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Biomedical subjects

B Nilsson

Publications and source records attributed to B Nilsson.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

The carbohydrate structures of a mouse monoclonal IgG antibody OKT3.

A mouse monoclonal antibody OKT3, of IgG2a isotype, was isolated from hybridoma culture fluid. Sugar analysis showed the presence of sialic acid, galactose, mannose, fucose, and N-acetylglucosamine, i.e. sugars typical for N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains. The absence of N-acetylgalactosamine revealed that O-glycosidically linked carbohydrates were not present. The purified antibody was reduced, alkylated, and separated into heavy and light chains, and all carbohydrates were shown to be associated with the heavy chains. The N-linked carbohydrate chains were isolated as alditols using strong alkaline-borohydride degradation and further fractionated on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column and high performance ion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Structural analysis was carried out on the isolated oligosaccharide alditols by chemical analyses, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy. Triantennary and biantenary types of structures were found. The triantennary structures were present as trisialo and tetrasialo forms without fucose; the tetrasialo forms were shown to contain a sequence of Neu5Ac alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3[Neu5Ac alpha 2-6]GlcNAc beta 1- on one of the branches. The biantennary structures were present as completely sialylated nonfucosylated species and as asialo-, agalacto-, and partially fucosylated structures.

Animals↗

Does the Kunitz domain from the Alzheimer's amyloid beta protein precursor inhibit a kallikrein responsible for post-translational processing of nerve growth factor precursor?

Alternative splicing of the Alzheimer's amyloid beta protein precursor (ABPP) message leads to the production of several variants of this precursor polypeptide. Two of these variants contain a domain that is highly homologous to members of the Kunitz class of protease inhibitors. In order to initiate a study of the physiological role of this domain, we have produced active ABPP Kunitz inhibitor by constructing and expressing a synthetic gene in E. coli. Nerve growth factor (NGF) deficiency has been suggested as a possible cause of the neural degeneration characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, and trypsin and gamma-NGF are the two enzymes that have been shown to be capable of processing beta-NGF precursor to active, mature beta-NGF in vitro, therefore, the specificity of purified recombinant ABPP Kunitz inhibitor was analyzed with respect to these two proteases. Binding of isolated ABPP Kunitz domain both to trypsin (Ki,app less than 10 nM and to gamma-NGF (Ki,app = 300 nM) was observed. This difference in binding to the two proteases correlates with the approximately 20-fold higher rate observed for in vitro processing of the beta-NGF precursor by trypsin compared to processing by gamma-NGF, indicating that perhaps the inhibitor mimics the interaction of the beta-NGF precursor with proteases. The kallikrein actually responsible for beta-NGF precursor processing in vivo is unknown, but these results suggest that it is capable of being significantly inhibited by exposure to the ABPP Kunitz domain.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Effects of low molecular weight heparin and unfragmented heparin on induction of osteoporosis in rats.

A comparison between the effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfragmented heparin (UH) on induction of osteoporosis was made in 60 rats treated with either UH (2 IU/g bw), LMWH in 2 doses (2 XaI U/g or 0.4 XaI U/g) or placebo (saline) for 34 days. Studied variables were: bone mineral mass in femora; fragility of humera; zinc and calcium levels in serum and bone ash and albumin in plasma. A significant reduction in bone mineral mass was found in all heparin-treated rats. There was no difference between UH and LMWH in this respect. The effect was dose-dependent in LMWH-treated animals. The zinc contents in bone ash were decreased in all heparin-treated rats as compared with controls. No recognizable pattern was seen in alterations of zinc or calcium in serum. The fragility of the humera, tested as breaking strength did not differ between treatment groups and controls. In conclusion, if dosed according to similar factor Xa inhibitory activities, LMWH induces osteoporosis to the same extent as UH and in a dose-dependent manner. The zinc content in bone ash was decreased after heparin treatment, irrespective of type of heparin given.

Animals↗

The sialosyl Lewis a ganglioside is present in tumorigenic human urothelial cell lines.

The sialosyl Lewis a antigen was identified in a ganglioside extract from a malignant human urothelial cell line (Hu 1703He) by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The presence of this antigen in urothelial cell lines with varying tumorigenic properties was further studied using the 19-9 monoclonal antibody (MAb). The sialosyl Lewis a ganglioside was expressed only in the tumorigenic cell lines. Thus, the expression of this antigen is a marker of malignancy for human urothelial cell lines. Mass spectrometry also suggests that the fucosyl GM1 ganglioside was expressed in the Hu 1703He cell line. This was confirmed using the F12 MAb, specific for fucosyl GM1. However, the expression of this antigen was not confined to cell lines with tumorigenic properties.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗

Inhibition of factor I by diisopropylfluorophosphate. Evidence of conformational changes in factor I induced by C3b and additional studies on the specificity of factor I.

The factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b, using factor H as a cofactor was completely inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) when factor I and C3b were incubated with DFP before the addition of factor H. Inhibition, although to a lesser degree, was observed when factor H was present during DFP-exposure. No inhibition in factor I activity was seen when factor I and H were incubated with DFP either alone or together. It was also demonstrated that the 38-kDa subunit of factor I bound radiolabeled DFP when factor I and C3b together were exposed to DFP. These observations suggest that factor I interacts with C3b in a manner that exposes its catalytic site to DFP, an interaction that is independent of factor H. The inhibitory effect by DFP on factor I led us to further investigate the factor I cleavage products of iC3b, inasmuch as previous reports were ambiguous as to whether digestion occurs in the presence of DFP. Digestion of C3b bound to activated thiol Sepharose (ATS-C3b) in the presence of factor H at low pH and ionic strength and in serum by complement activation produced C3d,g-like fragments with apparent molecular mass of 41 and 43 kDa. These fragments were shown to have three different N-terminal and two different C-terminal ends. The major fragments had N-terminal sequences starting with Glu933, as shown by sequence determination. Traces of fragments extending beyond this point were also found, shown by Western blot analysis using a panel of mAb previously shown to bind to epitopes exposed within a region of C3 spanning residues 929 to 943, as well as a shorter fragment starting with Glu938. When digestion of C3b is carried out in the presence of DFP, the factor I level necessary for digestion is elevated and may explain how the first two cleavages producing iC3b but not the following giving C3d,g, can occur. The finding of several factor I cleavage sites in the C3d,g region of C3 demonstrates that factor I has a broad specificity, mainly for arginyl bonds. It has also been shown to digest a lysyl bond exposed in ATS-bound C3b.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Urine mercury levels and associated symptoms in dental personnel.

Dental personnel are exposed to low concentrations of mercury vapor in their working environment and from their own amalgam fillings. This study included 505 occupationally exposed individuals working at 82 dental clinics in northern Sweden and 41 controls without occupational mercury exposure. The concentration of mercury in air was measured. Urine mercury was determined for all participants, who also answered a questionnaire focused on four symptoms known from the literature to be connected with mercury exposure, namely loss of appetite, tremor, insomnia and anxiety. The median value of mercury vapor in air in the dental surgeries was low compared with other investigations; 1.5 micrograms m-3 in public dental care and 3.6 micrograms m-3 in private dental care. The urine mercury concentrations (HgU) were low, and of the same order of magnitude as for the Swedish population as a whole. Median values among different groups of dental personnel ranged from 1.4 to 2.9 nmol Hg/mmol creatinine. For those occupationally exposed, the load from their own amalgam fillings was estimated to be of the same order of magnitude as from the working environment. The prevalence of any of the four symptoms investigated in the groups of exposed personnel and controls as low, less than or equal to 11%. In our study, which included mercury intakes up to twice the contribution from amalgam fillings, no increase in the prevalence of symptoms could be detected in relation to mercury concentrations in urine.

Creatinine↗

Neoantigens in complement component C3 as detected by monoclonal antibodies. Mapping of the recognized epitopes by synthetic peptides.

The different fragments of the third complement component, C3, generated upon complement activation/inactivation have the ability to bind to several other complement components and receptors as well as to proteins of foreign origin. These multiple reactivities of C3 fragments are associated with a series of conformational changes occurring in the C3 molecule during its degradation. The conformations acquired by the different C3 fragments are also associated with the exposure of neoantigenic epitopes that are specific for (a) particular fragment(s). In order to study these epitopes and thus the conformational changes occurring in C3, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing such epitopes were produced in Balb/c mice after immunization with denatured human C3. Two of the three antibodies (7D84.1 and 7D264.6) presented in this study recognized predominantly surface-bound iC3b, and one mAb (7D323.1) recognized both surface-bound and fluid-phase iC3b. Although none of the mAbs recognized any other fluid-phase C3 fragment, all three antibodies detected micro-titre-plate-fixed C3b and iC3b, but not C3c or C3d. In addition to the reaction with human C3, mAb 7D323.1 also bound to micro-titre-plate-fixed rabbit C3. The epitopes recognized by the three mAbs were further localized by using synthetic peptides that were designed on the basis of the differential binding of the mAbs to the C3 fragments. All three antibodies reacted with C3-(924-965)-peptide, which represents the region of C3 between the kallikrein-cleavage site (923-924) and the elastase-cleavage site (965-966). On the basis of the binding of the mAbs to five different overlapping peptides spanning the region between residues 924 and 965 of the human C3 sequence, and the sequence similarity between human C3 and rabbit C3 within this area, the epitopes recognized by these antibodies are mapped. The contribution of the individual amino acid residues in the formation of the epitopes is discussed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Enhanced local production of complement components in the small intestines of patients with Crohn's disease.

There is evidence that complement components may be formed locally in inflammatory lesions containing monocytes and macrophages. To investigate the role of complement in Crohn's disease we measured jejunal-fluid concentrations of the complement components C4, C3, and factor B by perfusion of a closed segment of the jejunum in 22 patients with Crohn's disease thought to be limited to the terminal ileum. The mean (+/- SEM) jejunal-fluid C4 concentration was 2.0 +/- 0.3 mg per liter, significantly higher than the mean level in 35 healthy controls (0.7 +/- 0.1 mg per liter; P less than 0.001). The mean C3 concentration was 1.0 +/- 0.1 mg per liter in the patients and 0.7 +/- 0.1 mg per liter in the controls (P less than 0.05). The factor B levels were similar in the two groups. Calculated rates of intestinal secretion of these components showed differences of the same magnitude. Leakage of protein from plasma was not increased. The jejunal-fluid:serum ratios of these complement proteins indicated that their appearance in the lumen of the jejunum was due to at least in part to local mucosal synthesis. The increased jejunal secretion of C4, but not C3 or factor B, paralleled the clinical activity of Crohn's disease. Values were normal in first-degree relatives of the patients (n = 13), patients with celiac disease (n = 8), and patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 4). We conclude that increased secretion of complement by clinically unaffected jejunal tissue in patients with Crohn's disease reflects the systemic nature of this disorder and may be due to the stimulated synthesis of complement by activated intestinal monocytes and macrophages.

Adolescent↗

Isolation and structural analysis of three new disialylated oligosaccharides from human milk.

Five disialylated oligosaccharides, of which three were new compounds, were isolated from pooled human milk. The isolation procedure included gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and the final purification was accomplished by HPLC using a mobile phase containing triethylamine as an ion-pairing reagent. Structural analysis was carried out by chemical analyses, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and 500-MHz NMR spectroscopy. The following new structures were found: (formula; see text).

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

In vitro phosphorylation of human complement factor C3 by protein kinase A and protein kinase C. Effects on the classical and alternative pathways.

Complement factor C3, recently found to contain covalently bound phosphate, was phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) and Ca2(+)-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). Both protein kinases phosphorylated the same serine residue(s) located in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain. In addition, protein kinase C phosphorylated the beta-chain to a lesser extent. Protein kinase A gave a maximal incorporation of 1 mol of phosphate/mol of C3 while that value with protein kinase C was 1.5 mol of phosphate/mol of C3. The velocity in pmol of [32P]phosphate/(min x unit kinase) was 20 times higher for protein kinase C than for protein kinase A although a 10 times lower ratio of protein kinase to C3 was used in the former case. The apparent Km for C3 was 2.6 microM when protein kinase C was used. The phosphorylated C3 was found to be more resistant to partial degradation by trypsin than unphosphorylated C3. It was also found that phosphorylation of C3 in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain inhibited both the classical and alternative complement activation pathways on an approximately stoichiometric basis.

Amino Acids↗

Analysis of glycoprotein oligosaccharides by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

A strategy is outlined for isolation and structural analysis of oligosaccharides derived from glycoproteins. Oligosaccharides, N- and O-linked, are released by chemical and enzymatic methods and separated using gel filtration, concanavalin A affinity chromatography and high-performance ion-exchange chromatography. Structural studies are carried out by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The structural information from the latter can be extended to include determination of binding positions between monosaccharide residues. Prior to the analysis, samples are subjected to periodate oxidation, reduction and permethylation. The positions of glycosidic linkages are deduced from the spectrum by the primary and secondary sequence ions. Structural information can be obtained from mixtures of isomeric compounds.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Relative absorption of the two enantiomers of terbutaline after duodenal administration.

The absorption of the two enantiomers of terbutaline, (+)-terbutaline and (-)-terbutaline, and of the racemate, (+/-)-terbutaline, has been studied in six healthy volunteers using a newly developed intestinal perfusion technique. The area under the plasma concentration curve for the (-)-enantiomer was more than twice that for the (+)-enantiomer. The data demonstrate a clear difference in absorption efficiency between (-)- and (+)-terbutaline, but further studies are required to establish whether (-)-terbutaline influences the absorption of (+)-terbutaline.

Adult↗

C3d-mediated negative and positive signals on the proliferation of human B cells separated from blood.

Soluble C3d applied to human blood-derived B lymphocytes inhibited anti-mu, T cell-produced growth factor, and EBV-induced DNA synthesis in serum-free culture. C3d added to the B cell cultures 1 and 2 days after the stimulus, still exerted inhibition, though with gradually diminishing efficiency. C3d, fixed on zymosan or attached to the culture wells, induced [3H]thymidine incorporation of the B cells in serum-free medium. The concentration of C3d used to coat the wells was critical, with optimal stimulatory effect of 8.3 micrograms/ml. These C3d molecules were shown to be denatured. Our results are in line with earlier data on B cells derived from mouse spleen and human tonsils showing that depending on the way of presentation and its amounts, the natural ligand of CR2 can exert negative or positive signals. Moreover, we demonstrate that C3d can inhibit even the proliferative stimulus of EBV.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Mixed müllerian tumours of the uterus--prognostic factors: a clinical and histopathologic study of 147 cases.

One hundred and forty-seven women with uterine mixed Müllerian tumours (UMMT) treated at Radiumhemmet from 1936 through 1981 were reviewed. The prognostic value of clinical and histopathologic data was analysed with bivariate and multivariate techniques. Stage, age and abdominal pain were found to be significant predictors of survival. Surgery and combined radiotherapy (intracavitary + external irradiation) gave in stage I, a lower local failure rate (p = 0.006) and better overall survival (p = 0.001) than surgery in combination with either intracavitary or external irradiation.

Adult↗