Biomedical subjects

T Lea

Publications and source records attributed to T Lea.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Novel isozymes of cAMP-dependent protein kinase exist in human cells due to formation of RI alpha-RI beta heterodimeric complexes.

We report that a human neoplastic B cell line (Reh) contains cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAK) type I (cAKI), but is practically devoid of cAK type II (cAKII). However, these cells contain a novel cAKI isozyme consisting of an RI alpha-RI beta heterodimer in association with phosphotransferase activity (RI alpha RI beta C2) eluting from DEAE-cellulose columns at a salt concentration characteristic of a cAKII. Immunoprecipitation of 8-azido-[32P]cAMP-labeled extracts and DEAE fractions employing specific antibodies directed against RI alpha and RI beta clearly demonstrated the presence of RI alpha-RI beta heterodimers. RI alpha was precipitated with RI beta antiserum and vice versa. Furthermore, disruption of disulfide bridges by reduction-alkylation abolished this coimmunoprecipitation. In addition, formation of heterodimeric complexes of RI alpha and RI beta could be demonstrated in vitro using recombinant RI proteins. Finally, the presence of low levels of RI alpha-RI beta heterodimers could also be demonstrated in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. RI alpha-RI beta heterodimers complexed with the catalytic subunit represent a novel isozyme of cAKI (RI alpha RI beta C2), which enhances the possibilities for diversification of cAMP-mediated effects.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Complement activation in septic baboons detected by neoepitope-specific assays for C3b/iC3b/C3c, C5a and the terminal C5b-9 complement complex (TCC).

We have investigated the cross-reactivity of various species in neoepitope-specific methods for quantification of human complement activation products. In contrast to most other species examined, baboon showed a substantial cross-reactivity supporting a high degree of homology between human and baboon complement. An assay for C3b, iC3b and C3c (MoAb bH6) showed moderately good reactivity, in contrast to a C3a assay which did not cross-react. Excellent reactivity was found for C5a using MoAbs C17/5 and G25/2. The reactivity of an established TCC assay (MoAb aE11 to a C9 neoepitope and polyclonal antibody to C5) was improved substantially by replacing the anti-C5 antibody with a new MoAb to C6 particularly selected on the basis of baboon cross-reactivity. Plasma samples from baboons receiving 2.5 x 10(9) and 1.0 x 10(10) live Escherichia coli bacteria/kg were examined with the assays described. In vivo complement activation with the lowest dose was moderate and kept under control, in contrast to the highest dose, where an uncontrolled increase in all activation products continued throughout the infusion period. These results support the hypothesis that sufficiently high amounts of endotoxin lead to uncontrolled activation of complement as seen in irreversible septic shock. The results are discussed with particular emphasis on activation of the terminal complement pathway.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase type I mediates the inhibitory effects of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate on cell replication in human T lymphocytes.

Human T lymphocytes were used as a model system to study the expression and roles of cAMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes (cAKI and cAKII) in cAMP-induced inhibition of cell replication. Human peripheral blood T lymphocytes expressed mRNA for the alpha-subforms (RI alpha and RII alpha) of the regulatory subunits of cAKI and cAKII and for the alpha- and beta-subforms (C alpha and C beta) of the catalytic subunits of cAK. At the protein level, RI alpha represented approximately 75% of the total R subunit activity, whereas RII alpha (phospho and dephospho forms) accounted for the remaining 25%. RII beta was not detected at either the mRNA or the protein level. The RI alpha protein was mainly (greater than 75%) cytosolic, whereas RII alpha was almost exclusively (greater than 90%) particulate associated. Treatment of proliferating T lymphocytes (activated through the CD3 cell surface marker) with 10 different cAMP analogs demonstrated that all inhibited cell replication in a concentration-dependent manner. The potency (as measured by the concentration giving 50% inhibition, IC50) of the cAMP analogs ranged from 30 microM for 8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP to 1100 microM for 8-piperidino-cAMP. A cAMP analog pair directed to activate cAKI (8-aminohexylamino-cAMP and 8-piperidino-cAMP) synergized in the inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation, whereas a cAKII-directed cAMP analog pair (8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP and N6-benzoyl-cAMP) did not. We conclude that activation of cAKI is sufficient to inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation. The membrane-bound cAKII may mediate cAMP actions not related to cell replication.

Blotting, Northern↗

PubMed1992

Identification, purification, and characterization of subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in human testis. Reverse mobilities of human RII alpha and RII beta on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis compared with rat and bovine RIIs.

We have previously identified and characterized regulatory (R) subunits of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, particularly the RII subunits in rat tissues (Jahnsen, T., Lohmann, S. M., Walter, U., Hedin, L., and Richards, J. S. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 15980-15987; Jahnsen, T., Hedin, L., Lohmann, S. M., Walter, U., and Richards, J. S. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6637-6639; Jahnsen, T., Hedin, L., Kidd, V. J., Beattie, W. G., Lohmann, S. M., Walter, U., Durica, J., Schulz, T. Z., Schiltz, E., Browner, M., Lawrence, C. B., Goldman, D., Ratoosh, S. L., and Richards, J. S. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 12352-12361). These studies showed that rat RII alpha and RII beta had apparent molecular masses of 54 and 52 kDa, respectively. The aim of the present study was to purify and characterize cAMP-dependent protein kinase R subunits in human testis and to examine which of the subunits (mRNAs and proteins) are present in this tissue. Our results show that human testis contains mRNAs for five out of the seven known subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. We observed strong expression of mRNAs for RI alpha (1.5 and 3.2 kilobases (kb)), RII alpha (2.2, 2.4, and 7.0 kb), and RII beta (3.3 kb). We also demonstrated mRNAs for two of the three catalytic subunits, C alpha (2.7 kb) and C gamma (1.7 kb). Purification of R subunits by DEAE-cellulose and cAMP affinity chromatography revealed three distinct forms with apparent molecular masses of 49, 51, and 53 kDa, respectively. Characterization of these R subunits by their 8-azido-cAMP photoaffinity labeling and immunoreactivity, as well as by a phosphorylation-dependent mobility shift on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), indicated subunit sizes of RII beta (53 kDa) greater than RII alpha dephosphoform (51 kDa) greater than RI alpha (49 kDa). This conclusion was verified by the analysis of RII subunits produced by in vitro transcription/translation of full-length cDNAs for both human RII alpha and RII beta in wheat germ lysates. The in vitro translated products were the same size as the purified human testis subunits, and only the smallest RII subunit (RII alpha) revealed a distinct mobility shift on SDS-PAGE after phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. This study supports the conclusion that the mobilities of human RII subunits (RII alpha, RII beta) on SDS-PAGE are reversed in contrast with those of other species such as rat and bovine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1991

On the expression of HMG I protein in quiescent and proliferating human T lymphocytes.

The results demonstrate that the HMG I protein is expressed in human quiescent T lymphocytes and hence is not dependent upon proliferation or neoplastic transformation. Furthermore it has been found that the HMG I/histone H1 ratio increase about two-fold after activation with phytohemagglutinin and was about the same as in a number of proliferating human leukemia lymphoma T-cell lines.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1990

Elutable factors from latex-containing materials activate complement and inhibit cell proliferation. An in vitro biocompatibility study of medical devices.

Eluates from one all-silicone and two different combined silicone-latex catheters and one latex and one vinyl procedure glove were mixed with normal human serum and tested in a C3 complement activation assay. Simultaneously the eluates were tested in a cellular assay to measure inhibition of cellular proliferation. The combined silicone-latex catheters and the latex procedure glove caused a pronounced complement activation and inhibited cell proliferation. However, the response ranging was opposite in the two assays, suggesting that different soluble factors were responsible for the observed reactions. No complement activation or inhibition of cellular proliferation was observed for the all-silicone catheter and the vinyl procedure glove. Our results demonstrate that different assays should be taken into account when biocompatibility is evaluated.

Catheterization↗

PubMed1989

Enzyme immunoassay detection of circulating immune complexes by monoclonal antibodies to C3 neoepitopes with special reference to IgG concentration and to interfering anti-immunoglobulin antibodies.

A sensitive solid-phase anti-C3 enzyme immunoassay for detection of circulating immune complexes (CIC) is described. A mixture of the monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) bH6 and Clone 9 specific for neoepitopes on C3 activation products was used as capture reagent. MoAb bH6 recognized C3b, iC3b and C3c, and Clone 9 recognized iC3b and C3dg. Detection antibody was a polyclonal peroxidase-conjugated rabbit anti-human Ig antiserum. A quantitative assay was constructed using serum incubated with heat aggregated IgG (HAG) as standard. The lower detection limit was 5 micrograms/ml of HAG. Interassay and intra-assay coefficient of variation was 15% and 5%, respectively. Anti-animal immunoglobulin antibodies were detected both in normal and pathological sera. This activity was efficiently absorbed by nonimmune immunoglobulins added to the samples. The present assay was compared with a polyethylene glycol precipitation assay for CIC determination. The latter assay was strongly influenced by the IgG concentration (rs = 0.78; P = 0.006), whereas no such correlation was seen for the anti-C3 immune complex assay (rs = -0.30; P = 0.20).

Animals↗

PubMed1989

IgG subclasses in epileptic patients treated with phenytoin.

IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 serum concentrations were determined in 49 phenytoin-treated epileptic patients and in 19 untreated epileptic controls, using subclass-specific monoclonal antibodies in an ELISA technique. The IgG3 and IgG4 concentrations were significantly reduced in patients with IgA deficiency (P less than 0.05, P less than 0.01 respectively). In contrast, IgG4 was elevated in the patients in whom phenytoin did not induce an IgA deficiency (P less than 0.05). IgG1 and IgG2 concentrations did not differ in phenytoin-treated and untreated epileptic patients. IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 did not change after withdrawal of phenytoin. IgG subclass concentrations were not significantly correlated with frequency of respiratory tract infections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Mechanism of ochratoxin A-induced immunosuppression.

Ochratoxin A (OA) has been reported to affect immune function both at the level of antibody synthesis and natural killer (NK) cell activity. In the present study we demonstrate that exposure of purified human lymphocyte populations and subpopulations to the toxin will abrogate the cells' ability to respond to activating stimuli in vitro. Thus, both IL-2 production and IL-2 receptor expression of activated T lymphocytes are severely impaired. When the cells are preincubated with the analogue ochratoxin B (OB) prior to OA exposure, the inhibitory effect of OA is reversed. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of OA on antibody production is not only due to blocking of T helper cell function. Highly purified B lymphocytes will not respond to polyclonal activators in vitro after a brief pulse with OA. The results strongly suggest that the toxin causes its immunosuppression through interference with essential processes in cell metabolism irrespective of lymphocyte population or subpopulation.

B-Lymphocytes↗

PubMed1989

Activation-dependent epitopes in the terminal complement pathway.

Assembly of the terminal complement complex (TCC) during complement activation is associated with considerable antigenic changes in the individual C5, C6, C7, C8 and C9 components. Numerous neoepitopes specific for the TCC are exposed. Similarly, native-restricted epitopes specific for the nonactivated components are concealed in the TCC. The present paper reviews these antigenic changes with special reference to available monoclonal antibodies and their utilization in assays to detect and quantify the TCC. Application of such assays in clinical medicine is discussed. Finally, a recommended terminology for the terminal complement pathway is put forward.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1988

Monosized, magnetic polymer particles: their use in separation of cells and subcellular components, and in the study of lymphocyte function in vitro.

By employing the principles of "activated swelling", monosized, superparamagnetic polymer particles have been prepared ranging in size from 1-100 microns. Both during and after the swelling process, the particles can be modified to meet a series of specific demands making them potentially very interesting for many separation and assay purposes. Using monoclonal antibodies to direct the magnetic beads to their targets, immunomagnetic separation has turned out to be one of the most specific, reliable and, above all, the fastest technique available today to isolate particulate material for further studies. So far, most efforts have been concentrated on methodology for fractionation of cells in suspension, such as removal of tumour cells from bone marrow or isolation of lymphoid cells from peripheral blood. These studies have both established the parameters necessary for optimal performance and at the same time laid the groundwork for future developments making immunomagnetic separation an exciting new tool in many research areas. High speed and specificity are the most conspicuous features of immunomagnetic cell separation. These properties have been exploited in the successful development of a new technique for tissue typing of cells directly from peripheral blood specimens. Both higher sensitivity and specificity have been obtained. The same principles can be used for fast and safe quantification of cell populations and subpopulations in blood and cell suspensions. The functions of, and interactions between, peripheral blood cell populations or subpopulations in the immune response have also been studied with high precision. The significance of direct cell contact on the one hand, and soluble factors on the other, can now be established in detail. Immunomagnetic beads have also been used to study the interaction between various T lymphocyte membrane molecules in the early phases of the activation process. Finally, the usefulness of specially developed particles for the fractionation of subcellular components is described.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1988

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody MoAb bH6 reacting with a neoepitope of human C3 expressed on C3b, iC3b, and C3c.

Activation products of the complement cascade contain neoepitopes that are not present in the individual native components. Monoclonal antibodies detecting neoepitopes have been used for direct quantification of activation at different steps in the cascade. These methods are suggested to be more sensitive and reliable than conventional complement activation tests, which are hampered by precipitation or fractionation procedures. The present study describes production screening and characterization of a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) bH6. MoAb bH6 exhibited a significantly higher binding capacity to ELISA plates coated with zymosan-activated human serum than to plates coated with EDTA plasma. When fixed to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plates, MoAb bH6 retained material from zymosan-activated serum that only reacted with anti-C3 antibodies. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis performed on zymosan-activated serum demonstrated that MoAb bH6 co-precipitated with anti-C3c antibodies. In experiments using highly purified cell-bound fragments MoAb bH6 showed reactivity with C3b and iC3b, but not with C3d. MoAb bH6 reacted in ELISA with purified C3c, but not with C3dg, both as capture antibody and in tests with the fragments absorbed to the solid phase. Thus, MoAb bH6 is highly specific for a neoepitope of human C3 expressed on the cleavage fragments of C3b, iC3b, and C3c.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1988

Quantification in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of a C3 neoepitope expressed on activated human complement factor C3.

A sensitive double antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantification of C3 activation products in human plasma, synovial fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid is described. The monoclonal antibody MoAb bH6, which is specific for a C3 neoepitope expressed on C3b, iC3b, and C3c, was used as capture antibody. Detection antibody was a polyclonal rabbit anti-human C3c followed by development with a peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit Ig antiserum. The activity in normal human EDTA plasma was 1.5% of that in zymosan-activated serum (ZAS). The interassay and intra-assay coefficients of variation were 15% and 3%, respectively. The lower detection limit was 0.0005% of the ZAS standard. Reference range (1.1-2.1% of ZAS) was obtained by measuring EDTA plasma from 40 healthy blood donors. A positive correlation rs = +0.92; P less than 0.0002) was found between the present assay and an already established C3'g' activation ELISA, when samples from 16 patients were examined in both assays simultaneously. The present assay and an assay detecting the terminal complement complex showed virtually identical activation patterns in consecutively drawn samples from a patient undergoing extracorporal circulation.

Blood Preservation↗

PubMed1988

Positive selection of antigen-specific B lymphocytes by means of immunomagnetic particles.

This paper presents a method for the isolation of highly enriched antigen-specific B lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by means of an immunomagnetic procedure. The method is illustrated by the isolation of B cells positive for rheumatoid factors (RF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy blood donors. After Epstein-Barr virus transformation of isolated cells, more than 90% of the generated immunoglobulin-secreting cells produced RF in several experiments. Compared to the low frequency of B cells positive for RF in PBMC, this represents a 10(3)- to 10(4)-fold enrichment of antigen-specific B cells.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed1988

IgE on Langerhans cells in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis and birch allergy.

Epidermal cell suspensions from the skin of seven patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and seven healthy non-atopic controls were investigated for the presence of surface HLA-DR and CD1 antigen, and IgE using indirect and double-staining immunofluorescence techniques. Fifty-seven percent of all CD1+ and 68% of all HLA-DR+ cells from the patients demonstrated IgE on their surface, indicating that Langerhans cells (Lc) in AD may be a heterogeneous population with regard to surface characteristics. No IgE+ cells were found in the epidermal cell suspensions from the healthy non-atopic controls. An attempt to demonstrate birch pollen antigen on the surface of Lc from the same patients all strongly allergic to birch pollen, using indirect immunofluorescence techniques, was unsuccessful, also after in vitro incubation of the Lc with high concentration of the birch antigen.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Quantitation of rheumatoid factors (RF) of IgM, IgA and IgG isotypes by a simple and sensitive ELISA. Discrimination between false and true IgG-RF.

An enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) for quantitation of rheumatoid factors (RF) of IgM, IgA and IgG isotypes has been established. A complex of human serum albumin (HSA) and rabbit IgG anti-HSA antibodies is used as antigen for RF. The binding of RF is detected by stepwise additions of biotinylated monoclonal antibodies specific for human IgM, IgG or IgA, alkaline phosphatase-conjugated streptavidin, and substrate. The assay is simple and applicable to routine testing of large numbers of sera. It discriminates between false and true IgG-RF by papain digestion of sera that turn out positive by the screening for IgG-RF. Of 241 randomly selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as other rheumatoid and infectious diseases, 110 were Waaler-Rose-positive while 127 were IgM-RF-positive in ELISA. The correlation between the Waaler-Rose test and IgM-RF ELISA was highly significant (r = 0.82). By testing 65 of these sera (all IgM-RF positive), 25 (39%) were also true IgG-RF positive (42 (64%) in the screening). When 40 Waaler-Rose-positive RA patients were tested, 20 and 21 were also positive for IgG- and IgA-RF, respectively. Eight IgM-, one IgA- and no IgG-RF positive tests were recovered when 48 Waaler-Rose negative RA patients were studied.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMed1988

Immunoregulatory lymphokines in rheumatoid joints. III. B cell growth promoting activity of cells eluted from rheumatoid synovial tissue.

Synovial fluid (SF) from rheumatoid arthritis patients (RA) and culture-supernatants of synovial tissue (ST) cells from RA patients and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) patients were examined for their ability to promote B cell growth. SF was not suitable for studying B cell growth promotion because with the anti-mu driven assay system employed, all 15 samples strongly inhibited B cell proliferation. Supernatants of in vitro unstimulated ST cells from RA and JRA patients affected B cell growth in different ways, ranging from strong inhibition to moderate stimulation. Supernatants of unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) from healthy donors did not influence B cell proliferation. After phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of the ST cells and normal MNC, culture supernatants of RA ST cells and normal MNC all stimulated B-cell growth, while culture supernatants of PHA-stimulated JRA ST cells displayed a variable picture. The differences between PHA-supernatants from RA, JRA and normal MNC were not statistically significant. These results indicate that the inflamed synovia of JRA and RA patients contain cells that can produce soluble factors with B cell growth promoting activity. Some of the data in the study suggest that these factors are produced in vivo and thus might be responsible for the observed B-cell activation in joints of these patients.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed1987

Intrathecal complement activation in neurological diseases evaluated by analysis of the terminal complement complex.

The terminal complement complex (TCC) was determined in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 208 neurological patients. Elevated CSF TCC levels were observed in higher frequencies in patients with infectious diseases (80%), radiculoneuritis (62%), multiple sclerosis (30%), and miscellaneous autoimmune diseases (27%) than in patients with miscellaneous non-inflammatory diseases (2-13%). The plasma level of TCC was significantly increased only in the infectious group. No positive correlation was observed between the plasma and the CSF TCC concentration in the whole patient population nor in subgroups divided according to blood-brain barrier function. Furthermore, the CSF TCC concentration did not correlate with the serum/CSF albumin ratio or with CSF total protein concentration when this was below 1.0 g/l. It is concluded that an elevated TCC concentration in CSF reflects intrathecal complement activation and that quantification of TCC in CSF may be a valuable supplement in the examination of neurological diseases.

Blood-Brain Barrier↗