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Biomedical subjects

S Muller

Publications and source records attributed to S Muller.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for the functional domains of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.

Monoclonal antibodies were developed against poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and analyzed for their reactivity against the NAD+- and DNA-binding fragments. Two fusions were performed to obtain hybridomas and the resulting anti-poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase antibodies were further screened by characterization of their immunoglobulin light chains. Five different hybridomas were isolated which produced different immunoglobulin light chains, all of which were specific for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. The specificities of these antibodies were determined by immunoblotting against the purified poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, its autodegradation fragments, and the fragments prepared by limited proteolysis with chymotrypsin and papain. These fragments have been suggested to contain the NAD+-binding site, the DNA-binding site, and the automodification site, respectively. All the monoclonal antibodies reacted with the 116 kdalton (kDa) band corresponding to the purified enzyme. Four antibodies reacted exclusively with antigenic site(s) on the 46-kDa fragment which contains the DNA-binding site. A fifth antibody reacted exclusively with a clearly different antigenic site on the 74- and 54-kDa fragments which possess the NAD+ (substrate) binding site. The immunoreactivity with the major autodegradation products (69- and 46-kDa fragments) of the purified enzyme confirms this difference between the two groups of antibodies. The 22-kDa fragment corresponding to the auto-modification site does not show any immunoreactivity with the antibodies.

Animals↗

Synthetic peptides as antigens: pitfalls of conjugation methods.

Peptide-carrier conjugates were prepared using 9 different synthetic peptides, 3 carrier proteins and 4 coupling reagents. Residues of the carrier protein that were modified by different coupling reagents (e.g., glutaraldehyde, carbodiimides, bis-diazotized benzidine) were found to elicit specific antibodies that reacted with unrelated carrier proteins treated with the same coupling agent. To demonstrate the presence of peptide antibodies in an antiserum raised against a peptide-carrier conjugate, it was necessary to use a antigen the peptide coupled to another carrier by means of a different coupling agent. Some of the commonly used conjugation methods were found to lead to conjugates of insufficient stability and sometimes also altered the antigenic properties of the peptide moiety. These difficulties can be overcome by additional control experiments designed to test the quality and the peptide-carrier conjugates.

Carrier Proteins↗

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody reacting with histone H3.

A hybridoma cell line, 1GB3, has been obtained from a fusion between SP/O-Ag 14 myeloma cells and lymphocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with rat liver nuclear proteins. This hybridoma secreted a monoclonal antibody of the IgG2b class which reacted specifically with histone H3 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as well as in immunoblotting and immunodot assays. Stringent test conditions were necessary to eliminate the presence of nonspecific or contaminating reactions with other histones than H3. The monoclonal antibody appears to recognize an epitope situated in the N-terminal residues 20-50 of histone H3; it recognizes this epitope in the octamer aggregate of core histones but not in the core particle.

Animals↗

Antigenic structure of histone H2B.

Antigenic determinants of histone H2B were localized using a series of 23 overlapping fragments of H2B obtained either by chemical and enzymatic cleavage of the histone or by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The ability of peptides to bind H2B antibodies was measured in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using antisera directed against calf thymus and chicken erythrocyte H2B as well as four anti H2B monoclonal antibodies obtained from autoimmune mice. Seven antigenic determinants were localized in the H2B molecule in the vicinity of residues 1-11, 6-18, 15-25, 26-35, 50-65, 94-113 and 114-125. Two of these determinants (residues 6-18 and 26-35) were revealed only through the binding properties of antibodies isolated from autoimmune mice. The usual correlation between hydrophilicity and antigenicity was found to hold for four of the epitopes, and the N- and C-termini of H2B were both antigenically active.

Amino Acids↗

Glucose metabolism in isolated adipocytes from lean and obese Zucker rats following treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone.

Previous work has demonstrated that chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to obese Zucker rats reduces the severity of hyperinsulinemia that is usually present. There were also significant decreases in body weight, fat depot weight, and adipose tissue cellularity. It was hypothesized that the decreased serum insulin was a reflection of improved tissue responsiveness to insulin. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate this hypothesis by examining the insulin response in isolated adipocytes of DHEA-treated rats. Glucose incorporation into CO2, fatty acids, and glyceride-glycerol was measured in isolated parametrial and retroperitoneal adipocytes. Cells from control and DHEA-treated lean rats and control and DHEA-treated obese rats were used, as well as cells from a group of obese rats pair-fed to the DHEA-obese rats. Increased basal and insulin-stimulated rates of incorporation of glucose into CO2 and fatty acids were found in adipocytes from DHEA-lean rats compared to control, lean rats. In contrast, cells from DHEA-treated obese rats tended to incorporate less glucose into CO2 and fatty acids than either the control or pair-fed obese rats. These data indicate that the decrease in serum insulin levels seen in DHEA-treated obese rats is not due to an improvement of adipose tissue responsiveness.

Adipose Tissue↗

Internal antigen and immune network.

The network hypothesis postulates the existence of internal idiotopic structures which mimic nominal antigens. Experimental evidence for idiotope internal antigen is presented and its implication for the Network hypothesis is discussed. The exploitation of the internal idiotope antigens (or preparation of vaccines) is a realistic possibility.

Animals↗

Chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone reduces pancreatic beta-cell hyperplasia and hyperinsulinemia in genetically obese Zucker rats.

The Zucker obese (fa/fa) rat is a model of hypertrophic/hyperplastic obesity. These rats develop marked hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and pancreatic beta-cell hyperplasia. In the present study, chronic (22 weeks) administration of the 17-ketosteroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), to obese Zucker rats significantly decreased body weight, and retroperitoneal and parametrial fat pad weights. In addition, beta-cell hyperplasia was reduced as well as pancreatic insulin content. DHEA treatment of lean Zucker rats also reduced body weight, fat depot weight, pancreatic islet diameter, and pancreatic insulin content. These data indicate that DHEA treatment appears to inhibit insulin synthesis and beta-cell proliferation. Whether this is due to a direct effect on the pancreas or due to improvement of peripheral insulin sensitivity remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗

Monoclonal autoantibodies to histones from autoimmune NZB/NZW F1 mice.

Fusion of spleen cells from autoimmune NZB/NZW female mice with drug-resistant myeloma cells (clones NSI/1, X63-Ag8.653 and NSO/1) produced hybrid clones which secreted antibodies to various nuclear components. Roughly 50% of the anti-nuclear hybridomas produced antibodies reacting with DNA, 20% with RNA and 30% reacted with other nuclear antigens. Two hybridomas of the latter group were cloned and studied in detail. They secreted antibodies which produced bright fluorescence staining of nuclei and metaphase chromosomes. The specificity of the antibodies was determined by testing them in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a radioimmunoassay against individual acid- and salt-extracted histones, against histones mixed two and three at a time and against histone complexes isolated as such from chromatin. One of the monoclonal antibodies was specific for histone H2B and reacted with the histone free in solution or when present as a H2A-H2B complex. The second monoclonal antibody recognized a specific conformation in the H3-H4 complex that was present only when the complex was obtained from chromatin by salt extraction. The same conformation, however, could be induced by adding histone H2B to a mixture of acid-extracted H3 and H4. Our findings show that the autoimmune syndrome in NZB/NZW mice resembles human systemic lupus erythematosus not only in the incidence of antibodies to DNA and RNA, but also in the production of autoantibodies to histones.

Animals↗

Use of histone antibodies for studying chromatin topography and the phosphorylation of chromatin subunits.

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific for histones as well as sera directed against synthetic peptides of histones were used to probe the topography of chromatin subunits. In native chromatin, the regions corresponding to residues 130-135 of H3 and 6-18 of H2B were found to be exposed and able to interact with antibodies whereas the regions 26-35 and 36-43 of H2B and 80-89 and 85-102 of H4 were not. In vitro phosphorylation of H3 and H5 in native chromatin or of H3 in H1/H5-depleted chromatin led to a marked drop in the binding of antibodies specific for residues 130-135 of H3 and 6-18 of H2B. Phosphorylation of H1/H5-depleted chromatin also altered the degree of exposure of certain H2A epitopes but it did not affect the surface accessibility of residues 1-11 of H2B.

Animals↗

Influence of dextran polymer particles (Sephadex G-200) on the chemiluminescence response of murine peritoneal leukocytes.

Murine peritoneal leukocytes exhibited enhanced levels of chemiluminescence (Cl) when derived from mice inoculated intraperitoneally with Sephadex G-200 gel. This could be observed in the background, 'spontaneous' Cl reactivity, and in Cl elicited by in vitro addition of zymosan or mitogens. Leukocytes found in the peritoneum after Sephadex G-200 inoculation are predominantly neutrophils. It is suggested that the enhanced Cl reactivity is due to activation and proliferation of neutrophils.

Animals↗

Localization of two antigenic determinants in histone H4.

Four overlapping synthetic peptides corresponding to the carboxy-terminal region 80-102 of histone H4 were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Their antigenic activity was analysed by inhibition of the H4-anti-H4 reaction in complement fixation and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One antigenic determinant was localized in residues 88-96 of the H4 molecule. No antigenic activity was found in peptides 80-89 and 97-102. Antibodies induced by peptide 85-102 were found to bind to free H4 in solution but not to chromatin subunits, suggesting a lack of accessibility of the C-terminal region of H4 in nucleosomes. A second epitope was found to be situated in the N-terminal region 1-53 of histone H4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Immunochemical localization of the C-terminal hexapeptide of histone H3 at the surface of chromatin subunits.

The C-terminal hexapeptide of histone H3 of chicken erythrocytes (residues 130-135) corresponding to the sequence Ile-Arg-Gly-Glu-Arg-Ala ( IRGERA ) was prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis and, after coupling to bovine serum albumin, was used to elicit antibodies in rabbits. The antigenic activity of the synthetic peptide IRGERA was found to be very similar to that of the natural CN3 fragment (residues 121-135), and it inhibited the H3-anti H3 reaction in complement fixation, solid-phase radioimmunoassay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies induced by IRGERA were found to bind equally well to IRGERA coupled to hemocyanin, to the intact H3 molecule, and to chromatin subunits (nucleosomes and core particles). The results demonstrate that the C-terminal hexapeptide of histone H3 is located at the surface of chromatin subunits and agree with current models proposed for the spatial organization of the chromatin core particle.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Immunochemical detection of changes in chromatin subunits induced by histone H4 acetylation.

Native, reassociated, and reconstituted core particles from chicken erythrocytes were compared by both biophysical and immunochemical methods. No significant difference between the three types of core particles could be demonstrated by electron microscopy, circular dichroism, or immunochemical analysis with antisera to histone H2B, H2A, and H3. Core particles were also reconstituted with calf thymus non-acetylated H3, H2A, and H2B with either mono-, di-, or tri-acetylated H4 isolated from cuttle -fish testes. The hyperacetylation of H4 did not significantly alter the biophysical characteristics of core particles but it induced several changes in their immunochemical reactivity. Binding to core particles of antibodies specific for H2A, H3, and for the IRGERA (synthetic C-terminal) peptide of H3 was considerably decreased when di- or tri-acetylated H4 was used for reconstitution, whereas binding of H2B antibodies remained the same. Our results suggest that the presence of hyperacetylated H4 within core particles leads to conformational changes that alter the antigenic determinants of several of the histones present at the surface of chromatin subunits. Since histone acetylation is correlated with the open structure of active chromatin, it may become possible to monitor the activity of chromatin by immunochemical methods.

Acetylation↗