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Equivalent perceptual asymmetries for free viewing of positive and negative emotional expressions in chimeric faces.

Research employing chimeric stimuli (in which smiling and neutral half-faces are paired) has demonstrated greater influence of the left half-face in determining perceived intensity of expression. To date, no studies have examined how emotional expressions other than happiness are perceived in this format. Right-handed subjects viewed chimeric faces depicting both positive (happiness, pleasant surprise) and negative (sadness, anger) emotions in a free vision task. Results indicated a left half-face bias for all four emotions, supporting the hypothesis of a greater right hemisphere role in emotional perception. The lack of differences in strength of left half-face bias as a function of the specific emotion depicted suggests that results obtained with typical chimeric half-face paradigms can be generalized to emotions other than happiness.

Adult↗

Gene expression in adeno-associated virus vectors: the effects of chimeric mRNA structure, helper virus, and adenovirus VA1 RNA.

We used a recombinant plasmid containing an adeno-associated virus (AAV) genome to construct several vectors which express the gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). We transfected four different AAV-CAT vectors into human 293 (adenovirus-transformed) cells and analyzed CAT activity. We show that, for vectors using the AAV p40 and p19 promoter, the chimeric AAV-CAT transcripts began from the correct 5' position but the basal level of CAT expression depended in part on the structure of the transcript. We also examined the effects of coinfection of the cells with the helper adenovirus or cotransfection with a plasmid which expressed the adenovirus translational control RNA, VA1 RNA. Cotransfection with plasmids containing the gene for VA1 RNA resulted in elevated levels of CAT activity. VA1 RNA stimulated translation of the chimeric mRNA. However, in two cases, the VA1 RNA apparently decreased the level of mRNA. These results suggest that in addition to its function in translation, VA1 RNA acts at a second site to alter cytoplasmic accumulation of some mRNAs. Infection with adenovirus increased CAT activity several-fold by increasing the cytoplasmic levels of the chimeric AAV-CAT transcript. When the CAT gene is inserted down stream of the AAV intron, adenovirus and not VA1 RNA alone increased CAT activity by promoting accumulation of a spliced transcript.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Partial FI gene-independence of lambda-21 hybrid phages specifying chimeric terminases.

The role of the FI gene in the life cycles of a series of lambda-21 hybrid phages that produce chimeric lambda-21 terminases has been examined. An isogenic series of FI+ and FI- derivatives of the hybrids was constructed, and the growth properties of the phages were examined. It was found that three of the four hybrids (hybrids 51, 67, and 33) are able to form plaques and produce a small burst in the absence of the FI gene product (gpFI), but each of the three phages is much healthier in the presence of gpFI. It is concluded that each of the three chimeric terminases is dependent on gpFI. The ability of the FI- hybrids to grow better than lambda FI- is postulated to be due to a minor qualitative or quantitative difference between the chimeric terminases and lambda terminase. The fourth hybrid (54), known from earlier work to produce an infirm terminase, is more dependent on gpFI than the other hybrids and lambda itself.

Bacteriophage lambda↗

A chicken-yeast chimeric beta-tubulin protein is incorporated into mouse microtubules in vivo.

The role of divergent primary sequences in restricting tubulin function was tested in vivo by a gene transfection experiment. A chicken-yeast chimeric beta-tubulin DNA was introduced into 3T3 cells using the transfection vector pSV2. The 5' end of this gene, from chicken, is similar but not identical with that of mouse beta-tubulins; the 3' end, from yeast, contains a carboxyl terminus that is very different from other known beta-tubulin sequences. The chimeric protein is incorporated efficiently into each of the microtubule structures and each of the microtubules in the host cells. The presence of the protein has no apparent effect on either growth rate or cell morphology. The results suggest that the divergent sequences in this chimeric tubulin molecule place no restrictions on its activities in mouse cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Propagation of prions with artificial properties in transgenic mice expressing chimeric PrP genes.

Transgenic mice expressing chimeric prion protein (PrP) genes derived from Syrian hamster (SHa) and mouse (Mo) PrP genes were constructed. One SHa/MoPrP gene, designated MH2M PrP, contains five amino acid substitutions encoded by SHaPrP, while another construct, designated MHM2 PrP, has two substitutions. Transgenic (Tg) (MH2M PrP) mice were susceptible to both Syrian hamster and mouse prions, whereas three lines expressing MHM2 PrP were resistant to Syrian hamster prions. The brains of Tg(MH2M PrP) mice dying of scrapie contained chimeric PrPSc and prions with an artificial host range favoring propagation in mice that express the corresponding chimeric PrP and were also transmissible, at reduced efficiency, to nontransgenic mice and hamsters. Our findings provide genetic evidence for homophilic interactions between PrPSc in the inoculum and PrPc synthesized by the host.

Animals↗

Systemic chimerism in human female recipients of male livers.

We have previously reported data from clinical and laboratory animal observations which suggest that organ tolerance after transplantation depends on a state of balanced lymphodendritic cell chimerism between the host and donor graft. We have sought further evidence to support this hypothesis by investigating HLA-mismatched liver allograft recipients. 9 of 9 female recipients of livers from male donors had chimerism in their allografts and extrahepatic tissues, according to in-situ hybridisation and molecular techniques 10 to 19 years posttransplantation. In 8 women with good graft function, evidence of the Y chromosome was found in the blood (6/8), skin (8/8), and lymph nodes (7/8). A ninth patient whose transplant failed after 12 years from recurrent chronic viral hepatitis had chimerism in her lymph nodes, skin, jejunum, and aorta at the time of retransplantation. Although cell migration is thought to take place after all types of transplantation, the large population of migratory cells in, and the extent of their seeding from, hepatic grafts may explain the privileged tolerogenicity of the liver compared with other organs.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

A human TCR-Ig chimeric protein used to generate a TCR alpha chain variable region-specific mAb.

In a recent report, a construction containing the alpha chain-variable region (V alpha) coding sequence of a cDNA clone derived from a diphtheria toxoid-specific human T cell (P28), fused to a human immunoglobulin kappa light chain constant region (Ck), was used stably to transfect a murine myeloma cell. In the present study, these transfected cells were employed as an immunogen to raise a mAb, termed 1C5V alpha, specific both for the V alpha Ck chimeric protein secreted by the transfectant and the P28 T cell antigen receptor-V alpha region. mAb 1C5V alpha specifically immunoprecipitates the V alpha Ck protein as a family of 32-35 kDa bands present in the 35S-methionine-labeled culture supernatant from the transfected cells. It specifically binds clone P28. Surface molecules recognized by mAb 1C5V alpha are physically linked to the CD3 molecules since cell treatment with either 1C5V alpha or anti-CD3 mAbs caused the simultaneous down-regulation of the CD3/TCR molecular complex. This link is further supported by immunoprecipitation experiments. Thus, both the 1C5V alpha and the anti-CD3 mAbs precipitate the 16-28 kDa CD3 molecules and the disulfide-linked form of P28 TCR from 125I-labeled P28 T cells. Studies performed in order to define whether a stimulus directly acting on the TCR-V alpha region may trigger the intracellular events observed during human T cell activation showed that (a) mAb 1C5V alpha efficiently triggers the phospholipase C transduction pathway revealed by an accelerated phosphoinositides turn-over and an increased production of phosphorylated derivatives of inositol phosphates; (b) mAb 1C5V alpha induces an up-regulation of IL2R mRNA, accompanied by a slight increase of IL2 and IFN alpha mRNA transcripts evidently amplified in the presence of PMA; (c) soluble mAb 1C5V alpha is strongly mitogenic together with PMA. These results provide the first evidence for the structural authenticity of a secreted water-soluble chimeric form of the variable region of a human TCR alpha chain. They further demonstrate that such chimeric proteins may be valuable tool to further dissect the various functional structure of the human TCR.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Control of IgG/Fc glycosylation: a comparison of oligosaccharides from chimeric human/mouse and mouse subclass immunoglobulin Gs.

Oligosaccharide profiles were obtained for chimeric mouse-human antibodies corresponding to each of the human IgG subclasses 1-4, and mouse IgG2b antibodies each expressed in the mouse J558L cell line. These antibodies have specificity for the NIP hapten and form a matched set of IgGs. An IgG4 chimeric antibody (B72.3) produced in the chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell line was also analysed for carbohydrate. Additionally aglycosylated mutants of this IgG4 (B72.3) and anti-NIP mouse IgG2b were analysed. The total lack of carbohydrate found in the aglycosylated site-directed mutants human chimeric IgG4 B72.3 (Asn 297-->Gln) and mouse IgG2b (Asn 297-->Ala) demonstrates that there are no N-glycosylation sites other than Asn 297. Therefore glycosylation profiles for all the IgGs analysed reflect carbohydrate attached to this site. Factors such as cell type (A), template direction by the IgG heavy chains (B) and culture conditions (C) are shown to influence IgG glycosylation profiles. (A) The anti-NIP IgG antibodies expressed by the J558L cell line may have one or two Gal (alpha 1-->3) Gal residues per oligosaccharide unit, indicative of the presence of (alpha 1-->3) galactosyl transferase in the J558L mouse cell line. (B) The galactosylation profiles obtained for the IgG heavy chains, in particular the preference for galactosylation of the Man (alpha 1-->6) arm rather than the Man (alpha 1-->3) arm, contrary to the beta-galactosyltransferase specificity, suggest that the polypeptide chain may act as a template to influence the extent of galactosylation and hence the proportions of each oligosaccharide incorporated. The IgG2 antibody does not display this galactosylation preference. (C) The extent of galactosylation appears to be influenced by the growth conditions, with the highest levels of galactosylation being found for IgG produced by cells grown in still cultures, rather than cells grown as ascites or in hollow fibre bioreactors. It is concluded that though the profile of glycosylation is controlled predominantly by the glycosylation activity of the cell in which the IgG is expressed, differences between the IgG heavy chain templates of the various subclasses and culture conditions can also influence glycosylation.

Animals↗

Purkinje cell loss is due to a direct action of the weaver gene in Purkinje cells: evidence from chimeric mice.

Within the cerebellum of the adult homozygous weaver mutant mouse there is an approximate 50% reduction in the number of vermal Purkinje cells. It is not known if this deficit is due to a primary action of the weaver gene or if the cell loss is due to a secondary effect of the weaver gene. We examined this question using chimeric mice, produced by fusing C57BL/6 homozygous or heterozygous weaver embryos (high beta-glucuronidase activity, Gusb) with C3HAw wild-type embryos (low beta-glucuronidase activity, Gush). Chimeric cerebella were stained for beta-glucuronidase activity and counts were made of the number of wv/- (Gusb) and +/+ (Gush) Purkinje cells. If the weaver gene acts intrinsically in the Purkinje cells, then the number of genetically wv/- and not +/+ Purkinje cells should be decreased. Alternatively, if the Purkinje cells are extrinsically affected by the weaver gene, then both wv/- and +/+ should be equally reduced. In this study, using comparative measures of chimerism and Purkinje cell numbers, only weaver Purkinje cells were reduced, while the +/+ Purkinje cells were unaffected in the chimera. These results indicate that the decrease in Purkinje cell number seen in the wv/wv and wv/+ cerebellum is a direct effect of the weaver gene. In concordance with previous work, the disorganization of the Purkinje cells in the cerebellum, however, results from an indirect effect of the weaver gene.

Animals↗

Retrospective investigation of hematopoietic chimerism after BMT by PCR amplification of hypervariable DNA regions.

We report on nine patients submitted to BMT with sex-matched donors and investigated by means of PCR amplification of the VNTRs ApoB, D1S80, DXS52, and D17S5. In all cases it was possible to detect a polymorphism able to distinguish between donor and patient cells, thus allowing us to recognize the presence of complete or mixed chimerism. In eight patients PCR analysis showed a complete chimerism during the entire follow-up. Only one of these patients relapsed, while the others are alive and without any sign of relapse 56.2 months (mean) after BMT. Mixed chimerism was detected in only one patient, who relapsed 3 months after this finding. These results confirm the usefulness of the study of PCR-amplified VNTRs in the assessment of marrow engraftment after BMT, mostly in sex-matched transplants where, in the absence of specific chromosome rearrangements, cytogenetic or FISH analysis cannot be used.

Adolescent↗

Restriction endonuclease in situ digestion (REISD) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as complementary methods to analyze chimerism and residual disease after bone marrow transplantation.

The efficiency of restriction endonuclease in situ digestion (REISD) with Sau3A to analyze chimerism and residual disease (RD) has been tested before and after an allogenic bone marrow transplant (BMT) in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patient. The combined results obtained with REISD and FISH using the appropriate probes for detecting chromosome rearrangements have proven to be useful for the identification and quantification of both the hemopoietic chimerism achieved after BMT and the RD persistent in the patient. The sensitivity of REISD has been determined to be around 95%, i.e., similar to that obtained by FISH. REISD with Sau3A was particularly useful in the analysis of chimerism since this enzyme revealed the polymorphic status of constitutive heterochromatin in human chromosome 3 and thus allowed discrimination of cells derived from donor and recipient. The method itself seems promising since neither a donor/recipient sex mismatch nor a cytogenetic disease marker are needed for its application.

Adult↗

The binding of chimeric peptides to GM1 ganglioside enables induction of antibody responses after intranasal immunization.

With a model peptide, the neutralizing epitope 50-75 of cholera toxin B subunit, two chimeric peptides were constructed. A T-cell epitope, the 174-187 peptide from the G protein of the respiratory syncytial virus, was co-linearly synthesized at the amino-(174-50) or carboxyl-terminus (50-174) of the 50-75 peptide. Although both chimeric peptides were equally immunogenic by the intraperitoneal route, the 50-174 peptide was more immunogenic than the 174-50 peptide by the intranasal (i.n.) route. Both chimeric peptides inhibited the binding of cholera toxin B subunit to GM1 ganglioside with the 50-174 peptide being more effective inhibitor than the 174-50 peptide. In addition, an effective priming of the immune system was achieved after the i.n. administration of immunogens. The observed unresponsiveness after the i.n. co-immunization with the 50-174 peptide and GM1 ganglioside emphasize the role of GM1 binding for the induction of an immune response after i.n. immunization.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Production of chimeric protein coded by the fused viral H-ras and human N-ras genes in Escherichia coli.

A new method for the production of a chimeric protein of two related genes has been developed. The nucleotide sequences of the region from the N terminus to the 86th amino acid (aa) residue of human N-ras and of the Harvey sarcoma virus (Ha-MuSV) H-ras are 80% homologous. We isolated the DNA fragment encoding the N-terminal portion up to the 70th aa residue from plasmid pH-1 which encodes the total genome of Ha-MuSV, and the DNA fragment encoding the C-terminal portion from the 40th aa to the C terminus from plasmid p6a1 which includes the human N-ras cDNA but lacks the N-terminal portion. After partial digestion of both fragments with phage lambda exonuclease, which creates 3'-protruding ends, a hybrid was formed between 73% homologous single-stranded DNA portions at the 3' ends of both fragments. The hybrid was recloned on pBR322 after repairing with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and DNA ligase. The chimeric v-H/N-ras gene composed of the N-terminal portion of v-H-ras gene and the remaining region of N-ras gene was inserted into an expression vector containing two tandem trp promoters and a terminator, and expressed in E. coli. The chimeric protein was found to accumulate to approx. 10% of total cellular proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Introns in the 3'-untranslated region can inhibit chimeric CAT and beta-galactosidase gene expression.

The expression of a cyc::cat [cytochrome c/chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)] chimeric gene was stimulated 100-fold by the inclusion of a cyc intron in the 5'-untranslated region. In contrast, a single intron in the 3'-untranslated region was at best only slightly stimulatory, and surprisingly, inhibited expression of cat when an intron was also included in the 5'-untranslated region. This inhibition was independent of the identity of the downstream intron, occurring when either the simian virus 40 (SV40) small t intron or a cyc intron was located downstream from the cat coding region. Analysis of CAT mRNA levels, using a riboprobe spanning the 5' end of the CAT message, revealed that the stimulatory effect of a 5'-noncoding region intron were manifest at both the protein and RNA levels, whereas the inhibitory effects of 3'-noncoding region introns were detectable only at the protein level. The effects of intron position on chimeric gene expression were observed in both primate and rodent cell lines and also when the beta-galactosidase coding region was substituted for that of cat. Therefore, the common placement of an intron in the 3'-noncoding region is not the most beneficial to the expression of cyc chimeric genes. The position of introns within a transcriptional unit is a major factor to be considered when optimizing the efficiency of animal cell expression vectors.

Animals↗

Chimerization of antibodies by isolation of rearranged genomic variable regions by the polymerase chain reaction.

We describe a new method for amplification, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), of rearranged segments encoding the variable part of light and heavy chains of an antibody (Ab) from the chromosomal DNA of hybridoma cells for the chimerization of Abs. A fundamental prerequisite for this is the knowledge of the exact sequences in the 5'-untranslated region of light and heavy chain mRNA, and of the joining segment used for rearrangement. This allows the design of nondegenerated oligodeoxyribonucleotides for PCR. The primer design permits directional cloning of the amplified, promoterless fragments into cassette vectors, in which they will be linked to the appropriate human constant domains and immunoglobulin (Ig) promoter/enhancer elements. The method is illustrated for chimerization of an Ab directed against the human T-lymphocyte antigen, CD4. The chimerized Ab is secreted in abundant quantities after transfection of the engineered plasmids into non-Ig-producing myeloma cells.

Animals↗

Combinatorial functions of two chimeric antibodies directed to human CD4 and one directed to the alpha-chain of the human interleukin-2 receptor.

The general feasibility of chimerization of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has already been shown for a large number of them. In order to evaluate in vitro parameters relevant to immunosuppressive therapy, we have chimerized and synthesized two anti-CD4 mAbs recognizing two different epitopes on the human T-lymphocyte antigen, CD4. The chimerized mAbs are produced at levels corresponding to those of the original hybridoma cell lines. With respect to activation of human complement, the individual Abs are negative; however, when used in combination, complement activation was performed. When applied in combination, they were found to modulate the CD4 antigen, whereas the individual mAb do not display this property. Individually they mediate an up to 60% inhibition of the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). However, by combination of an anti-CD4 mAb with one directed against the alpha-chain of the human IL2 receptor, nearly 100% inhibition of the MLR was achieved, even with reduced dosage of the mAbs. Our data suggest that the combination of an anti-CD4 mAb and an anti-IL2R alpha chain mAb is more effective with respect to immunosuppression than each mAb by itself, indicating that this mAb cocktail could be a new strategy for immunosuppressive therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Detection and characterization of chimeric yeast artificial-chromosome clones.

Methods for the construction of yeast artificial-chromosome (YAC) clones have been designed to isolate single, large (100-1000 kb) segments of chromosomal DNA. It is apparent from early experience with this cloning system that the major artifact in YAC clones involves the formation of YACs that contain two or more unrelated pieces of DNA. Such "chimeric" YACs are not easily recognized, particularly in libraries constructed from the total DNA of an organism. In some libraries, they have been found to constitute a major fraction of the clones. Here we discuss some of our experiences with chimeric YACs, with particular emphasis on the approaches that we have employed to detect such aberrant clones. In addition, we describe the detailed characterization of one chimeric YAC isolated from a library prepared from total human DNA. The organization of this clone indicates that it formed by in vivo recombination, presumably in yeast, between two Alu sequences located on unrelated segments of human DNA.

Animals↗

Role of micro-chimerism in inducing immunological tolerance by intraportal injection of donor spleen cells in rats.

Recently, we reported that intraportal (IP) injection of donor spleen cells (SPCs) prevented liver allograft rejection. Moreover, we developed a new method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, and demonstrated micro-chimerism (MC) at the DNA level in the spleen 14 days after IP injection. In the present study, the long-term presence of injected allogeneic SPCs was investigated at the cellular level by immunofluorescence staining as well as the DNA level using RFLP analysis. Male ACI (RT1a) rats were used as the donors and Lewis (RT1(1)) rats as the recipients. After DNA preparation from the lymphoid organs, RT1B beta domain 1 region was amplified by PCR, and RFLP analysis was performed with PvuII restriction enzyme. In the immunofluorescence staining, the monoclonal antibody, MN4-91-6, was used to detect the injected donor ACI SPCs in a frozen specimen. We did not detect MC in Lewis rats intravenously injected with 5 x 10(7) ACI SPCs on day 14. On the other hand, stable chimerism in the spleen was observed in intraportally injected rats up to 28 days after injection at not only the DNA level but also the cellular level. No chimerism was detected in other organs (including the thymus, lymph nodes, and liver). In conclusion, the long-term presence of injected allogeneic SPCs in the spleen was demonstrated after IP injection but not after IV injection, and this phenomenon may be one of the mechanisms involved in portal venous immunosuppression.

Animals↗