RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Overexpression or administration of interleukin 31 (IL-31) has been shown to induce a profound itch response in mice and dogs. The chronic pruritus observed in mouse IL-31 transgenic mice results in the development of skin lesions and alopecia through excoriation from excessive scratching, a condition similar to that observed in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: To test whether IL-31 induces pruritus in non-human primates and, if so, whether treatment with an anti-IL-31 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) can block the response. METHODS: A series of studies was conducted in cynomolgus monkeys to evaluate the itch response to recombinant cynomolgus IL-31 (cIL-31) administration. Three routes of cIL-31 administration (intravenous, intradermal, and subcutaneous) were evaluated. Subcutaneous treatment with a humanized anti-human IL-31 mAb cross-reactive to cIL-31 was subsequently tested for its ability to block the response to intradermal cIL-31 administration. RESULTS: Each route of cIL-31 delivery elicited a scratching response immediately after cIL-31 administration and lasted at least 3 h. Treatment with the IL-31 mAb inhibited the cIL-31-mediated scratching response in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that an IL-31 mAb can inhibit IL-31-mediated pruritus in vivo, and could be an effective therapy for pruritic skin conditions like AD where IL-31 upregulation may play a role.
Assuntos
Interleucinas/administração & dosagem , Animais , Humanos , Interleucinas/imunologia , Macaca fascicularis , Camundongos , Testes de NeutralizaçãoRESUMO
Single base substitutions have been identified in the promoter regions of A gamma-globin genes from individuals with certain types of nondeletion A gamma hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). The presence of these mutations is closely associated with the A gamma HPFH phenotype, but proof that they are the nondeletion HPFH determinants is lacking. To test directly whether these base substitutions can result in an increase in A gamma-globin gene transcription, we studied cosmid clones containing the G gamma- through beta-globin gene regions from individuals with Greek-type (G-to-A base substitution at -117) and Chinese-type (C-to-T base substitution at -196) A gamma HPFH in a transient expression assay. When tested as part of a cosmid clone, the Greek HPFH A gamma-globin gene consistently produced about 1.4 times as much RNA as the wild-type A gamma-globin gene when standardized against RNA transcribed from the G gamma genes in cis. The relative strengths of the normal and HPFH A gamma-globin gene promoters were also compared in transient expression assays with plasmids containing the A gamma-globin genes. Pseudo-wild-type A gamma-globin genes containing a short, transcriptionally neutral deletion were used so that two A gamma-globin genes that differed in their promoter sequences could be compared in the same transfection. The plasmid transient expression results indicated a 1.3- to 1.4-fold increase in steady-state RNA levels from the Greek-type A gamma HPFH promoter compared with the wild-type A gamma promoter, while no difference was documented between the Chinese-type A gamma HPFH promoter and the wild-type A gamma promoter.
Assuntos
Hemoglobina Fetal/genética , Genes , Globinas/genética , Mutação , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Linhagem Celular , Deleção Cromossômica , Cosmídeos , Feto , Humanos , Plasmídeos , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
This paper reports on the cloning and characterization of a novel human ribonucleoprotein, RBM8, containing a single RNA binding domain comprising the two RNP-CS and RNP-2 consensus motifs. The protein has 55% identity to a segment of a C. elegans ribonucleoprotein of unknown function. The RBM8 gene shows ubiquitous tissue expression, predominantly as a 0.9 kb transcript. An interesting feature of the RBM8 transcript is an homology of 42% in the 3' untranslated region, in the antisense orientation, to the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor polypeptide. RBM8 maps to human chromosome 14 in the 14q21-q23 region.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/genética , Ribonucleoproteínas/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Northern Blotting , Clonagem Molecular , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Conformação Proteica , Homologia de Sequência de AminoácidosRESUMO
Cross-species hybridizations have enabled us to isolate and clone the gene for the beta chain of human fibrinogen. Highlights of the gene for the beta chain revealed by nucleotide sequence analyses, particularly in areas that have a direct bearing on defining the overall organization of the gene, have been presented. Nucleotide sequence determination has confirmed the presence of seven intervening sequences. The positions where several of these intervening sequences interrupt the coding region appear to be related to the functional domains of the polypeptide. A putative signal peptide has been identified. Studies on the cDNA for the human alpha chain indicate that the alpha chain polypeptide may be synthesized in a precursor form with a COOH-terminal extension of 15 amino acids as compared to the alpha chain present in the mature molecule found in plasma. We are in the process of isolating the genes for the alpha and gamma chains by a similar approach. We are hopeful that these studies will provide information as to how they are regulated and how they have undergone changes in the course of evolution.
Assuntos
Clonagem Molecular , DNA/análise , Fibrinogênio/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sequência de Bases , Humanos , Microscopia Eletrônica , Conformação de Ácido NucleicoRESUMO
A human genomic DNA library was screened for the gene coding for the gamma chain of fibrinogen by using a human cDNA for the gamma chain as a hybridization probe. The gene was identified in three overlapping recombinant lambda bacteriophage, and its sequence, including the immediate 5' and 3' flanking regions, was determined. The DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of 10 exons coding for 411 amino acids present in the mature protein and a signal sequence of 26 amino acids. Two 30 base pair (bp) direct repeats of 93% identity were found 468 bp upstream from the transcription initiation site. The DNA sequence of the gene for the gamma chain of human fibrinogen showed considerable sequence homology with a partial sequence reported for the gene for the gamma chain of rat fibrinogen.
Assuntos
Clonagem Molecular , Fibrinogênio/genética , Genes , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Bacteriófago lambda/genética , Sequência de Bases , DNA/metabolismo , Enzimas de Restrição do DNA , Humanos , Hibridização de Ácido Nucleico , RNA Mensageiro/genéticaRESUMO
Regulation of the human fetal (gamma) globin gene and a series of mutant gamma-globin genes was studied after retroviral transfer into erythroid cells with fetal or adult patterns of endogenous globin gene expression. Steady-state RNA from a virally transferred A gamma-globin gene with a normal promoter increased after induction of erythroid maturation of murine erythroleukemia cells and comprised from 2% to 23% of the mouse beta maj-globin RNA level. RNA expression from the virally transferred A gamma-globin gene comprised 23% of the endogenous G gamma- + A gamma-globin expression in K 562 cells after treatment with hemin. Expression from a virally transferred gamma- or beta-globin gene exceeded endogenous gamma- or beta-globin expression by a factor of 6 or more in the human erythroleukemia line KMOE, in which the endogenous globin genes are weakly inducible. In these experiments, no difference in expression was observed between the gene with the normal promoter and an A gamma-globin gene with a point mutation in its promoter (-196 C-to-T) that has been associated with hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). To test for cis-acting determinants located within the introns of the gamma-globin gene, expression was measured from a set of gamma-globin genes configured with either intron alone or with neither intron. In contrast to an intronless beta-globin gene, which is not expressed in MEL cells, the intronless gamma-globin gene was expressed in MEL cells at 24% of the level of an intron-containing gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Assuntos
Transformação Celular Neoplásica , Genes , Globinas/genética , Retroviridae/genética , Transfecção , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Células Cultivadas , Feto , Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Íntrons , Leucemia Eritroblástica Aguda , Vírus da Leucemia Murina de Moloney/genética , Mutação , Poli A/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , RNA/genética , RNA MensageiroRESUMO
A human liver cDNA library was screened for the alpha chain of fibrinogen with a cDNA clone from the corresponding bovine molecule as a hybridization probe. Several human clones coding for the alpha chain were identified, and one of these was used to rescreen the entire cDNA library of 18 000 recombinants. Plasmids with the largest cDNAs were isolated, and their inserts were sequenced. The largest cDNA insert contained 2224 base pairs, including a noncoding region at the 5'-end followed by a region coding for a signal peptide of 19 (or 16) amino acids and a mature protein of 625 amino acids, a stop codon of TAG, another noncoding region, and a poly(A) tail at the 3'-end. Eight tandem repeats of 39 base pairs were observed starting with nucleotide 905 (amino acid residue 270) and ending with nucleotide 1213 (amino acid residue 372). The identity in the nucleotide sequence in the tandem repeats ranged from 72 to 95% when compared to a consensus sequence. The predicted amino acid sequence for the mature polypeptide chain was 15 amino acids longer at the carboxyl-terminal end than that of the alpha chain isolated and sequenced from plasma fibrinogen. This indicates that minor proteolysis has taken place on the carboxyl-terminal end of the alpha chains, and this modification has probably occurred during secretion or circulation of the protein in plasma.
Assuntos
Fibrinogênio/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sequência de Bases , Clonagem Molecular , DNA/genética , DNA Recombinante , Humanos , Fígado/fisiologia , Substâncias Macromoleculares , Mutação , Sequências Repetitivas de Ácido NucleicoRESUMO
A total of 148 cDNAs coding for the beta chain of human fibrinogen have been identified from a human liver cDNA library employing a bovine cDNA as a probe. The largest cDNA insert contained 1932 base pairs cloned into the PstI site of plasmid pBR322. This cDNA insert contained 66 base pairs coding for a portion or all of a signal sequence, 1383 base pairs coding for 461 amino acids in the mature protein, a stop codon of TAG, a noncoding region of 431 base pairs, and a poly(A) tail of 19 base pairs. Most of the cDNA inserts coding for the beta chain were found to have a noncoding region of 98 or 167 base pairs rather than 431 base pairs at the 3'-end. The bovine cDNA for the beta chain was also employed as a probe for screening a lambda phage library containing human genomic DNA. Seven positive phage were identified. One of the phage, which contained the entire gene for the beta chain of fibrinogen, was examined by electron microscopy, and portions of its DNA sequence are presented. Seven intervening sequences were identified in the gene for the beta chain of human fibrinogen. The largest intervening sequence (approximately 1.3 kilobases) was found at the 5'-end of the gene and was located between amino acid residues 8 and 9, which are present in fibrinopeptide B. A sequence analysis of the 5'-end of the gene also indicated that the B chain of human fibrinogen contained a signal sequence of either 16, 27, or 30 amino acid residues.
Assuntos
Fibrinogênio/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sequência de Bases , Clonagem Molecular , DNA/genética , DNA Recombinante , Genes , Humanos , Fígado/fisiologia , Substâncias Macromoleculares , Hibridização de Ácido NucleicoRESUMO
The DNA sequence of the mouse H chain V regions from five hybridomas directed against the human tumor Ag tumor-associated glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72) have been determined. This includes a previously determined VH gene sequence from a first-generation anti-TAG-72 mAb, B72.3, and the VH gene sequences from four second-generation anti-TAG-72 mAb, CC49, CC83, CC46, and CC92. A sequence comparison revealed a high degree of shared sequence identity between the five productively rearranged VH genes, suggesting derivation from a common germ line V region gene. In the process of cloning the unrearranged germ line gene, two highly related VH germ line genes were identified and designated VH alpha TAG-1 and VH alpha TAG-2. A comparison of the productively rearranged anti-TAG-72 VH sequences with the two germ line VH genes demonstrated that they were all derived from VH alpha TAG-1. In contrast, the L chain V regions are all derived from separate germ line V region genes. The preferential use of VH alpha TAG-1 in these five mouse hybridomas suggests that VH alpha TAG-1 is a preferred anti-TAG-72 H V chain region germ line gene and that the H chain plays a predominant role in the recognition of this Ag.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais/genética , Anticorpos Antineoplásicos/genética , Antígenos de Neoplasias/imunologia , Genes de Imunoglobulinas , Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Cadeias Pesadas de Imunoglobulinas/genética , Região Variável de Imunoglobulina/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Sequência de Bases , DNA/química , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da PolimeraseRESUMO
Recombinant plasmids containing bovine cDNA have been screened with a radiolabeled cDNA enriched for bovine fibrinogen. A number of plasmids containing cDNAs for fibrinogen were identified by this assay. One plasmid, designated pBI beta 1, was found to contain a cDNA insert of 1372 base pairs. The sequence of the cDNA insert for this plasmid was then determined. It was shown to code for 424 amino acids of the beta chain of fibrinogen, starting with residue 44. This and other data made it possible to construct the complete amino acid sequence of the beta chain of the protein. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the beta chain of bovine fibrinogen with the corresponding chain of the human molecule indicated that the two chains are greater than 80% homologous.