chains. The scFv library was selected against m(5)Cyd-BSA and enriched through four rounds of panning. The scFv library was concentrated about 390-fold and an individual clone was reacted with m(5)Cyd-BSA. Two scFvs with high reactivity for m(5)Cyd-BSA termed 1-2 and 1-12 were produced. Furthermore, methylated DNA-binding activities of the scFvs were confirmed using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Additionally, N- and C-terminal scFv 1-2 fusion with AcGFP were constructed, and we observed the N-terminal AcGFP exhibited much higher fluorescence intensity than the C-terminal fusions. The AcGFP-scFv 1-2 modified N-terminus of scFv with AcGFP had high fluorescence intensity, but the scFv 1-2-AcGFP modified C-terminus of scFv with AcGFP had low fluorescence intensity. The cross-reactivity of AcGFP-scFv 1-2 was similar to scFv 1-2, and thus, AcGFP-scFv 1-2 could be used in a direct immunofluorescence assay. The scFv fusion proteins may be useful for the detection and quantification of cellular methylated DNA in various specimens.

Generation of a recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFv) targeting 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine.

We generated a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (m(5)dCyd) using phage display technology. The heavy and light chain variable region genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from hybridoma cell line FMC9 and assembled as an scFv fragment with a flexible linker (Gly(4)-Ser)(3). The scFv DNA fragment was then cloned into pCANTAB-5E, and a phage displaying the scFv was produced. Antigen-positive phage clones were successfully selected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The scFv was modified with FLAG and His tags for detection and purification. The scFv reacted strongly with m(5)dCyd and weakly with 5-methylcytidine (m(5)Cyd) but not with cytidine (Cyd) and 1-methyladenosine in a manner similar to the monoclonal antibody (MoAb). Although the specificities of scFv and MoAb were almost identical, the sensitivity of the scFv (IC(50) 0.054 microg/ml) was approximately 80 times higher than that of the parent MoAb (IC(50) 4.27 microg/ml), determined by inhibition ELISA. As a biochemical application of this scFv, we quantified the m(5)dCyd content of genomic DNA by enzymatic hydrolysis using inhibition ELISA. The cancer cell lines HeLa, HeLa S3 and MDA-MB-453 contained approximately 1% of the methylated DNA in total genomic DNA, as did peripheral blood cell genomic DNA from healthy volunteers, but HT29 and T-47D showed hypomethylation compared with the HeLa, HeLa S3 and MDA-MB-453 cell lines. The scFv generated here may be applicable to the assessment of cellular DNA methylation levels and is more sensitive than the MoAb.

Chemical synthesis of bile acid acyl-adenylates and formation by a rat liver microsomal fraction.

In mammals, unconjugated bile acids formed in the intestine by bacterial deconjugation are reconjugated (N-acylamidated) with taurine or glycine during hepatocyte transport. Activation of the carboxyl group of bile acids to form acyl-adenylates is a likely key intermediate step in bile acid N-acylamidation. To gain more insight into the process of bile acid adenylate formation, we first synthesized the adenylates of five common, natural bile acids (cholic, deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and lithocholic acid), and confirmed their structure by proton NMR. We then investigated adenylate formation by subcellular fractions of rat liver (microsomes, mitochondria, cytosol) using a newly developed LC method for quantifying adenylate formation. The highest activity was observed in the microsomal fraction. The reaction required Mg(2+) and its optimum pH was about pH 7.0. In term of maximum velocity (V(max)) and the Michaelis constant (K(m)), the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme under the conditions used was highest with cholic acid of the bile acids tested. The formation of cholyl-adenylate was strongly inhibited by lithocholic and deoxycholic acid, as well as by palmitic acid; ibuprofen and valproic acid were weak inhibitors. In cholestatic disease, such adenylate formation might lead to subsequent bile acid conjugation with glutathione or proteins.