This study was aimed to prepare the polyclonal antibody against the soluble proliferation-inducing ligand (sAPRIL) antigen and to investigate its effects in suppressing sAPRIL mediated lymphocyte proliferation. Mutated recombinant sAPRIL protein, which lacks biological activity but maintains immunogenicity, was used as antigen to immunize humanized SCID mice. Sera were obtained at 6 weeks after immunization. Indirect ELISA and Western blot were used to detect the antibody titer and specificity. The inhibition of polyclonal antibodies on Raji and Jurkat cell proliferation stimulated by sAPRIL was assessed by the MTT assay. The results showed that the mutant of sAPRIL could induce the production of polyclonal antibodies against human sAPRIL. Western blot and indirect ELISA analyses indicated that the anti-serum had higher specificity with a titer of 1:640. Functional analysis revealed that these polyclonal antibodies significantly inhibited the proliferation of Raji and Jurkat cell stimulated by sAPRIL (p < 0.05). It is concluded the polyclonal antibody against human sAPRIL is successfully prepared, which can inhibit the proliferation of Raji and Jurkat cells stimulated by sAPRIL in vitro.
Animals ; Antibodies ; genetics ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Antibody Specificity ; immunology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cloning, Molecular ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; analysis ; immunology ; Jurkat Cells ; Mice ; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 ; genetics ; immunology

Prior to fertilization sperm has to undergo an activation process known as capaciation, leading to the acrosome reaction. Till now, little is known about the mechanism for preventing premature capacitation in sperm although decapacitation factors from various sources have been thought to be involved. In this study, we report that NYD-SP27, an isoform of phospholipase C Zeta 1 (PLCZ1), is localized to the sperm acrosome in mouse and human spermatozoa by immunofluorescence using a specific antibody. Western blot and double staining analyses show NYD-SP27 becomes detached from sperm, as they undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction. The absence of HCO3-, a key factor in activating capacitation, from the capacitation-inducing medium prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm. The anti-NYD-SP27 antibody also prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm, reduced the number of capacitated sperm, inhibited the acrosome reaction induced by ATP and progesterone, and inhibited agonist-induced PLC-coupled Ca2+ mobilization in sperm, which can be mimicked by the PLC inhibitor, U73122. These data strongly suggest that NYD-SP27 is a physiological inhibitor of PLC that acts as an intrinsic decapacitation factor in sperm to prevent premature capacitation and acrosome reaction.
Acrosome ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Acrosome Reaction ; physiology ; Adult ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Middle Aged ; Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C ; immunology ; metabolism ; Sperm Capacitation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; metabolism

To study whether the antibody against the testis form of the nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein (tNASP) could result in reproductive failure, we successfully cloned and expressed a 339-bp cDNA fragment of mouse tNASP (mtNASP). Using mouse as a model, recombinant mtNASP (rmtNASP) and a synthetic peptide, human tNASP(393-408) (htNASP(393-408)), were investigated for their antifertility effect. Active immunization with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide raised high antibody titers in the immunized mice. Sperm-egg binding and fusion assay were carried out in 8-10-week-old BALB/c mice. Sperm-egg binding and in vitro fertilization of mouse oocytes were inhibited by co-incubation of zona-free mouse oocytes with capacitated mouse spermatozoa in the presence of varying concentrations of the antisera against rmtNASP. There was a significant antifertility effect in animals immunized with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide. The effect on fertility in the mice immunized with the synthesized peptide was reversible. Our data indicate that active immunization with rmtNASP antigen may induce a strong antibody response that causes an inhibition of fertility.
Adult ; Animals ; Autoantibodies ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Autoantigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Contraception, Immunologic ; Female ; Fertility ; drug effects ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Nuclear Proteins ; chemistry ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Sequence Analysis, Protein ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; immunology ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; immunology ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; immunology ; Vaccines, Contraceptive ; immunology ; pharmacology

An improved and practical synthesis of racemic 11-demethylcalanolide A [(+/-)-1] was developed. This improved process involved Pechmann reaction on phloroglucinol with ethyl butyrylacetate to give 5,7,-dihydroxy4-n-propylcoumarin (3). Poly phosphoric acid (PPA) catalyzed acylation of compound (3) with crotonic acid, then intramolecular cyclization was achieved simultaneously in one step to afford the key intermediate chromanone (4). A microwave assisted synthetic method preparing chromene (6) using chromenynation of chromanone (4) with 1, 1-diethoxy-methyl-2-butene was conducted. Luche reduction of chromene (6) using NaBH4 with CeCl3 x 7H2O preferably gave (+/-)-1. The overall yield of this four step synthesis of (+/-)-1 was around 32% increasing one fold more than that of the previous method. An in vitro investigation showed that (+/-)-1 exhibited inhibitory activities against both wild-type and drug-resistant HIV-1 in HIV-1 RT and cell culture assay, and significant synergistic effects in combination with AZT, T-20, and indinavir. Its LD50 of acute toxicity in mice by intragastric administration and by intraperitoneal injection were 735.65 mg kg(-1) and 525.10 mg x kg(-1), respectively. The Cmax and AUC(0-infinity) were 0.54 microg x mL(-1) and 1.08 (microg x mL(-1) x h, respectively. The dynamics study of the inhibition of mice sera on HIV-1 RT showed that mice treated with 100 mg x kg(-1 (+/-)-1 once intraperitoneally were similar to that of 5 mg x kg(-1) of known clinical effective anti-HIV-1 drug neverapine. The results suggested that further investigation of the anti-HIV candidate (+/-)-1 was warranted.
Animals ; Anti-HIV Agents ; chemical synthesis ; immunology ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Drug Synergism ; HIV Reverse Transcriptase ; metabolism ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; Indinavir ; pharmacology ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Pyranocoumarins ; chemical synthesis ; immunology ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; immunology ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Zidovudine ; pharmacology

Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide sulfate (ABPS) was a sulfated derivate derived from Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide (ABP) which was isolated and identified from Chinese herb Achyranthes bidentata. The anti human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activities were studied in vitro and in vivo. ABPS was found to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and integrase with the 50% inhibiting concentration (IC60) of (2.948 +/- 0.556) micromol x L(-1) and (0.155 +/- 0.030) micromol x L(-1), respectively, but the parent compound ABP was not effective. ABPS inhibited HIV-1 P24 antigen with IC50 of (0.082 +/- 0.044) micromol x L(-1) and selective index (SI) of > (358 +/- 148) in MT-4 cell cultures acutely infected with HIV-1 IIIB virus, and with IC50 of (11.80 +/- 5.90) micromol x L(-1) and SI of > (24.2 +/- 12.1) in PBMC cell cultures acutely infected with clinical isolated zidovudine resistant HIV-1 virus, but there was no activity even at its concentration of 500 micromol x L(-1) in latent infection of H9/HIV-1 IIIB cell cultures. 5% sera taken from rats after intraperitoneal injection from rats with ABPS 125 mg x kg(-1) once or mice with 3 mg x kg(-1) qd for 20 days effectively inhibited HIV-1 P24 in MT-4 cell cultures, but those had no inhibitory effect when given orally. The results suggested that ABPS is a promising HIV-1 inhibitor, active on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, integrase in vitro and HIV-1 P24 antigens in cell cultures, it was well absorbed by intraperitoneal injection but poor in oral bioavailability. It warrants further study.
Achyranthes ; chemistry ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; HIV Core Protein p24 ; metabolism ; HIV Integrase ; metabolism ; HIV Reverse Transcriptase ; metabolism ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sulfates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

To compare the anti-HIV-1 activities of (+/-)-11-demethyl-calanolide A and its mother compound (+/-)-calanolide A in vitro and in vivo, the inhibitory activities of the two compounds on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) were detected in vitro with isotope 3H assay. The cytotoxicity and inhibition of cytopathic effect (CPE) were studied in HIV-1 IIIB infected MT-4 cell cultures by MTT staining method; Mice were given with the two compounds 100 mg x kg(-1) once intraperitoneally, then the mouse sera taken on 30 min and 60 min after administration were detected for the inhibition of HIV-1 RT in vitro. The data showed that (+/-)-11-demethyl-calanolide A and (+/-)-calanolide A inhibited HIV-1 RT in vitro with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of (3.028 +/- 2.514) micromol x L(-1) and (3.965 +/- 5.235) micromol x L(-1), and also inhibited CPE in HIV-1 IIIB infected MT-4 cell cultures with IC50 of (1.081 +/- 0.337) micromol x L(-1) and (1.297 +/- 0.076) micromol x L(-1), respectively. After intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg x kg(-1) of the two compounds in mice, all the mice sera taken 30 and 60 min afterward inhibited HIV-1 RT in vitro. In comparison with control mice sera, the inhibitory rates of the sera for (+/-)-11 -demethyl-calanolide A were (42.7 +/- 1.5)% at 30 min (P < 0.01) and (32.2 +/- 6.1)% at 60 min (P < 0.05), separately, while the inhibitory rates of the sera for (+/-)-calanolide A were (40.7 +/- 6.3)% at 30 min (P < 0.01) and (29.2 +/- 6.7)% at 60 min. The results suggested that (+/-)-11-demethyl-calanolide A is a new non-nucleoside HIV-1 RT inhibitor, its anti-HIV-1 activities in vitro, in cell cultures and in mice were slightly higher than that of its mother compound (+/-)-calanolide A and warrants further studies.
Animals ; Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; HIV Reverse Transcriptase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; virology ; Pyranocoumarins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Stereoisomerism

AIMTo study the effect of antidigoxin antiserum on oxygen stress induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury in rats.

METHODSSprauge Dawley rats were submitted to ligate left anterior descending coronary artery 30 min followed by 45 min reperfusion. Experiment animals were randomly divided into seven groups including sham group, MI/R group, normal salina group, verapamil group and three antidigoxin antiserum groups from low to high dose. The left ventricular myocardial tissue sample of ischemia were processed and measured the level of endoxin and malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of Na+, K(+) -ATPase and superoxin dismutase (SOD). The myocardia morphology was observed.

RESULTSThe levels of endoxin and MDA increased and the activities of Na+, K(+) -ATPase and MDA were inhibited significantly in MI/R and saline groups. Including verapamil group in comparison to MI/R and saline groups, MDA level decreased and SOD activities partly reserved, meanwhile, only in three antidigoxin antiserum groups, the myocardial endoxin level was remarkably decreased, Na+, K(+) -ATPase activities were drastically increased. The myocardial histological morphology was significantly improved.

CONCLUSIONAntidigoxin antiserum, an endoxin mutual clone antibody, had the effect of attenuating the damage of oxygen free radicals induced by MI/R via to antagonizing the inhibition effect of endoxin on myocardial membrane Na+, K(+) -ATPase activities.

Animals ; Cardenolides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Digoxin ; pharmacology ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

The full-length porcine interferon gamma(PoIFN-gamma) cDNA, including the secretion signal peptide coding region was recloned into honor plasmid pFastBac 1 of Bac-To-Bac Baculovirus Expression System. These recombinant plasmids, pFastBac -PoIFN-gamma, were transformed into DH(10Bac) host bacteria to get recombinant shuttle plasmids, rBacmid-PoIFN-gamma. Recombinant baculovirus, rBac-PoIFN-gamma, was generated for expressing PoIFN-gamma, by transfecting rBacmid-PoIFN-gamma with Cellfectin Reagent into sf9 insect cells. The expression of PoIFN-gamma in insect cells was confirmed by Western Blot, indirect immunofluorescence assay and indirect ELISA. The antiviral activity assay shows that PoIFN-gamma expressed by the rBac-PoIFN-gamma can efficiently inhibit the replication of the recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus expressing green fluorescence protein in PK-15 cells. The antiviral activity of PoIFN-gamma can be specifically blocked by anti-PoIFN-gamma mouse serum. The antiviral titer of culture supernatant of insect cells infected by rBac-PoIFN-gamma is 2 x 10(4) IU/mL. The results demonstrat that the rBac-PoIFN-gamma can express rPoIFN-gamma efficiently and rPoIFN-gamma has high antiviral activity.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gene Expression ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Recombinant Proteins ; Spodoptera ; Swine ; Vesiculovirus ; genetics ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the interaction between p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB/IkappaB system on the proinflammatory cytokines release after burn trauma.

METHODSHuman monocyte line THP-1 were incubated with serum from eight healthy controls, burn sera, burn sera pretreatment with SB203580, and burn sera pretreatment with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). After 24 hours incubation with serum, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) levels in THP-1 culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. The activities of p38 MAPK and expressions of IkappaBalpha in THP-1 were measured by Western blot analysis. The EMSA method was used to characterize the binding activities of NF-kappaB and activating protein (AP)-1 in THP-1.

RESULTSIn comparison with normal controls, burn sera resulted in a significant higher level release of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in THP-1 [(7.30 +/- 0.84) ng/ml vs (2.20 +/- 0.28) ng/ml, P < 0.05; (2.88 +/- 0.38) ng/ml vs (0.81 +/- 0.14) ng/ml, P < 0.05], which were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with SB203580 or PDTC. Burn sera showed increased activities of p38 MAPK and AP-1 in THP-1 (4728 +/- 582 vs 1291 +/- 163, P < 0.05; 946 +/- 137 vs 361 +/- 40, P < 0.05), which were abolished by pretreatment with SB203580 but not PDTC. The expression of IkappaBalpha in THP-1 incubated with burn sera was significantly decreased than those incubated with control sera (1211 +/- 115 vs 2658 +/- 318, P < 0.05), which were abolished by pretreatment with PDTC but not SB203580. Burn sera also leaded to an increased activity of NF-kappaB in THP-1 (1636 +/- 170 vs 317 +/- 32, P < 0.05), which were abolished by pretreatment with PDTC but not SB203580.

CONCLUSIONSThere are no direct interaction between p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway and NF-kappaB/IkappaB pathway. These two pathways, which regulate the production of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in monocyte following burn trauma, are parallel and independent.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; physiology ; Immune Sera ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; physiology ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; physiology

OBJECTIVE: To study cellular mechanism of cardiomyocytes injury in the early stage of crush injury by observing some effects of crush injury rat sera on cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. METHODS: One to three days old neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured in vitro and some effects of crush injury rat sera on beating rate, cell surface area, total protein content, 3H-Leu incorporation, intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and Fos protein expression were observed in cultured rat cardiomyocytes. RESULTS: Compared with normal rat serum group, crush injury rat sera decreased beating rate(beats/min) of cardiomyocytes from 88.3 to 26.4, cell surface area, total protein content, 3H-Leu incorporation, [Ca2+]i (nmol/L) and PI of Fos protein expression were increased. CONCLUSION Crush injury rat sera suppress cell beating, increase intracellular calcium, induce Fos protein synthesis and cause cell hypertrophy, which may cause cardiac injury in the early stage of rush injury.
Animals ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Cell Size/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Extremities/injuries* ; Heart Injuries/pathology* ; Heart Rate/drug effects* ; Immune Sera/pharmacology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley