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Because of the composition and structural complexity of crustacean shells, their color change mechanism during thermal processing remains unclear. This study identified and characterized two intrinsic protein components, hemocyanin (Lv-Hc) and β-1,3-glucan-binding protein (Lv-BGBP) from Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp shells by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and mass spectrometry. It was found that a mixture of Lv-Hc, a gray protein, and Lv-BGBP (which is a natural astaxanthin-binding protein with a red color) is responsible for the brown color of fresh shrimp shells. Upon heating to 100 °C, the mixture of these proteins turned red, mimicking the color change observed in cooked shrimp shells. This transition is attributed to the extremely high thermal stability of Lv-BGBP, which has the ability to protect astaxanthin from thermal induced degradation. These findings provide significant insights into the molecular mechanism governing shrimp shell coloration, advancing our understanding of crustacean biochemistry.

To identify the key amino acids (AAs) affecting the allergenicity of hemocyanin (HC) allergens from Chinese mitten crabs, in this study, two epitopes, P1-SHFTGSKSNPEQR and P2-LSPGANTITR were employed and four potential key AAs (P1: F3 and N9 and P2: N6 and R10) were predicted. Mast cell and mouse models revealed that four mutants induced lower levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and Th2 type cytokines (15.47-49.89 %), proving that F3, N9, N6, and R10 were the key AAs of two epitopes. Mutants reduce allergic responses via the Th2 pathway. However, the roles of every key AA affecting allergenicity were different (P1-F3 > N9 and P2-N6 > R10). In addition, lower transport and higher efflux were observed in the mutants during transport absorption by Caco-2 cells. The allergenicity of HC was stronger when the transport absorption efficiency of epitopes and mutants was higher and their efflux was lower. Our study provides a novel method for revealing the allergenic molecular mechanisms of food allergens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors attested that there were no conflicts of interest concerning this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Conjugation to a carrier protein is essential to give rise to the antigenicity of hapten. Three carrier proteins e.g. KLH (Keyhole Limpet hemocyanin), BSA (bovine serum albumin), and OVA (Ovalbumin) were used mostly. KLH is advantageous to the others, majorly owing to its strong immunogenicity and limited usage in other biological assays. However, the cost of obtaining Keyhole Limpet is high and the solubility of KLH is not as well as the other carriers, especially after hapten conjugation. Here, we extracted the shrimp hemocyanin (SHC) from Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei), which is a commonly sea product worldwide. The high pure SHC could be acquired by two-step purification, with a production yield of > 1 g proteins (98% pure) per 1 kg shrimp. Compared to KLH, the peptide-SHC conjugates exhibit higher solubility after hapten conjugation. Meanwhile, compared with KLH, SHC induces comparable antibody production efficiency in mammals, with or without conjugation. Furthermore, rabbit polyclonal antibodies or mouse monoclonal antibodies were generated by immunizing SHC-peptide conjugates, and the subsequent antibodies were confirmed to be used in western blot, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Therefore, we demonstrated that SHC may be used as a substitute for KLH in future antibody and vaccine development., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mollusk hemocyanins, among the largest known proteins, are used as immunostimulants in biomedical and clinical applications. The hemocyanin of the Chilean gastropod Concholepas concholepas (CCH) exhibits unique properties, which makes it safe and effective for human immunotherapy, as observed in animal models of bladder cancer and melanoma, and dendritical cell vaccine trials. Despite its potential, the structure and amino acid sequence of CCH remain unknown. This study reports two sequence fragments of CCH, representing three complete functional units (FUs). We also determined the high-resolution (1.5 Å) X-ray crystal structure of an "FU-g type" from the CCHB subunit. This structure enables in-depth analysis of chemical interactions at the copper-binding center and unveils an unusual, truncated N-glycosylation pattern. These features are linked to eliciting more robust immunological responses in animals, offering insights into CCH's enhanced immunostimulatory properties and opening new avenues for its potential applications in biomedical research and therapies., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hemocyanin, an oxygen-transport protein, is widely distributed in the hemolymph of marine arthropods and mollusks, playing an important role in their physiological processes. Recently, hemocyanin has been recognized as a multifunctional glycoprotein involved in the immunological responses of aquatic invertebrates. Consequently, the link between hemocyanin functions and their potential applications has garnered increased attention. This review offers an integrated overview of hemocyanin's structure, physicochemical characteristics, and bioactivities to further promote the utilization of hemocyanin derived from marine products. Specifically, we review its implication in two aspects of food and aquaculture industries: quality and health. Hemocyanin's inducible phenoloxidase activity is thought to be an inducer of melanosis in crustaceans. New anti-melanosis agents targeted to hemocyanin need to be explored. The red-color change observed in shrimp shells is related to hemocyanin, affecting consumer preferences. Hemocyanin's adaptive modification in response to the aquatic environment is available as a biomarker. Additionally, hemocyanin is endowed with bioactivities encompassing anti-microbial, antiviral, and therapeutic activities. Hemocyanin is also a novel allergen and its allergenic features remain incompletely characterized., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of antitumor drugs and therapy requires new approaches and molecules, and products of natural origin provide intriguing alternatives for antitumor research. Gastropodan hemocyanins-multimeric copper-containing glycoproteins have been used in therapeutic vaccines and antitumor agents in many cancer models., Materials and Methods: We established a murine model of melanoma by challenging C57BL/6 mice with a B16F10 cell line for solid tumor formation in experimental animals. The anticancer properties of hemocyanins isolated from the marine snail Rapana thomasiana (RtH) and the terrestrial snail Helix aspersa (HaH) were evaluated in this melanoma model using various schemes of therapy. Flow cytometry, ELISA, proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays, as well as histology investigations, were also performed., Results: Beneficial effects on tumor growth, tumor incidence, and survival of tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice after administration of the RtH or HaH were observed. The generation of high titers of melanoma-specific IgM antibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and tumor-specific CTLs, and high levels of tumor-infiltrated M1 macrophages enhanced the immune reaction and tumor suppression., Discussion: Both RtH and HaH exhibited promising properties for applications as antitumor therapeutic agents and future experiments with humans.

Adjuvant is an integral part of all vaccine formulations but only a few adjuvants with limited efficacies or application scopes are available. Thus, developing more robust and diverse adjuvants is necessary. To this end, a new class of adjuvants having α- and β-rhamnose (Rha) attached to the 1- and 6'-positions of monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) was designed, synthesized, and immunologically evaluated in mice. The results indicated a synergistic effect of MPLA and Rha, two immunostimulators that function via interacting with toll-like receptor 4 and recruiting endogenous anti-Rha antibodies, respectively. All the tested MPLA-Rha conjugates exhibited potent adjuvant activities to promote antibody production against both protein and carbohydrate antigens. Overall, MPLA-α-Rha exhibited better activities than MPLA-β-Rha, and 6'-linked conjugates were slightly better than 1-linked ones. Particularly, MPLA-1-α-Rha and MPLA-6'-α-Rha were the most effective adjuvants in promoting IgG antibody responses against protein antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin and carbohydrate antigen sTn, respectively.

Lectins or agglutinins are mainly proteins or glycoproteins, reported to uphold an ability to agglutinate the red blood cells (RBCs) with a known sugar specificity in a diverse group of organisms. In the present study, we purified a hemocyanin (named as MmHc) from a shrimp, Metapenaeus monoceros by size-exclusion chromatography. Further characterization revealed that the purified MmHc showed hemagglutination activity that was found to be specifically inhibited by Lewis B and Lewis Y tetrasaccharides. The MmHc displayed two oligomers of molecular weight approximately ∼78 and ∼85 kDa in SDS-PAGE. The native molecular mass of MmHc was found to be ∼457 kDa as determined by size-exclusion chromatography which indicated that the purified MmHc is an oligomeric protein. MmHc showed a maximum activity within pH 7.0-8.0, while a wide range of temperature stability was observed between 4 to 55 °C, however, it did not show any dependency on metal ions for binding. Subsequently, the analysis of the peptides by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) identified the purified MmHc as shrimp hemocyanin showing significant similarity to the hemocyanin of Penaeus vannamei. The results of multiple sequence alignment and detailed analysis of the molecular interactions predicted by AutoDock suggested that besides the oxygen carrier function, this MmHc may have multiple roles and can interact well with the Lewis Y antigen through a typical sugar binding motif containing the similar hydrophilic amino acids as the conserved residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.)

The phenol oxidase system is ancient and ubiquitously distributed in all living organisms. In various groups it serves for the biosynthesis of pigments and neurotransmitters (dopamine), defence reactions and tissue hardening. Ascidians belong to subphylum Tunicata, which is considered the closest living relative to Vertebrates. Two phenol oxidases previously described for ascidians are vertebrate-like and arthropod-like phenol oxidases. In our present study, we described a new ascidian protein, Tuphoxin, with putative phenol oxidase function, which bears no sequence similarity with two enzymes described previously. The closest related proteins to Tuphoxin are mollusc haemocyanins. Unlike haemocyanins, which are oxygen transporting plasma proteins, Tuphoxin is synthesised in ascidian blood cells and secreted in the extracellular matrix of the tunic-ascidian outer coverings. Single mature transcript coding for this phenol oxidase can give several protein products of different sizes. Thus limited proteolysis of the initial protein is suggested. A unique feature of Tuphoxins and their homologues among Tunicata is the presence of thrombospondin first type repeats (TSP1) domain in their sequence which is supposed to provide interaction with extracellular matrix. The finding of TSP1 in the structure of phenol oxidases is new and we consider this to be an innovation of Tunicata evolutionary lineage., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Analysis of energy expense during development has achieved special interest through time on account of the crucial role of the consumption of resources required for offspring survival. Spider eggs have a fixed composition as well as some initial energy that is supplied by mothers. These resources are necessary to support the metabolic expense not only through the embryonic period but also during the post-embryonic period, as well as for post emerging activities before spiderlings become self-sustaining. Depletion of these resources would be critical for spiders since it could give rise to prey competition as well as filial cannibalism. Even though spiders represent a megadiverse order, information regarding the metabolic requirements during spiders development is very scarce. In this study, we analyse the changes in protein, lipid and carbohydrate content as well as the variation in lipovitellin reserves and hemocyanin content during Polybetes pythagoricus development. Our results show that lipovitellins and phospholipids represent the major energy source throughout embryonic and post-embryonic development. Lipovitellin apolipoproteins are gradually consumed but are later depleted after dispersion. Phosphatidylethanolamine is mainly consumed during the post-embryonic period, while triacylglycerides are consumed after juveniles' dispersion. Finally, hemocyanin concentration starts to increase in postembryonic stages.

Hemocyanins present in the hemolymph of invertebrates are multifunctional proteins that are responsible for oxygen transport and play crucial roles in the immune system. They have also been identified as a source of antimicrobial peptides during infection in mollusks. Hemocyanin has also been identified in the cephalopod ancestor Nautilus, but antimicrobial peptides derived from the hemocyanin of Nautilus pompilius have not been reported. Here, the bactericidal activity of six predicted peptides from N. pompilius hemocyanin and seven mutant peptides was analyzed. Among those peptides, a mutant peptide with 15 amino acids (1RVFAGFLRHGIKRSR15), Np HM4, showed relatively high antibacterial activity. Np HM4 was determined to have typical antimicrobial peptide characteristics, including a positive charge (+5.25) and a high hydrophobic residue ratio (40%), and it was predicted to form an alpha-helical structure. In addition, Np HM4 exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (MBC = 30 μM for Vibrio alginolyticus ), with no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells even at a high concentration of 180 µM. Upon contact with V. alginolyticus cells, we confirmed that the bactericidal activity of Np HM4 was coupled with membrane permeabilization, which was further confirmed via ultrastructural images using a scanning electron microscope. Therefore, our study provides a rationalization for the development and optimization of antimicrobial peptide from the cephalopod ancestor Nautilus, paving the way for future novel AMP development with broad applications.

Finding new effective compounds of natural origin for composing anti-tumor vaccines is one of the main goals of antitumor research. Promising anti-cancer agents are the gastropodan hemocyanins-multimeric copper-containing glycoproteins used so far for therapy of different tumors. The properties of hemocyanins isolated from the marine snail Rapana thomasiana (RtH) and the terrestrial snail Helix aspersa (HaH) upon their use as carrier-proteins in conjugated vaccines, containing ganglioside mimotope GD3P4 peptide, were studied in the developed murine melanoma model. Murine melanoma cell line B16F10 was used for solid tumor establishment in C57BL/6 mice using various schemes of therapy. Protein engineering, flow cytometry, and cytotoxicity assays were also performed. The administration of the protein-engineered vaccines RtH-GD3P4 or HaH-GD3P4 under the three different regimens of therapy in the B16F10 murine melanoma model suppressed tumor growth, decreased tumor incidence, and prolonged the survival of treated animals. The immunization of experimental mice induced an infiltration of immunocompetent cells into the tumors and generated cytotoxic tumor-specific T cells in the spleen. The treatment also generates significantly higher levels of tumor-infiltrated M1 macrophages, compared to untreated tumor-bearing control mice. This study demonstrated a promising approach for cancer therapy having potential applications for cancer vaccine research.

New psychoactive substance (NPS) opioids have proliferated within the international drug market. While synthetic opioids are traditionally composed of fentanyl analogues, benzimidazole-derived isotonitazene and its derivatives are the current NPS opioids of concern. Hence, in this study, we implement immunopharmacotherapy wherein antibodies are produced with high titers and nanomolar affinity to multiple benzimidazole-derived NPS opioids (BNO). Notably, these antibodies blunt psychoactive and physiological repercussions from BNO exposure, which was observed through antinociception, whole-body plethysmography, and blood-brain biodistribution studies. Moreover, we detail previously unreported pharmacokinetics of these drugs, which explains the struggle of traditional pharmaceutical opioid antagonists against BNO substances. These findings provide further insight into the in vivo effects of BNO drugs and the development of effective broad-spectrum therapeutics against NPS opioids.

Background: Some molluscan hemocyanins (Hcs) have significant immunological and antitumor potential, enabling their application in oncology. The antitumor activity of Hcs from marine snails Rapana venosa (RvH), giant keyhole limpet Megathura crenulata (KLH) and garden snails Helix lucorum (HlH), as well as their different derivatives, were studied in vitro on a permanent T24 cell line of bladder cancer and normal urothelial cell line HL 10/29 compared to doxorubicin., Methods: The antiproliferative activity of the tested Hcs was determined using the WST-1 assay and BrdU ELISA assay. Morphological changes in both urothelial cell lines were confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The proteomic analysis of a bladder cancer cell line before and after treatment with functional unit (FU) βc-HlH-h using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and mass spectrometry revealed differences in the expression of some proteins., Results: Studies prove that the T24 tumor cell line is dose- and time-dependent, sensitive to the action of the tested isoforms, and it glycosylated FU of these hemocyanins. Selective inhibition of T24 cell growth was observed after incubation with structural subunits (βc-HlH, RvHI and RvHII) and FUs (βc-HlH-h and RvHII-e). Additionally, fluorescent microphotographs did not show apoptotic or necrotic alterations in the normal urothelial cell line HL 10/29. The FU βc-HlH-h demonstrated the highest antiproliferative effect (similarly to doxorubicin), in which predominantly apoptotic and less late apoptotic or necrotic changes in the tumor cells were observed. Several downand up-regulated proteins identified by proteome analysis may be associated with the apoptosis pathway., Conclusion: The present study illustrated the selectivity of the cytotoxic effect of Hcs against the Т24 cancer cell line. This is the first report of protein expression in T24 human bladder cancer cells under the influence of FU βc-HlH-h. That is probably due to the specific oligosaccharide structures rich in methylated hexoses exposed on the surface of βc-HlH-h., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Novel biocompatible compounds that stabilize proteins in solution are in demand for biomedical and/or biotechnological applications. Here, we evaluated the effect of six ionic liquids, containing mono- or dicholinium [Chol] 1or2 cation and anions of charged amino acids such as lysine [Lys], arginine [Arg], aspartic acid [Asp], or glutamic acid [Glu], on the structure, thermal, and storage stability of the Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin (RtH). RtH is a protein with huge biomedicinal potential due to its therapeutic, drug carrier, and adjuvant properties. Overall, the ionic liquids (ILs) induce changes in the secondary structure of RtH. However, the structure near the Cu-active site seems unaltered and the oxygen-binding capacity of the protein is preserved. The ILs showed weak antibacterial activity when tested against three Gram-negative and three Gram-positive bacterial strains. On the contrary, [Chol][Arg] and [Chol][Lys] exhibited high anti-biofilm activity against E. coli 25213 and S. aureus 29213 strains. In addition, the two ILs were able to protect RtH from chemical and microbiological degradation. Maintained or enhanced thermal stability of RtH was observed in the presence of all ILs tested, except for RtH-[Chol] 2 [Glu].

The incidence of fatal overdoses has increased worldwide due to the widespread access to illicit fentanyl and its potent analogues. Vaccines offer a promising strategy to reduce the prevalence of opioid use disorders (OUDs) and to prevent toxicity from accidental and deliberate exposure to fentanyl and its derivatives. This study describes the development and characterization of vaccine formulations consisting of novel fentanyl-based haptens conjugated to carrier proteins. Vaccine efficacy was tested against opioid-induced behavior and toxicity in mice and rats challenged with fentanyl and its analogues. Prophylactic vaccination reduced fentanyl- and sufentanil-induced antinociception, respiratory depression, and bradycardia in mice and rats. Therapeutic vaccination also reduced fentanyl intravenous self-administration in rats. Because of their selectivity, vaccines did not interfere with the pharmacological effects of commonly used anesthetics nor with methadone, naloxone, oxycodone, or heroin. These preclinical data support the translation of vaccines as a viable strategy to counteract fentanyl use disorders and toxicity.

Many freshwater ecosystems worldwide undergo hypoxia events that can trigger physiological, behavioral, and molecular responses in many organisms. Among such molecular responses, the regulation of the hemocyanin (Hc) protein expression which plays a major role in oxygen transportation within aquatic insects remains poorly understood. The stoneflies (Plecoptera) are aquatic insects that possess a functional Hc in the hemolymph similar to crustacean that co-occurs with a nonfunctional Hc protein, hexamerins (Hx). However, the role of both proteins during hypoxia remains undetermined. Here, we evaluated the effect of hypoxia on the expression of Hc and Hx proteins via a comparison between hypoxia and normoxia amino acid sequence variation and protein expression pattern within 23 stonefly species. We induced short-term hypoxia in wild-caught stoneflies species, sequenced the target region of Hc and Hx by complementary DNA synthesis, characterized the protein biochemistry using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ultrafiltration, and polarographic fluorometric method, and amplified the genome region of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcriptional response element that regulated Hc using genome walking library approach. We found a lack of Hc expression in all examined species during hypoxia conditions, despite recognition of the HIF gene region as a possible regulatory factor of Hc, suggesting that compensatory responses as metabolic changes or behavioral tracheal movements to enhance respiratory efficiency could be possible mechanics to compensate for hypoxia. A short Hc-like novel isoform was detected instead in these 23 species, possibly due to either protein degradation or alternative splicing mechanisms, suggesting that the protein could be performing a different function other than oxygen transportation. Hx during hypoxia was expressed and exhibited species-level amino acid changes, highlighting a possible role during hypoxia. Our results demonstrate that hypoxia could enable a similar potential adaptive response of multiple species regarding specific physiological requirements, thereby shedding light on community behavior in stress environments that may help us to improve conservation practices and biomonitoring., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

A number of studies have shown that glycosylation of proteins plays diverse functions in the lives of organisms, has crucial biological and physiological roles in pathogen-host interactions, and is involved in a large number of biological events in the immune system, and in virus and bacteria recognition. The large amount of scientific interest in glycoproteins of molluscan hemocyanins is due not only to their complex quaternary structures, but also to the great diversity of their oligosaccharide structures with a high carbohydrate content (2-9%). This great variety is due to their specific monosaccharide composition and different side chain composition. The determination of glycans and glycopeptides was performed with the most commonly used methods for the analysis of biomolecules, including peptides and proteins, including Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF-TOF), Liquid Chromatography - Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS), Liquid Chromatography (LC-Q-trap-MS/MS) or Nano- Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (nano-ESI-MS) and others. The molluscan hemocyanins have complex carbohydrate structures with predominant N -linked glycans. Of interest are identified structures with methylated hexoses and xyloses arranged at different positions in the carbohydrate moieties of molluscan hemocyanins. Novel acidic glycan structures with specific glycosylation positions, e.g., hemocyanins that enable a deeper insight into the glycosylation process, were observed in Rapana venosa , Helix lucorum , and Haliotis tuberculata . Recent studies demonstrate that glycosylation plays a crucial physiological role in the immunostimulatory and therapeutic effect of glycoproteins. The remarkable diversity of hemocyanin glycan content is an important feature of their immune function and provides a new concept in the antibody-antigen interaction through clustered carbohydrate epitopes.

Two water-soluble red color-related proteins with the molecular masses of 24 and 73 kDa were purified from the shell of Procambarus clarkii. Initial color changes of these two proteins were detected at 30 °C and the large amount of red precipitate were obtained at 80 °C. PAGE analysis showed that the 24 kDa protein was the monomer, while the 73 kDa protein was the trimer. Identification revealed that these two proteins belonged to the hemocyanin subunit 2 family. With respect to the amino acid sequence similarity, the red color-related proteins shared the highest sequence identity with the hemocyanin derived from giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). The phylogenetic tree analysis also clearly supported this finding. The shell-derived red color-related proteins show potential use as the edible thermal-sensitive indicator in food processing field., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The ongoing research on biomaterials that support bone regeneration led to the quest for materials or material modifications that can actively influence the activity or balance of bone tissue cells. The bone biocompatibility of porous chitosan scaffolds was modified in the present study by the addition of calcium phosphates or hemocyanin. The first strategy comprised the incorporation of calcium phosphates into chitosan to create a biomimetic chitosan-mineral phase composite. The second strategy comprised dip-coating of chitosan scaffolds with hemocyanin extracted from crayfish hemolymph. The cytocompatibility was assessed in a mono-culture of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) and their differentiation to osteoblasts; in a mono-culture of human monocytes (hMs) and their maturation to osteoclasts; and in a co-culture of hBMSC/osteoblasts-hM/osteoclasts. Mineral incorporation caused an increase in scaffold bioactivity, as shown by reduced calcium concentration in the cell culture medium, delayed differentiation of hBMSCs, and reduced osteoclastic maturation of hMs in mono-culture. Dip-coating with hemocyanin led to increased proliferation of hBMSCs and equivalent osteoclast maturation in mono-culture, while in co-culture, both an inhibitory effect of mineral incorporation on osteoblastogenesis and stimulatory effects of hemocyanin were observed. It was concluded that highly bioactive scaffolds (containing mineral phases) restrain osteoblast and osteoclast development, while hemocyanin coating significantly supports osteoblastogenesis. These influences on the osteoblasts/osteoclasts activity ratio may support scaffold-driven bone healing in the future.

Lectins are proteins that bind to the carbohydrate moieties on surface of bacteria, erythrocytes and other cells of invertebrates causing agglutination and mediate in recognition of foreign substances. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a lectin molecule present in the hemolymph of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, an important cultured freshwater prawn. Lectin in serum samples of adult prawns was assessed through hemagglutination (HA) test using rabbit RBC that showed a titre ranging from 16 to 64. This serum hemagglutinin was confirmed as a C-type lectin based on its dependency on calcium ions towards binding to rabbit RBCs. The hemagglutinin was also found to be stable at the pH range of 5.0-10.0 and temperature range of 10-40 °C. Of various sugars and glycoproteins tested in hemagglutination inhibition assay, the serum lectin was found specific only to N-acetylneuraminic acid and fetuin with respective minimum inhibitory concentrations at 50 mM and 0.31 mg/ml. Further, the lectin was purified by affinity chromatography on rabbit erythrocyte stroma, which showed hemagglutination with rabbit RBC. In electrophoretic analyses, the purified lectin showed one band with molecular weight of ~ 427 kDa in native gradient PAGE, and its two constituent polypeptide chains of ~ 81 and ~ 73 kDa in SDS-PAGE. These polypeptides were analysed in MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry and identified as hemocyanins. It was hence, concluded that hemocyanin in M. rosenbergii possesses lectin-like activity.

Hemocyanin (Hc) and phenoloxidase (PO) are members of the type 3 copper protein family. Although arthropod Hc and PO exhibit similar three-dimensional structures of the copper-containing active site, Hc functions as an oxygen transport protein, showing minimal or no phenoloxidase activity. Here, we present the crystal structure of the oxy form of Hc from Panulirus japonicus (PjHc) at 1.58 Å resolution. The structure of the di-copper active site of PjHc was found to be almost identical to that of PO. Although conserved amino acids and the water molecule crucial for the enzymatic activity were observed in PjHc at almost the same positions as those in PO, PjHc showed no enzymatic activity under our experimental conditions. One striking difference between PjHc and arthropod PO was the presence of a "blocker residue" near the binuclear copper site of PjHc. This blocker residue comprised a phenylalanine residue tightly stacked with an imidazole ring of a CuA coordinated histidine and hindered substrates from accessing the active site. Our results suggest that the blocker residue is also a determining factor of the catalytic activity of type 3 copper proteins., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The well-known red color change plays a significant role in consumer acceptability of crustacean species. In this study, we described the purification of the red color-related protein named MjRCP75 from the shell of Marsupenaeus japonicus. It was a homogeneous monomer with molecular mass of 75 kDa and rich in α-helix conformation. The α-helix content decreased within the increasing of heating temperature and was transformed dominantly to β types. Identification and structural analysis revealed that MjRCP75 belonged to hemocyanin family. The released pigment from heated MjRCP75 showed a λmax at 483 nm in acetone. MjRCP75 showed clearly antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. These findings identify MjRCP75 as the red color-related protein in M. japonicus shell and reveal its involvement in antibacterial activities., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the infection rate of Bordetella pertussis at a 60-year high, there is an urgent need for new anti-pertussis vaccines. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of B. pertussis is an attractive antigen for vaccine development. With the presence of multiple rare sugars and unusual glycosyl linkages, the B. pertussis LPS is a highly challenging synthetic target. In this work, aided by molecular dynamics simulation and modeling, a pertussis-LPS-like pentasaccharide was chemically synthesized for the first time. The pentasaccharide was conjugated with a powerful carrier, bacteriophage Qβ, as a vaccine candidate. Immunization of mice with the conjugate induced robust anti-glycan IgG responses with IgG titers reaching several million enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) units. The antibodies generated were long lasting and boostable and could recognize multiple clinical strains of B. pertussis, highlighting the potential of Qβ-glycan as a new anti-pertussis vaccine., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a degenerative condition with limited diagnostic detection efficiency. Currently with no available cure, COPD is associated with irreversible elastic tissue degradation in lungs, which results in release of unusual amino acids, isodesmosine and desmosine. These biomarkers are potential key elements in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), an analytical method, which can detect certain compounds including antigens and proteins in easy and affordable manner. In order to target a biomarker with ELISA, it is necessary to prepare its specific antibody, which can be achieved by immunization of host organism with appropriate antigen containing the biomarker. Although preparation of these types of conjugates has been published, desmosine and isodesmosine used by researchers are obtained from natural sources such as animal tissues. Here, we report the first synthetic preparation of isodesmosine and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugate from commercially available chiral amino acids and carrier protein. Formation of the core pyridinium of isodesmosine was achieved through key reaction-Chichibabin pyridinium synthesis-to deliver a 1,2,3,5-tetrasubstituted pyridinium amino acid selectively. Further modifications involving KLH and maleimide linker provided the target conjugate, which could potentially invoke an immune response to produce anti-isodesmosine antibody for the ELISA system., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Haemocyanins (Hcs) are copper-containing, respiratory proteins that occur in the haemolymph of many arthropod species. Here, we report the presence of Hcs in the chilopode Myriapoda, demonstrating that these proteins are more widespread among the Arthropoda than previously thought. The analysis of transcriptome of S. subspinipes subpinipes reveals the presence of two distinct subunits of Hc, where the signal peptide is present, and six of prophenoloxidase (PPO), where the signal peptide is absent, in the 75 kDa range. Size exclusion chromatography profiles indicate different quaternary organization for Hc of both species, which was corroborated by TEM analysis: S. viridicornis Hc is a 6 × 6-mer and S. subspinipes Hc is a 3 × 6-mer, which resembles the half-structure of the 6 × 6-mer but also includes the presence of phenoloxidases, since the 1 × 6-mer quaternary organization is commonly associated with hexamers of PPO. Studies with Chelicerata showed that PPO activity are exclusively associated with the Hcs. This study indicates that Scolopendra may have different proteins playing oxygen transport (Hc) and PO function, both following the hexameric oligomerization observed in Hcs.

Crustacean chitin-hemocyanin-calcium mineral complexes were designed as bone biomimetics, with emphasis on their ability to bind or release calcium ions. Chitin scaffolds were prepared by dissolving chitin flakes in LiCl/dimethylacetamide, followed by gel formation and freeze-drying. Some of these scaffolds were modified by incorporation of CaCO 3 . In some of the chitin-CaCO 3 scaffolds, macroporosity was introduced by HCl treatment. Hemocyanin from the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus was used to further modify the chitin scaffolds by dip coating. Cytocompatibility, cellular adherence and proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were evaluated in terms of cell number as reflected in lactate dehydrogenase activity. The chitin, chitin-CaCO 3 , and porous chitin-CaCO 3 scaffolds were all found to facilitate cell attachment. Hemocyanin dip-coating of these scaffolds led to increased initial cell adhesion, enhanced proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. Since the hemocyanin loading of the scaffolds was impaired by sterilization by gamma-irradiation (as required for biomedical applications), the hemocyanin loading was performed on previously sterilized scaffolds. All scaffolds facilitated osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts, with the highest cell ALP-activity being found on hemocyanin-modified porous chitin-CaCO 3 scaffolds. Thus, chitin-hemocyanin scaffolds enhanced the initial stages of bone cell development and could serve as promising biomaterials for bone regeneration., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We report the first preparation of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that can immobilize a palladium (Pd)-complex. The allylic amination reaction using a supramolecular catalyst consisting of the Pd-complex and mAb selectively gives the (R)-enantiomer product with an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 98 ± 2%. This is in sharp contrast to the reaction catalyzed by a conventional Pd-catalyst (ee < 2%).

Structural knowledge of gastropod hemocyanins is scarce. To better understand their evolution and diversity we studied the hemocyanin of a caenogastropod, Pomacea canaliculata (PcH). Through a proteomic and genomic approach, we identified 4 PcH subunit isoforms, in contrast with other gastropods that usually have 2 or 3. Each isoform has the typical Keyhole limpet-type hemocyanin architecture, comprising a string of eight globular functional units (FUs). Correspondingly, genes are organized in eight FUs coding regions. All FUs in the 4 genes are encoded by more than one exon, a feature not found in non- caenogastropods. Transmission electron microscopy images of PcH showed a cylindrical structure organized in di, tri and tetra-decamers with an internal collar structure, being the di and tri-decameric cylinders the most abundant ones. PcH is N-glycosylated with high mannose and hybrid-type structures, and complex-type N-linked glycans, with absence of sialic acid. Terminal β-N-GlcNAc residues and nonreducing terminal α-GalNAc are also present. The molecule lacks O-linked glycosylation but presents the T-antigen (Gal-β1,3-GalNAc). Using an anti-PcH polyclonal antibody, no cross-immunoreactivity was observed against other gastropod hemocyanins, highlighting the presence of clade-specific structural differences among gastropod hemocyanins. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first gene structure study of a Caenogastropoda hemocyanin., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This is the first report on the modification of a hemocyanin from Helix lucorum (HlH), a large molluscan respiratory protein, with folic acid (FA). In a two-step synthetic reaction, we prepared samples of HlH conjugated with 20 and 50 FA residues denoted as FA-HlH-1 and FA-HlH-2, respectively. Comparison of the attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectra in the amide I band region showed a structural rearrangement in the HlH that is due to FA conjugation. The changes in the secondary structure were more noticeable for FA-HlH-2. The thermal stability of HlH was not significantly affected by the FA modification, which is consistent with the observed structural similarities with the native protein. Preliminary cytotoxicity assays showed that FA-HlH-1 and FA-HlH-2 stimulate fibroblast proliferation when applied in concentrations of 50 and 100 μg/well. A negligible reduction of fibroblast growth was observed only for FA-HlH-1 and FA-HlH-2, exposed to 200 μg/well for 48 h. We found that FA-HlH-2 exhibits a low to moderate cytotoxic effect on two breast cancer cell lines, which express folate receptors, a hormone-dependent (MCF-7) and a hormone-independent (MDA-MB-231). FA-HlH-2 protects nontransformed cells and affects only neoplastic cells, which could be an advantage, and the protein could have potential in combination with other chemotherapeutics.

There are three broad groups of oxygen-transport proteins found in the haemolymph (blood) of invertebrates, namely the hemocyanins, the hemerythrins and the globins. Both hemerythrins and extracellular globins are iron-based proteins that are understudied when compared to the copper-containing hemocyanins. Recent evidence suggests that hemerythrins and (giant) extracellular globins (and their linker chains) are more widely distributed than previously thought and may have biological functions beyond oxygen transport and storage. Herein, we review contemporary literature of these often-neglected proteins with respect to their structural configurations on formation and ancestral states.

Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Peptide-based PCSK9 vaccines have shown a promising prospect of reducing LDL-C. In peptide vaccine (pVax) design, the peptide antigens need to conjugate with carrier protein (CP). However, CP incorporation can induce undesirable anti-CP antibodies, which sterically mask peptide epitopes from being recognized by specific B cells and impair subsequent therapeutically antibody production. This epitopic suppression has posed a barrier in clinical translation of conjugate vaccines all along. A model CP (keyhole limpet hemocyanin, KLH) is herein camouflaged with serum albumin (SA) into hybrid nanocarriers (SA@N), with PCSK9 peptide being anchored onto the surface to form nanovaccine (SA@NVax). Such camouflage of KLH via high "self" SA coverage is able to inhibit KLH from extracellular immune recognition and prevent detectable anti-KLH antibody production. Furthermore, the nanovaccine around 70 nm stabilized by intermolecular disulfide network is ideal for internalization and biodegradation by antigen presenting cells as well as better retention in draining lymph nodes and spleen. As expected, the SA@NVax efficiently primes higher anti-PCSK9 IgG antibody titer than PCSK9 pVax., (© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Instead of the red blood of vertebrates, most molluscs have blue hemolymph containing hemocyanin, a type-3 copper-containing protein. The hemoglobin of vertebrate blood is replaced in most molluscs with hemocyanin, which plays the role of an  oxygen transporter. Oxygen-binding in hemocyanin changes its hue from colorless deoxygenated hemocyanin into blue oxygenated hemocyanin. Molecules of molluscan hemocyanin are huge, cylindrical multimeric proteins-one of the largest protein molecules in the natural world. Their huge molecular weight (from 3.3 MDa to more than 10 MDa) are the defining characteristic of molluscan hemocyanin, a property that has complicated structural analysis of the molecules for a long time. Recently, the structural analysis of a cephalopod (squid) hemocyanin has succeeded using a hybrid method employing both X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. In a biochemical breakthrough for molluscan hemocyanin, the first quaternary structure with atomic resolution is on the verge of solving the mystery of molluscan hemocyanin. Here we describe the latest information about the molecular structure, classification and evolution of the molecule, and the physiology of molluscan hemocyanin.

Hemocyanins are widely used as carriers, adjuvants, and nonspecific immunostimulants in cancer because they promote Th1 immunity in mammals. Hemocyanins also interact with glycan-recognizing innate immune receptors on antigen-presenting cells, such as the C-type lectin immune receptors mannose receptor (MR), macrophage galactose lectin (MGL), and the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), stimulating proinflammatory cytokine secretion. However, the role of N -linked oligosaccharides on the structural and immunological properties of hemocyanin is unclear. Mollusk hemocyanins, such as Concholepas concholepas (CCH), Fissurella latimarginata (FLH), and Megathura crenulata (KLH), are oligomeric glycoproteins with complex dodecameric quaternary structures and heterogeneous glycosylation patterns, primarily consisting of mannose-rich N -glycans. Here, we report that enzyme-catalyzed N -deglycosylation of CCH, FLH, and KLH disrupts their quaternary structure and impairs their immunogenic effects. Biochemical analyses revealed that the deglycosylation does not change hemocyanin secondary structure but alters their refolding mechanism and dodecameric structure. Immunochemical analyses indicated decreased binding of N -deglycosylated hemocyanins to the MR and MGL receptors and TLR4 and reduced endocytosis concomitant with an impaired production of tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukins 6 and 12 (IL-6 and IL-12p40, respectively) in macrophages. Evaluating the function of N -deglycosylated hemocyanins in the humoral immune response and their nonspecific antitumor effects in the B16F10 melanoma model, we found that compared with native hemocyanins N -deglycosylated hemocyanins elicited reduced antibody titers, as well as partially diminished antitumor effects and altered carrier activities. In conclusion, the glycan content of hemocyanins is, among other structural characteristics, critically required for their immunological activities and should be considered in biomedical applications., (© 2019 Salazar et al.)

Lipids are susceptible to damage by reactive oxygen species, and from lipid oxidation reactions many short chain lipid peroxidation products can be formed. 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is one of the most abundant and cytotoxic lipid oxidation products and is known to form covalent adducts with nucleophilic amino acids of proteins. HNE-modified proteins have value as biomarkers and can be detected by antibody-based techniques, but most commercially available antibodies were raised against HNE-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. We used HNE-treated human serum albumin (HSA) to raise sheep antiserum and report for the first time the use of covalently modified peptide arrays to assess epitope binding of antibodies (Abs). Peptide arrays covering the sequence of HSA and treated post peptide synthesis with HNE were used to compare the different binding patterns of a commercial polyclonal antibody (pAb) raised against HNE-treated KLH and an in-house anti-HNE enriched pAb. The results were correlated with analysis of HNE-modified HSA by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Both anti-HNE pAbs were found to bind strongly to eight common peptides on the HNE-treated HSA membranes, suggesting that HNE adducts per se induced an immune response in both cases even though different immunogens were used. Both antibodies bound with the highest affinity to the peptide 365 DPHECYAKVFDEFKPLV 381 , which contains K378 and was also shown to be modified by the mass spectrometry analysis. Overall, the commercial anti-HNE pAb showed better specificity, recognizing nine out of the eleven adducts found by MS/MS, while the in-house enriched pAb only recognizes six. Nevertheless, the in-house pAb recognized specific peptides that were not recognized by the commercial pAb, which suggests the presence of clones uniquely specific to HNE adducts on HSA., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing acute and chronic respiratory infections associated with morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis. Vaccination against P. aeruginosa before colonization may be a solution against these infections and improve the quality of life of at-risk patients. To develop a vaccine against P. aeruginosa , we formulated a novel peptide-based P. aeruginosa subunit vaccine based on the extracellular regions of one of its major siderophore receptors, FpvA. We evaluated the effectiveness and immunogenicity of the FpvA peptides conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) with the adjuvant curdlan in a murine vaccination and challenge model. Immunization with the FpvA-KLH vaccine decreased the bacterial burden and lung edema after P. aeruginosa challenge. Vaccination with FpvA-KLH lead to antigen-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in sera, and IgA antibodies in lung supernatant. FpvA-KLH immunized mice had an increase in recruitment of CD11b + dendritic cells as well as resident memory CD4 + T cells in the lungs compared to non-vaccinated challenged mice. Splenocytes isolated from vaccinated animals showed that the FpvA-KLH vaccine with the adjuvant curdlan induces antigen-specific IL-17 production and leads to a Th17 type of immune response. These results indicate that the intranasal FpvA-KLH conjugate vaccine can elicit both mucosal and systemic immune responses. These observations suggest that the intranasal peptide-based FpvA-KLH conjugate vaccine with curdlan is a potential vaccine candidate against P. aeruginosa pneumonia., (Copyright © 2019 Sen-Kilic, Blackwood, Boehm, Witt, Malkowski, Bevere, Wong, Hall, Bradford, Varney, Damron and Barbier.)

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using haemocyanin (Hc-ZnONPs) purified from haemolymph of Penaeus semisulcatus were characterized using various techniques. HR-TEM and SEM microscopy indicated Hc-ZnONPs had a typical size of 20-50 nm and were spherical. The objective of current investigation was to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of Hc-ZnONPs on the development and activity of digestive and metabolic enzymes, as well as the antioxidant levels in P. semisulcatus. Trial basal diets were supplemented with Hc-ZnONPs at rates of 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg kg -1 (dry feed weight) and were fed to P. semisulcatus for 30 d. For 60 mg kg -1 Hc-ZnONPs-supplemented feed, significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced endurance, development, and activity of the digestive enzyme were observed. The enzymatic antioxidants and metabolic enzymes activities in the muscle exhibited no significant changes when 10-60 mg kg -1 Hc-ZnONPs-supplemented feed was fed to P. semisulcatus. Conversely, feeding the P. semisulcatus with 80 mg kg -1 Hc-ZnONPs produced a harmful outcome, with significant increase in the enzymatic antioxidants and metabolic enzymes. Consequently, 80 mg kg -1 Hc-ZnONPs was identified as lethal to P. semisulcatus. Hence, it is proposed that the diet of P. semisulcatus can be supplemented with up to 60 mg kg -1 Hc-ZnONPs for improving the endurance, development and immunity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To produce the antiserum against a small peptide, the target peptide-keyhole limpet hemocyanine (KLH) conjugate is generally used as an antigen, although the disulfide-rich peptide-KLH conjugate is still difficult to prepare. In our previous study, we have developed a preparation method of the disulfide-rich peptide-KLH conjugate, and this method was applied to produce the antiserum against a relaxin-like peptide. However, this method is limited to the synthetic peptide antigen, and is not applicable to a native or a recombinant peptide. In this study, to expand the applicability of this method to wide variety of peptides, we newly designed a novel thiol probe enabling the conjugation between various peptides and KLH, and applied it to produce the antiserum against relaxin-like peptide of a starfish Asterias amurensis . The antiserum obtained here showed high antibody-titer and good specificity, strongly suggesting that the method developed in this study is applicable to various peptides.

To produce specific antibodies for the detection and quantification of copper ions, bifunctional chelators (BFCs) are commonly applied in the preparation of copper conjugates. However, some copper-chelator complexes exhibit limited stability under in vivo conditions. In this study, Cu 2+ was coupled with carrier proteins via three different macrocyclic BFCs: p-SCN-Bn-DOTA, p-SCN-Bn-NOTA, and p-SCN-Bn-TETA. The stability in plasma and the immunogenicity of three copper immunoconjugates were compared. The chelators other than p-SCN-Bn-DOTA were very stable in plasma, with <9% dissociation of Cu 2+ over 96 h. The immune response varied depending on the choice of chelator; notably, antisera from the Cu 2+ -NOTA-KLH conjugate demonstrated the best reactivity toward chelated Cu 2+ . p-SCN-Bn-NOTA, which showed significant advantages over the other chelators, was used for antibody production. The efficiency of immune-positive hybridoma production was satisfactory, and the resultant monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) 4B7 showed sensitivity (half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of 8.9 ng/mL) to chelated Cu 2+ , with a working range from 1.21 to 48.9 ng/mL. The recovery of Cu 2+ from water samples was 85.7-108%, and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 4.0-10.1% and 7.1-11.4%, respectively. Compared with previously reported McAb specific to Cu 2+ , DF4, the sensitivity of the newly developed assay was improved 100-fold. The results of this study indicate the utility of NOTA for the efficient generation of highly sensitive McAbs against Cu 2+ ., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hemocyanins are respiratory dioxygen carrier proteins found in many arthropods including ancient terrestrial species such as spiders and scorpions as well as marine horseshoe crabs. As hemocyanins are highly conserved in this lineage, it is possible to observe an evolutionary descent through its subunits and their overall structure. Unfortunately, little is known about the structure and function of hexapod hemocyanins. Using recent springtail taxa (Collembola) as models for basal hexapods, and the help of electron microscopy, light scattering, SDS PAGE, and Western blot, we could demonstrate for the first time the presence of 2 × 6-meric hemocyanins in the hemolymph of hexapods. The quaternary structure is composed of at least two different subunits and looks nearly identical to the hemocyanin found in decapod crustaceans. In addition, homology modeling and western blotting suggest a close structural relationship between collembolan and crustacean hemocyanin. Such a respiratory protein was possibly helpful in the early terrestrialization process of ancient Collembola. In addition, physiological adaptations to hypoxic or temporarily anoxic conditions could be a possible explanation for the presence of this respiratory protein. Nevertheless, it has to be concluded that the primary benefit of hemocyanin for springtails remains unclear.

The use of camptothecin and its analogues has increased in clinical settings and in agriculture. Therefore, camptothecins and their derivatives, metabolites and degradation products are frequently found in the environment. Therefore, it is important to develop an ELISA for the quantification of camptothecins in human plasma, plants, animal tissues and other matrices. The present study developed a novel competitive indirect ELISA for camptothecin using a monoclonal antibody (MAb). In total, two haptens and various carrier proteins were tested to select the most suitable immunogen for the production of MAbs against camptothecin. Hapten 1 conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin was selected for the preparation of MAb 5A3, and was used to establish a competitive indirect ELISA for camptothecin. A total of three derivatives of camptothecin used in clinical practice were examined. Topotecan showed an IC50 value of 0.68 µg/ml with a detection limit of 0.19 µg/ml, belotecan showed an IC50 value of 0.87 µg/ml with a detection limit of 0.22 µg/ml and irinotecan showed an IC50 value of 2.85 µg/ml with a detection limit of 0.47 µg/ml. The cross‑reactivity results suggested that the assay developed in the present study possessed a high sensitivity to camptothecin. Therefore, this immunoassay technique may be suitable for monitoring the levels of camptothecin in compound analysis, clinical applications, and analyses of food and environmental samples.

Recently, biogenic nanoparticles have been considered promising candidates for manufacturing antibacterial nanodrugs. Here, we synthesized AgNPs using the crab-borne antibacterial agent hemocyanin and assessed the antibacterial action against several pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the crustacean immune protein hemocyanin (Pp-Hc, 78 kDa) purified from Portunus pelagicus hemolymph was used to fabricate silver nanoparticles. Characterization of hemocyanin-fabricated AgNPs (Pp-Hc AgNPs) were achieved using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The antibacterial efficacy of AgNO 3, Pp-Hc and Pp-Hc AgNPs was compared by growth inhibition, antibiofilm and live and dead analyses. Based on the results, Pp-Hc AgNPs was more efficient than Pp-Hc and AgNO 3 against pathogenic bacteria. Mechanistic analysis revealed membrane damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, suggesting that Pp-Hc and Pp-Hc AgNPs rely to similar modes of action. Intracellular protein molecules and nucleic acid leakage confirmed that Pp-Hc AgNPs increase membrane permeability, leading to cell death. Based on our results, capping of the exterior surface of nanoparticles with antimicrobial crab-borne peptides, such as Pp-Hc, improves their functions as potential agents against bacterial diseases, which may be useful in clinical applications., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Encapsulation of guest molecules into the vacant space of biomacromolecular crystals has been utilized for various purposes including functioning as a protein container to protect against physical stress and structural determination of the guest. Todarodes pacificus hemocyanin (TpHc) is a hollow cylindrical decameric protein complex with an inner space 110 Å in diameter and 160 Å in height. In the crystal, TpHc forms a straw-like bundle and contains one reactive Cys (Cys3246) in the inner domain of each protomer. Here, we conjugated biotin onto Cys3246 of TpHc followed by incubation with streptavidin. The streptavidin was immobilized into the inner space of TpHc due to its interaction with biotin. Moreover, the complex containing TpHc and streptavidin was crystallized under the same conditions used for unmodified TpHc. In order to expand this methodology for a variety of proteins, we conjugated the ligand nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) chelated to a Ni 2+ ion (Ni 2+ -NTA) to TpHc. We found that His-tagged green fluorescent protein (GFP) was encapsulated into the Ni 2+ -NTA-conjugated TpHc via the interaction between the His-tag and the Ni 2+ -NTA group. X-ray crystallography demonstrated that the crystal packing of the complex containing TpHc and GFP was identical to that of the unmodified TpHc. Our guest immobilization method is distinct from previous approaches that are dependent on diffusion of the guest into the host crystal. Thus, our findings may accelerate the development of proteinaceous crystal engineering., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Various aspects of biomedical applications of molluscan hemocyanins, associated with their immunogenic properties and antitumor activity, promoted us to perform structural studies on these glycoproteins. The stability and reassociation behavior of native Cornu aspersum hemocyanin (CaH) are studied in the presence of different concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions and pH values using electron microscopy. Higher concentrations of those ions led to a more rapid reassociation of CaH, resulting in stable multidecamers with different lengths. The conformational changes of native CaH are investigated within a wide pH-temperature range by UV circular dichroism. The relatively small changes of initial [θ]λ indicated that many secondary structural elements are preserved, even at high temperatures above 80°C, especially at neutral pH. The mechanism of thermal unfolding of CaH has a complicated character, and the process is irreversible. The conformational stability of the native didecameric aggregates of CaH toward various denaturants indicates that hydrophilic and polar forces stabilize the quaternary structure. For the first time, the unfolding of native CaH in water solutions in the presence of four different denaturants is investigated. The free energy of stabilization in water, ∆GDH2O, was calculated in the range of 15.48-16.95 kJ mol-1. The presented results will facilitate the further investigation of the properties and potential applications of CaH.

The respiratory glycoprotein hemocyanin has been implicated in immune-related functions. Using lectin blotting, we show that the binding of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) hemocyanin to concanavalin A decreases markedly with O-glycosidase treatment but not with PNGase F. Twelve O-glycosylation sites, three on the large hemocyanin subunit and nine on the small hemocyanin subunit (HMCs), were identified by LC-MS/MS. Importantly, when the glycosylation sites at Thr-537, Ser-539, and Thr-542 on the C terminus of HMCs were replaced with alanine, the resultant mutant hemocyanin had reduced carbohydrate content, coupled with a fourfold reduction in bacterial agglutination and 0.2-fold reduction in antibacterial activities toward Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Staphylococcus aureus. These results suggest that the glycosylation sites on shrimp hemocyanin are closely related to its immunological functions., (© 2019 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

Background: A novel red color-related pigment-binding protein named LvPBP75 isolated from the shell of Litopenaeus vannamei has recently been identified as hemocyanin. However, information on the functional and structural properties of LvPBP75 is insufficient. This study aimed to elucidate the thermal properties and pigment-binding ability of LvPBP75., Results: LvPBP75 showed significant red color change after heat treatment with high concentrations of NaCl (>0.1 mol L -1 ), acidic (<5) or alkaline (>9) pH values and alcohols. LvPBP75 mRNA expression analysis revealed that expression level was highest in hepatopancreas and weakest in muscle. Reconstruction and structural analysis revealed that astaxanthin could bind to hemocyanin derived from the shell of L. vannamei but not to hemocyanins derived from the hepatopancreas or hemolymph of other invertebrates. Three-dimensional models of hemocyanin monomer displayed significant structural differences between native LvPBP75 and hemocyanin derived from shrimp hepatopancreas., Conclusion: The results suggest a novel function of hemocyanin as binding with pigment and its involvement in L. vannamei shell color change. The pigment-binding ability of hemocyanins has species and tissue specificity, and their unique structural features play an important role in binding ability. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Encapsulation of guest molecules into the hollow spaces of crystals has been applied for a variety of purposes such as structure determination, separation, and catalysis of the guest. Although host-guest studies have been developed mainly in crystals of small molecules, those of biomacromolecules have recently been applied. In those reports, a huge hollow space in the protein crystal is commonly used for encapsulation of the guest. Our previous study revealed that cylindrical hemocyanins stack inside the crystal as a linear hollow structure. The diameter of the linear hollow is approximately 110 Å, which is large enough for most proteins to pass through. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of hemocyanin crystals as a host to encapsulate biomacromolecules. Confocal microscopy revealed that hemocyanin crystals encapsulate proteins of molecular mass up to 250 kDa, i.e., 27 kDa green fluorescence protein, 105 kDa allophycocyanin, 220 kDa C-phycocyanin, and 250 kDa phycoerythrin, and DNAs up to 200-bp long, whereas 440 kDa ferritin not. Further analysis revealed that hemocyanin crystals prefer a negatively charged guest rather than a positive charge to encapsulate. Moreover, a photobleaching experiment showed that the guest does not move once entrapped. This knowledge of the host-guest study using the hollow hemocyanin crystal should be of significance for further application of hollow proteinaceous crystals as a host., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Mollusk hemocyanins have been used for decades in immunological and clinical applications as natural, nontoxic, nonpathogenic, and nonspecific immunostimulants for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer, as carriers/adjuvants of tumor-associated antigens in cancer vaccine development and as adjuvants to dendritic cell-based immunotherapy, because these glycoproteins induce a bias towards Th1 immunity. Here, we analyzed the preclinical therapeutic potential of the traditional keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and two new hemocyanins from Concholepas concholepas (CCH) and Fissurella latimarginata (FLH) in mouse models of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Due to the aggressiveness and deadly malignant potential of this cancer, the hemocyanins were applied in combination with adjuvants, such as alum, AddaVax, and QS-21, which have been shown to be safe and effective in human vaccines, to potentiate their antitumor activity. The immunogenic performance of the hemocyanins in combination with the adjuvants was compared, and the best formulation was evaluated for its antitumor effects in two murine models of oral cancer: MOC7 cells implanted in the flank (heterotopic) and bioluminescent AT-84 E7 Luc cells implanted in the floor of the mouth (orthotopic). The results demonstrated that the hemocyanins in combination with QS-21 showed the greatest immunogenicity, as reflected by a robust, specific humoral response predominantly characterized by IgG2a antibodies and a sustained cellular response manifesting as a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The KLH- and FLH-QS-21 formulations showed reduced tumor development and greater overall survival. Hemocyanins, as opposed to QS-21, had no cytotoxic effect on either oral cancer cell line cultured in vitro , supporting the idea that the antitumor effects of hemocyanins are associated with their modulation of the immune response. Therefore, hemocyanin utilization would allow a lower QS-21 dosage to achieve therapeutic results. Overall, our study opens a new door to further investigation of the use of hemocyanins plus adjuvants for the development of immunotherapies against oral carcinoma.

Background and Objectives: Hemocyanin Subunit IIIA is believed to possess antimicrobial properties, but its efficacy against microbial pathogens is still unclarified. Thus, this study aimed to determine antimicrobial activities of hemocyanin subunit IIIA and to identify the best activator of this protein., Materials and Methods: The hemocyanin was partially purified using spin column affinity, its fraction was applied to Hi-Prep Sephacryl Exclusion 26/60 2-200 HR column, followed by Hi-Prep 26/10 Desalting Column on fast protein liquid chromatography. The purity of hemocyanin was validated by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight/Mass Spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity was performed by Disc Diffusion Test., Results: Purified hemocyanin subunit IIIA was identified to have a molecular weight of 72.9 kDa. SDS was found to be the best activator of hemocyanin, as indicated by elevated level of phenoloxidase. As for antimicrobial activity, hemocyanin was minimally inhibited by all bacteria strains tested (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae), with relatively lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) at 0.005 g mL-1, than recorded MIC for fungal test strains. Two fungal strains (Penicillium sp. and A. niger) show susceptible response to phenoloxidase using MgSO4 as inducer. Whereas, lysate-treated CaCl2 induced susceptibility only to A. niger., Conclusion: Hemocyanin shows better antimicrobial activity than phenoloxidase because of its broad-spectrum activity against bacterial and fungal strains tested. Hence, the hemocyanin may potentially become a new antimicrobial candidate to be discovered for a future use in treatment of resistant bacteria.

The undesirable immune response poses a life-threatening challenge to human health. It not only deteriorates the therapeutic performance of biologic drugs but also contributes to various diseases such as allergies and autoimmune diseases. Inspired by the role of chromatin in the maintenance of natural immune tolerance, here we report a DNA-protein polymeric nanocomplex that can mimic the tolerogenic function of chromatin and induce an immune tolerance to its protein cargos. We first proved that the chromatin-mimetic nanomedicine loaded with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), a highly immunogenic model protein, could elicit a durable antigen-specific immune tolerance to KLH lasting for at least five weeks in mice. Following the proof-of-concept study, we demonstrated that this nanomedicine could be applied to improve the safety and efficacy of a biologic drug, PEGylated uricase, by attenuating the relevant antibody (Ab) responses. Moreover, we also demonstrated that prophylactic treatments with this nanomedicine could tolerize the immune system with the allergen of ovalbumin (OVA) and thus inhibit the occurrence of airway inflammation in an OVA-induced allergic asthma murine model. Collectively, our work illustrates a nature-inspired concept of immune tolerance induction and establishes a useful tool to specifically suppress unwanted immune responses for therapeutic purposes.