Interaction of the immunosuppressant deoxyspergualin with a member of the Hsp70 family of heat shock proteins.

Deoxyspergualin (DSG) is a potent immunosuppressant whose mechanism of action remains unknown. To elucidate its mechanism of action, an intracellular DSG binding protein was identified. DSG has now been shown to bind specifically to Hsc70, the constitutive or cognate member of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) protein family. The members of the Hsp70 family of heat shock proteins are important for many cellular processes, including immune responses, and this finding suggests that heat shock proteins may represent a class of immunosuppressant binding proteins, or immunophilins, distinct from the previously identified cis-trans proline isomerases. DSG may provide a tool for understanding the function of heat shock proteins in immunological processes.

Immunosuppression in vivo by a soluble form of the CTLA-4 T cell activation molecule.

In vitro, when the B7 molecule on the surface of antigen-presenting cells binds to the T cell surface molecules CD28 and CTLA-4, a costimulatory signal for T cell activation is generated. CTLA4Ig is a soluble form of the extracellular domain of CTLA-4 and binds B7 with high avidity. CTLA4Ig treatment in vivo suppressed T cell-dependent antibody responses to sheep erythrocytes or keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Large doses of CTLA4Ig suppressed responses to a second immunization. Thus, costimulation by B7 is important for humoral immune responses in vivo, and interference with costimulation may be useful for treatment of antibody-mediated autoimmune disease.

A single receptor binds both insulin-like growth factor II and mannose-6-phosphate.

Amino acid sequences deduced from rat complementary DNA clones encoding the insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) receptor closely resemble those of the bovine cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (Man-6-P receptorCI), suggesting they are identical structures. It is also shown that IGF-II receptors are adsorbed by immobilized pentamannosyl-6-phosphate and are specifically eluted with Man-6-P. Furthermore, Man-6-P specifically increases by about two times the apparent affinity of the purified rat placental receptor for 125I-labeled IGF-II. These results indicate that the type II IGF receptor contains cooperative, high-affinity binding sites for both IGF-II and Man-6-P-containing proteins.

Kinase inhibitor recognition by use of a multivariable QSAR model.

We have applied a retrosynthetic program to determine the scaffold and R-group chemical space seen within a library of known kinase inhibitors and non-kinase drug-like molecules. Comparison of the differences quickly revealed that kinase inhibitors are distinct in several chemical fragment and physical properties. We then applied these descriptors in a multivariable quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model with the goal to distinguish kinase inhibitors from non-kinase drug-like molecules. This model is heuristic in that it was trained over a dataset of 258 known kinase inhibitors and 230 non-kinase drug molecules. The final model recognized 98% of the training set as being kinase inhibitors and had a false positive rate of 15%. This trait for false positives was accepted out of a desire to maintain diversity and not miss possible good kinase inhibitors for screening. The model was validated by reserving a portion of the datasets as test sets, which were not included in the QSAR model building stage. This was done repetitively for different percentiles of the total dataset population. It was seen that model recognition and false positive were only slightly damaged well down to a 70% reserve (30% dataset used for QSAR model training while 70% used for reserve test set). Beyond 70%, the QSAR models were inconsistent, signifying that the training sets were inadequately diverse to represent the greater reserve test sets. We applied this model to evaluate the commercial kinase libraries available from Asinex, BioFocus, ChemDiv and LifeChemicals to facilitate purchase decisions for compounds for HTS for lead compounds. We observed that there are significant differences in populations of recognizable kinase inhibitors across the vendors analyzed, with BioFocus showing the greatest population of kinase like molecules.

Phase I clinical and pharmacological study of suppression of human antimouse antibody response to monoclonal antibody L6 by deoxyspergualin.

Development of human antimouse antibody (HAMA) is a major limiting factor in the application of murine mAb for clinical use. A novel immunomodulatory drug, deoxyspergualin (DSG), has shown potential to suppress antimouse antibody response in preclinical model systems. We conducted a Phase I trial to determine the effect of DSG on HAMA response to murine mAb L6 administered to patients with advanced cancers (in previous trials, this antibody elicited HAMA in two-thirds of the treated patients). L6 mAb was administered at a fixed dose of 200 mg/m2 on days 1-5. DSG was administered at doses of 50 mg/m2 [dose level (dl) 1] or 150 mg/m2 (dls II and III) on days 1-7. Treatment courses were repeated every 6 weeks (dls I and II) or every 3 weeks (dl III). HAMAs were quantitated by a commercially available ELISA assay (ImmuSTRIP; anti-isotypic antibodies) and a radiometric assay (antiisotypic and anti-idiotypic antibodies). Pharmacokinetics of L6 and DSG was also studied in all consenting patients. Among 24 evaluable patients, 2 patients developed detectable HAMAs using the ELISA (one each at dls I and II) after a median follow-up of 122 days (P = 0.0001 as compared to historical controls). Even in the two patients who developed HAMA, the HAMA levels were quite low (160 and 181 ng/ml; historical experience, 70-38,744 ng/ml). The radiometric assay detected anti-L6 antibodies in 13 patients (4, 6, and 3 at dls I-III, respectively) after a median of 82 days. The median highest anti-L6 antibody level was 129 ng/ml (range, 21-2150). The highest anti-L6 antibody level at dl III was only 44 ng/ml. The results suggest suppression of anti-idiotypic response also. No clinical antitumor activity was observed, and no significant changes in T4/T8 subsets or immunoglobulins occurred (suggesting a lack of generalized immunosuppression). We conclude that DSG can suppress HAMA response to L6. A starting dose of 150 mg/m2/day is recommended for Phase II trials to confirm this observation.

In vivo regulation of hemopoiesis by transforming growth factor beta 1: stimulation of GM-CSF- and M-CSF-dependent murine bone marrow precursors.

Injection of mice with either natural bovine bone-derived or human recombinant transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) resulted in a significant increase of the macrophage and macrophage-granulocyte-forming capacity of their macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)- and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-dependent bone marrow precursor cells. The increased potential for generating granulocytes and/or macrophages from bone marrow cells of mice injected with TGF-beta 1 was associated with an increase of the number of M-CSF- and GM-CSF-dependent bone marrow colony-forming units (CFU). The effect was selective, in that in vivo applied TGF-beta 1 did not affect interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent CFU. The data suggest that TGF-beta may be useful in recovery of bone marrow granulocyte- and macrophage-forming potentials following depletion caused by chemo- or radiotherapy.

Evidence for only one beta-luteinizing hormone and no beta-chorionic gonadotropin gene in the rat.

We have examined the rat genome and placenta for the presence of a mRNA or gene which codes for a protein identical or similar to the beta-subunit of LH. A cDNA clone was isolated that encodes for amino acids 44 through 121 of the mature beta-subunit of rat LH (rLH). This r beta LH cDNA was used as a hybridization probe to study the structure of the gene(s) which encode for the beta-subunit of either LH or a LH-like protein in the rat genome. Restriction enzyme digestion analysis of rat genomic DNA using Southern blots revealed only one fragment that hybridized to 32P-labeled r beta LH cDNA. In contrast, restriction enzyme analysis of human and rhesus monkey genomic DNA (known to have both LH and CG) gave multiple fragments which hybridized to a 32P-labeled human beta LH DNA. We have also examined the possibility of a mRNA which can encode the beta-subunit of either LH or CG in the rat placenta. Northern blot analysis of total RNA isolated from rat placenta and rat anterior pituitary revealed that only the anterior pituitary contains a mRNA which is complementary to rLH cDNA. These results suggest that: there is only one gene which encodes the beta-subunit of LH in the rat haploid genome; there is no gene which encodes for a beta-subunit of a CG molecule in the rat; there is no mRNA in the rat placenta which encodes for the beta-subunit of LH or an LH-like molecule.

Taxol and lipopolysaccharide activation of a murine macrophage cell line and induction of similar tyrosine phosphoproteins.

Taxol, a unique antimitotic drug, is thought to exert its antitumor activity by binding to and promoting the assembly of microtubules. Studies on the mechanism of action of Taxol have focused mainly on this ability to induce microtubule polymerization. Recent evidence suggests that Taxol affects novel intracellular targets within macrophages and neutrophils. To investigate further the mechanism of action of Taxol on macrophages, we have examined the pattern of tyrosine protein phosphorylation, using antiphosphotyrosine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in a RAW 264.7 (RAW) macrophage cell line. We found that Taxol, like lipopolysaccharides (LPS), caused a marked increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of three proteins having M(r) of 40 (p40), 41 (p41), and 43 (p43) kd in RAW cells. Immunoprecipitation of these tyrosine phosphoproteins followed by Western blotting with a microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) kinase MAb revealed that both Taxol and LPS induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of a MAP-2 kinase-like protein. In addition, MAP-2 kinase-like activity was stimulated in the presence of Taxol or LPS. Examination of cellular mRNA levels in LPS and Taxol-activated macrophages by Northern blot analysis revealed increased expression of Interleukin-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha cytokine mRNAs. Because Taxol promotes tubulin assembly, we examined the effect of LPS on microtubule polymerization. LPS had no polymerizing activity over Taxol alone. We conclude that Taxol and LPS have a common target in macrophages that is a critical component of the signal transduction pathway that mediates LPS cellular responses.

The neutralization of type I IFN biologic actions by anti-IFNAR-2 monoclonal antibodies is not entirely due to inhibition of Jak-Stat tyrosine phosphorylation.

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) derived against human interferon-alpha/beta receptor-2 (IFNAR-2) was evaluated for their ability to antagonize the biologic effects of type 1 interferons (IFN-alpha1, IFN-alpha2a, and IFN-beta). Anti-IFNAR-2 mAb 117.7, 35.9, 53.2, and 51.44 neutralized type I IFN-mediated antiviral, antiproliferative, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I upregulation functions. However, only mAb 51.44 neutralized IFN-alpha2a and IFN-beta-mediated natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. In BIAcore and cell binding studies, only mAb 51.44 and 234.28 inhibited IFN-alpha2a and IFN-beta binding to its receptor. The receptor blockade by mAb 51.44 and 234.28 resulted in the inhibition of IFN-alpha2a and IFN-beta-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1, Tyk2, Stat1/2/3, and IFNAR-1/2 and inhibition of IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3) formation. mAb 117.7, 35.9, and 53.2, although antagonists of IFN's biologic activities, did not block the binding of IFN-alpha/beta to its receptor. The 117.7 mAb, representative of this class of receptor nonblocking mAb, induced hyper-tyrosine phosphorylation of IFNAR-2 in the presence of IFN-alpha/beta but did not inhibit IFN-alpha/beta-induced Jak-Stat tyrosine phosphorylation and ISGF3 complex formation. These results show that the neutralization of type I IFN biologic actions by anti-IFNAR-2 mAb cannot be entirely explained by inhibition of Jak-Stat tyrosine phosphorylation.

Prevention of the humoral response induced by an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody by deoxyspergualin in a murine model.

Multiple treatments with the potent immunosuppressant murine antihuman CD3 mAb OKT3 is sometimes precluded by the onset of a neutralizing humoral response mostly consisting of anti-idiotypic antibodies. A hamster antimurine CD3 monoclonal Ab, 145-2C11, shares many properties with OKT3, in particular the ability to induce a strong Ab response in mice. Deoxyspergulain (DSG), a metabolite of the antibiotic spergualin, has been shown to reduce Ab production triggered by pathogens in a variety of infectious models and against common antigens. In this study, we examined the ability of DSG to inhibit the humoral response induced by 145-2C11. DSG prevented the Ab production triggered by the anti-CD3 mAb in an Ag-specific manner and significantly reduced the Ab production in mice previously primed with 145-2C11. We showed that DSG had a long-term effect on B cells and a transient effect on T cells. In effect, DSG was found to induce a prolonged Ag-specific unresponsiveness of B lymphocytes, and to transiently reduce the capacity of T lymphocytes to deliver help to B cells, in part by reducing IL-4 production. DSG did not reduce the immunosuppressive properties of the anti-CD3 mAb. In fact, the combination of DSG with 145-2C11 prolonged the survival of allogeneic skin grafts when compared with the administration of 145-2C11 or DSG alone. Thus, the coadministration of DSG with OKT3 may be of clinical interest to reduce the humoral response triggered by the mAb.

Castration increases luteinizing hormone subunit messenger RNA levels in male rat pituitaries.

The effect of castration on pituitary common alpha and LH-beta subunit mRNA levels was examined in adult male rats in a dot-blot hybridization assay using cytosolic mRNA and 32P labelled plasmids containing cDNA encoding sequences of the subunits. Orchidectomy increased alpha subunit mRNA levels threefold by day 4 with no further rise at 2 months. The LH-beta subunit mRNA levels increased by threefold at 2 months. Serum LH levels increased by up to fortyfold (2 months). Pituitary LH content increased by fourfold at 2 months, though was reduced at 4 days after castration. These results suggest that transcription of the alpha and LH-beta genes are similarly regulated after castration. However the greater magnitude of serum LH increase after castration than that of both LH subunit mRNA levels and the bidirectional changes in pituitary LH content implies additional translational/post-translational control of gonadotrophin biosynthesis by gonadal hormones.

15-Deoxyspergualin: a novel immunosuppressive drug with clinical potential.

The studies discussed in this review suggest that DSG is a potent immunosuppressive agent, with at least some of its activity due to its direct effects on macrophages and B cells. The effects of DSG on macrophages include inhibition of IL-1, chemiluminescence, expression of MHC Class I antigen on the surface, and development of MAF. The agent may well interfere with antigen processing and the discovery of its binding to the heat-shock protein 70 may shed some light on this area. The effects of DSG on B lymphocytes include inhibition of surface Ig expression and B cell differentiation. In addition, however, DSG exhibits some effects on both B and T lymphocytes and is markedly active in blocking both the primary and secondary cytotoxic T cell and antibody-producing cell generation. The agent is relatively nontoxic at the doses in which it exerts these marked effects. Thus, an overall assessment of DSG shows that it may provide immune suppression at levels different from those of immunosuppressive agents already available. Advances in human organ transplantation have for the most part occurred stepwise with the introduction of progressively improved techniques of immunosuppression. Tissue-matching, organ preservation, techniques of transplantation, and surgical post-operative care of organ transplant recipients have all improved over the 30 years since organ transplantation began, but have not been the major factors in the improved survival of both patients and grafts seen at the present time. The initial advance in immunosuppression which made the first organ transplants possible was the finding of the immunosuppressive capabilities of azathioprine (Imuran) and the ability to reverse acute rejection crisis with prednisone. Anti-thymocyte or anti-lymphocyte globulin, introduced in 1966, achieved variable results, with some groups reporting excellent patient and graft survival using this agent. Others using different variations of this drug showed no improvement in results. By the mid-1970s, transplant results had improved at a number of units, with graft survivals of kidney and heart recipients in the 70 percent range at 1 to 2 years. No major progress was reported in most units, however, until the introduction in 1978 of cyclosporine. A major effect of cyclosporine was to create a universal improvement in graft survival in all units surveyed around the world with a 70 to 75 percent one-year cadaver kidney graft survival, representing the basic standard for clinical results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Deoxyspergualin--a novel immunosuppressant.

DSG appears to have a unique, although as yet undefined, mechanism of action and may be a useful immunosuppressive agent. Because DSG is effective in reducing preformed antibodies in the xenograft situation, it may have a significant advantage in ABO-incompatible grafts in transplant recipients with high panel-reactive antibodies. Most important, DSG may have a definitive role in immunosuppressive therapy for pancreatic grafts.