Frequency of Severe Infusion Reactions Associated With Outpatient Infusion of Infliximab Without Premedications.

In this report, we describe incremental changes, during a 2-year period at a single center with the administration of maintenance infliximab infusions. Given practice-driven changes consisting of 1-hour infusions and omission of premedications, we aimed to investigate if these changes contributed to severe infusion reactions. We reviewed approximately 900 infliximab infusions in a pediatric ambulatory infusion center from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, for severe adverse reactions requiring either rescue epinephrine or a code blue or "rapid response" activation. In 2015, these practice changes resulted in a 51% decrease in total infusion hours (1281 to 630 infusion hours), despite a 9% increase in total number of infusions. No increase in severe adverse events associated with either rapid 1-hour infusion or omission of premedications. Our findings highlight a quality-improvement opportunity to standardize infliximab infusions to streamline care in an ambulatory setting.

A homogeneous method to measure nucleotide exchange by α-subunits of heterotrimeric G-proteins using fluorescence polarization.

The mainstay of assessing guanosine diphosphate release by the α-subunit of a heterotrimeric G-protein is the [³5S]guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPγS) radionucleotide-binding assay. This assay requires separation of protein-bound GTPγS from free GTPγS at multiple time points followed by quantification via liquid scintillation. The arduous nature of this assay makes it difficult to quickly characterize multiple mutants, determine the effects of individual variables (e.g., temperature and Mg(2+) concentration) on nucleotide exchange, or screen for small molecule modulators of Gα nucleotide binding/cycling properties. Here, we describe a robust, homogeneous, fluorescence polarization assay using a red-shifted fluorescent GTPγS probe that can rapidly determine the rate of GTPγS binding by Gα subunits.

High-affinity immobilization of proteins using biotin- and GST-based coupling strategies.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a highly sensitive method for the detection of molecular interactions. One interacting partner is immobilized on the sensor chip surface while the other is injected across the sensor surface. This chapter focuses on high-affinity immobilization of protein substrates for affinity and kinetic analyses using biotin/streptavidin interaction and GST/anti-GST-antibody interaction.

Two Galpha(i1) rate-modifying mutations act in concert to allow receptor-independent, steady-state measurements of RGS protein activity.

RGS proteins are critical modulators of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling given their ability to deactivate Galpha subunits via GTPase-accelerating protein (GAP) activity. Their selectivity for specific GPCRs makes them attractive therapeutic targets. However, measuring GAP activity is complicated by slow guanosine diphosphate (GDP) release from Galpha and lack of solution phase assays for detecting free GDP in the presence of excess guanosine triphosphate (GTP). To overcome these hurdles, the authors developed a Galpha(i1) mutant with increased GDP dissociation and decreased GTP hydrolysis rates, enabling detection of GAP activity using steady-state GTP hydrolysis. Galpha(i1)(R178M/A326S) GTPase activity was stimulated 6- to 12-fold by RGS proteins known to act on Galpha(i) subunits and not affected by those unable to act on Galpha(i), demonstrating that the Galpha/RGS domain interaction selectivity was not altered by mutation. The selectivity and affinity of Galpha( i1)(R178M/A326S) interaction with RGS proteins was confirmed by molecular binding studies. To enable nonradioactive, homogeneous detection of RGS protein effects on Galpha(i1)(R178M/A326S), the authors developed a Transcreener fluorescence polarization immunoassay based on a monoclonal antibody that recognizes GDP with greater than 100-fold selectivity over GTP. Combining Galpha(i1)(R178M/A326S) with a homogeneous, fluorescence-based GDP detection assay provides a facile means to explore the targeting of RGS proteins as a new approach for selective modulation of GPCR signaling.

Structural determinants of G-protein alpha subunit selectivity by regulator of G-protein signaling 2 (RGS2).

"Regulator of G-protein signaling" (RGS) proteins facilitate the termination of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling via their ability to increase the intrinsic GTP hydrolysis rate of Galpha subunits (known as GTPase-accelerating protein or "GAP" activity). RGS2 is unique in its in vitro potency and selectivity as a GAP for Galpha(q) subunits. As many vasoconstrictive hormones signal via G(q) heterotrimer-coupled receptors, it is perhaps not surprising that RGS2-deficient mice exhibit constitutive hypertension. However, to date the particular structural features within RGS2 determining its selectivity for Galpha(q) over Galpha(i/o) substrates have not been completely characterized. Here, we examine a trio of point mutations to RGS2 that elicits Galpha(i)-directed binding and GAP activities without perturbing its association with Galpha(q). Using x-ray crystallography, we determined a model of the triple mutant RGS2 in complex with a transition state mimetic form of Galpha(i) at 2.8-A resolution. Structural comparison with unliganded, wild type RGS2 and of other RGS domain/Galpha complexes highlighted the roles of these residues in wild type RGS2 that weaken Galpha(i) subunit association. Moreover, these three amino acids are seen to be evolutionarily conserved among organisms with modern cardiovascular systems, suggesting that RGS2 arose from the R4-subfamily of RGS proteins to have specialized activity as a potent and selective Galpha(q) GAP that modulates cardiovascular function.

Structural diversity in the RGS domain and its interaction with heterotrimeric G protein alpha-subunits.

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins accelerate GTP hydrolysis by Galpha subunits and thus facilitate termination of signaling initiated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). RGS proteins hold great promise as disease intervention points, given their signature role as negative regulators of GPCRs-receptors to which the largest fraction of approved medications are currently directed. RGS proteins share a hallmark RGS domain that interacts most avidly with Galpha when in its transition state for GTP hydrolysis; by binding and stabilizing switch regions I and II of Galpha, RGS domain binding consequently accelerates Galpha-mediated GTP hydrolysis. The human genome encodes more than three dozen RGS domain-containing proteins with varied Galpha substrate specificities. To facilitate their exploitation as drug-discovery targets, we have taken a systematic structural biology approach toward cataloging the structural diversity present among RGS domains and identifying molecular determinants of their differential Galpha selectivities. Here, we determined 14 structures derived from NMR and x-ray crystallography of members of the R4, R7, R12, and RZ subfamilies of RGS proteins, including 10 uncomplexed RGS domains and 4 RGS domain/Galpha complexes. Heterogeneity observed in the structural architecture of the RGS domain, as well as in engagement of switch III and the all-helical domain of the Galpha substrate, suggests that unique structural determinants specific to particular RGS protein/Galpha pairings exist and could be used to achieve selective inhibition by small molecules.

Human claspin is a ring-shaped DNA-binding protein with high affinity to branched DNA structures.

Claspin is an essential protein for the ATR-dependent activation of the DNA replication checkpoint response in Xenopus and human cells. Here we describe the purification and characterization of human Claspin. The protein has a ring-like structure and binds with high affinity to branched DNA molecules. These findings suggest that Claspin may be a component of the replication ensemble and plays a role in the replication checkpoint by directly associating with replication forks and with the various branched DNA structures likely to form at stalled replication forks because of DNA damage.