Mapping of the binding sites of human diamine oxidase (DAO) monoclonal antibodies.

OBJECTIVE: Recently we characterized five mouse monoclonal antibodies that allow the specific and sensitive detection of human diamine oxidase (DAO). To understand differences in binding characteristics and recognition of enzyme variants, we mapped the antibody binding sites. METHODS: Fragments of human DAO were expressed as glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins that were used for testing antibody binding on immunoblots. Combined information from species cross-reactivity, sequence comparison and binding site-prediction software were used to localize the epitope recognized by each antibody. RESULTS: All five monoclonal DAO antibodies bound to linear epitopes between the N3 and enzymatic domains of the 732 amino acid protein. The binding sites could be mapped onto amino acid regions V262-E278 and P279-R288, respectively, which exhibit considerable sequence variation in mammals explaining the fact that the human DAO antibodies do not cross-react with DAO from other species. The antibodies efficiently bind only denatured human DAO but not the native protein. CONCLUSIONS: Characterization of the binding sites of the DAO antibodies revealed that the antibodies bind two adjacent epitopes and exhibit similar binding characteristics and species cross-reactivity. As the epitopes do not overlap any of the amino acid substitutions described for clinically significant DAO gene polymorphisms, our antibodies will also be useful for analyses of the mutant DAO proteins.

Small-molecule inhibitors of vascular adhesion protein-1 reduce the accumulation of myeloid cells into tumors and attenuate tumor growth in mice.

Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is an endothelial, cell surface-expressed oxidase involved in leukocyte traffic. The adhesive function of VAP-1 can be blocked by anti-VAP-1 Abs and small-molecule inhibitors. However, the effects of VAP-1 blockade on antitumor immunity and tumor progression are unknown. In this paper, we used anti-VAP-1 mAbs and small-molecule inhibitors of VAP-1 in B16 melanoma and EL-4 lymphoma tumor models in C57BL/6 mice. Leukocyte accumulation into tumors and neoangiogenesis were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and intravital videomicroscopy. We found that both anti-VAP-1 Abs and VAP-1 inhibitors reduced the number of leukocytes in the tumors, but they targeted partially different leukocyte subpopulations. Anti-VAP-1 Abs selectively inhibited infiltration of CD8-positive lymphocytes into tumors and had no effect on accumulation of myeloid cells into tumors. In contrast, the VAP-1 inhibitors significantly reduced only the number of proangiogenic Gr-1(+)CD11b(+) myeloid cells in melanomas and lymphomas. Blocking of VAP-1 by either means left tumor homing of regulatory T cells and type 2 immune-suppressing monocytes/macrophages intact. Notably, VAP-1 inhibitors, but not anti-VAP-1 Abs, retarded the growth of melanomas and lymphomas and reduced tumor neoangiogenesis. The VAP-1 inhibitors also reduced the binding of Gr-1(+) myeloid cells to the tumor vasculature. We conclude that tumors use the catalytic activity of VAP-1 to recruit myeloid cells into tumors and to support tumor progression. Small-molecule VAP-1 inhibitors therefore might be a potential new tool for immunotherapy of tumors.

Association of diamine oxidase and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase in Nicotiana tabacum extracts.

The oxidative deamination of methylated putrescine by a diamine oxidase activity (DAO) is an important step in the biosynthesis of nicotine in tobacco and tropane alkaloids in several Solanaceous plants. A polyclonal rabbit antiserum was previously developed to a purported purified DAO enzyme from Nicotiana tabacum. The antiserum bound to a single 53 kDa protein and immunoprecipitated 80% of DAO activity from tobacco root extracts. In an effort to obtain DAO cDNAs, this antiserum was used to screen a tobacco cDNA expression library and three distinct immunoreactive cDNA clones were isolated. These cDNAs encoded predicted proteins that were either identical or nearly identical to predicted S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) from two Nicotiana species. Thus, the rabbit antiserum was not specific to DAO, even though it immunodepleted the majority of DAO activity from root extracts. Alternative hypotheses to explain the DAO immunodepletion results (such as poisoning of DAO activity or that SAHH is a bifunctional enzyme) were tested and ruled out. Therefore, we hypothesize that SAHH associates with DAO as part of a larger multienzyme complex that may function in planta as a nicotine metabolic channel.

Cloning and characterization of mouse vascular adhesion protein-1 reveals a novel molecule with enzymatic activity.

Human vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a sialylated endothelial cell adhesion molecule mediating the initial L-selectin-independent interactions between lymphocytes and endothelial cells in man. In this work we cloned and characterized mouse VAP-1 (mVAP-1) and produced an anti-mVAP-1 mAb against a recombinant mVAP-1 fusion protein. The isolated cDNA encodes a novel 84.5-kDa mouse molecule. The anti-mVAP-1 mAb stained high endothelial venules in peripheral lymph nodes, and smooth muscle cells and lamina propria vessels in gut. During immunoblotting, this anti-mVAP-1 mAb recognized a 110/220-kDa Ag, suggesting that mVAP-1 is a dimer. Since mVAP-1 has significant sequence identity to members of a family of enzymes called the copper-containing amine oxidases, we showed that mVAP-1 possesses monoamine oxidase activity. Thus, mVAP-1 is the first mouse membrane-bound amine oxidase identified at the molecular level. Based on the 83% identity between the isolated cDNA and human VAP-1 cDNA, the expression pattern, the molecular mass, and the enzyme activity against monoamines, the cloned molecule represents a mouse homologue of human VAP-1. Cloning of mVAP-1 provides a valuable tool for in vivo studies of the significance of VAP-1 for lymphocyte-endothelial cell interactions and of the possible relationship between leukocyte adhesion and amine oxidase activity.