Production of the Main Celiac Disease Autoantigen by Transient Expression in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Celiac Disease (CD) is a gluten sensitive enteropathy that remains widely undiagnosed and implementation of massive screening tests is needed to reduce the long term complications associated to untreated CD. The main CD autoantigen, human tissue transglutaminase (TG2), is a challenge for the different expression systems available since its cross-linking activity affects cellular processes. Plant-based transient expression systems can be an alternative for the production of this protein. In this work, a transient expression system for the production of human TG2 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was optimized and reactivity of plant-produced TG2 in CD screening test was evaluated. First, a subcellular targeting strategy was tested. Cytosolic, secretory, endoplasmic reticulum (C-terminal SEKDEL fusion) and vacuolar (C-terminal KISIA fusion) TG2 versions were transiently expressed in leaves and recombinant protein yields were measured. ER-TG2 and vac-TG2 levels were 9- to 16-fold higher than their cytosolic and secretory counterparts. As second strategy, TG2 variants were co-expressed with a hydrophobic elastin-like polymer (ELP) construct encoding for 36 repeats of the pentapeptide VPGXG in which the guest residue X were V and F in ratio 8:1. Protein bodies (PB) were induced by the ELP, with a consequent two-fold-increase in accumulation of both ER-TG2 and vac-TG2. Subsequently, ER-TG2 and vac-TG2 were produced and purified using immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. Plant purified ER-TG2 and vac-TG2 were recognized by three anti-TG2 monoclonal antibodies that bind different epitopes proving that plant-produced antigen has immunochemical characteristics similar to those of human TG2. Lastly, an ELISA was performed with sera of CD patients and healthy controls. Both vac-TG2 and ER-TG2 were positively recognized by IgA of CD patients while they were not recognized by serum from non-celiac controls. These results confirmed the usefulness of plant-produced TG2 to develop screening assays. In conclusion, the combination of subcellular sorting strategy with co-expression with a PB inducing construct was sufficient to increase TG2 protein yields. This type of approach could be extended to other problematic proteins, highlighting the advantages of plant based production platforms.

Single domain antibodies are specially suited for quantitative determination of gliadins under denaturing conditions.

Food intended for celiac patients' consumption must be analyzed for the presence of toxic prolamins using high detectability tests. Though 60% ethanol is the most commonly used solvent for prolamins extraction, 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and guanidinium chloride (GuHCl) can be added to increase protein recovery. However, ethanol and denaturing agents interfere with antigen recognition when conventional antibodies are used. In the present work, a new method for gliadins quantification is shown. The method is based on the selection of llama single domain antibody fragments able to operate under denaturing conditions. Six out of 28 VHH-phages obtained retained their binding capacity in 15% ethanol. Selected clones presented a long CDR3 region containing two additional cysteines that could be responsible for the higher stability. One of the clones (named VHH26) was fully operative in the presence of 15% ethanol, 0.5% 2-ME, and 0.5 M GuHCl. Capture ELISA using VHH26 was able to detect gliadins in samples shown as negatives by conventional ELISA. Therefore, this new strategy appears as an excellent platform for quantitative determination of proteins or any other immunogenic compound, in the presence of denaturing agents, when specific recognition units with high stability are required.

Pathogen-specific TLR signaling in mucosa: mutual contribution of microbial TLR agonists and virulence factors.

Detection of microorganisms through microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMP) by Toll-like receptors (TLR) is crucial to trigger protective immunity. In the mucosa, sentinel cells are exposed to MAMP from both pathogens and commensals; however, the TLR response is tightly controlled to avoid inflammation in response to commensals. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) trigger innate responses during urinary tract infection in a TLR4-dependent and CD14-independent manner. UPEC express virulence factors, such as type 1 fimbriae and/or P fimbriae, allowing bacterial attachment to the epithelium. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Fisher et al. show that fimbriae are required to induce a TLR4-specific epithelial response. Depending on the fimbriae expressed by UPEC, different adaptor molecules are involved in TLR4 signaling. These data add to the recent body of evidence suggesting that TLR responses are regulated by co-receptors, such as receptors for virulence factors. In conclusion, the "pathogenic" TLR stimulation provides a novel way for the host to ignore commensal bacteria.