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Biomedical subjects

K J Beh

Publications and source records attributed to K J Beh.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Expression of a recombinant sheep IgE gene.

An ovine cosmid library was screened with a bovine C epsilon gene probe. IgE and IgA constant region genes (C epsilon and C alpha, respectively) were isolated within a single 26 kb cosmid insert. The C epsilon gene was cloned into an expression vector which contained the rearranged VDJ genomic segment encoding an anti-(4-hydroxy-3-iodo-5-nitrophenyl) acetic acid (anti-NIP) VH chain. This chimeric construct was transfected into murine hybridoma cells producing L chain with anti-NIP antibody specificity and stable transfectomas secreting chimeric ovine-murine IgE anti-NIP antibodies were obtained. Chimeric antibody, affinity purified from culture supernatants of transfected cells on a NIP-sepharose column, was characterised by SDS-PAGE and shown to contain H and L chains of expected size. These experiments demonstrated the power of advanced molecular genetic techniques to generate immunological reagents against low abundance immunoglobulin isotypes thus facilitating monoclonal antibody production for further immunological studies.

Animals↗

Organisation of the ovine immunoglobulin C epsilon gene locus: evidence for a deletion 5' of the gene.

A cosmid clone containing the ovine and C epsilon and C alpha immunoglobulin heavy chain genes was isolated and characterised. Restriction mapping and sequence analysis showed a high degree of similarity between the bovine and ovine C epsilon loci. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of sheep genomic DNA revealed Mendelian inheritance of polymorphisms with identical variation in allele size for various restriction enzymes. This identical variation suggested that a deletion of approximately 100 bp existed at the 5' end of the smaller alleles.

Alleles↗

A search for associations between major histocompatibility complex restriction fragment length polymorphism bands and resistance to Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep.

Polymorphic bands were detected within the DQB and DRB regions of the ovine major histocompatibility complex by probing TaqI digested DNA from three large sheep half-sib families derived from a highly resistant ram. All animals were phenotypically assessed for Haemonchus contortus resistance by faecal egg counts and associations with RFLP bands and haplotypes were estimated using mixed model, best linear unbiased prediction statistical methods. Although the highly resistant sire was homozygous at the MHC, no significant associations were found between any band or haplotype and faecal egg count.

Animals↗

Analysis of immunoglobulin light chain loci in sheep.

A sheep kappa cDNA probe was isolated, characterized by sequence analysis and shown to have significant sequence identity to other kappa light chains. This probe and a sheep lambda light chain probe were used to estimate the extent of various sheep immunoglobulin light chain gene loci by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA. The results showed that the sheep has a single hybridizing kappa constant gene and three to five kappa V segment bands. Segregation of three polymorphic bands at the lambda C locus indicated that they were products of separate C segments. Restriction fragment pattern variations were obtained using light chain probes on various sheep breeds, but no pattern or individual band was characteristic for a particular breed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Monoclonal antibody against sheep kappa light chain.

The production of a monoclonal antibody specific for sheep kappa light chain protein is described. The monoclonal antibody was designated McM11 and its specificity was verified using western blots of sheep IgG and slides of efferent lymph cells. The specificity of McM11 was confirmed by specific recognition of fusion proteins expressed by recombinant phage containing sheep kappa cDNAs. N terminal sequence of the light chain recognized by McM11 showed homology to kappa type light chains. McM11, together with McM6, a lambda specific monoclonal antibody, was shown by two color FACS analysis of sheep blood lymphocytes to recognize all sheep light chains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and sequence of sheep Ig H and L chain cDNA.

Sheep lymphocyte poly(A+) RNA was used as a template for the enzymatic synthesis of cDNA before cloning into the expression vector lambda gt11. Screening of the cDNA library with mAb probes resulted in the isolation of two recombinant phages containing Ig coding sequences of 704 bp and 925 bp. These were inserted into the EcoRI site of pUC18 and named pSLC (sheep Ig L chain) and pSHC (sheep Ig H chain). The insert in pSLC revealed sequence homology by using GenBank to lambda L chain and pSHC revealed sequence homology to IgG sequences from various species. The L chain cDNA contained the full translation sequence and 5' and 3' nontranslating region while the H chain cDNA coded for the secreted form of IgG1 and lacked sequences upstream from the C region. The derived amino acid sequences showed significant homology with various Ig sequences already described for human, mouse, rabbit, pig, and chicken but the degree of homology showed no consistency with established phylogenetic relationships.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Significance of Freund's adjuvant/antigen injection granuloma in the maintenance of serum antibody response.

An experimental system involving injections of ovalbumin (OVA) and ferritin (FER) in Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) into the right and left flank skin folds of sheep was used to study the influence of the FIA/antigen depot and the draining lymph node in maintaining an antibody response. Excision of the injection granuloma and draining lymph node from one side 2-3 months after injections resulted in a profound decrease in serum antibody titres. This response was observed in all eight sheep in the experimental group. In five of eight animals in another experiment, excision of the injection sites had no appreciable effect on antigen-specific antibody titres when compared with antibody specific for antigen on the intact side of the sheep. In the remaining three animals, excision of the injection site did cause some fall in titre. Radiotracer studies revealed that about one-third of the original [125I]OVA/FIA injected was present in the granuloma 20 weeks after injection. Lymphatic cannulation approaches were used to study the responsiveness of the lymph node draining an FIA/antigen granuloma established 12 weeks earlier and showed that increments of 1-2 mg OVA in saline administered adjacent to the granuloma at 6-7 day intervals gave rise to strong anti-OVA containing cell (AOCC) responses in lymph. There were 2-6-fold increases in serum antibody titre in response to 3-5 doses of OVA or FER (1-2 mg) in saline injected adjacent to the FIA/antigen injection site (which had been administered 14-16 weeks previously). It is concluded that the release rate of antigen from a FIA/antigen depot is insufficient to sustain maximal antibody levels in blood serum.

Animals↗

Restriction fragment length patterns of DNA from parasitic nematodes of sheep.

High molecular weight DNA obtained from sheep parasitic nematodes Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis, was digested with various restriction endonucleases. Digestion with Eco R1 produced the most informative pattern of repeat sequence bands. H contortus adult or larval DNA produced bands of 2.7, 3.0 and 1.4 kb. O circumcincta adult or larval DNA had common 2.7 and 1.4 kb bands with adult specific bands of 2.2 and 0.9 kb and a larval specific 2.08 kb band. T colubriformis adults or larval DNA produced 2.7, 1.4 and 0.79 kb bands. These preliminary results show that restriction patterns of repeat sequence DNA may be useful for the identification of various trichostrongylid species parasitic for sheep.

Animals↗

Monoclonal antibodies against sheep immunoglobulin light chain, IgM and IgA.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for sheep immunoglobulin light chain, IgM and IgA were produced by conventional cell fusion technology. Purified light chain and IgM were used to verify the specificity of anti-light chain and anti-IgM hybridoma supernatants using passive haemagglutination assays, radioimmunoassays and immunoelectrophoresis. In the absence of pure IgA, verification of monoclonal anti-IgA was, based on paired staining of intestinal lymph smears and comparing the percentage of cells stained with hybridoma supernatant with the percentage of cells stained with polyclonal anti-alpha serum.

Animals↗

Immune response of sheep to oral and subcutaneous administration of live aromatic-dependent mutant of Salmonella typhimurium (SL1479).

The major objective of the present study was to determine whether oral immunization with a live aromatic-dependent strain of Salmonella typhimurium (SL1479) was capable of stimulating an intestinal immune response in sheep similar to that induced by combined intraperitoneal injection followed by oral boosting. The results showed that repeated oral immunization was incapable of stimulating an anti-flagella antibody containing cell (ACC) response in the lamina propria of the intestine even though primary oral administration of 5 x 10(9) live SL1479 gave rise to an ACC response in intestinal lymph which was predominantly of the IgM isotype. ACC reached a peak 9-10 days after oral administration when ACC comprised 0.5-1% of total lymphocytes in lymph. An ACC response of similar isotope specificity also occurred in popliteal prefemoral lymph of unprimed sheep following regional subcutaneous injection of SL1479. Oral administration of SL1479 to orally primed sheep did not reinvoke an ACC response in lymph although IgG1-ACC were observed in medullary cords of mesenteric lymph nodes of sheep 6-8 days after the booster dose of SL1479. The results suggest that the protective immunity elicited by oral administration of SL1479 cannot be attributed to induction of a local intestinal antibody production.

Administration, Oral↗

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for sheep IgG subclasses IgG1 or IgG2.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for sheep IgG subclasses IgG1 or IgG2 were produced using conventional cell fusion techniques. Monoclonal antibodies detected by preliminary screening assays were further characterized and their specificity verified by titration of ascites in radioimmunoassay or passive haemagglutination using pure sheep IgG1 or IgG2. Further evidence for the subclass specificity of the antibodies was obtained from immunoelectrophoretograms of sheep serum or purified proteins developed with monoclonal antibodies. Reaction of monoclonal antibodies with various IgG fragments showed that the determinants recognised were located on the pFc' portion of the heavy chain.

Animals↗

Characterization of two mouse myeloma X sheep lymphocyte cell lines secreting sheep antibody.

Two mouse X sheep interspecific cell hybrids were obtained by fusing mouse myeloma cell line Sp2/O. Ag14 with sheep lymphocytes obtained from a lymph node antigenically stimulated with azo-benzene arsonate-ovalbumin (ABA-ova). The interspecific cell lines were characterized using immunochemical, karyotypic and molecular DNA techniques. Both cell lines secreted sheep IgG1 antibody specific for the ABA haptenic determinant. Karyotypic analysis revealed that cell lines 4.11 and 11.9 had modal chromosome numbers of 91 and 106, respectively. Although C-banded spreads confirmed that fusion between sheep and mouse cells had occurred, it was not possible to differentiate sheep from mouse chromosomes. However, DNA hybridization techniques showed that each line contained sheep repetitive sequence DNA. It was calculated that cell line 11.9 contained 17640 copies while cell line 4.11 contained 734 copies of the previously characterized sheep satellite DNA.

Animals↗

The antibody-containing cell response of the lamina propria of the sheep and the uptake of soluble antigen into afferent ileal lymph following intra-intestinal infusion of soluble or particulate antigen.

Experiments were carried out in sheep to determine the isotype distribution of antibody-containing cells (ACC) produced by the lamina propria of the intestine. Soluble or particulate antigen was infused intra-intestinally and the isotype specificity of the subsequent ACC response was monitored in afferent lymph collected from ileal lymphadenectomised sheep. Infusion with Brucella abortus cells+5% DEAE-dextran for 3 days elicited a peak lymph-borne ACC response of 5 X 10(5) ACC/hr on day 7, and a second 3-day infusion elicited a somewhat reduced response with a peak output of ACC of 2.9 X 10(5)/hr on day 12. Brucella-specific ACC were of either IgM or IgA isotype, and a percentage of cells apparently contained both isotypes during the primary response. Following continuous intra-intestinal infusion of ovalbumin with DEAE-dextran, peak levels of ACC in lymph occurred on day 9 when 10.7 X 10(5)/hr ACC were present in lymph, and on day 15 when 16.5 X 10(5) ACC/hr were discharged into lymph. IgA-ACC comprised 70-90% of ACC throughout the response, with 5-25% IgM-ACC produced in the early stages. IgG1-ACC assumed a greater proportion of the total ACC as the response progressed. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to measure the long-term absorption of ovalbumin from the ileum. The cumulative uptake was similar, whether ovalbumin was infused with or without DEAE-dextran, although following infusion with DEAE-dextran, measurable amounts of ovalbumin were present in lymph for a longer period. These results confirm that the intestinal epithelium is permeable to minute amounts of macromolecules, and the prolonged permeability may contribute to the immunopotentiating effect of DEAE-dextran.

Animals↗

The effect of adjuvants and prior immunization on the rate and mode of uptake of antigen into afferent popliteal lymph from sheep.

Experiments were carried out to determine the effect of a range of adjuvants on the antibody response of sheep to a subcutaneous injection of ovalbumin. Incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) was the best of the repository type adjuvants. From a range of soluble immunopotentiating substances tested, the polyion DEAE-dextran, or dextran sulphate, produced the greatest enhancement of the response. These results were confirmed in a factorial experiment, but no interactions were found between various classes of adjuvants. Further experiments were carried out to determine the effect of superior adjuvants, prior immunization or intradermal injection on the rate and mode of uptake of antigen from the injection site to afferent lymph. These experiments showed that, with IFA, most antigen is retained at the injection site, less than 15% entering lymph by 3 days. There was some delay in antigen uptake with adjuvant 65, while for aluminium phosphate precipitated antigen, the rate of uptake was the same as following a saline injection. There was some delay in uptake of antigen following injection with DEAE-dextran or in primed sheep but, following intradermal injection, the rate of uptake into lymph was the same as aqueous antigen injected subcutaneously. Experiments in which the distribution of radioactive antigen between cells and plasma in lymph was examined showed that, in unprimed sheep, virtually all antigen is unassociated with cells. In primed sheep, however, about 0.5% of antigen in lymph was found to be cell-associated. Gel filtration of lymph plasma from primed sheep demonstrated that nearly all the antigen in lymph is carried to the node as high molecular weight material, presumably antigen-antibody complexes.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗