Antibody discovery via multiplexed single cell characterization.

The secreted immunoglobulin footprint of single hybridoma cells, containing ~10 fg of antibody purified in situ, has been probed for 9 properties concurrently by use of detection labels comprising 280 nm combinatorially colored fluorescent latex beads functionalized with proteins. Specificity of each individual hybridoma cell's product has thereby been assessed in a primary screen. Varying the density of antigen on beads to modulate the avidity of the interaction between bead and secreted antibody footprint allowed rank ordering by affinity in the same primary screen. As more criteria were added to the selection process, the frequency of positive cells went down; in some cases, the favorable cell was present at <1/50,000. Recovery of the cell of interest was accomplished by plating the cells in a viscous medium on top of a membrane. After collecting the antibody footprint on a capture surface beneath the membrane, the immobilized cells were transferred to an incubator while the footprints were analyzed to locate the hybridoma cells of interest. The desired cells were then cloned by picking them from the corresponding locations on the membrane.

A novel partial agonist of the A(1)-adenosine receptor and evidence of receptor homogeneity in adipocytes.

This study characterizes the receptor binding and functional effects of CVT-3619 [2-{6-[((1R,2R)-2-hydroxycyclopentyl)-amino]purin-9-yl}(4S,5S,2R,3R)-5-[(2-fluorophenylthio)methyl]-oxolane-3,4-diol], a novel N(6)-5' -substituted adenosine analog and A(1) -adenosine receptor (A(1) AdoR) agonist, on rat epididymal and inguinal adipocytes and on the isolated heart and compares these effects with those caused by the full agonist N(6) -cyclopentyladenosine (CPA). In addition, the hypothesis that adipocyte A(1)AdoR are a heterogeneous population with regard to their affinities for ligands was tested. CVT-3619 was 10-100-fold selective for A(1)AdoR versus other AdoR and bound to adipocyte membranes with high (K(H) = 14 nM) and low (K = 5.4 microM) affinities. CVT-3619 reduced cyclic AMP content and release of nonesterified fatty acids from epididymal adipocytes with IC(50) values of 6 and 44 nM, respectively. CVT-3619 was a partial agonist relative to CPA to reduce lipolysis in epididymal and inguinal adipocytes. CVT-3619 did not change atrial rate in rat heart and caused a small (6-ms) prolongation of the stimulus-to-His bundle interval without causing atrioventricular block in guinea pig heart (effects mediated by A(1)AdoR), whereas CPA caused atrioventricular block and near cessation of atrial electrical activity. CVT-3619 increased coronary conductance (effect mediated by A(2A)AdoR) only at concentrations > or =10 microM. Rat epididymal adipocyte A(1)AdoR had similar affinities for the antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine in the presence of three dissimilar A AdoR agonists (2-chloro-N(6) -cyclopentyladenosine, N(6) -sulfophenyladenosine, and N-5' -ethylcarboxamidoadenosine) as determined by Schild analysis. It was concluded that rat epididymal adipocyte A(1)AdoR are a homogeneous receptor population with regard to affinities for ligands and that CVT-3619 is a partial agonist with selectivity for A(1)AdoR and inhibition of lipolysis.

Determinants of salt sensitivity in black and white normotensive and hypertensive women.

Salt sensitivity (SS) has been linked to human hypertension. We examined ethnic differences in the relation between SS; erythrocyte sodium (Na+i), calcium (Ca2+i), potassium (K+i), and magnesium (Mg2+i); and sodium pump activity in African-American (AA) and white women. In a crossover protocol, similar numbers of normotensive, hypertensive, AA, and white women were randomized to 7 days of a 20 meq/d and a >200 meq/d salt diet (n=199). After an overnight inpatient stay, group differences in supine blood pressure (BP), heart rate, erythrocyte cations, and sodium pump activity were measured. The prevalence of SS (53.5% vs 51%) and salt resistance (26.3% vs 30.0%) was similar in both races. Greater mean BP increase with salt loading was seen in AA vs white hypertensives but not between the normotensive women. In hypertensives, increase in mean arterial pressure was 12.6 vs 8.2 mm Hg in AAs vs whites, respectively (P<0.01), and for systolic BP, it was 23 vs 14.8 mm Hg (P<0.01). Higher Na+i and Ca2+i were noted in SS and salt-intermediate AA than in the corresponding white subjects. Na+i, Ca2+i, and the ratios of Na+i to K+i and of Ca2+i to Mg2+i were positively correlated with salt responsiveness in AA but not in white women. Sodium pump activity was similar between groups, although the change in maximal activity trended to vary inversely with SS in AA. In closely matched AA and white women, the prevalence of SS is similarly high in both races, although the magnitude of BP increase is greater in AA hypertensives. In AA but not in whites, SS is positively associated with Na+i, Ca2+i, and the ratios of Na+i to K+i and of Ca2+i to Mg2+i.