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Biomedical subjects

H Kohler

Publications and source records attributed to H Kohler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies against human anti-thyroglobulin autoantibodies recognize idiotopes shared by disease-associated and natural anti-thyroglobulin autoantibodies.

Monoclonal murine anti-idiotypic antibodies generated against purified human anti-thyroglobulin (TG) antibodies from a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis recognized two major clusters of idiotopes (1C2 and 1B1) on human anti-thyroglobulin antibodies which were framework and paratope-related. A survey of affinity-purified autoantibodies from Hashimoto's patients indicated that the 1C2 and 1B1 idiotopes are expressed on the disease-associated anti-TG antibodies from several patients. 1C2 and 1B1 idiotopes are also detected on affinity-purified anti-TG antibodies isolated from serum of healthy donors and with therapeutic preparations of immunoglobulins obtained from plasma pools of healthy individuals. The observation that both framework and paratope-related idiotopes are shared by natural and patients' autoantibodies suggests that the anti-TG autoantibodies found in sera of patients with Hashimoto's disease represent an abnormal expansion of normal autoreactive B cell clones rather than the emergency of an antigen-driven, disease-specific B cell response.

Animals↗

Tumor idiotype vaccines. VIII. Analysis of protective idiotype in sera and hybridomas derived from tumor-bearing mice with long-term survival.

In this study, the contribution of idiotype-positive antitumor antibodies (anti-Id) in protective tumor immunity was investigated. We have previously shown that among various anti-Id generated and typed as the internal-image Ab2 of the tumor-associated antibody (TAA) gp52, only 2F10 antibody induces protective immunity. Increase of the 2F10 idiotope in sera of tumor-bearing mice correlated with long-term survival, while in mice with short survival the circulating 2F10 idiotype decreased. 2F10+ Ig were purified from sera of tumor-bearing mice with long-term survival and the amount of 2F10+ anti-TAA antibodies was determined. Only about 3% of 2F10+ antibodies are 2F10+ anti-TAA+. Hybridomas were generated from a 2F10 high mouse with spontaneous tumor regression. Only 2 out of 52 tumor-specific hybridomas were 2F10+. These results suggest that the protective effect induced by 2F10 vaccination may not be directly mediated by 2F10+ antibodies but indirectly through the stimulation of a 2F10-specific cellular immune response.

Animals↗

A survey of drug deaths in western Austria.

We evaluated the drug deaths in western Austria during the period from 1981 to 1991. The increase of fatal cases is partly due to a change in statistical methods and the definition of 'drug victims'. In this paper a survey is given concerning the drug deaths investigated forensically and toxicologically in our area of responsibility.

Adolescent↗

Cryptic T cell epitopes in polymorphic immunoglobulin regions: evidence for positive repertoire selection during fetal development.

The adult T cell repertoire is the result of positive and negative intrathymic selective processes. Since non-self antigens are not present in the thymus, self peptides are believed to play a role in the thymic T cell selection. T cell lines raised against a peptide from the second complementarity-determining region (CDR2) of the S107 germ-line immunoglobulin (Ig) do not respond to the intact Ig, indicating that in adult animals this CDR2 epitope is cryptic in the context of intact S107 Ig. To show that the response to self Ig peptide is the result of positive selection, the fetal expression of the S107 germ-line Ig was suppressed by maternal anti-idiotype (Id) injection. Id S107-suppressed mice responded poorly to the CDR2 peptide, indicating that S107 Ig selects positively T cells responding to a polymorphic self epitope. Cross-reactivity of cryptic self Ig with non-self epitopes could be a mechanism to increase the T cell repertoire for foreign antigens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Acute suppression of albumin synthesis in systemic inflammatory disease: an individually graded response of rat hepatocytes.

The effects of an inflammatory insult on albumin of the rat liver were investigated at the cellular level and were correlated with serum albumin concentration. After SC injection of turpentine, the livers were perfused and fixed in vivo; serial liver sections were stained using a streptavidin-ABC-immunoperoxidase technique with an antibody to rat albumin. Albumin and total protein were measured at intervals after turpentine injection in whole livers and in serum. Fibrinogen was determined in plasma only. Twenty-four hours after turpentine injection serum albumin had dropped by 25% and was at 50% of its initial value at Day 3. Serum fibrinogen increased 2.4-fold within 24 hr and decreased thereafter. Liver homogenates showed no significant changes in albumin concentration. Immunohistochemically, all hepatocytes stained positive for albumin in normal animals. During inflammation, the immunostainable albumin content vanished entirely in a majority of all hepatocytes while remaining unchanged in other cells, thus producing a strikingly patchy staining pattern. No signs of resumption of albumin accumulation in depleted hepatocytes were seen after 8 days, despite a clear trend towards normalization of serum albumin concentration. These results suggest that individual hepatocytes differ widely in their response to agents that suppress albumin synthesis in an acute-phase reaction.

Animals↗

Clonal dominance: cause for a limited and failing immune response to HIV-1 infection and vaccination.

Oligoclonal and monoclonal antibody populations against different HIV-encoded proteins are common in sera from healthy HIV-1-infected individuals. This is especially important when it includes functional antibody repertoires directed at neutralizing cell free virus or inhibiting cell fusion of virus-infected cells. In the host, during the acute viral syndrome following HIV-1 infection, a rapidly replicating, cell-free and genotypically homogeneous viral population is known to arise from the transmitted viral inoculum. Dominant B and possibly T cell clones responsible for both functional and nonfunctional antibodies appear to arise early in response to this initially homogeneous cell-free viral population heralding seroconversion. During the viremic phase, deposition of cell-free virus as either complement coated or as immune complexes (iccosomes) within the germinal centers results in continued and long-term boosting of primed B cells. This saturation of antigen presenting germinal centers and the presence of limited, immunodominant cross-reactive epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein of the closely-related and immune selected viral quasispecies in the host appear to continue the boosting effect of the primed secondary response. This repertoire freeze appears to be responsible for limiting the recruitment of new uncommitted B cells to other functional epitopes or affinity maturation of B-cell clones to escape variants and the subsequent production and quality of functional antibody against the evolving/selected virus populations. This may include in addition to neutralizing and cell fusion inhibiting antibody, direct complement-fixing and/or NK-directed antibody-dependent cell-mediated antibody as well as various effector, helper, or T cell-mediated activity. In addition to antiviral antibody responses, antibody directed to other invading pathogens or opportunistic organisms may also be clonaly restricted. Antibody facilitating infectivity or blocking effective immunity may also be included in this phenomena and thus be over represented by such a mechanism. AIDS vaccines utilizing the envelope must identify these epitopes to avoid creating clonal dominance and therefore possibly limit the breadth and specificity of a humoral response following infection. Furthermore, immunotherapeutic approaches designed to recruit humoral immune effector function must be able to overcome the dominance of noneffective antibodies and restore a normal polyclonal immune response against HIV. Further research, therefore, into the humoral and cellular dysregulating properties of the HIV-1 envelope is warranted.

AIDS Vaccines↗

Dichloromethane utilized by an anaerobic mixed culture: acetogenesis and methanogenesis.

Dichloromethane (8.9 mg/l) was eliminated from industrially polluted, anaerobic groundwater in a fixed-bed reactor (43 m3) which was packed with activated charcoal and operated continuously for over three years. The elimination of dichloromethane over this period was some ten-fold in excess of the sorptive capacity of the charcoal, and the elimination (3.7 mg/h.[kg of charcoal]: residence time, 49 h) was tentatively attributed to dehalogenative microorganisms immobilized on the charcoal. Anaerobic enrichment cultures, with dichloromethane as the sole added source of carbon and energy, were inoculated with material from the reactor. Reproducibly complete substrate disappearance in subcultures was observed when traces of groundwater (1%) or yeast extract (0.01%) were supplied. Fed-batch experiments under an atmosphere of CO2 plus N2 led to the conversion in 11 days of 11 mM dichloromethane to 3 mM acetate and 2 mM methane, with a growth yield of 0.4 g of protein/mol of dichloromethane; insignificant amounts (less than 1 microM) of chloromethane accumulated. Methanogenesis could be inhibited by 50 mM 2-bromoethane sulfonate without any effect on the dehalogenation rate. The maximum dehalogenation rate was 0.13 mmol dichloromethane/h.l (2.6 mkat/kg of protein).

Acetates↗

The servant idiotype network.

Network Antigens are idiotopic markers which are expressed on antibodies of a given specificity. These Network Antigen Idiotopes are part of specific immune responses and are selected through the process of antigen-driven maturation. Their natural role in immunity is the regulation of the response via idiotypic network interaction. The biological power of Network Antigens can be harnessed by generating monoclonal Ab2s against polyclonal disease-derived and specific Ab1. Because network antigens play an important biological role in immunity, it becomes difficult to call the Idiotype Network selfish. We believe that the organization and selection of a small antibody repertoire, which is needed to maintain a disease free existence, is accomplished by the idiotypic network. Furthermore, if we better understand the blueprint of this network we can begin to take advantage of the primed state of clones in the network to intervene, either to stimulate beneficial responses, or to suppress harmful immunities using antibodies which recognize the key organizer and controllers in the network.

Animals↗

Improved anti-tumor reactivity with monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody conjugated to syngeneic mouse red blood cells.

An anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibody (Ab), by resembling an epitope on an antigenic molecule may serve as a surrogate antigen and induce specific immune reactivity to the natural antigen. Anti-Id Ab are often conjugated to a foreign protein, such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) to elicit a stronger response. However, KLH, a potent antigen itself, may provoke unnecessary and undesirable immune reactivity. In this study, syngeneic mouse red blood cells (RBC) were tested as carriers for anti-Id immunization. In a preliminary experiment, BALB/c mice were immunized with normal rat immunoglobulin G (NRIg)-MRBC or NRIg-KLH. Anti-NRIg responses induced by 2-0.2% of NRIg-MRBC (4-0.4 micrograms of NRIg) superseded those induced by NRIg-KLH (50 micrograms of NRIg). Immunization with NRIg-MRBC did not result in autoreactivity against self antigens on autologous RBC. Monoclonal antibody 2F10, which resembles an epitope on mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) envelop protein Gp52, was conjugated to MRBC and used as a surrogate antigen for Gp52. Immune sera were tested in cytotoxicity assay against MMT 68H which expresses Gp52. Between 2-4 weeks after the immunization, specific cytotoxic antibodies were detected in mice immunized with 2.0%, 0.2% and 0.02% 2F10-MRBC, with 0.2% 2F10-MRBC being the most effective dose. 2F10 immune sera did not react with autologous RBC. Therefore, MRBC are at least as effective, and may be more effective than KLH as carriers for Ig immunization. Repeated treatment will be feasible since MRBC are not immunogenic.

Animals↗

Idiotypic intramolecular help. Induction of tumor-specific antibodies by monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody with the help of Fc-specific T helper clones.

In this study, the mechanism of anti-Id vaccination was investigated by using cloned Th cells and an anti-idiotypic mAb. 2F10, an anti-idiotypic mAb derived from an Igh1-e allotype mouse strain, which induces protection against the L1210/GZL DBA/2 tumor, was used to prime DBA/2 mice. An Fc (Igh1-e)-specific syngeneic Th clone was cocultured in the presence of 2F10 anti-Id with 2F10-Fab-primed B cells. The Th clone responded with proliferation and also provided help for 2F10-Fab-primed B cells to produce antibodies that bind to L1210/GZL and not to P815 tumor cells. Intact 2F10 anti-Id was presented to Fc-specific Th cells by Fab (or Id) primed B cells more efficiently than the fragment mixture (Fab plus Fc) of 2F10 anti-Id, indicating that 2F10-Fab (or Id)-primed B cells capture 2F10 anti-Id through surface Ig receptors. Presenting B cells are sensitive to treatment with chloroquine and must come from H-2 matched mice, indicating that the Ag presentation by Fab-primed B cells to Fc-specific Th cells requires processing and is MHC restricted. Collectively these results outline a mechanism that may operate in anti-Id therapy of tumor-bearing animals by using tumor Ag mimicking anti-idiotypic antibodies. A similar mechanism could be effective in tumor patients immunized with xenogeneic anti-idiotypic antibodies operating under the "intra(Ag) molecular help."

Animals↗

Interaction of lactoperoxidase with hydrogen peroxide. Formation of enzyme intermediates and generation of free radicals.

Peroxidases belong to a group of enzymes which catalyze the oxidation of numerous organic and inorganic substrates by hydrogen peroxide. Most peroxidases, including lactoperoxidase (LPO), contain ferriprotoporphyrin IX as a prosthetic group. A characteristic feature of hemoprotein peroxidases is their ability to exist in various oxidation states. There are five known enzyme intermediates. In increasing order of their oxidative equivalents these are ferrous enzyme, ferric or native enzyme, Compound II, Compound I, and Compound III (sections 5, 7). They are readily distinguished from each other by their absorbance in the Soret region (380-450 nm) and visible range (450-650 nm). In the course of Compound III and Compound II conversion back to the native peroxidase, oxygen derived free radicals such as O2-, HO.2, and .OH are generated. Simultaneously the enzyme is irreversibly damaged. In the presence of an exogenous electron donor, such as iodide, the interconversion between the various oxidation states of the peroxidase is markedly affected. Compound II and/or Compound III formation is inhibited, depending on the H2O2 concentration. In addition, the enzyme is largely protected from irreversible inactivation. These effects of iodide are readily explained by 1) the two-electron oxidation of iodide to Iox by Compound I, which bypasses Compound II as an intermediate, and 2) the rapid oxidation of H2O2 to O2 by the oxidized species of iodide which prevents the generation of oxygen derived free radicals.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Potential role of anti-idiotype antibodies in active tumor immunotherapy.

The tumor-specified cellular and humoral immunity induced by anti-idiotype antibodies (Ab2s) 2F10 and 3A4 has been studied. Ab2s were made against a monoclonal anti-L1210/GZL lymphoma, 11C1. They were screened for their ability to block 11C1 binding to tumor, induce tumor-specific DTH and CTL responses, and induce an anti-tumor humoral response. Two Ab2s, 2F10 and 3A4, which were found to have similar fine specificity and to induce similar cellular and humoral responses, were compared for their ability to elicit tumor-protective immunity. Interestingly, only preimmunization with the 2F10 Ab2 protected animals from live tumor challenge. The possible causes for this discriminatory biological effect induced by otherwise similar Ab2s are discussed.

Animals↗

Idiotype vaccines against human T cell leukemia. II. Generation and characterization of a monoclonal idiotype cascade (Ab1, Ab2, and Ab3).

Previously, we had generated anti-Id mAb (Ab2) binding to a hybridoma SN2 (Ab1), which recognizes a glycoprotein, gp37, expressed by human leukemic T cells. To characterize these anti-idiotopes further, they were used to immunize mice and rabbits. Several murine anti-anti-Idiotype mAb (Ab3), mostly of IgM-k isotype, were obtained. mAb3 and sera from rabbits immunized with Ab2 contained antibodies that bind to gp37 Ag and leukemic MOLT-4 and JM cells. Also, mAb3 and immune sera from rabbits competed with Ab1 for binding to MOLT-4 cells. They inhibited the binding of iodinated Ab1 to Ab2 indicating that Ab3 in mice and rabbits shares idiotopes with Ab1 (SN2). Furthermore, both the murine mAb3 and rabbit polyclonal Ab3 immunoprecipitated the same gp37 Ag as SN2 (Ab1). The production of Ag-specific Ab3 (Ab1') in mice and rabbits in absence of any exposure to gp37 indicates that these Ab2 may indeed carry the internal image of the gp37 Ag. Such anti-idiotopes (Ab2 beta) may be useful as Ag substitute for the induction of therapeutic immunity in T cell leukemia patients.

Animals↗

Spectral studies with lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase: interconversions between native enzyme, compound II, and compound III.

Spectral scans in both the visible (650-450 nm) and the Soret (450-380 nm) regions were recorded for the native enzyme, Compound II, and Compound III of lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase. Compound II for each enzyme (1.7 microM) was prepared by adding a slight excess of H2O2 (6 microM), whereas Compound III was prepared by adding a large excess of H2O2 (200 microM). After these compounds had been formed it was observed that they were slowly reconverted to the native enzyme in the absence of exogenous donors. The pathway of Compound III back to the native enzyme involved Compound II as an intermediate. Reconversion of Compound III to native enzyme was accompanied by the disappearance of H2O2 and generation of O2, with approximately 1 mol of O2 formed for each 2 mol of H2O2 that disappeared. A scheme is proposed to explain these observations, involving intermediate formation of the ferrous enzyme. According to the scheme, Compound III participates in a reaction cycle that effectively converts H2O2 to O2. Iodide markedly affected the interconversions between native enzyme, Compound II, and Compound III for lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase. A low concentration of iodide (4 microM) completely blocked the formation of Compound II when lactoperoxidase or thyroid peroxidase was treated with 6 microM H2O2. When the enzymes were treated with 200 microM H2O2, the same low concentration of iodide completely blocked the formation of Compound III and largely prevented the enzyme degradation that otherwise occurred in the absence of iodide. These effects of iodide are readily explained by (i) the two-electron oxidation of iodide to hypoiodite by Compound I, which bypasses Compound II as an intermediate, and (ii) the rapid oxidation of H2O2 to O2 by the hypoiodite formed in the reaction between Compound I and iodide.

Hydrogen Peroxide↗

Regulation of an idiotype+ B cell lymphoma. Effects of antigen and anti-idiotopic antibodies on proliferation and Ig secretion.

The B cell surface Ig molecule plays an important regulatory role in delivering inductive/tolerogenic signals to the cell. In this paper, the effect of Ag and anti-idiotopic antibodies on the in vitro proliferation and Ig secretion of a B cell tumor was studied. The tumor (BCL1), which had been transfected with the TEPC-15 VH and VL Ig genes, expresses surface Ig and secretes antibody that binds the hapten phosphorylcholine. We found that Ag (C polysaccharide and phosphorylcholine carrier Ag) and two different anti-idiotopic antibodies, in the absence of T cells, all inhibited the proliferation of the T15+ transfectant cell line. The anti-idiotopic antibodies, but not Ag, also inhibited the secretion of T15 Ig by this cell line, suggesting different functional roles for Ag vs anti-Id in the regulation of B cell inactivation. The inhibition of secretion and proliferation appears to be cell cycle phase related. In addition, mouse rIL-4 could override the inhibition of proliferation induced in these studies. These phenomena, demonstrating that binding of surface Ig can result in the transduction of negative growth signals to a B cell tumor, can be viewed as a manifestation of immunologic tolerance. These findings collectively demonstrate that Ag and anti-Id mediate different signals to B cells via interaction with the surface Ig. Because of the monoclonal nature of the T15 transfectant and the anti-idiotypic antibodies, this system can be used to investigate the underlying molecular reactions involved in the B cell response and induction of tolerance.

Animals↗

Inhibition of self-binding antibodies (autobodies) by a VH-derived peptide.

The self-binding properties of a dominant idiotypic antibody (T15) and a minor idiotypic antibody (M603), both specific for phosphorylcholine, were examined as models of self-binding antibodies (autobodies). Observed differences in the self-binding affinity of T15 and M603 relate to variable sequence differences in their respective heavy and light chains. A molecular recognition theory based on the translation of coding and noncoding DNA strands was used to identify complementary amino acid sequences responsible for self-binding. The second hypervariable region of the heavy chain domain, extending into the third framework region, was predicted as the primary self-binding locus. Among peptides synthesized with different variable heavy and light chain regions, a 24-residue peptide spanning the second hypervariable and third framework regions of the heavy chain of T15 was nearly as effective as phosphorycholine in inhibiting the self-binding complexes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural basis of stimulatory anti-idiotypic antibodies.

In order to design and produce effective vaccines based upon the idiotype network hypothesis of Jerne, a thorough understanding of the biological and structural aspects underlying the stimulating activities of anti-idiotypic antibodies is needed. Here we determined the nucleotide sequence of the variable heavy and light chain regions of two monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies which induce different anti-phosphorylcholine responses. The nucleotide sequences of the variable domains of two monoclonal anti-TEPC 15 (T15) antibodies (F6-3 and 4C11) were determined by the primer extension and Maxam-Gilbert techniques. The nucleotide sequence data show that 4C11 and F6-3 have homologous VH segments and JH segments, but different D regions. The VH segments of both clones belongs to the J558 VH family. Most of the differences among the VH segments are located in CDR2. The VK segments of 4C11 and F6-3 are homologous to the VK gene group 4 and group 8, respectively. Comparison of the sequences of 4C11 and F6-3 with other published anti-idiotype antibodies shows that there is no preferential utilization of immunoglobulin genes. An analysis of the distribution of charged residues and hydropathic comparison studies were used to interpret the sequence of 4C11 in terms of the biological mimicry of antigenic stimulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗