SH2D1A mutation analysis for diagnosis of XLP in typical and atypical patients.

X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) is a rare inherited immunodeficiency to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The gene responsible for XLP has recently been identified as the four-exon SH2D1A gene encoding a 128-amino-acid protein that contains an SH2-domain. Functional studies indicate the SH2D1A protein acts as a regulator of at least two signal transduction pathways initiated by the cell surface molecules SLAM and 2B4, respectively, and possibly related to the host immune response to EBV infection. We have carried out a systematic mutation study of the SH2D1A gene in our series of 19 typical and 8 atypical XLP patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcription/PCR, and sequencing, and have reconstructed the haplotypes of the patients. Four out of the 13 mutations detected are previously unreported. The identification of SH2D1A mutations in carriers from all three XLP families screened and the detection of mutations in two out of eight atypical patients indicates the usefulness of a DNA-based diagnosis for XLP disease.

MDR-related properties of K 562 cells grown in two different culture media.

Using a synthetic substitute, Ultroser HY, for fetal bovine serum to supplement a classical RPMI 1640 culture medium produced changes in the properties of sensitive and of multidrug-resistant K 562 cells. Though no morphological changes were found, a statistically significant decrease in doubling-time was noted. Plasma membranes were more rigid, as reflected by an increase in the order parameter values. Adriamycin cytotoxicity was decreased, as shown by an increase in IC 50 values. The THP-adriamycin uptake, monitored by fluorimetry, was diminished even when the revertant agent verapamil was added. Moreover, the apparent number of Pgp 170 molecules per cell was lower for resistant cells grown with Ultroser HY. Thus Pgp 170 was not involved in the MDR increase induced by Ultroser HY. In conclusion, it must be kept in mind that environmental factors such as media chemical composition influence the MDR phenomenon and that environmental factors may also influence the MDR phenomenon in clinical situations.

Interest of epitopic dissection in immunoanalysis of proteins and peptides: review of theoretical and practical aspects.

The literature abounds with reports showing discrepancies in immunoassays of proteins and peptides. Whereas the isomorphism and polymorphism of proteins remains largely hidden in immunoassays making use of polyclonal antibodies, the use of monoclonal antibodies uncovered the difficulty of accurately assaying microheterogeneous analytes. Indeed, most proteic hormones are not entities with unique structures but rather mixtures of molecular forms with slight differences in structure which may reflect large variations in biological and immunological activities; the monoclonal antibodies appeared clearly less suited than the polyclonal for testing a mixture of isoforms. Protein microheterogeneity also has an impact on assay standardisation, since reference preparations may contain several isoforms of the analyte. Using recombinant glycoprotein does not solve the problem. Regarding the problem of discrepancy in immunoanalysis of proteins and peptides, we could establish, in a previous work, that discrepancy among lutropin assay kits may be related to various causes: i) differences in standard preparation and calibration curves; ii) microheterogeneity of lutropin molecules leading to missing some isoforms due to the restricted epitopic specificity of the monoclonal antibodies used in the kits. The epitopic dissection we engaged in appeared thus instrumental in explaining these discrepancies. It allowed us to enumerate epitopes on the surface of lutropin molecules, to elucidate the immunological structure and, finally, to characterize monoclonal antibodies used in commercially available lutropin assay kits with regard to their epitopic specificity. This work allowed us to interpret the discrepancy in serum lutropin concentration which was related to the use of monoclonal antibody with given specificity. Epitopic dissection may thus be instrumental in explaining discrepancy among immunoassays of proteins and peptides and in improving the accuracy of kits.

Quantitative determination of the MDR-related P-glycoprotein, Pgp 170, by a rapid flow cytometric technique.

Pgp 170 is the main integral membrane protein involved in acquired or de novo multidrug resistance (MDR), frequently implicated in chemotherapeutic failure. Because there is at present no method for quantitating Pgp 170 levels, a new and convenient assay, using flow cytometry with a standard fluorescence curve and MRK 16, a mAb recognizing an external epitope of human Pgp 170, was developed. Assuming a 1:1 stoichiometry, we calculated for the first time the apparent number of Pgp 170 molecules per cell. The method was applied successfully to cells in suspension or grown as monolayers and their mixtures. All quality criteria were checked and proved the suitability of the method for quantifying Pgp 170.