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The monoclonal murine T cell hybridoma, 51H7D, was previously shown to bind the arsazobenzene hapten and to produce a soluble antigen-binding molecule. In this paper we characterize this antigen-binding immunoprotein for its relationship to known T cell receptors serologically, using antibodies specific for variable region framework, or joining region peptides predicted from gene sequence and by biochemical means. The 51H7D cell expresses a protein with subunit size of approximately 31,000, that reacts antigenically with affinity-purified antibodies directed against synthetic first framework and joining segment peptides, corresponding to the gene sequence of the T cell receptor beta chain, YT35. This molecule does not react with affinity-purified antibodies directed against murine immunoglobulin, framework 1 sequences of alpha and gamma T cell receptors, or with antibodies against synthetic heavy chain joining segments. The subunit of mol. wt. 31,000 can form higher aggregates, notably in the mol. wt range of 60,000-70,000, depending upon extraction conditions. The soluble form of the antigen-binding molecule bears the J beta cross-reactive determinant and occurs predominantly as a charge restricted molecular species of approximate mol. wt 60,000-70,000. The purified molecule has a blocked N-terminus, but quantitative statistical analysis of its amino acid composition indicates a closer relatedness to T cell receptor beta chains and other antigen-binding T cell products, than it has to alpha, gamma or delta TCR chains. No evidence for more than one type of polypeptide chain was found and the polymerization is not dependent upon the formation of disulfide bonds. These studies raise the possibility that antigen-binding soluble T cell molecules might belong to a new family of immunoproteins, that is related to, but distinct from, classical immunoglobulins and alpha beta or gamma delta heterodimers.

Human endothelial cells have been shown to be distinctive from other IL-1 responsive cells (e.g. murine thymocytes), in the equal units of murine and human IL-1 do not have the same endothelial cell stimulatory effect, as measured by increased lymphocyte adherence. In this paper, the cell surface IL-1 receptors of human endothelial cells, fibroblasts and T-lymphocytes have been compared, to investigate whether endothelial cells have a unique receptor for IL-1. IL-1 receptors were isolated by both immunoprecipitation and chemical cross-linking to the ligand. Both techniques demonstrated that human endothelial cells are similar to human T-lymphocytes and fibroblasts, in that they all have a 78,000 mol. wt IL-1 receptor.

In a previous paper [Albrecht and Noelle, J. Immun. 141, 3915 (1988)], biochemical and flow cytofluorometric analysis revealed a 78,000 mol. wt cell surface protein that was constitutively associated with the detergent-insoluble fraction (cytoskeleton) of B lymphocytes. The identity of this band was serologically confirmed as IgM and was therefore referred to as cyto-IgM. Since cyto-IgM may play an integral role in mIgM-cytoskeletal interactions, the molecular nature of cyto-IgM was investigated. In its non-reduced form, cyto-IgM was pentameric. Treatment with endoglycosidase F revealed an Ig heavy chain with a mol. wt of 66,000, which was identical to secreted IgM. The cell surface location of cyto-IgM was independently verified by its sensitivity to protease digestion in intact cells. Conditions which eluted cytophilic Ig from the cell surface did not displace cyto-IgM. Cyto-IgM was present in resting B lymphocytes but absent in neonatal cells. The function of cyto-IgM is discussed in the light of these results.

As reported in a previous paper by the authors (J. Biochem. 99, 227-235, 1986), the Fab' of a monoclonal antibody, VIA2 IgG1, prepared by fusion of splenic cells of a mouse immunized with guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages with a myeloma cells line, completely inhibits the binding of ovalbumin (OA)-complexed IgG1 antibody to macrophages, but only partially the binding of OA-complexed IgG2 antibody. Based on these results, it was proposed that the cells have at least two types of Fc receptor (FcR) for homologous IgG isotypes: FcR2 for IgG2 and FcR1.2 for both IgG2 and IgG1, and also that VIA2 IgG1 is anti-FcR1.2 antibody. Thereafter, complete inhibition of the binding of OA-complexed IgG2 antibody to macrophages occurred when the Fab' of another monoclonal antibody, VIIA1 IgG1 was added to the Fab' of VIA2 IgG1, whereas the former did not affect the binding of OA-complexed IgG1 antibody. This effect of the Fab' of VIIA1 IgG1 indicates that VIIA1 IgG1 is a monoclonal antibody capable of selectively blocking the binding of OA-complexed IgG2 antibody to FcR2. When the antigen of VIIA1 IgG1 was isolated by affinity chromatography on the F(ab')2 of the antibody coupled to Sepharose, it gave a single band with a mol. wt of 52,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It moved slightly faster than the FcR1.2 with a mol. wt of 55,000, which was isolated by the use of VIA2 IgG1, and corresponded to the fast moving portion of the broad band of FcRs isolated with OA-complexed IgG2 antibody. These results strongly suggest that VIIA1 IgG1 is a monoclonal antibody to FcR2.

Monoclonal immunoadsorbent chromatography has been used to isolate milligram quantities of detergent-solubilized H-2Kk antigen. Using the procedure described in this paper 10(12) cells may be processed yielding 10 mg of homogenous H-2Kk which represents 70% of the allotypic serological activity present in the original homogenate. NH2-Terminal sequence data of the first 30 residues of the H-2Kk heavy chain are presented. The cell line selected as the source of antigen and the criteria of purity of the antigen have been found to be critical as proteins of molecular weight 42,000 and 12,000 were copurified with H-2Kk from the BW5147 cell line. The additional components were observed in gradient gel electrophoresis or two-dimensional electrophoresis, but not in conventional Laemmli gel electrophoresis.

The effective assembly of an antibody molecule requires the proper association of the light and heavy chains, namely the tight, canonical association of VH with VL, and of CH1 with CL. In this paper the interaction of CH1 is examined by looking at the degree of conservation of residues in the interface between CH1 and CL, where CH1 can belong to any of the heavy chain classes, and CL can be either lambda or kappa. The three-dimensional structures of four antibody Fabs have been examined to see which are the significant interacting residues and to see whether they also correspond to the conserved residues in the different classes. It was found that there are a few hydrophobic residues buried in the interface which make numerous contacts with residues of the other chain and which remain invariant, or else are highly conserved. Around the periphery of the interface there are numerous interacting residues that have appreciable variability. Within the interface there is a cavity, the function of which may be to permit some changes in the central interface residues while still preserving the same relative orientation of CH1 and CL.

This paper describes additional structural analyses of the p24 cell surface molecule recognized by monoclonal antibody BA-2. Since BA-2 is broadly reactive with a variety of normal and malignant lymphohematopoietic and nonlymphohematopoietic cells, we examined the structure of p24 expressed on different cell types. Tryptic peptide mapping and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis of p24 isolated from colon carcinoma cells, fresh leukemic cells, leukemic cell lines, and activated T-cells indicated that p24 exhibits no structural polymorphism within the cells examined. As has recently been demonstrated with several other cell surface molecules, p24 is shown to possess a covalently-attached fatty acid, based on the incorporation of [3H]palmitate. We have also identified an additional protein, designated p26, that is coprecipitated with p24. The p26 molecule is not disulfide-linked to p24, and can be immunoprecipitated from a variety of 125I- or [35S]methionine-labeled cells. V8 protease peptide mapping indicated that p24 and p26 are structurally homologous. Pulse-chase analysis using [35S]methionine and digestion with endoglycosidase-F indicated that p24 and p26 are probably derived from a p23 precursor, but no precursor-product relationship exists between p24 and p26. Based on this data we propose that p24 and p26 are most likely differentially-processed protein products of the same gene.

The MOPC 460 idiotype, as defined by polyclonal probes, has been described as a recurrent marker among the anti-DNP antibodies synthetized by IghCa mice. In this paper, we demonstrate, using syngeneic monoclonal anti-idiotypic probes, that only a part of the idiotopes of this idiotype are indeed recurrently expressed in BALB/c mice (IghCa) after immunization with DNP antigen. We will also show that the immunization of BALB/c mice with monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody specific for the recurrent determinant results firstly in the synthesis of anti-DNP antibodies and secondly in the expression of the same recurrent M460 idiotope present on a part of induced anti-DNP molecules. Contrary to this, the immunization with the monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody specific for the private idiotope never resulted in the synthesis of anti-DNP antibodies. These results clearly suggest that, after DNP or anti-idiotypic immunization, the M460 idiotype is not expressed in its entirety.

Antibodies directed against centromeric chromatin characteristically occur in the sera of patients with the CREST variant of scleroderma. We have studied the in situ enzymatic sensitivity and solubility of the centromeric antigen and have isolated an antigenic moiety that reacts with anticentromere antibodies. The centromeric antigen in the human epithelial cell line, HEp-2, was sensitive to DNAase I and micrococcal nuclease but not affected by RNAase A, trypsin or amylase. It was insoluble in 0.15-4 M NaCl but was extracted from the HEp-2 cells by 4 M urea/2 M NaCl. Antigenic activity in a 4 M urea/2 M NaCl extract of rabbit thymus was demonstrated by immunoabsorption. Indirect immunofluorescence of the extract separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a fluorescent band with a mol. wt of 33,000. Calf thymus and trout testis histone preparations were fractionated by gel electrophoresis and transferred by blotting techniques to diazobenzyloxymethyl cellulose paper for autoradiography. Anticentromere antibodies bound to and were absorbed by trout testis histone 1. We propose that the centromeric antigen may be a variant of histone 1 that is associated with condensed chromatin.

The data reported in this paper demonstrate that macrophage-activating factors (MAFs) are a heterogeneous group of T-cell-derived lymphokines. Two long-term T-cell clones, Cl 96 and PK 7.1.2E8, were potent sources of MAFs (MAF96 and MAF7.1.2E8). These MAFs could be distinguished by differential activation of macrophages. Activation of resident murine macrophages with MAF7.1.2E8 enhanced RNA and glycoprotein synthesis, hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMPS) activity, release of oxygen metabolites (O-2 and H2O2), pinocytosis and tumor cytostasis, whereas no effect on schistosomula killing and tumor cytolysis could be observed. In contrast, MAF96 enhanced glycoprotein synthesis, HMPS activity, release of oxygen metabolites and prostaglandin E, schistosomula killing, and tumor cytostasis and cytolysis, while RNA synthesis and pinocytosis were decreased. These findings show that MAFs from both T-cell clones share some properties but markedly differ in others. In addition, the macrophage-activating properties of MAF96 but not of MAF7.1.2E8 could selectively be inhibited by a rabbit anti-lymphokine antiserum. This demonstrates a serological difference between MAF activities from both clones. Although at optimal concns both MAFs were active in the absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the activity of suboptimal doses of MAF96 but not of MAF7.1.2E8 could be enhanced by LPS. These findings show that different MAFs from T-cell clones may be useful to clarify molecular mechanisms of macrophage activation.

Interleukin 2 (IL2) is a lymphokine which stimulates the growth of T lymphocytes. Although IL2 mRNA is translated into biologically active IL2 relatively efficiently in microinjected Xenopus laevis oocytes, it has been difficult to establish reproducible cell-free translation systems for this lymphokine. Such systems would be useful for the analysis of translational and post-translational events. In this paper, we show that a wheat germ extract will translate IL2 mRNA into biologically active murine IL2, most of which is translocated into dog pancreas microsomes when these are present. Translocation occurs only during translation, but wheat germ extracts translate IL2 mRNA whether microsomes are present or not. Surprisingly, reticulocyte lysates do not readily translate IL2 mRNA, and strongly inhibit its translation in wheat germ extracts. This inhibition can be partially alleviated by adding dog pancreas microsomes to the system. The inhibition seen with reticulocyte lysate may be attributable to the action of the signal recognition particle, which binds nascent secretory proteins, and blocks their further translation in the absence of the docking protein present in microsomes.

Binding of C3 to sheep erythrocytes in a serum-free milieu (EAC14oxy2, EAC142) has previously been shown to mimic the antigenic change that occurs upon denaturation of C3 in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), whereby neoantigenic C3(D) epitopes are exposed. The present paper deals with C3 bound to various target surfaces which are known to modulate the functional properties of C3 in different ways. Bound C3 fragments on serum-treated human aggregated gammaglobulin, zymosan, rabbit and sheep erythrocytes, and on circulating immune complexes isolated from sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, were shown to be mainly in the iC3b form. By RIAs, employing polyclonal antibodies, the range of C3(D) antigenic epitopes of 125I-labelled SDS denatured C3 expressed by the particle-bound iC3b was monitored. The physiologically bound iC3b on all tested particles expressed wide range of C3(D) epitopes and each type of particle-bound C3 exposed its individual range. By competition ELISA specific C3(D) alpha epitopes were monitored, employing monoclonal antibodies. A distinct difference in the expression of these epitopes was observed in iC3b bound to various test particles in the presence of normal serum and in iC3b present on circulating immune complexes from pathological sera. Considering that the neoantigenic C3(D) epitopes have been shown to be associated with different functions of C3, the distinctive antigenic expression of each type of serum-treated particle might reflect different functional forms of the protein.

When human serum is diluted and pre-incubated at 37 degrees C in low ionic strength buffer (LIS, u = 0.07; made iso-osmotic with dextrose), a spontaneous activation of complement (C) is observed as determined by C4 and C3 electrophoretic conversion. In this paper it is postulated that most species of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) restricted non-specific fluid phase complement consumption induced by LIS, an effect which conserved complement and thereby enhanced the subsequent residual serum C mediated hemolytic activity. The capacity of glycosaminoglycans, to have modulated the hemolytic activity at low ionic strength, depended on the charge of the GAG species tested. In general, the GAG regulatory effects may have been due to GAG mediated restriction of spontaneous non-specific fluid phase C1 autoactivation, and/or restriction of activated C1 activity. Such effects would result in the subsequent reduction of the spontaneous fluid phase C4 and C3 consumption. Although the precise mechanisms responsible for the effects were not identified, it is speculated that the potentiation of C1 inhibitor function and direct effects on C1 might be involved. Overall, the relative specific activities of the glycosaminoglycans, on a weight basis, in mediating the fluid phase C regulatory effect were heparin greater than dermatan sulfate greater than chondroitin-6-sulfate greater than chondroitin-4-sulfate greater than hyaluronic acid and keratan sulfate. When much higher concns of heparin (greater than or equal 0.2 micrograms/ml) were used, complement mediated lysis of EA was inhibited, probably due to the direct inhibition of C1, even C1 which may have bound to the sensitized erythrocytes (EA). Results similar to that of heparin were obtained using greater than 1 mg/ml of dermatan sulfate or dextran sulfate. In contrast, pre-incubation of human serum in LIS with high concns (up to 10 mg/ml) of hyaluronic acid or chondroitin-4-sulfate, which are much less charged, continued to result only in the restriction of hemolytically non-specific (fluid phase) C consumption, resulting in a higher residual complement hemolytic activity. A theory is developed that the binding of polyionic GAG to C1 and to C1 INH may provide a charged local environment which simulates a relatively higher ionic strength. Chemical degradation of hyaluronic acid or chondroitin-4 or -6 sulfate resulted in lowering of this C modulating effect, indicative of the importance of the structural integrity of these charged glycosaminoglycans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The contribution of the H- and L-chains to the structure of the main idiotype of anti-poly (Glu60-Ala30-Tyr10) (GAT) antibodies has been studied. This idiotype has been previously divided into four types of specificity: (1) the highly conserved idiotypic specificity (h.c. GAT) is expressed by anti-GAT antibodies from the guinea-pig, rat and mice; (2) the public specificity (p. GAT) is expressed in an identical form by all anti-GAT antibodies from all strains of mice tested and by all hybridoma products (HP) with anti-GAT activity; (3) the strain-restricted specificity (s.r. GAT-1) is only expressed by anti-GAT antibodies from strains with Ig-1a, Ig-1c and Ig-1c allotypic markers; and finally (4) the individual specificity i1-GAT defined on HP G5 is also expressed by most of the hybridoma protein with anti-poly (Glu50-Tyr50) (GT) activity. In this paper we show that h.c.GAT, p.GAT and i1-GAT require the interaction of H- and L-chains to be expressed: (1) isolated H- and L-chains from HP G5 did not express these specificities; and (2) recombinant molecules composed of H- and L-chains from HP with anti-GAT activity and an irrelevant myeloma protein (MOPC21) never expressed h.c.GAT, p.GAT and i1-GAT. We next investigated the relationship between the GAT binding site and the p.GAT, h.c.GAT and s.r.GAT-1 idiotypic specificities. GAT and GT were not able to inhibit the binding to s.r.GAT-1 while they inhibit the idiotypic binding to p.GAT and h.c.GAT. A GAT fragment of mol. wt 3000 was also shown to inhibit the binding of p.GAT and h.c.GAT to the appropriate sera. Thus p.GAT and h.c.GAT are very close to the GAT combining site while s.r.GAT-1 represents an idiotypic specificity located outside the GAT binding site.

Transmembrane signalling involves a number of physical translocations, changes in proximity of membrane elements like receptor subunits, or sequestration of proteins from the membrane. The monitoring of such changes with flow cytometric energy transfer revealed a new putative subunit of the IL-2 receptor and a possible intermolecular interaction between HLA class I and class II antigens. Lateral diffusion of the components of the multi-subunit IL-2 receptor was also followed. Changes in the intracellular pH were considered as a measure of efficient signal transfer in a number of cases. An overview and critical comparison of data is presented in the paper.

This paper presents the initial characterization of a mouse monoclonal antibody (RH1-38) which blocks, in the absence of complement, three different systems of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This monoclonal antibody markedly inhibits cytotoxicity mediated by human natural killer cells, a monocyte-like cell [phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated HL-60], and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes generated in a mixed leukocyte reaction. RH1-38 is not nonspecifically toxic to cells since antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity was not inhibited and viability as assessed by trypan blue exclusion was not affected. Inhibition is specific since control hybridoma culture supernatants, parent (NS-1) ascites supernatant, monoclonal anti-HLA and normal mouse IgG were not significantly inhibitory. In the NK system, the inhibitory effect appears to be due to binding of monoclonal antibody to effector cell surface since exposure of targets to antibody followed by washing yielded no inhibition of killing. Inhibition requires the antigen-binding portion of the antibody molecule and thus appears to be related to steric hindrance of an effector cell surface molecule which is important in the expression of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Immunoprecipitation of surface-radioiodinated membranes from PMA-stimulated HL-60 cells and analysis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels revealed a bimolecular complex (195,000 and 125,000 daltons) without significant change under reducing conditions. Control immunoprecipitates yielded no peaks of activity. This monoclonal antibody should serve as a useful probe of the function and biochemistry of a killer cell surface antigen important in the expression of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Since RH1-38 inhibits cytotoxicity mediated by at least three apparently unrelated effector cells, the relevant antigen may be part of a common mechanistic step. As the companion paper demonstrates, this monoclonal antibody does not affect the conjugation step, but appears to block a late step in the NK cytolytic mechanism. Thus, RH1-38 recognizes either an epitope district from previously-described anti-LFA-1 antibodies or alternatively recognizes a distinct functional killer cell surface molecule.

Chicken and turkey beta 2-m were isolated from citrated plasma in sequential use of three chromatographic steps: affinity chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography. The purified protein was identified as beta 2-m by reaction with a beta 2-m specific monoclonal antibody and by the ability to recombine with the chicken MHC class I heavy chain. The purity was estimated by SDS-PAGE and IEF. The pI was between 5.1 and 5.3 for chicken beta 2-m and 4.7 and 4.8 for turkey beta 2-m, which fact is reflected in their different electrophoretic mobilities in agarose gel (turkey migrates in the alpha and chicken migrates in the beta region). The mol. wt of both chicken and turkey beta 2-m was 14,500 estimated by SDS-PAGE whereas calculations based on the amino acid compositions gave mol. wts of 11,000. EM280 was 15.9 for chicken beta 2-m and 16.4 for turkey beta 2-m. The amino acid compositions and sequences of the two avian beta 2-m molecules have been compared with earlier data from the literature. The sequence of the 23 N-terminal amino acids was found to be identical in our preparations from both chicken and turkey, namely DLTPKVQVYSRFPASAGTKNVLN, and is incompatible with a previously published sequence also thought to be from turkey beta 2-m. Reasons for our opinion that the molecules isolated and sequenced in this paper are the correct ones are given.

Allergen molecules from Parietaria judaica pollen, a widely distributed allergy inducer in Southern and Western Europe, have been studied using specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). MAbs against IgE-binding components were selected in a 4-step radioimmunoassay. Three different MAbs (AC/1.1, AC/7.1 and AC/15.1) were obtained which recognized epitope(s) located on a polypeptide of 10 Kd (Pj10). This polypeptide displayed the highest IgE-binding ability under either native or SDS-denatured conditions, as determined by immunoadsorption and immunodetection after SDS-PAGE, respectively. The Pj10-containing allergen, purified on an AC/1.1 MAb-Sepharose column, was able to inhibit most of the binding of specific IgE to the pollen extract coupled to paper discs in an inhibition radioallergosorbent test (RAST). The affinity-purified allergen exhibited the same immunoelectrophoretic behaviour as the native allergen.