We have reported that a 24 kDa protein (22U homologous; As22U) of Anisakis simplex larvae could elicit several Th2-related chemokine gene expressions in the intestinal epithelial cell line which means that As22U may play a role as an allergen. In order to determine the contribution of As22U to allergic reactions, we treated mice with 6 times intra-nasal application of recombinant As22U (rAs22U). In the group challenged with rAs22U and ovalbumin (OVA), the number of eosinophils in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly increased, as compared to the group receiving only OVA. In addition, mice treated with rAs22U and OVA showed significantly increased airway hyperresponsiveness. Thus, severe inflammation around the airway and immune cell recruitment was observed in mice treated with rAs22U plus OVA. The levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 cytokines in the BALF increased significantly after treatment with rAs22U and OVA. Similarly, the levels of anti-OVA specific IgE and IgG1 increased in mice treated with rAs22U and OVA, compared to those treated only with OVA. The Gro-alpha (CXCL1) gene expression in mouse lung epithelial cells increased instantly after treatment with rAs22U, and allergy-specific chemokines eotaxin (CCL11) and thymus-and-activation-regulated-chemokine (CCL17) gene expressions significantly increased at 6 hr after treatment. In conclusion, rAs22U may induce airway allergic inflammation, as the result of enhanced Th2 and Th17 responses.
Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Anisakiasis/*immunology/parasitology ; Anisakis/*immunology/metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Chemokines/metabolism ; Cytokines/analysis/*metabolism ; Eosinophils/metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation/*immunology ; Helminth Proteins/*immunology ; Hypersensitivity/*immunology/parasitology ; Immunoglobulin E/immunology ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Larva/immunology/metabolism ; Lung/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Th17 Cells/metabolism ; Th2 Cells/metabolism

In this study, we cloned the NS3 gene from bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) VEDEVAC strain. The result showed that the average P-distance of Pestivirus NS3 amino acid sequence was 0.07 and the VEDEVAC strain was classified to BVDV type 1. Using pET-30a(+) as vector and Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) as host, we obtained purified recombinant NS3 protein by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that both BVDV positive serum and classical swine fever virus (CSFV) positive serum were able to recognize the recombinant NS3 protein. Indirect-ELISA assay indicated that the protein could be used as detection antigen.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cloning, Molecular ; Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Peptide Hydrolases ; genetics ; immunology ; Phylogeny ; RNA Helicases ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Sequence Analysis, Protein ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

Proteins of the complement system are known to interact with many charged substances. We recently characterized binding of C1q and factor H to immobilized and liposomal anionic phospholipids. Factor H inhibited C1q binding to anionic phospholipids, suggesting a role for factor H in regulating activation of the complement classical pathway by anionic phospholipids. To extend this finding, we examined interactions of C1q and factor H with lipid A, a well-characterized activator of the classical pathway. We report that C1q and factor H both bind to immobilized lipid A, lipid A liposomes and intact Escherichia coli TG1. Factor H competes with C1q for binding to these targets. Furthermore, increasing the factor H: C1q molar ratio in serum diminished C4b fixation, indicating that factor H diminishes classical pathway activation. The recombinant forms of the Cterminal, globular heads of C1q A, B and C chains bound to lipid A and E. coli in a manner qualitatively similar to native C1q, confirming that C1q interacts with these targets via its globular head region. These observations reinforce our proposal that factor H has an additional complement regulatory role of down-regulating classical pathway activation in response to certain targets. This is distinct from its role as an alternative pathway down-regulator. We suggest that under physiological conditions, factor H may serve as a downregulator of bacterially-driven inflammatory responses, thereby fine-tuning and balancing the inflammatory response in infections with Gram-negative bacteria.
Binding, Competitive ; immunology ; Complement Activation ; immunology ; Complement C1q ; chemistry ; immunology ; metabolism ; Complement C4b ; analysis ; Complement Factor H ; chemistry ; immunology ; metabolism ; Complement Pathway, Classical ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; Isotope Labeling ; Lipid A ; immunology ; metabolism ; Liposomes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; immunology ; metabolism ; Substrate Specificity

OBJECTIVETo prepare highly specific chicken egg yolk IgY antibody against human papillomavirus 16 type L1 main capsid protein (HPV16L1) for detection of HPV16L1.

METHODSPurified HPV16L1 protein was used to immunize the hens, from which the eggs were collected since one week after the first immunization. The egg yolk was separated and the IgY antibody purified by PEG-6000 method. The bioactivity of the antibody was tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the HPV16L1 in the CHO cells transfected with the recombinant pcDNA-EGFP-HPV16L1 plasmid (containing EGFP-HPV16L1 fusion gene) for assessing the specific affinity of IgY to HPV16L1.

RESULTSAfter 3 immunizations of the hens, the titer of the purified IgY antibody against HPV16L1 from the egg yolk reached 1:10240. The IgY bound specifically to the EGFP-HPV16L1 protein expressed in the transfected CHO cells.

CONCLUSIONHigh titer IgY can be prepared by immunization of the hens with HPV16L1 protein, and the prepared IgY can be used for HPV16L1 detection at the cellular level.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Antibody Specificity ; immunology ; CHO Cells ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Chickens ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunization ; methods ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Transfection

In order to study the functions of the HSPs (Heat shock proteins) of Eimeria tenella, we cloned a novel gene (which designated EtHSP) coding HSP of Eimeria tenella by RT-PCR and RACE (Rapid-amplification of cDNA ends). The full-length cDNA sequence of EtHSP was 1802 bp, containing a 1455 bp ORF (Open reading frame) (GenBank Accession No. FJ911605) encoding a deduced protein of 484 amino acids. Real-time PCR revealed that the mRNA level of EtHSP was much higher in sporozoites of E. tenella than other developmental stages (unsporulated oocysts, sporulated oocysts and merozoites). We constructed the recombinant plasmids pET28a(+)-EtHSP, then transformed it into E. coli BL21(DE3) for expression. SDS-PAGE indicated that the fusion protein was expressed in included bodies, with peak expression 6 h after induction by IPTG Western blotting revealed that the protein was specifically recognized by polyclonal antibodies against E. tenella, showing that the fusion protein was native antigen.
Animals ; Chickens ; Eimeria tenella ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Inclusion Bodies ; metabolism ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Sequence Analysis, Protein

Yeast Elongation protein 3 (yElp3), the catalytic subunit of the multi-subunit histone acetyltransferase elongator complex, is involved in histone acetylation and transcription, exocytosis and tRNA modification. To study the complex function of yElp3 in yeast, we amplified the yElp3 gene fragment encoding 73aa in the N-terminal from plasmid pYES2-yElp3, and then cloned it into pMXB10 to construct the recombinant plasmid pMXB10-yElp3-219. We expressed the fusion protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3), then purified it by chin affinity column, and finally obtained the soluble purified protein (8.0 kD), which was used to immune the rabbits for acquiring antiserum. ELISA and Western blotting indicated that the polyclonal antibody was of high titration and specificity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay with this antibody suggested that yhElp3 exerted the transcriptional regulatory function directly through its presence on the SSA3 gene; this might be the reason that it can rescue the delay activation of SSA3 in elp3delta cells.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Antibodies ; analysis ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; Histone Acetyltransferases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo reconstruct the nucleotide sequence of Leptospira interrogans lipL21 gene for increasing the output of prokaryotic expression and to understand the changes on immunogenicity of the expression products before and after reconstruction, and to determine the position of envelope lipoprotein LipL21 on the surface of leptospiral body.

METHODSAccording to the preferred codons of E.coli, the nucleotide sequence of lipL21 gene was designed and synthesized, and then its prokaryotic expression system was constructed. By using SDS-PAGE plus BioRad agarose image analysor, the expression level changes of lipL21 genes before and after reconstruction were measured. A Western blot assay using rabbit anti-TR/Patoc I serum as the first antibody was performed to identify the immunoreactivity of the two target recombinant proteins rLipL21s before and after reconstruction. The changes of cross agglutination titers of antisera against two rLipL21s before and after reconstruction to the different leptospiral serogroups were demonstrated using microscope agglutination test (MAT). Immuno-electronmicroscopy was applied to confirm the location of LipL21s.

RESULTThe expression outputs of original and reconstructed lipL21 genes were 8.5 % and 46.5 % of the total bacterial proteins, respectively. Both the two rLipL21s could take place immune conjugation reaction with TR/Patoc I antiserum. After immunization with each of the two rLipL21s in rabbits, the animals could produce specific antibody. Similar MAT titers with 1:80 - 1:320 of the two antisera against rLipL21s were present. LipL21 was confirmed to locate on the surface of leptospiral envelope.

CONCLUSIONLipL21 is a superficial antigen of Leptospira interrogans. The expression output of the reconstructed lipL21 gene is remarkably increased. The expression rLipL21 maintains fine antigenicity and immunoreactivity and its antibody still shows an extensive cross immunoagglutination activity. The high expression of the reconstructed lipL21 gene will offer a favorable condition to use its product for further developing a novel universal vaccine as well as detection kit of leptospirosis.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Bacterial Vaccines ; immunology ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; Leptospira interrogans ; genetics ; immunology ; ultrastructure ; Lipoproteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the sexual virility of immature immature male mice were divided into a pre-ablactation group (n 10). The first two groups were immunized with the LHRH fusion proportion of pregnant female mice, the morphological and histological examined to conform the emasculating effect of the vaccine. When ted with testosterone (1.0 ml each) , the post-ablactation ones were rameters.

RESULTSThe sexual virility of the immature mice immunized in 3 -4 months.

CONCLUSIONThe LHRH fusion protein vaccine mice after ablactation, and the sexual virility can recover in the pre-ablactation decrease.

Animals ; Antibodies ; metabolism ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pregnancy ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; immunology ; Sexual Development ; immunology ; Sexual Maturation ; immunology ; Sperm Motility ; Testosterone ; analysis ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of human myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 (MR-1) gene in E. coli and obtain the MR-1 protein and its antibody for further investigation of its biological function.

METHODSExpression vectors pGEX-5X-1, pET30a (+), and pET24a (+), as well as host strain E. coli BL21 (DE3) and BL21-CodonPlus (DE3) -RIL were used for expression of MR-1. MR-1 N-terminal with GST or T7-tag or C-terminal with His-tag, separately, or N terminal with T7-tag and C terminal with His-tag, simultaneously, were fused in plasmids pGEX-5X-1, pET30a (+) , and pET24a (+). The expressed MR-1-T protein, separated and purified by preparative SDS-PAGE, was applied to immunize the rabbits. The titer of the antibody was assayed by ELISA and its immunogenicity was tested by Western blot with pcDNA3/MR-1 transfected human breast cancer cell MCF7.

RESULTSThe MR-1 protein was successfully expressed as inclusion body by fusing its N-terminal with T7-tag in E. coli BL21-CodonPlus (DE3) -RIL. MR-1 protein was purified by electro-elution from SDS-PAGE gel. Using this purified protein, polyclonal antibody in rabbit against MR-1 was essentially generated. ELISA and Western blot showed the titer of this antibody was about 1:10(5) with high immunogenicity.

CONCLUSIONSThe N-terminal fusion tag is the most important mechanism for MR-1 expression. The polyclonal antibody of the generated MR-1 protein in E. coli may be applied for its further biological function studies.

Animals ; Antibodies ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Immunization ; Muscle Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Plasmids ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Transfection

BACKGROUND: Insulin assays are affected by varying degrees of interference from anti-insulin antibodies (IAs) and by cross-reactivity with recombinant insulin analogues. We evaluated the usefulness of the E170 insulin assay by assessing IA effects and cross-reactivity with 2 analogues. METHODS: Sera were obtained from 59 type 2 diabetes patients receiving continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and 18 healthy controls. Insulin levels were determined using an E170 analyzer. To investigate the effects of IAs, we performed IA radioimmunoassays, and analyzed the differences between directly measured insulin (direct insulin) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-treated insulins (free, IA-unbound; total, IA-bound and unbound insulin). We performed in-vitro cross-reactivity tests with insulin aspart and insulin glulisine. RESULTS: In IA-positive patients, E170 free insulin levels measured using the E170 analyzer were significantly lower than the direct insulin levels. The mean value of the direct/free insulin ratio and IA-bound insulin, which were calculated as the difference between total and free insulin, increased significantly as endogenous IA levels increased. The E170 insulin assay showed low cross-reactivities with both analogues (< 0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: IAs interfered with E170 insulin assay, and the extent of interference correlated with the IA levels, which may be attributable to the increase in IA-bound insulin, and not to an error in the assay. The E170 insulin assay may measure only endogenous insulin since cross-reactivity is low. Our results suggest that the measurement of free insulin after PEG pre-treatment could be useful for beta cell function assessment in diabetic patients undergoing insulin therapy.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross Reactions ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood/immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Insulin/analogs & derivatives/*blood/chemistry/immunology ; Insulin Antibodies/*blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry ; Radioimmunoassay/instrumentation/*methods ; Recombinant Proteins/analysis/immunology/metabolism