Antigenic Determinants of Der p 1: Specificity and Cross-Reactivity Associated with IgE Antibody Recognition.

Der p 1 and Der f 1 are major allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae, respectively. An analysis of antigenic determinants on both allergens was performed by site-directed mutagenesis. The analysis was based on the x-ray crystal structures of the allergens in complex with Fab fragments of three murine mAbs that interfere with IgE Ab binding: the two Der p 1-specific mAbs 5H8 and 10B9, and the cross-reactive mAb 4C1. On one hand, selected residues in the epitopes for mAb 5H8 and mAb 4C1 were substituted with amino acids that resulted in impaired Ab binding to Der p 1. On the other hand, an epitope for the Der p 1-specific mAb 10B9, which partially overlaps with mAb 4C1, was created in Der f 1. The mutation of 1-3 aa residues in Der f 1 was sufficient to bind mAb 10B9. These residues form hydrogen bonds with CDRs of the Ab other than H CDR3. This observation unveils an exception to the dominant role of H CDR3 commonly observed in Ag recognition. Overall, this study resulted in the identification of important residues for mAb and IgE Ab recognition in group 1 mite allergens. This information can be used to engineer allergen mutants with reduced IgE Ab binding for immunotherapy.

Carboxylic acids in crystallization of macromolecules: learning from successful crystallization experiments.

The production of macromolecular crystals suitable for structural analysis is one of the most important and limiting steps in the structure determination process. Often, preliminary crystallization trials are performed using hundreds of empirically selected conditions. Carboxylic acids and/or their salts are one of the most popular components of these empirically derived crystallization conditions. Our findings indicate that almost 40 % of entries deposited to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) reporting crystallization conditions contain at least one carboxylic acid. In order to analyze the role of carboxylic acids in macromolecular crystallization, a large-scale analysis of the successful crystallization experiments reported to the PDB was performed. The PDB is currently the largest source of crystallization data, however it is not easily searchable. These complications are due to a combination of a free text format, which is used to capture information on the crystallization experiments, and the inconsistent naming of chemicals used in crystallization experiments. Despite these difficulties, our approach allows for the extraction of over 47,000 crystallization conditions from the PDB. Initially, the selected conditions were investigated to determine which carboxylic acids or their salts are most often present in crystallization solutions. From this group, selected sets of crystallization conditions were analyzed in detail, assessing parameters such as concentration, pH, and precipitant used. Our findings will lead to the design of new crystallization screens focused around carboxylic acids.

Serum albumins-unusual allergens.

BACKGROUND: Albumins are multifunctional proteins present in the blood serum of animals. They can bind and transport a wide variety of ligands which they accommodate due to their conformational flexibility. Serum albumins are highly conserved both in amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure. Several mammalian and avian serum albumins (SAs) are also allergens. Sensitization to one of the SAs coupled with the high degree of conservation between SAs may result in cross-reactive antibodies in allergic individuals. Sensitivity to SA generally begins with exposure to an aeroallergen, which can then lead to cross-sensitization to serum albumins present in food. SCOPE OF REVIEW: This review focuses on the allergenicity of SAs presented in a structural context. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: SA allergenicity is unusual taking into account the high sequence identity and similarity between SA from different species and human serum albumin. Cross-reactivity of human antibodies towards different SAs is one of the most important characteristics of these allergens. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Establishing a relationship between sequence and structure of different SAs and their interactions with antibodies is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of cross-sensitization of atopic individuals. Structural information can also lead to better design and production of recombinant SAs to replace natural proteins in allergy testing and desensitization. Therefore, structural analyses are important for diagnostic and treatment purposes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Serum Albumin.

Comparative structural and mechanistic studies of 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate reductases from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Vibrio vulnificus.

BACKGROUND: The products of the lysine biosynthesis pathway, meso-diaminopimelate and lysine, are essential for bacterial survival. This paper focuses on the structural and mechanistic characterization of 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate reductase (DapB), which is one of the enzymes from the lysine biosynthesis pathway. DapB catalyzes the conversion of (2S, 4S)-4-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinate (HTPA) to 2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinate in an NADH/NADPH dependent reaction. Genes coding for DapBs were identified as essential for many pathogenic bacteria, and therefore DapB is an interesting new target for the development of antibiotics. METHODS: We have combined experimental and computational approaches to provide novel insights into mechanism of the DapB catalyzed reaction. RESULTS: Structures of DapBs originating from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Vibrio vulnificus in complexes with NAD+, NADP+, as well as with inhibitors, were determined and described. The structures determined by us, as well as currently available structures of DapBs from other bacterial species, were compared and used to elucidate a mechanism of reaction catalyzed by this group of enzymes. Several different computational methods were used to provide a detailed description of a plausible reaction mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report presenting the detailed mechanism of reaction catalyzed by DapB. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Structural data in combination with information on the reaction mechanism provide a background for development of DapB inhibitors, including transition-state analogues.

Efficacy, immunogenicity and stability of a novel intranasal nanoemulsion-adjuvanted influenza vaccine in a murine model.

Mutations of influenza virus increase concerns of worldwide epidemics resulting from the newly emergent strains. Current influenza vaccines are inefficient and require annual vaccinations. W805EC adjuvant is an oil-in-water emulsion composed of nanodroplets with an average diameter of approximately 400 nm. The nanoemulsion adjuvant has been used successfully to stimulate the immune response when mixed with several other antigens in animal models. In this study, W805EC nanoemulsion adjuvant activity was evaluated using nasal influenza vaccination in a murine model. Five to twenty percent W805EC adjuvant was used to inactivate influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34/05 (H1N1). Mice immunized with the nanoemulsion adjuvanted influenza virus intranasally showed a robust specific humoral immune response as demonstrated using ELISA and HAI assays. Serum HAI titers were more than 104 following two vaccinations. Vaccinated mice were also protected against challenge with an LD80 of live influenza virus. Splenocytes from vaccinated mice were assayed for cytokine production following virus stimulation. The cytokine profile demonstrated a robust cellular immune response with enhanced Th1 and Th17 immunity that provided balanced immunity against both intracellular and extracellular forms of the virus. Additionally, the vaccine preparations showed minimal protein degradation but remained potent when stored at 4°C for up to three months. This work demonstrates that W805EC nanoemulsion adjuvant can effectively enhance the immunogenicity of influenza hemagglutinin antigen. The nanoemulsion adjuvant can result in antigen sparing and cross-protection. The potential exists for a nasally administered influenza vaccine that may require little or no refrigerated storage.

Impact of an N-terminal Polyhistidine Tag on Protein Thermal Stability.

For years, the use of polyhistidine tags (His-tags) has been a staple in the isolation of recombinant proteins in immobilized metal affinity chromatography experiments. Their usage has been widely beneficial in increasing protein purity from crude cell lysates. For some recombinant proteins, a consequence of His-tag addition is that it can affect protein function and stability. Functional proteins are essential in the elucidation of their biological, kinetic, structural, and thermodynamic properties. In this study, we determine the effect of N-terminal His-tags on the thermal stability of select proteins using differential scanning fluorimetry and identify that the removal of the His-tag can have both beneficial and deleterious effects on their stability.

Structure of dihydrodipicolinate synthase from the commensal bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron at 2.1†Šresolution.

Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DapA) catalyzes the first committed step of the diaminopimelate biosynthetic pathway of lysine. It has been shown to be an essential enzyme in many bacteria and has been the subject of research to generate novel antibiotics. However, this pathway is present in both pathogenic and commensal bacteria, and antibiotics targeting DapA may interfere with normal gut colonization. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron is a Gram-negative commensal bacterium that makes up a large proportion of the normal microbiota of the human gut. The structure of DapA from B. thetaiotaomicron (BtDapA) has been determined. This structure will help to guide the generation of selectively active antibiotic compounds targeting DapA.

Characterization of stability and nasal delivery systems for immunization with nanoemulsion-based vaccines.

BACKGROUND: Many infectious diseases that cause significant morbidity and mortality, especially in the developing world, could be preventable through vaccination. The effort to produce safe, thermally stable, and needle-free mucosal vaccines has become increasingly important for global health considerations. We have previously demonstrated that a thermally stable nanoemulsion, a mucosal adjuvant for needle-free nasal immunization, is safe and induces protective immunity with a variety of antigens, including recombinant protein. The successful use of nanoemulsion-based vaccines, however, poses numerous challenges. Among the challenges is optimization of the formulation to maintain thermal stability and potency and another is accuracy and efficiency of dispensing the vaccines to the nasal mucosa in the anterior and turbinate region of the nasal cavity or potentially to the nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue. METHODS: We have examined the effects of different diluents [phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 0.9% NaCl] on the stability and potency of nanoemulsion-based vaccines. In addition, we have determined the efficiency of delivering them using commercially available nasal spray devices (Pfeiffer SAP-62602 multidose pump and the BD Hypak SCF 0.5 ml unit dose Accuspray(TM)). RESULTS: We report the stability and potency of PBS-diluted ovalbumin-nanomeulsion mixtures for up to 8 months and NaCl-diluted mixtures up to 6 months when stored at room temperature. Significant differences in spray characteristics including droplet size, spray angle, plume width, and ovality ratios were observed between the two pumps. Further, we have demonstrated that the nanoemulsion-based vaccines are not physically or chemically altered and retain potency following actuation with nasal spray devices. Using either device, the measured spray characteristics suggest deposition of nanoemulsion-based vaccines in inductive tissues located in the anterior region of the nasal cavity. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that nanoemulsion-based vaccines do not require specially engineered delivery devices and support their potential use as nasopharyngeal vaccine adjuvants.

Pre-clinical evaluation of a novel nanoemulsion-based hepatitis B mucosal vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus infection remains an important global health concern despite the availability of safe and effective prophylactic vaccines. Limitations to these vaccines include requirement for refrigeration and three immunizations thereby restricting use in the developing world. A new nasal hepatitis B vaccine composed of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in a novel nanoemulsion (NE) adjuvant (HBsAg-NE) could be effective with fewer administrations. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Physical characterization indicated that HBsAg-NE consists of uniform lipid droplets (349+/-17 nm) associated with HBsAg through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Immunogenicity of HBsAg-NE vaccine was evaluated in mice, rats and guinea pigs. Animals immunized intranasally developed robust and sustained systemic IgG, mucosal IgA and strong antigen-specific cellular immune responses. Serum IgG reached > or = 10(6) titers and was comparable to intramuscular vaccination with alum-adjuvanted vaccine (HBsAg-Alu). Normalization showed that HBsAg-NE vaccination correlates with a protective immunity equivalent or greater than 1000 IU/ml. Th1 polarized immune response was indicated by IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha cytokine production and elevated levels of IgG(2) subclass of HBsAg-specific antibodies. The vaccine retains full immunogenicity for a year at 4 degrees C, 6 months at 25 degrees C and 6 weeks at 40 degrees C. Comprehensive pre-clinical toxicology evaluation demonstrated that HBsAg-NE vaccine is safe and well tolerated in multiple animal models. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that needle-free nasal immunization with HBsAg-NE could be a safe and effective hepatitis B vaccine, or provide an alternative booster administration for the parenteral hepatitis B vaccines. This vaccine induces a Th1 associated cellular immunity and also may provide therapeutic benefit to patients with chronic hepatitis B infection who lack cellular immune responses to adequately control viral replication. Long-term stability of this vaccine formulation at elevated temperatures suggests a direct advantage in the field, since potential excursions from cold chain maintenance could be tolerated without a loss in therapeutic efficacy.