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Biomedical subjects

G Jung

Publications and source records attributed to G Jung.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Bispecific antibody fragments with CD20 X CD28 specificity allow effective autologous and allogeneic T-cell activation against malignant cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow cultures from patients with B-cell lineage leukemia and lymphoma.

Bispecific antibodies directed against tumor-associated target antigens and to surface receptors mediating T-cell activation, such as the TCR/CD3 complex and the costimulatory receptor CD28, are capable of mediating T-cell activation resulting in tumor cell killing. In this study, we used the B-cell-associated antigens CD19 and CD20 as target structures on human leukemic cells. We found that a combination of bispecific antibody fragments (bsFab2) with target x CD3 and target x CD28 specificity induces vigorous autologous T-cell activation and killing of malignant cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow cultures from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and follicular lymphoma. The bsFab2 targeting CD20 were considerably more effective than those binding to CD19. The colony-forming capacity of treated bone marrow was impaired due to large amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha produced during bsFab2-induced T-cell activation. Neutralizing tumor necrosis factor alpha antibodies were found to reverse this negative effect without affecting T-cell activation and tumor cell killing. CD20 x CD28 bsFab2, when used alone rather than in combination, markedly improved the recognition of leukemic cells by allogeneic T cells. Therefore, these reagents may be capable of enhancing the immunogenicity of leukemic cells in general and, in particular, of increasing the antileukemic activity of allogeneic donor buffy coat cells in relapsed bone marrow transplanted patients.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1999

Active human hepatitis B viral polymerase expressed in rabbit reticulocyte lysate system.

Human HBV polymerase has been expressed in reticulocyte lysate system. The expressed protein shows the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity. In vitro transcription and translation produces a major protein product with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 100 kD. The HBV DNA polymerase has been characterized biochemically in the condition that the contaminating cellular DNA polymerases were fairly suppressed by aphidicolin and NEM. The polymerization reaction is optimal at pH 7.5 and 37 degrees C and the polymerase requires either MnCl2 or MgCl2, with a preference for MnCl2. The protein represented an optimal activity in the presence of either 75 mM NaCl or 100 mM KCl, with a higher activity at 75 mM NaCl than 100 mM KCl. Study of the polymerizing activity of the deleted versions of the polymerase protein suggests that the terminal protein is essential for full polymerase function and the spacer region may decrease the stability of the P protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Degradation of desferrioxamines by Azospirillum irakense: assignment of metabolites by HPLC/electrospray mass spectrometry.

Based on a recent finding that an Azospirillum isolate ASP-1 possessing high 16S rDNA similarity to Azospirillum irakense was able to degrade desferrioxamine type siderophores (Winkelmann et al. BioMetals 9, 78-83, 1996), various members of the genus Azospirillum were analyzed for their ability to degrade desferrioxamines. While the desferrioxamine-degrading activity was absent or scarcely detectable in strains of A. lipoferum, A. brasilense, A. amazonense, degradation activity seemed to be confined to the species A. irakense (KBC-1, KA3). Also the identity of strain ASP-1 as A. irakense could be confirmed by species-specific oligonucleotide hybridization, Inter-LINE PCR fingerprinting and carbon source utilization pattern (BIOLOG) analysis. Products of desferrioxamine B degradation were analyzed by analytical HPLC and HPLC/electrospray mass spectrometry. Using whole cells and purified enzyme it was shown that the trihydroxamate desferrioxamine B (561 amu) is split at the N-terminal amide bond yielding a monohydroxamate (MH1, 219 amu) and a dihydroxamate (DH1, 361 amu) metabolite. A second monohydroxamate (MH2, 319 amu) resulted from DH1 after splitting the acetylhydroxamate bond. Minor amounts of a further dihydroxamate (DH2, 419 amu) originated from splitting the second amide bond in desferrioxamine B. In addition to desferrioxamine B, several other linear and cyclic desferrioxamines and derivatives were degraded, whereas desferricoprogen and desferri-ferrichrome were not degraded, indicating high substrate specificity of the desferrioxamine hydrolase in A. irakense species. A simple microtiter plate assay was developed which can be used to phenotypically discriminate and identify species of A. irakense from other Azospirillum species by their characteristic feature of desferrioxamine degradation.

Azospirillum↗
PubMed1999

N-hydroxy peptides as substrates for alpha-chymotrypsin.

An N-hydroxylated peptide bond was found to be cleaved faster by an endopeptidase than the corresponding peptide bond. This preferred enzymatic cleavage was detected during proteolytic studies of the N-hydroxy peptide SIINFpsi[CO-N(OH)]GKL in the presence of the serine protease alpha-chymotrypsin in comparison with the natural SIINFEKL epitope and related analogs. For the first time, the replacement of the peptide bond by another motif afforded an oligomer which is degraded faster than the natural peptide. The N-hydroxy peptide is also more sensitive to the enzymatic degradation than the Gly-containing analog SIINFGKL. A tentative explanation for the unexpected higher cleavage rate of the CO-N(OH) bond is given on the basis of the N-OH intramolecular H-bonding capacity as indicated by NMR experiments. This property of the hydroxamate group may be of particular advantage for the introduction of a specific cleavage site within peptidomimetics or in prodrugs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

pCOR: a new design of plasmid vectors for nonviral gene therapy.

A totally redesigned host/vector system with improved properties in terms of safety has been developed. The pCOR plasmids are narrow-host range plasmid vectors for nonviral gene therapy. These plasmids contain a conditional origin of replication and must be propagated in a specifically engineered E. coli host strain, greatly reducing the potential for propagation in the environment or in treated patients. The pCOR backbone has several features that increase safety in terms of dissemination and selection: (1) the origin of replication requires a plasmid-specific initiator protein, pi protein, encoded by the pir gene limiting its host range to bacterial strains that produce this trans-acting protein; (2) the plasmid's selectable marker is not an antibiotic resistance gene but a gene encoding a bacterial suppressor tRNA. Optimized E. coli hosts supporting pCOR replication and selection were constructed. High yields of supercoiled pCOR monomers were obtained (100 mg/l) through fed-batch fermentation. pCOR vectors carrying the luciferase reporter gene gave high levels of luciferase activity when injected into murine skeletal muscle.

Drug Design↗
PubMed1999

Persistent polyclonal B lymphocytosis with binucleated lymphocytes: a study of 25 cases. Groupe Français d'Hématologie Cellulaire.

Persistent and polyclonal lymphocytosis of B lymphocytes (PPBL) with binucleated lymphocytes is an entity characterized by a polyclonal lymphocytosis. The lymphocytosis is stable for years and binucleated lymphocytes are detected on peripheral blood smears. We previously described +i(3q) as a recurrent chromosomal abnormality in seven PPBL patients. In this study we report a large series of 25 PPBL patients and demonstrated that PPBL was associated with +i(3q) in 77% of cases, premature chromosome condensation (PCC) in 50% and both abnormalities in 41% of cases. Furthermore, we demonstrated that i(3q) was present in a minority of B cells, restricted to B lymphocytes independently of the kappa or lambda light Ig chain expression, and exclusively observed in non-binucleated cells. The benign clinical course of PPBL and the lack of biological evolution in the majority of cases suggest that recognition of these disorders is so important that aggressive therapy in PPBL has to be avoided. Whether this syndrome represents a premalignant or benign disease remains unclear. The persistence of cytogenetic abnormalities after stopping tobacco use suggests no association with cigarette smoking.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Induction of abortive and productive proliferation in resting human T lymphocytes via CD3 and CD28.

How the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex mediates positive as well as negative signals for T-cell regulation is not fully understood. We have previously described the induction of anergy in resting human T lymphocytes after mitogenic, high-dose CD3 triggering with monoclonal antibodies. Here we report the concomitantly occurring cell death to be largely caused by apoptosis, which mainly affects the CD4+ T-helper population. Because cell death becomes detectable after initial cell proliferation, it appears that a high-dose CD3 stimulus constitutes a negative signal for resting T cells leading to an 'abortive proliferation' that is followed by anergy and/or apoptosis of the cells. In contrast, if initial proliferation is induced by a low dose of anti-CD3 in the presence of an accessory signal via the CD28 receptor, anergy and cell death are markedly reduced and 'productive proliferation' may occur. Productive proliferation is characterized by an increased secretion of various cytokines measured (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)). A low-dose submitogenic CD3 stimulus induced neither anergy nor cell death, supporting the view that negative CD3 signalling requires proliferation of resting cells.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1999

Hepatitis B virus: DNA polymerase activity of deletion mutants.

The hepadnavirus P gene product is a multifunctional protein with priming, DNA- and RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, and RNase H activities. Nested N- or C-terminal deletion mutations and deletions of domain(s) in human HBV polymerase have been made. Wild-type and deletion forms of MBP-fused HBV polymerase were expressed in E. coli, purified by amylose column chromatography, and the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of the purified proteins were compared. Deletion of the terminal protein or spacer regions reduced enzyme activity to 70%, respectively. However, deletion of the RNase H domain affected polymerase activity more than that of the terminal protein or spacer region. The polymerase domain alone or the N-terminal deletion of the polymerase domain still exhibited enzymatic activity. In this report, it is demonstrated that the minimal domain for the polymerizing activity of the HBV polymerase is smaller than the polymerase domain.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1999

Carboxypeptidase Y: structural basis for protein sorting and catalytic triad.

A yeast vacuolar protease, carboxypeptidase Y (CPY), is known to be involved in the C-terminal processing of peptides and proteins; however, its real function remains unclear. The CPY biosynthetic pathway has been used as a model system for protein sorting in eukaryotes. CPY is synthesized as a prepro-form that travels through the ER and Golgi to its final destination in vacuoles. In the course of studies on the transport mechanism of CPY, various post-translational events have been identified, e.g. carbohydrate modification and cleavage of the pre-segments. In addition, sorting signals and various sorting vehicles, similar to those found in higher eukaryotic cells, have been found. The catalytic triad in the active site of CPY makes this enzyme a serine protease. A unique feature distinguishing CPY from other serine proteases is its wide pH optimum, in particular its high activity at acidic pH. Several structural properties which might contribute to this unique feature exist such as a conserved free cysteine residue in the S1 substrate binding pocket, a recognition site for a C-terminal carboxyl group, and a disulfide zipper motif. The structural bases in CPY functions are discussed in this article.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1999

Identification and analysis of the balhimycin biosynthetic gene cluster and its use for manipulating glycopeptide biosynthesis in Amycolatopsis mediterranei DSM5908.

Seven complete genes and one incomplete gene for the biosynthesis of the glycopeptide antibiotic balhimycin were isolated from the producer, Amycolatopsis mediterranei DSM5908, by a reverse-cloning approach and characterized. Using oligonucleotides derived from glycosyltransferase sequences, a 900-bp glycosyltransferase gene fragment was amplified and used to identify a DNA fragment of 9,882 bp. Of the identified open reading frames, three (oxyA to -C) showed significant sequence similarities to cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and one (bhaA) showed similarities to halogenase, and the genes bgtfA to -C showed similarities to glycosyltransferases. Glycopeptide biosynthetic mutants were created by gene inactivation experiments eliminating oxygenase and glycosyltransferase functions. Inactivation of the oxygenase gene(s) resulted in a balhimycin mutant (SP1-1) which was not able to synthesize an antibiotically active compound. Structural analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, fragmentation studies, and amino acid analysis demonstrated that these oxygenases are involved in the coupling of the aromatic side chains of the unusual heptapeptide. Mutant strain HD1, created by inactivation of the glycosyltransferase gene bgtfB, produced at least four different compounds which were not glycosylated but still antibiotically active.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1999

Use of the KlADH4 promoter for ethanol-dependent production of recombinant human serum albumin in Kluyveromyces lactis.

KlADH4 is a gene of Kluyveromyces lactis encoding a mitochondrial alcohol dehydrogenase activity which is specifically induced by ethanol. The promoter of this gene was used for the expression of heterologous proteins in K. lactis, a very promising organism which can be used as an alternative host to Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to its good secretory properties. In this paper we report the ethanol-driven expression in K. lactis of the bacterial beta-glucuronidase and of the human serum albumin (HSA) genes under the control of the KlADH4 promoter. In particular, we studied the extracellular production of recombinant HSA (rHSA) with integrative and replicative vectors and obtained a significant increase in the amount of the protein with multicopy vectors, showing that no limitation of KlADH4 trans-acting factors occurred in the cells. By deletion analysis of the promoter, we identified an element (UASE) which is sufficient for the induction of KlADH4 by ethanol and, when inserted in the respective promoters, allows ethanol-dependent activation of other yeast genes, such as PGK and LAC4. We also analyzed the effect of medium composition on cell growth and protein secretion. A clear improvement in the production of the recombinant protein was achieved by shifting from batch cultures (0.3 g/liter) to fed-batch cultures (1 g/liter) with ethanol as the preferred carbon source.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1999

Characterization of a novel, antifungal, chitin-binding protein from Streptomyces tendae Tü901 that interferes with growth polarity.

The afp1 gene, which encodes the antifungal protein AFP1, was cloned from nikkomycin-producing Streptomyces tendae Tü901, using a nikkomycin-negative mutant as a host and screening transformants for antifungal activity against Paecilomyces variotii in agar diffusion assays. The 384-bp afp1 gene has a low G+C content (63%) and a transcription termination structure with a poly(T) region, unusual attributes for Streptomyces genes. AFP1 was purified from culture filtrate of S. tendae carrying the afp1 gene on the multicopy plasmid pIJ699. The purified protein had a molecular mass of 9,862 Da and lacked a 42-residue N-terminal peptide deduced from the nucleotide sequence. AFP1 was stable at extreme pH values and high temperatures and toward commercial proteinases. AFP1 had limited similarity to cellulose-binding domains of microbial plant cell wall hydrolases and bound to crab shell chitin, chitosan, and cell walls of P. variotii but showed no enzyme activity. The biological activity of AFP1, which represents the first chitin-binding protein from bacteria exhibiting antifungal activity, was directed against specific ascomycetes, and synergistic interaction with the chitin synthetase inhibitor nikkomycin inhibited growth of Aspergillus species. Microscopy studies revealed that fluorescein-labeled AFP1 strongly bound to the surface of germinated conidia and to tips of growing hyphae, causing severe alterations in cell morphogenesis that gave rise to large spherical conidia and/or swollen hyphae and to atypical branching.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Identification of peptides from autoantigens GAD65 and IA-2 that bind to HLA class II molecules predisposing to or protecting from type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a T-cell-mediated disease in which presentation of autoantigens to CD4+ T-cells is thought to play a crucial role. Polymorphism of HLA class II genes accounts for 50% of the genetic risk of contracting type 1 diabetes. HLA-DQ and -DR molecules predisposing to or protecting from type 1 diabetes have been identified, but the molecular basis controlling these associations is as yet undefined. Apart from distinct thymic selection of autoreactive T-cells by susceptible and protective HLA molecules, exclusive presentation of autoantigenic peptides by type 1 diabetes-predisposing HLA molecules or, alternatively, induction of regulatory T-cells by protective alleles are potential mechanisms for modification of type 1 diabetes risk by HLA polymorphism. As a first step in exploring the role of HLA molecules in autoantigen-specific cellular responses in type 1 diabetes, we have screened peptides covering the sequence of two major autoantigens targeted by humoral and cellular immune responses, GAD65 and islet associated-2 (IA-2), for binding to class II molecules. We developed a sensitive novel competition binding assay allowing us to measure peptide binding on intact cells to 10 HLA-DR and 4 HLA-DQ molecules. For all tested alleles, multiple peptides binding with high affinity were identified. We report clustering of binding peptides in the COOH-terminal regions of GAD65 and IA-2, as well as highly promiscuous binding patterns of some peptides. Our results demonstrate that most peptides derived from the GAD and IA-2 autoantigens can bind to both type 1 diabetes-predisposing and type 1 diabetes-protective HLA molecules, although some exceptions were observed. The binding inventory presented here for GAD and IA-2 peptides can be useful for mapping natural epitopes and predicting peptide-specific responses induced by preventive immunization.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

Effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on antral gastrin and somatostatin cells and on serum gastrin concentrations.

OBJECTIVES: Helicobacter pylori infection induces selective reduction of the number of antral D-cells and results in abnormal regulation of serum gastrin secretion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and the numbers of G-cells and D-cells. METHODS: The numbers of antral G-cells and D-cells, the ratio of G-cells to D-cells and fasting serum gastrin concentrations were compared between 37 patients with (29 with duodenal ulcers and 8 with gastric ulcers) and 33 without H. pylori infection (22 with duodenal ulcers and 11 with gastric ulcers). Serum gastrin concentrations were measured using the radioimmunoassay technique. Antral mucosal biopsy specimens were examined using immunohistochemical staining with antibodies specific for gastrin and somatostatin and the numbers of G-cells and D-cells per gastric gland were counted. RESULTS: Fasting serum gastrin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with H. pylori infection compared to patients without infection (80.3 +/- 23.5 vs 47.6 +/- 14.1 pg/ml, p < 0.001). The number of G-cells per gastric gland was similar in infected and uninfected patients (7.1 +/- 3.1 vs 7.3 +/- 3.9, respectively, p > 0.5). The number of D-cells was significantly lower in patients with H. pylori infection than in uninfected patients in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients (1.3 +/- 0.4 vs 2.5 +/- 1.6, respectively, p < 0.001). The ratio of G-cells to D-cells was also significantly higher in infected patients compared with uninfected patients for both gastric and duodenal ulcers (5.7 +/- 2.7 vs 3.5 +/- 1.9, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results strongly suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection induces reduction of the number of antral D-cells. The resulting relative hypofunction of the inhibitory action of D-cells against G-cells may be responsible for increased serum gastrin secretion.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1999

Production of nikkomycins Bx and Bz by mutasynthesis with genetically engineered Streptomyces tendae Tü901.

The previously described Streptomyces tendae nikC::aph mutant was used to mutasynthesize nikkomycins Bx and Bz. The mutant is deficient in L-lysine 2-aminotransferase, which transaminates lysine to form piperideine 2-carboxylate, the precursor of the peptidyl side chain of the biologically active nikkomycins I, J, X, and Z, and is therefore unable to produce these nikkomycins. The mutant accumulates the biologically inactive biosynthetic nucleoside precursors nikkomycins Cx and Cz. Resting cell cultures of the mutant fed with benzoic acid produced the biologically active nikkomycins Bx and Bz, which contain 2-amino-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)butanoic acid as the peptidyl side chain. The structures of nikkomycins Bx and Bz were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR. Nikkomycins Bx and Bz exhibit significantly higher pH stability than their analogues nikkomycins X and Z.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1999

The human renin infused rat: use as an in vivo model for the biological evaluation of human renin inhibitors.

The human renin infused rat model (HRIRM) was used as an in vivo small-animal model for evaluating the efficacy of a collection of inhibitors of human renin. The intravenous infusion of recombinant human renin (2.4 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) in the ganglion-blocked, nephrectomized rat produced a mean blood pressor response of 47+/-3 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 133.3 Pa), which was reduced by captopril, enalkiren, and losartan in a dose-dependent manner following oral administration, with ED50 values of 0.3+/-0.1, 2.5+/-0.9, and 5.2+/-1.6 mg/kg, respectively. A series of peptidomimetic P2-P3 butanediamide renin inhibitors inhibited purified recombinant human renin in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 20 nM at pH 6.0, with a higher range of IC50 values (0.8-80 nM) observed at pH 7.4. Following i.v. administration of renin inhibitors, the pressor response to infused human renin in the HRIRM was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, with ED50 values ranging from 4 to 600 microg/kg. The in vivo inhibition of human renin following i.v. administration in the rat correlated significantly better with the in vitro inhibition of human renin at pH 7.4 (r = 0.8) compared with pH 6.0 (r = 0.5). Oral administration of renin inhibitors also resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of the pressor response to infused human renin, with ED50 values ranging from 0.4 to 6.0 mg/kg and the identification of six renin inhibitors with an oral potency of <1 mg/kg. The ED50 of renin inhibitors for inhibition of angiotensin I formation in vivo was highly correlated (r = 0.9) with the ED50 for inhibition of the pressor response. These results demonstrate the high potency, dose dependence, and availability following oral administration of the butanediamide series of renin inhibitors.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1998

New synthetic non-peptide ligands for classical major histocompatibility complex class I molecules.

Poly-N-acylated amines, as a new class of synthetic non-peptide ligands for the murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule H-2Kb, were developed on the basis of the ovalbumin-derived peptide epitope SIINFEKL. Non-peptidic structural elements were introduced at the C-terminal part of the ligand and include the two dominant anchors at positions 5 and 8. Several oligomers and five different combinatorial libraries were synthesized and tested for their H-2Kb-binding capacities in an MHC stabilization assay. First, the optimal spacing and geometry of the side chains were determined using a series of oligomers with different main chain modifications. Then, based on the structure with the highest binding efficiency, randomized libraries were designed that contain 26 different aromatic, heteroaromatic, or pseudoaromatic side chains for the dominant anchor at position 5, which is deeply buried inside the MHC peptide-binding groove and is crucial for the conformational stability of the entire peptide-MHC complex. Similarly, a series of aliphatic side chains were tested for the second dominant anchor at position 8. MHC-binding and MHC-stabilizing oligomers with defined structures were derived from these libraries by deconvolution.

Amines↗