Human protective response induced by meningococcus B vaccine is mediated by the synergy of multiple bactericidal epitopes.

4CMenB is the first broad coverage vaccine for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B strains. To gain a comprehensive picture of the antibody response induced upon 4CMenB vaccination and to obtain relevant translational information directly from human studies, we have isolated a panel of human monoclonal antibodies from adult vaccinees. Based on the Ig-gene sequence of the variable region, 37 antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies were identified and produced as recombinant Fab fragments, and a subset also produced as full length recombinant IgG1 and functionally characterized. We found that the monoclonal antibodies were cross-reactive against different antigen variants and recognized multiple epitopes on each of the antigens. Interestingly, synergy between antibodies targeting different epitopes enhanced the potency of the bactericidal response. This work represents the first extensive characterization of monoclonal antibodies generated in humans upon 4CMenB immunization and contributes to further unraveling the immunological and functional properties of the vaccine antigens. Moreover, understanding the mechanistic nature of protection induced by vaccination paves the way to more rational vaccine design and implementation.

Combined automated PCR cloning, in vitro transcription/translation and two-dimensional electrophoresis for bacterial proteome analysis.

The most popular approach for proteomics analysis is based on the combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS). Although very effective, the method suffers from a number of limitations, the most serious one being the necessity to have expensive and sophisticated instrumentation requiring handling by skilled personnel. Here we propose an alternative approach which may offer some advantages over the current methods, at least for some specific applications. The method is based on two-dimensional gel separation of radiolabeled synthetic proteins derived from transcription/translation reactions of linear polymerase chain reaction amplified genes. The gel is autoradiographed and this is superimposed on the sample gel whose protein spots have to be identified. Matching between autoradiographs and sample gel spots allows immediate protein identification. The method has been validated identifying six proteins from a membrane protein preparation of Neisseria meningitidis MC58 strain. All proteins were correctly identified as judged by confirmation analysis with MS. The approach is particularly useful when a specific subset of proteins needs to be identified in a complex protein mixture.

Structure-function analysis of hepatitis C virus envelope-CD81 binding.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen causing chronic liver disease. We have recently found that the large extracellular loop (LEL) of human CD81 binds HCV. This finding prompted us to assess the structure-function features of HCV-CD81 interaction by using recombinant E2 protein and a recombinant soluble form of CD81 LEL. We have found that HCV-E2 binds CD81 LEL with a K(d) of 1.8 nM; CD81 can mediate attachment of E2 on hepatocytes; engagement of CD81 mediates internalization of only 30% of CD81 molecules even after 12 h; and the four cysteines of CD81 LEL form two disulfide bridges, the integrity of which is necessary for CD81-HCV interaction. Altogether our data suggest that neutralizing antibodies aimed at interfering with HCV binding to human cells should have an affinity higher than 10(-9) M, that HCV binding to hepatocytes may not entirely depend on CD81, that CD81 is an attachment receptor with poor capacity to mediate virus entry, and that reducing environments do not favor CD81-HCV interaction. These studies provide a better understanding of the CD81-HCV interaction and should thus help to elucidate the viral life cycle and to develop new strategies aimed at interfering with HCV binding to human cells.

3D imaging of the 58 kDa cell binding subunit of the Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin.

Pathogenic strains of Helicobacter pylori produce a potent exotoxin, VacA, which intoxicates gastric epithelial cells and leads to peptic ulcer. The toxin is released from the bacteria as a high molecular mass homo-oligomer of a 95 kDa polypeptide which undergoes specific proteolytic cleavage to 37 kDa and 58 kDa subunits. We have engineered a strain of H. pylori to delete the gene sequence coding for the 37 kDa subunit. The remaining 58 kDa subunit is expressed efficiently and exported as a soluble dimer that is non-toxic but binds target cells in a manner similar to the holotoxin. A 3D reconstruction of the molecule from electron micrographs of quick-freeze, deep-etched preparations reveals the contribution of each building block to the structure and permits the reconstruction of the oligomeric holotoxin starting from individual subunits. In this model P58 subunits are assembled in a ring structure with P37 subunits laying on the top. The data indicate that the 58 kDa subunit is capable of folding autonomously into a discrete structure recognizable within the holotoxin and containing the cell binding domain.

Selective increase of the permeability of polarized epithelial cell monolayers by Helicobacter pylori vacuolating toxin.

The effects of the vacuolating toxin (VacA) released by pathogenic strains of Helicobacter pylori on several polarized epithelial monolayers were investigated. Trans-epithelial electric resistance (TER) of monolayers formed by canine kidney MDCK I, human gut T84, and murine mammary gland epH4, was lowered by acid-activated VacA. Independent of the cell type and of the starting TER value, VacA reduced it to a minimal value of 1,000-1,300 Omega x cm2. TER decrease was paralleled by a three- to fourfold increase of [14C]-mannitol (molecular weight 182.2) and a twofold increase of [14C]-sucrose (molecular weight 342.3) transmonolayer flux. On the contrary, transmembrane flux of the proinflammatory model tripeptide [14C]-N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (molecular weight 437.6), of [3H]-inuline (molecular weight 5,000) and of HRP (molecular weight 47,000) did not change. These data indicate that VacA increases paracellular epithelial permeability to molecules with molecular weight < 350-440. Accordingly, the epithelial permeability of Fe3+ and Ni2+ ions, essential for H. pylori survival in vivo, was also increased by VacA. High-resolution immunofluorescence and SDS-PAGE analysis failed to reveal alterations of junctional proteins ZO-1, occludin, cingulin, and E-cadherin. It is proposed that induction by VacA of a selective permeabilization of the epithelial paracellular route to low molecular weight molecules and ions may serve to supply nutrients, which favor H. pylori growth in vivo.

Characterisation of a monoclonal antibody and its use to purify the cytotoxin of Helicobacter pylori.

The vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) is a major virulence factor of Helicobacter pylori which is not yet well characterised and is difficult to obtain in large quantities. Here we describe the production of a monoclonal antibody that recognises the native but not the denatured form of VacA. The antibody can be efficiently used in affinity chromatography for one-step purification of large quantities of VacA from culture supernatants. Elution at acidic pH dissociates the oligomeric molecule into monomers that reanneal in a time-dependent fashion. The purified cytotoxin is able to bind, and to intoxicate HeLa cells.

Binding of the Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin to target cells.

The vacuolating cytotoxin of Helicobacter pylori, VacA, enters the cytoplasm of target cells and causes vacuolar degeneration by interfering with late stages of endocytosis. By using indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, we have demonstrated that VacA binds to specific high-affinity cell surface receptors and that this interaction is necessary for cell intoxication.

The acid activation of Helicobacter pylori toxin VacA: structural and membrane binding studies.

The cell vacuolating activity of the protein toxin VacA, released by Helicobacter pylori, is strongly increased in vitro by exposure to acidic pH followed by neutralization. This short acid exposure does not increase significantly the binding of VacA to cell or to lipid membranes. However, membrane photolabeling with photoactivatable radioactive phospholipids and ANS binding studies show that VacA transiently exposed to pH equal or lower than 5 changes conformation and exposes on its surface hydrophobic segments. Both the 32 and the 58 kDa subunits of the toxin insert in the lipid bilayer and interact with the fatty acid chains of phospholipids. Membrane binding and penetration are enhanced by incubating target cells or liposomes with the toxin at mild acidic pH values, similar to those present around H. pylori on the stomach mucosa. These findings are discussed with respect to the critical step in cell intoxication consisting in the translocation of the active toxin domain into the cell cytosol. We suggest that membrane translocation takes place at the plasma membrane level.

Selective inhibition of Ii-dependent antigen presentation by Helicobacter pylori toxin VacA.

A major virulence factor in the stomach chronic infection by Helicobacter pylori is a protein toxin (VacA), which alters cell membrane trafficking of late endosomal/prelysosomal compartments. Its role in the chronic infection established by H. pylori is unknown. To test the possibility that VacA alters antigen processing taking place in prelysosomal compartments, we have used the well-established model of antigen processing and presentation consisting of tetanus toxoid-specific human (CD4(+)) T cells stimulated by autologous antigen-pulsed Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells. We found that VacA interferes with proteolytic processing of tetanus toxin and toxoid and specifically inhibits the Ii-dependent pathway of antigen presentation mediated by newly synthesized major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, while leaving unaffected the presentation pathway dependent on recycling MHC class II. The results presented here suggest that VacA may contribute to the persistence of H. pylori by interfering with protective immunity and that this toxin is a new useful tool in the study of the different pathways of antigen presentation.

Effect of helicobacter pylori vacuolating toxin on maturation and extracellular release of procathepsin D and on epidermal growth factor degradation.

The effect of vacuolating toxin (VacA) from Helicobacter pylori on endosomal and lysosomal functions was studied by following procathepsin D maturation and epidermal growth factor (EGF) degradation in HeLa cells exposed to the toxin. VacA inhibited the conversion of procathepsin D (53 kDa) into both the intermediate (47 kDa) and the mature (31 kDa) form. Nonprocessed cathepsin D was partly retained inside cells and partly secreted in the extracellular medium via the constitutive secretion pathway. Intracellular degradation of EGF was also inhibited by VacA with a similar dose-response curve. VacA did not alter endocytosis, cell surface recycling, and retrograde transport from plasma membrane to trans-Golgi network and endoplasmic reticulum, as estimated by using transferrin, diphtheria toxin, and ricin as tracers. Subcellular fractionation of intoxicated cells showed that procathepsin D and nondegraded EGF accumulate in lysosomes. Measurements of intracellular acidification with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran revealed a partial neutralization of the lumen of endosomes and lysosomes, sufficient to account for both mistargeting of procathepsin D outside the cell and the decreased activity of lysosomal proteases.

Vacuoles induced by Helicobacter pylori toxin contain both late endosomal and lysosomal markers.

Intoxication of mammalian cells with the vacuolating toxin (VacA) released by Helicobacter pylori causes the formation of large acidic vacuoles containing the vacuolar ATPase proton pump and Rab7, a late endosome marker. Here, we describe a novel subcellular fractionation procedure, and we show that nanomolar concentrations of VacA induce a clear redistribution of lysosomal membrane glycoproteins among endocytic compartments. This redistribution is an early event in the process of cellular intoxication by VacA and precedes the formation of macroscopic vacuoles. The absence of the cation independent mannose 6-P receptor and the presence of Rab7 and of lysosomal membrane proteins in the newly formed compartment suggest that the vacuolating toxin induces the accumulation of a post-endosomal hybrid compartment presenting both late endosomal and lysosomal features.

Disulfide bonds of herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein gB.

Glycoprotein B (gB) is the most highly conserved envelope glycoprotein of herpesviruses. The gB protein is required for virus infectivity and cell penetration. Recombinant forms of gB being used for the development of subunit vaccines are able to induce virus-neutralizing antibodies and protective efficacy in animal models. To gain structural information about the protein, we have determined the location of the disulfide bonds of a 696-amino-acid residue truncated, recombinant form of herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein gB (HSV gB2t) produced by expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The purified protein, which contains virtually the entire extracellular domain of herpes simplex virus type 2 gB, was digested with trypsin under nonreducing conditions, and peptides were isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The peptides were characterized by using mass spectrometry and amino acid sequence analysis. The conditions of cleavage (4 M urea, pH 7) induced partial carbamylation of the N termini of the peptides, and each disulfide peptide was found with two or three different HPLC retention times (peptides with and without carbamylation of either one or both N termini). The 10 cysteines of the molecule were found to be involved in disulfide bridges. These bonds were located between Cys-89 (C1) and Cys-548 (C8), Cys-106 (C2) and Cys-504 (C7), Cys-180 (C3) and Cys-244 (C4), Cys-337 (C5) and Cys-385 (C6), and Cys-571 (C9) and Cys-608 (C10). These disulfide bonds are anticipated to be similar in the corresponding gBs from other herpesviruses because the 10 cysteines listed above are always conserved in the corresponding protein sequences.

Evidence for a phosphorylation site in cytomegalovirus glycoprotein gB.

As part of our vaccine program, we have purified a recombinant form of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B that is able to induce high titers of virus-neutralizing antibodies. The isolated protein was found to be phosphorylated at a serine residue in position -7 from the C terminus of the protein. The corresponding synthetic peptide, HLKDSDEEENV, was an efficient in vitro substrate of casein kinase II.

Over-expression of the yeast ATP synthase subunit D in Escherichia coli: use of polyclonal antibodies directed against recombinant subunit D.

The yeast ATP synthase subunit d was over-expressed in E. coli and formed inclusion bodies. It was purified by solubilization in urea and slow removal of the urea by stepwise dialysis in the presence of a non-ionic detergent. The resulting soluble subunit d was used to prepare polyclonal antibodies. Blots of yeast mitochondrial proteins were probed with these antibodies. The strain disrupted in ATP4 gene encoding the subunit 4 displayed only 8% of the wild type subunit d. Antibodies against subunit d did not inhibit the wild type ATPase activity.

ATP synthase of yeast mitochondria. Characterization of subunit d and sequence analysis of the structural gene ATP7.

The subunit analogous to the d-subunit of ATP synthase from bovine heart mitochondria was isolated from the purified yeast enzyme. Partial protein sequences were determined by direct methods. From this information, two oligonucleotide probes were constructed and used for screening a DNA genomic bank of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sequence of yeast subunit d was deduced from the DNA sequence of ATP7 gene. Mature yeast subunit d is 173 amino acids long. Its NH2-terminal serine is blocked by an N-acetyl group, and the protein has no processed NH2-terminal sequence other than the removal of the initiator methionine. The protein is predominantly hydrophilic. The amino acid sequence is 22% identical and 44% homologous to bovine subunit d. A null mutant was constructed. The mutant strain was unable to grow on glycerol medium. The mutant mitochondria had no detectable oligomycin-sensitive ATPase activity, and the catalytic sector F1 was loosely bound to the membranous part. The mutant mitochondria did not contain subunit d, and the mitochondrially encoded hydrophobic subunit 6 was not present.