The circumsporozoite protein gene from NF54, a Plasmodium falciparum isolate used in malaria vaccine trials.
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Amino Acid Sequence↗
Biomedical subjects
F Sinigaglia
Publications and source records attributed to F Sinigaglia.
Characterizing T-cell epitopes in vaccine candidates.
T-cell clones can be used to test in vitro whether synthetic peptides associate with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens - a necessary condition for the peptides to be immunogenic. Generally, the T-cell clones have been obtained from immune donors, but J.R.L. Pink and F. Sinigaglia argue here that non-immune, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-typed donors are a useful source of clones and antigen-presenting cells that can be used to assay systematically peptide-MHC associations.
Animals↗
Vaccine T-cell epitope selection by a peptide competition assay.
The binding of several peptides derived from the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CS protein) to the human major histocompatibility complex class II proteins HLA-DR5 and -DRw6 was examined in a competition assay. Fixed antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were incubated with various concentrations of each peptide and suboptimal concentrations of stimulator peptides. The binding of the CS peptides to DR5 or DRw6 proteins was then determined in a proliferation assay using two established DR5 or DRw6-restricted T-cell clones with specificity for the stimulator peptides as responder cells. One of five CS peptides, comprising together about 50% of the CS protein sequence, was found to compete with the binding of the stimulator peptides to DR5 and DRw6. The CS peptide CS-(378-398), binding to DR5 and DRw6, was then shown to be able to induce primary in vitro responses of T cells from donors with DR5 and DRw6 haplotypes. CS-(378-398)-induced T-cell clones responded not only to the homologous peptide but also to the native CS protein in the presence of appropriate APCs. The strategy we have applied is of considerable general interest for the engineering of vaccines against any pathogen, since it greatly facilitates the selection of appropriate T-cell epitopes to be incorporated in the vaccine.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Interrelation of platelet aggregation, release reaction and thromboxane A2 production.
Aggregation of platelets, stimulated by different agonists, was inhibited by omitting sample stirring or by preincubation of platelets with a monoclonal antibody against glycoproteins IIb-IIIa or with a pentapeptide containing the sequence Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser. In platelets stimulated by collagen, ADP and epinephrine, the inhibition of aggregation paralleled a reduction of both release reaction and thromboxane A2 formation. When thrombin was the stimulus, ATP release and thromboxane A2 production were unaffected (or only slightly modified) by the inhibition of platelet aggregation. These data add further evidence to the hypothesis that aggregation supports the activation of platelets stimulated by weak agonists.
Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Effect of GPIIb-IIIa complex ligands on calcium ion movement and cytoskeleton organization in activated platelets.
We studied the influence of the occupancy of the fibrinogen receptor (GP IIb-IIIa complex) on two early aspects of agonist induced platelet activation: the increase of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and the cytoskeleton reorganization. A monoclonal antibody, a peptide containing the RGD sequence and fibrinogen purified from human plasma were used as GP IIb-IIIa ligands. The obtained results demonstrated that fibrinogen receptor occupancy inhibits Ca2+ movement and cytoskeleton reorganization caused by low thrombin concentration and ADP.
Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Epitopes recognized by human T cells map within the conserved part of the GP190 of P. falciparum.
In a study aimed at developing a vaccine against the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum, two T cell epitopes were identified within a nonpolymorphic region of gp190 of Plasmodium falciparum merozoites. The two epitopes, which were revealed by deletion analysis, stimulated human T cell clones. Peptides containing sequences of the epitopes stimulated the cloned T cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from malaria-infected individuals. Moreover, the T cell clones responded to 11 different Plasmodium falciparum isolates in culture, showing that the epitopes are recognized in native parasites.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Nonpolymorphic regions of p190, a protein of the Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stage, contain both T and B cell epitopes.
Two conserved regions from the genetically polymorphic p190 molecule of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have previously been expressed in Escherichia coli as separate polypeptides (190.L and 190.M) or as a single fusion protein (190.N). In the present study we investigated whether human B and T lymphocytes recognize these conserved regions. The more amino-terminal region, 190.L (corresponding to residues 188-363 of the encoded protein sequence) reacted preferentially with sera from donors living in a malaria-endemic area. Also, EBV-transformed B cells, from a healthy donor living in a malaria-mesoendemic area, were fused with a human-mouse hybrid line (SPM4-0), yielding two hybridomas whose products recognized both 190.L and the fusion protein 190.N, but not the 190.M polypeptide. A large number of p190-specific T cell clones were obtained from PBMC of a noninfected donor, after in vitro stimulation with the recombinant fusion protein 190.N. The clones reacted with intact, parasite-derived p190, as well as either 190.L or 190.M. Four clones that recognized the more amino-terminal fragment also responded to infected E. According to these results the more amino-terminal conserved sequences of p190 have the requisites to be immunogenic in humans.
Adult↗
Assessment in humans of a synthetic peptide-based vaccine against the sporozoite stage of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.
Eleven volunteers were injected with an anti-malaria (Plasmodium falciparum) sporozoite vaccine candidate consisting of a synthetic peptide, Ac-Cys-(NANP)3, coupled to tetanus toxoid (TT) and adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. Two of the volunteers had no previously known exposure to TT. Eight volunteers made detectable antipeptide, anticircumsporozoite protein or antisporozoite antibodies, whose titers increased after multiple injections in four individuals. The maximum antisporozoite titer obtained in an immunofluorescence assay was 1280. In those individuals who produced antipeptide antibody, the overall correlation between IgG anti-Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 antibody in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and IgG antisporozoite reactivity in immunofluorescence was highly significant. However, the fine specificity of antibody varied among volunteers with two individuals producing mostly antipeptide antibody. Anti-TT antibody responses increased in all volunteers with the exception of that person who had the highest pretrial anti-TT titer; this individual was one of the two pre-TT-immunized volunteers who failed to produce anti-Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 or sporozoite antibody. For the two non-TT preimmunized volunteers, one produced an antisporozoite fluorescence titer of 320; the other made no detectable antibody against either Ac-Cys-(NANP)3 or sporozoites during a primary response. For the three volunteers monitored, after the first injection, significant T cell proliferative responses to (NANP)3 were observed, which increased up to 4 wk after immunization, when a second injection was given. Responsiveness then declined to background levels and did not reappear after further immunizations. In contrast, a marked TT-specific proliferation was observed for the duration of the study.
Adult↗
Epitopes recognized by human T lymphocytes on malaria circumsporozoite protein.
The circumsporozoite protein of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains regions of nonrepetitive sequences which are predicted to be T cell recognition sites. We synthesized peptides corresponding to three of these regions, and tested their ability to stimulate proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from donors living in a malaria-endemic area, or from nonimmune donors. Cells from 15 out of 22 donors (including 4 of 6 nonimmune individuals) were stimulated by one or more of the peptides. T cell clones specific for one of the peptides were obtained and shown to recognize the native protein purified from sporozoites. These data help to identify T cell epitopes which could be incorporated into a malaria vaccine.
Animals↗
Human T cells recognize polymorphic and non-polymorphic regions of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein.
In order to characterize T cell epitopes in the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (CS) protein sequence, we isolated T cell clones, from non-immune donors, which reacted with synthetic peptides corresponding to two predicted CS protein T cell epitopes. Peptide CS.T3 (corresponding to a non-polymorphic region of the CS protein, residues 378-398) was recognized in association with either DR2 or DRw9 restriction elements. T cell clones recognizing CS.T3 also reacted with the sporozoite-derived CS protein. Peptide CS.T2 corresponds to a polymorphic region (residues 325-341) of the CS protein. Unlike the CS.T3-specific clones, the CS.T2-specific clones did not recognize the CS protein. Since the CS.T2 peptide includes residues which are polymorphic in different P. falciparum isolates, we investigated whether these residues were critical for recognition of the peptide. We show here that a single amino acid substitution at a position of the CS protein which shows genetic polymorphism affects recognition of the sequence by human T cells. The implications of these data for malaria vaccine development are discussed.
Animals↗
Malaria-specific T-cell clones from non-immune donors.
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Comment↗
Platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma and whole blood in 18 patients affected by idiopathic myelofibrosis.
Platelet aggregation in whole blood (WB) and in platelet rich plasma (PRP) was studied in 18 consecutive patients affected by idiopathic myelofibrosis (IM). On the basis of WB studies, 22% of patients were classified as normo-aggregating and 22% as hypo-aggregating, while 55% had spontaneous platelet aggregation (SPA). SPA was observed also when platelets from patients were stirred in the presence of normal erythrocytes, while it never occurred when normal platelets were stirred in the presence of red cells from patients. PRP studies revealed that 33% and 66% of patients were, respectively, hypo- and normo-aggregating. The most frequent abnormality in PRP was represented by defective or absent aggregation response to epinephrine.
Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Plasmodium falciparum-specific human T cell clones: evidence for helper and cytotoxic activities.
This report describes the isolation, and the phenotypic and functional characterization of Plasmodium falciparum-specific human T lymphocyte clones (TLC) obtained from 2 acutely infected and 4 clinically immune donors. Approximately one third of the TLC obtained from the acutely infected patients had the phenotype CD8+/CD4-. No such clones were obtained from the clinically immune donors. P. falciparum-specific, major histocompatibility complex-restricted CD8+ clones can lyse unrelated tumor cell targets in the presence of anti-CD3 antibodies, suggesting that these clones have cytotoxic potential. Conversely no killing was obtained with two CD4+ P. falciparum-specific TLC, even in the presence of anti-CD3 antibody, In addition the helper function of a CD4+ clone was demonstrated in a T/B cell cooperation system.
Animals↗
Plasmodium falciparum-specific human T cell clones: recognition of different parasite antigens.
T lymphocyte clones specific for malarial (Plasmodium falciparum) blood stage antigens were obtained from acutely infected patients or from donors living in a malaria-endemic area of West Africa. Thirty-four clones carrying the CD4 antigen, and one CD8+ clone, were tested in a proliferation assay for their capacity to recognize P. falciparum isolates of different geographical origins. Only one clone distinguished between different parasite isolates (it failed to react with a parasite isolate originating from East Africa, but did recognize West African and Asian isolates). All of the clones responded well to intact erythrocytes containing viable parasites, but some responded poorly to extracts of parasitized cells. Eight of 19 clones studied (all CD4+) recognized parasite antigens which had characteristic mobilities in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels. The antigens had apparent molecular weights of about 20,000, 35,000, 40,000, 120,000, 150,000-200,000 and 200,000. These results (together with a previous report of two clones recognizing an antigen of molecular weight about 50,000, Sinigaglia and Pink, EMBO J. 1985. 4:3819) show that T cells in infected individuals react with at least 6 different parasite proteins.
Animals↗
A novel serine proteinase (HuTSP) isolated from a cloned human CD8+ cytolytic T cell line is expressed and secreted by activated CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes.
A novel proteinase, termed human T cell-associated serine proteinase (HuTSP), has been highly purified from a human CD8+ T lymphocyte clone. By using a panel of chromogenic model peptide substrates the enzyme was found to specifically recognize L-arginine and to cleave Tos-Gly-Pro-Arg-nitroanilide with high efficiency at a pH optimum of 10.5-11. Exposure to class-specific proteinase inhibitors revealed that HuTSP is a serine endopeptidase. The enzyme has a mol. mass of approximately 50 kDa (non-reduced) and of approximately 25-30 kDa (reduced) when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggesting HuTSP to be a disulfide-linked dimer. The enzyme is shown to be inducible by lectin in both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. Moreover, HuTSP was detected in a number of independent CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones and was found to be released from effector cells upon ligand binding to the CD3-T cell receptor complex.
Clone Cells↗
A suppressor T-cell line specific for the nicotinic cholinergic receptor.
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Animals↗
Severe platelet dysfunction in a patient with autoantibodies against membrane glycoproteins IIb-IIIa.
A young women affected by Hodgkin's disease developed chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. Splenectomy induced normalization of her platelet count, but hemorrhagic symptoms did not disappear. The patient's platelets did not aggregate in response to collagen and ADP and the IgG fraction of the patient's plasma induced the same defect in normal platelets. The women's IgG recognized glycoproteins IIb and IIIa of normal platelet membranes. Prednisone therapy induced the disappearance of bleeding symptoms and the normalization of platelet aggregation.
Adult↗
Identity between human interferon-gamma and "macrophage-activating factor" produced by human T lymphocytes.
Human peripheral blood monocytes purified by counterflow elutriation were activated in vitro by human natural or recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) as shown by enhanced killing of Listeria monocytogenes and increased production of H2O2 in response to phorbol myristate acetate. Half-maximal stimulation for macrophage activation (MAF) was observed with 10-20 antiviral U/ml of purified recombinant IFN-gamma. These MAF activities were found to correlate with the antiviral activity dependent on IFN-gamma under several experimental conditions. Both activities were recovered together from supernatants of concanavalin A-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in the media of a large number of T cell clones of different specificities. The parallelism between the two activities was also observed upon fractionation of culture media from producing cells and upon treatment of such preparations with low pH and high temperature. Finally, three antibodies with different specificities were found to abrogate the MAF and antiviral activities from lymphocyte culture supernatant. These results indicate that MAF released by stimulated lymphocytes is identical to IFN-gamma.
Antiviral Agents↗