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Biomedical subjects

T Moran

Publications and source records attributed to T Moran.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cells expressing an H chain Ig gene carrying a viral T cell epitope are lysed by specific cytolytic T cells.

The epitope corresponding to amino acid residues 147-161 of the nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus is recognized by CTL in association with H-2Kd class I Ag. Herein, we engineered an Ig molecule carrying this CTL epitope by replacing the diversity gene segment of the H chain V region of an anti-arsonate antibody with an oligonucleotide that encodes the CTL epitope. The chimeric H chain gene was expressed either alone or together with the parental L chain in the nonsecreting BALB/c myeloma B cell line, SP2/0. The Ig produced by cells transfected with both the chimeric H chain and parental L chains genes expressed the NP epitope but lost the original arsonate binding activity. In addition, SP2/0 cells expressing the chimeric H chain either alone or together with the parental L chain were lysed by class I restricted NP-epitope specific CTL. By contrast, SP2/0 cells pulsed with soluble chimeric Ig molecules were not lysed by the specific CTL. These observations indicate that: 1) this particular CTL epitope can be expressed on Ig molecules without altering the H and L chain pairing; 2) this CTL epitope can be generated from this chimeric Ig in which it is surrounded by flanking regions distinct from those of the viral NP; and 3) the generation of this CTL epitope from the Ig molecule requires the endogenous pathway as do viral proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence

Influenza A virus transfectants with chimeric hemagglutinins containing epitopes from different subtypes.

Influenza virus transfectants with chimeric hemagglutinins were constructed by using a ribonucleoprotein transfection method. Transfectants W(H1)-H2 and W(H1)-H3 contained A/WSN/33(H1N1) (WSN) hemagglutinins in which the six-amino-acid loop (contained in antigenic site B) was replaced by the corresponding structures of influenza viruses A/Japan/57(H2N2) and A/Hong Kong/8/68(H3N2) (HK), respectively. Serological analysis indicated that the W(H1)-H3 transfectant virus reacted with antibodies against both the WSN and HK viruses in hemagglutination inhibition and plaque neutralization assays. Furthermore, mice immunized with W(H1)-H3 transfectant virus produced antibodies to the WSN and HK viruses. The results demonstrate that influenza virus transfectants can be engineered to express epitopes of different subtypes on their hemagglutinins.

Amino Acid Sequence

The adjuvant effect of stearyl tyrosine on a recombinant subunit hepatitis B surface antigen.

We describe the enhancement of the antibody response against hepatitis B surface Ag by octadecyl L-tyrosine, a synthetic adjuvant designed to exert its adjuvant effect in a manner similar to that of alum because it binds soluble Ag and releases it slowly from the site of injection. Our data demonstrate that octadecyl L-tyrosine showed a significant enhancement of the antihepatitis B surface Ag response compared to that of alum in the secondary response. The most striking difference between octadecyl L-tyrosine and alum in the antihepatitis B surface Ag antibody response was the absence of IgE-specific antibodies subsequent to immunization of the Ag in octadecyl L-tyrosine. Both the optical isomers of the octadecyl esters of tyrosine were adjuvant active, however, the racemic mixture showed a significantly lowe adjuvant activity. This adjuvant has great potential to be used in humans because it is devoid of side effects as assessed by the lack of acute and chronic toxicity in mice and rats, pyrogenicity in rabbits, formation of granuloma in cats, and adjuvant arthritis in rats.

Adjuvants, Immunologic

Tourette's syndrome: a neurochemical analysis of postmortem cortical brain tissue.

Postmortem frontal, temporal, and occipital regions of the brain from adult patients who had a diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome were analyzed for neurochemical alterations. In 3 of 4 TS-affected brains, the concentration of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) was reduced in all brain regions evaluated. This diminution in cyclic AMP was not associated with a significant change in the activity of the synthesizing enzyme, adenylate cyclase. No significant differences were identified for the neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes choline acetyltransferase and glutamate decarboxylase. Concentrations of dopamine, norepinephrine, and the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were not altered. Postsynaptic receptor-binding activity for muscarinic cholinergic ([3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate) and beta receptors ([125I]iodocyanopindolol) showed no generalized impairment. It is suggested that symptoms of Tourette's syndrome might be related to an abnormality within a second messenger system.

Adult

Origin of the autoreactive anti-type II collagen response. II. Specificities, antibody isotypes and usage of V gene families of anti-type II collagen B cells.

Autoantibodies play an important role in the pathogenesis of type II collagen-induced arthritis in mice. We have earlier reported a high frequency of cells producing anti-CII autoantibodies and a low frequency of cells producing multispecific antibodies, in regional lymph nodes 9 to 11 days after primary immunization with CII. It is shown here that anti-CII antibodies produced during primary immune response are IgG-antibodies mainly of IgG2a, IgG1 and IgG2b subclasses while IgM antibodies dominate primary responses elicited by OVA and denatured CII as analyzed with a large panel of hybridomas. Anti-CII antibodies generated during the primary response recognize at least five different epitopes on the CII molecule. The specificities of these antibodies for various epitopes result from combinational association of products encoded by genes derived from various VH and VK families and/or by the occurrence of somatic mutations. It is suggested that the primary anti-CII autoantibody response involves activation of memory B cells and is in this aspect different from the origin of "natural" autoantibodies.

Animals

Neuromedin B receptor in esophagus: evidence for subtypes of bombesin receptors.

To identify receptors for bombesin-related peptides in the rat esophagus, we measured binding of 125I-Bolton-Hunter neuromedin B (125I-BH-neuromedin B) and 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin to tissue sections from the rat esophagus and compared the results with those for rat pancreas. Esophagus bound both tracers, whereas pancreas bound only 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin. In each tissue binding was saturable, dependent on pH, on time, and on temperature, reversible, and specific. Autoradiography demonstrated binding of both tracers only to the muscularis mucosae of the esophagus and binding of 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin diffusely over pancreatic acini. In the esophagus, the relative potencies for inhibition of binding of both tracers were as follows: neuromedin B greater than bombesin greater than GRP = neuromedin C; similar relative potencies were found for causing contraction of muscle strips from whole esophagus and from the isolated muscularis mucosae. In pancreas tissue sections and dispersed acini, the relative potencies for inhibition of binding of 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin were as follows: bombesin greater than GRP = neuromedin C much greater than neuromedin B. Similar relative potencies were found for stimulation of enzyme secretion from dispersed pancreatic acini. Computer analysis in both tissues demonstrated only a single binding site. The present study demonstrates that rat esophagus muscle possesses specific receptors for bombesin-related peptides. Furthermore, this study shows that the esophageal bombesin receptors represent a previously unidentified class of bombesin receptors in that they have a higher affinity for neuromedin B than for bombesin. In contrast, the pancreatic bombesin receptors have, like all other bombesin receptors described to date, a high affinity for bombesin, but low affinity for neuromedin B.

Animals

Sexual abuse in young children: its clinical presentation and characteristic patterns.

A retrospective record survey was performed using all child clients aged less than 7 years seen at a community mental health center during the period 1982-1984. The total number of 202 children fell into three groups: sexually abused (n = 37), physically abused (n = 35), and nonabused clinical children (n = 130). These groups were compared in order to learn more about sexual abuse in young children. Family background of both abused groups were similar to each other but differed from the nonabused group in having more factors related to family stress than the nonabused group. Clinical presentations of all the children overlapped a great deal symptomatically; however, the sexually abused children had a statistically significant higher frequency of inappropriate sexual behavior than the other two groups. Several characteristics of the abusive patterns suffered by the two abuse groups differed at or near statistical significance: sexually abused children were more often victimized in single acts by nonrelated child perpetrators than were physically abused children.

Adaptation, Psychological

The human and murine influenza-specific B cell repertoires share a common idiotope.

We have dissected the human influenza-specific B cell repertoire by performing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) limiting dilution analysis of lymphocytes obtained from donors before and after immunization with a commercially available influenza vaccine. In addition to an analysis of precursor frequency and light chain diversity, we studied sera and culture supernatants containing human anti-influenza antibodies with a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for idiotopes identified on murine anti-PR8 and anti-X-31 antibodies. An idiotypic specificity present on the X-31-specific murine monoclonal PY206 has previously been shown to be shared by murine antibodies specific for PR8, X-31, and other influenza viruses. We observed little correlation among the following parameters: anti-viral titer, serum idiotope content, precursor frequency and immune status. More interestingly, there was a striking predominance of human influenza-specific antibodies that utilized lambda light chains. In addition, 12 of 26 human anti-influenza monoclonals strongly inhibited the binding of one of the murine anti-idiotopes to the labeled murine antibody, PY206. This is the same idiotope that is shared among murine antiinfluenza antibodies and all six individuals studied contained clones reactive with this anti-idiotope. Seven of these 12 idiotope-positive human antibodies gave partial cross-reactivity in a second anti-idiotypic system. These observations imply that a significant level of homology exists between the binding sites of human and murine influenza-specific antibodies and suggest that idiotypic manipulation of the human immune response to influenza virus may have important therapeutic implications.

Adult

Effect of syngeneic anti-idiotypic antibody on influenza virus neuraminidase antibody response.

Influenza viruses possess two major surface glycoproteins - hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Py203, a monoclonal antibody (Ab) specific for the neuraminidase of the PR8 (H1N1) influenza virus, was used to prepare syngeneic monoclonal anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) Abs. From a BALB/c mouse immunized with Py203 (anti-N1), we obtained RM1, a monoclonal anti-Id Ab. The Py203-Id was detected in a significant fraction of immunoglobulins (Igs) in the primary and secondary responses elicited by PR8 (H1N1) and X31 (H3N2) viruses. In animals injected with minute amounts of RM1 and subsequently boosted with an identical dose of RM1, no detectable anti-NA activity was noted, but a significant increase in Py203-Id-bearing Igs was observed. In the sera of animals injected with minute amounts of RM1 and subsequently boosted with PR8 (H1N1) or X31 (H3N2) viruses, an increase in anti-NA activity and in the level of Py203-Id was noted. Animals injected with large amounts of RM1 and boosted with PR8 and X31 showed a marked suppression of the Py203-Id but no alteration in the anti-NA response. The anti-Id recognizes an idiotope (the Py203 idiotope) shared by antibodies specific for the N1 and N2 neuraminidase variants.

Animals

High frequency of autoantibodies bearing cross-reactive idiotopes among hybridomas using VH7183 genes prepared from normal and autoimmune murine strains.

Hybridomas obtained by in vitro stimulation with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of BALB/c, MRL/lpr, and NZB splenocytes were selected for expression of VH7183 by hybridization using slot blotting. Northern blot analysis showed that the majority of hybrids produce a full length message complementary to the VH7183 probe. The frequency of VH7183 hybridomas was significantly higher in NZB mice as compared with BALB/c mice. Using multiple binding assays, 60% of the total antibodies encoded by VH7183 were specific for self-epitopes. Finally, the vast majority express cross-reactive idiotypes borne by autoantibodies of various specificities.

Animals