Examination of orbital tissues in murine models of Graves' disease reveals expression of UCP-1 and the TSHR in retrobulbar adipose tissues.

Over the past decade a number of murine models of Graves' disease (GD) have been described. The full symptom complex, including typical orbital changes, however, could not yet be induced. In this report, we examined the influence of modified immunization protocols on orbital pathology. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were immunized against the human TSH receptor (TSHR), using either a TSHR encoding plasmid or a TSHR A-subunit adenovirus. Prior to immunization with the TSHR plasmid, regulatory T cells were depleted in one group of each strain. TSHR-stimulating antibodies (TSAbs) were evaluated and orbits were stained immunohistochemically for F4/80, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and the TSHR. We found that after depletion of regulatory T cells, incidence of TSAb was increased in TSHR plasmid immunized C57BL/6 mice. Examination of early immunized mice showed no antibody production. However, a TSHR epitope-specific cellular immune response could be detected by tetramer-analyses. Adenoviral immunization lead to TSAb production in all but one animal. Analysis of F4/80 positive cells in retrobulbar fat revealed no significant macrophage infiltration in the orbits of immunized mice. Immunohistochemical staining shows co-localization of F4/80 positive cells, UCP-1 and the TSHR in retrobulbar fat. Though targets for TSHR autoimmunity could clearly be shown, immunization methods were not efficient enough to cause clear signs of orbital inflammation.

Relevance of TSH receptor stimulating and blocking autoantibody measurement for the prediction of relapse in Graves' disease.

Recently, we demonstrated that higher levels of autoantibodies to the human TSH receptor (TBII) predict relapse of hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease (GD). The aim of this study was to extend this outcome prediction by dividing TBII into stimulating (TSAb) and blocking (TBAb) TSH receptor autoantibodies. Altogether, ninety patients (81 female, 9 male) were retrospectively analyzed; sixty-four patients (71 %) did not go into remission or relapsed, whereas twenty-six patients (29 %) went into remission (median follow-up: 17.5 months). TSAb and TBAb measurement was performed in a CHO cell bioassay with cAMP readout at the time of their first visit in our outpatient clinic (single point measurement in median 6.5 months after initial diagnosis). In the remission group, eighteen of twenty-six patients (69 %) were TSAb-positive, whereas fifty-three of sixty-four patients (83 %) were TSAb-positive in the relapse group (p = ns). The mean stimulation indices (SI) were 4.1 in the remission group and 12.9 in the relapse group, respectively (p = 0.015). By using a threshold of 10 SI, the specificity for relapse was 96.0 %, as only one in twenty patients with an SI above 10 went into remission during follow-up (PPV 95 %). Most TSAb-positive patients also had high levels of TBII. Neither group showed any difference with respect to blocking type autoantibodies, which were mostly negative in both groups. In summary, high TSAb levels are similar but not superior to TBII for predicting relapse in GD patients. In contrast, TBAb measurement does not add any valuable information in this context. In the clinical routine, TSAb/TBAb measurement may not play an important role for diagnosis or outcome prediction of GD, since sensitive 2 (nd) generation TBII assays are easier to perform and offer similar information to the clinician. Bioassays should be reserved for special clinical questions such as Graves' disease in pregnancy.

Antibodies to TSH-receptor in thyroid autoimmune disease interact with monoclonal antibodies whose epitopes are broadly distributed on the receptor.

The hyperthyroidism of Graves' disease (GD) is caused by TSH-receptor (TSH-R) stimulating autoantibodies (TSAb), leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones. We present evidence for TSAb interaction with three distinct regions of the TSH-R, one in immediate vicinity of the carboxy terminal serpentine. Three murine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs 28.1, A9 and 31.7) directed to amino acids 36-40, 147-228 and 382-415 were labelled and tested for their binding to human recombinant TSH-R on solid phase. All MoAbs bound to TSH-R with a K(d) of 8-12 nm and showed no competition among themselves. We tested 114 sera from euthyroid controls, 118 TBII positive sera from patients with GD (containing TSAb confirmed by bioassays), 16 TBII positive sera from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AIT), who were hypothyroid and had TSH blocking antibodies (TBAb), and 20 patients with AIT, who were hypothyroid but negative for all TRAb. Mid-regional MoAb A9 tracer achieved the highest sensitivity in the GD group (72.0%), whereas C-terminal MoAb 31.7 found most sera positive in the AIT group (87.5%). Surprisingly, the N-terminal MoAb 28.1 had the lowest sensitivity in the GD (10.4%) and AIT group (43.8%). Using a mixture of all three tracer MoAbs did not increase the sensitivity in the GD or AIT group, compared to the best single MoAb alone. Median inhibition of MoAb A9 was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than inhibition of MoAbs 28.1 or 31.7 in the group of GD patients but not in other groups. Almost all patient sera with positive reactivity in the MoAb tracer assays had TBII values in the higher range. However, there were many highly TBII positive sera, which did not show a displacement of the MoAb tracers. We conclude that, contrary to some reports, the binding of TSAb and TBAb to the TSH-R is not restricted to distinct and distant epitopes. The middle part of the TSH-R seems to be more relevant for TSAb binding than the N-terminal part, while a proportion of TSAb autoantibodies also binds to a C-terminal epitope of the TSH-R. The method described here is a TSH independent competitive assay for the detection of TSH-R autoantibodies.

Detection of functionally different types of pathological autoantibodies against thyrotropin receptor in Graves' patients sera by luminescent immunoprecipitation analysis.

We describe a new method for the detection of different types of pathological autoantibodies against TSH receptor (TSHR) in Graves' patients sera by luminescent immunoprecipitation analysis. For this purpose three different chimeras composed of human TSHR and rat luteotropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (LH-CGR) were constructed, as was described previously (Tahara K, Ishikawa N, Yamamoto K, Hirai A, Ito K, Tamura Y, Yoshida S, Saito Y, Kohn LD. 1997 Thyroid 7:867-877). They were used in the immunoprecipitation reactions: (i) the wild type TSHR (for the detection of total TSHR autoantibodies), (ii) TSHR/LH-CGR chimera wherein TSHR amino acid residues 8-165 (epitopes for thyroid stimulating antibodies) are replaced by comparable LH-CGR residues, (iii) TSHR/LH-CGR chimera wherein TSHR amino acids 261-370 (epitopes for thyroid blocking antibodies) are replaced by comparable LH-CGR residues, and (iv) TSHR/LH-CGR chimera wherein TSHR amino acids 8-165 and 261-370 are replaced by comparable LH-CGR residues (for the detection of neutral TSHR autoantibodies). DNA encoding the N-terminal 725 (of 764) amino acids of wild type TSHR (or TSHR/LH-CGR chimera) was fused to the cDNA for the 550-amino acid firefly luciferase. The hybrid proteins were produced in HeLa cells using recombinant vaccinia viruses. All fusion proteins retained the enzymatic activity of firefly luciferase and TSHR-LUC interacted with TSH with the same affinity as wild type receptor. The luciferase tagged TSHR and TSHR/LH-CGR chimeras were used for the detection of different types of TSHR autoantibodies (i.e. total, neutral, thyroid stimulating and thyroid blocking) in 63 Graves' disease and 62 normal sera by immunoprecipitation analysis. The data demonstrated positive correlation between results of immunoprecipitation assay and results obtained using cAMP bioassay or assay for TSH binding inhibitory immunoglobulins in test sera.

Immunoprecipitation analysis of pathological autoantibodies in Graves' patients' sera using biotinylated human thyrotropin receptor labeled with 125I-neutravidiny.

In the present article we describe a method for the direct immunoprecipitation analysis of pathological autoantibodies against TSH receptor (TSHR) in sera of patients with Graves' disease. For this purpose the fusion TSH receptor (TSHR-BIO-6HIS) was constructed. This fusion consists of the N-terminal 725 amino acids of the human TSHR linked to the 87-amino acid C-terminal domain of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit of E. coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase (this domain directs the efficient posttranslational biotinylation of the protein) followed by 6 histidine sequence. TSHR-BIO-6HIS was produced in HeLa cells using recombinant vaccinia virus. The expressed receptor was complete active and was biotinylated with a high efficiency (about 90%). Biotinylated TSHR-BIO-6HIS was immobilized on Ni-NTA agarose and selectively labeled with a biotin binding protein-- 125I-neutravidin. The 125I-neutravidin labeled TSHR-BIO-6HIS, freed of the excess of nonbound radioactivity, was eluted from Ni-NTA agarose and used for the detection of pathological autoantibodies in 50 Graves' disease, 10 Hashimoto's disease, 10 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 50 normal sera. 46 of 50 (92%) Graves' disease sera were positive in immunoprecipitation assay, as they have bound 125I-TSHR more effectively than the normal sera. There was a clear positive correlation between the immunoprecipitating activity and TSH-binding inhibiting activity of different Graves' sera (r = 0.69, P < 0.001). These findings pave the way for the development of a new practical assay, capable of detecting all pathological autoantibodies to the TSHR, particularly those which bind but do not affect the hormone-receptor interaction.

Isolation of radiochemically pure 125I-labeled human thyrotropin receptor and its use for the detection of pathological autoantibodies in sera from Graves' patients.

We report a method for the purification and radioactive labeling of human TSH receptor (TSHR). The method is based on the construction of a fusion TSHR (TSHR-Xa-BIO) which consists of the N-terminal 725 amino acids of human TSHR linked to the 4-amino acid Xa protease cleavage site and the 87-amino acid C-terminal domain of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit of Escherichia coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase (the C-terminal domain directs the efficient posttranslational biotinylation of the protein). TSHR-Xa-BIO was produced in HeLa cells using recombinant vaccinia virus. The expressed protein was fully functional and was biotinylated with an efficiency of about 90%. Streptavidin-agarose-immobilized TSHR-Xa-BIO was labeled with 125I using the chloramine T oxidation procedure and specifically eluted from the solid phase after cleavage with protease Xa. Isolated native radiochemically pure 125I-labeled TSHR specifically interacted with pathological autoantibodies in the sera of patients with Graves' disease, and thus could be useful for the detection of these autoantibodies by immunoprecipitation analysis.

Expression of a biotinylated human thyrotropin receptor in HeLa cells using recombinant vaccinia virus and its application for the detection of Graves' autoantibodies.

We have prepared a biotinylated thyrotropin receptor (TSHR-BIO), and characterized its activity in cells and when bound to solid phase (streptavidin agarose). TSHR-BIO consists of the N-terminal 725 amino acids of the human thyrotropin (TSH) receptor linked to the 87-amino acid C-terminal domain of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit of Escherichia coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The C-terminal domain directs the efficient post-translational biotinylation of the protein. TSHR-BIO was expressed using a vaccinia virus expression system. HeLa cells infected with recombinant virus produced large amounts of TSH receptor of approximately 120,000 molecules per cell. Vaccinia virus produced TSHR-BIO was fully functional interacting with TSH (Kd of 2.3+/-0.1 x 10(-10) M) and coupling to cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) second messenger system. The expressed protein was biotinylated with high efficiency; more than 90% of TSHR-BIO was bound to streptavidin. We have shown the application of streptavidin agarose immobilized TSHR-BIO for the detection of thyroid-binding inhibiting immunoglobulines in unfractionated sera. There was a good positive correlation between the results obtained in this assay and the commercially available TRAK assay performed with solubilized porcine TSH receptor (r = 0.71; p < 0.001, in 45 sera of patients with Graves' disease and 17 normal sera).

Expression of a functional tagged human thyrotropin receptor in HeLa cells using recombinant vaccinia virus.

We report a new effective system for expression of FLAG and six histidine tagged TSH receptor in mammalian cells using recombinant vaccinia virus. HeLa cells infected with recombinant virus produced large amounts of human TSH receptor of approximately 150,000 functional molecules per cell. This value is one to two orders of magnitude higher than those in thyroid cells and is comparable with receptor number of the best stably transfected mammalian cell clones previously described. Vaccinia virus produced TSH receptor was able to bind TSH (Kd of 2.1 +/- 0.1 x 10(-10) M) and Graves'disease autoantibodies. TSH caused an increase of the intracellular cAMP level in infected HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner, demonstrating the coupling of expressed recombinant TSH receptor to the cAMP second messenger system of the cells. 6His-tagged recombinant TSH receptor was immobilized on Ni2+ nitrilotriacetic acid-agarose. Bound receptor was fully functional, interacting with both TSH and Graves' disease autoantibodies in patient sera. The solid phase bound TSH receptor technique provides a new and simple method for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases.

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor 4E at Ser-209.

Initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E) binds to the m7GTP-containing cap of eukaryotic mRNA and facilitates the entry of mRNA into the initiation cycle of protein synthesis. eIF-4E is a phosphoprotein, and the phosphorylated form binds to mRNA caps 3-4-fold more tightly than the nonphosphorylated form. A previous study indicated that the major phosphorylation site was Ser-53 (Rychlik, W., Russ, M. A., and Rhoads, R. E. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 10434-10437). In the present study, we synthesized the phosphopeptide expected to result from tryptic digestion of eIF-4E, O-phosphoseryllysine. Surprisingly, the tryptic and synthetic phosphopeptides did not comigrate electrophoretically. Accordingly, we redetermined the phosphorylation site by isolating a chymotryptic phosphopeptide on reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The peptide was sequenced by Edman degradation and corresponded to 198QSHADTATKSGSTTKNRF215. The site of phosphorylation was determined to be Ser-209 by four methods: the increase in the ratio of dehydroalanine to serine derivatives during Edman degradation, the release of 32P, the further digestion of the chymotryptic phosphopeptide with trypsin, Glu-C, and Asp-N, and site-directed mutagenesis of eIF-4E cDNA. The S209A variant was not phosphorylated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, whereas the wild-type, S53A, and S207A variants were. This site falls within the consensus sequence for phosphorylation by protein kinase C.

Chromatographic resolution of in vivo phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-4E: increased cap affinity of the phosphorylated form.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-4E plays a central role in the recognition of the 7-methylguanosine-containing cap structure of mRNA and the formation of initiation complexes during protein synthesis. eIF-4E exists in both phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms, and the primary site of phosphorylation has been identified. Previous studies have suggested that eIF-4E phosphorylation facilitates its participation in protein synthesis. However, the biochemical basis for the functional difference between the two forms of eIF-4E is unknown. To address this directly, we have developed a method for the separation of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated eIF-4E from rabbit reticulocytes by chromatography on rRNA-Sepharose. Using the resultant purified forms, we have studied the protein's interaction with the cap analogs m7GTP and m7GpppG and with the cap of globin mRNA by fluorescence quenching of tryptophan residues. It was found that phosphorylated eIF-4E had 3- to 4-fold greater affinity for cap analogs and mRNA than nonphosphorylated eIF-4E. The equilibrium binding constants (x 10(5), expressed as M-1) for the interaction of phosphorylated eIF-4E with m7GTP, m7GpppG, and globin mRNA were 20.0 +/- 0.1, 16.4 +/- 0.1, and 31.0 +/- 0.1, respectively, whereas those for the nonphosphorylated form were 5.5 +/- 0.4, 4.3 +/- 0.4, and 10.0 +/- 0.1, respectively. Treatment with potato acid phosphatase converted the phosphorylated form to the nonphosphorylated form and decreased the binding constant for m7GTP by a factor of 3. The increased affinity for mRNA caps may account for the in vivo and in vitro correlations between eIF-4E phosphorylation and accelerated protein synthesis and cell growth.

Participation of initiation factors in the recruitment of mRNA to ribosomes.

The step of protein synthesis which is normally rate limiting, formation of the 48S initiation complex, is catalyzed by the group 4 initiation factors. Collectively they recognize the 7-methylguanosine-containing cap of mRNA, unwind mRNA secondary structure, and allow scanning for the initiation codon by the small ribosomal subunit. The activities of the eIF-4 polypeptides are modulated by phosphorylation. Recent studies shed new light on the mechanism of assembly of the 48S initiation complex and the effect of phosphorylation of one of the eIF-4 polypeptides, the cap-binding protein eIF-4E.

Purification and characterization of the major 50-kDa repressor protein from cytoplasmic mRNP of rabbit reticulocytes.

A 50-kDa protein has been purified to homogeneity from free mRNP of rabbit reticulocytes. This protein, designated as p50, is present within both free mRNP (approximately 4 mol protein/mol globin mRNA) and polyribosomal mRNP (approximately 2 mol protein/mol globin mRNA). p50 is a basic protein (pI approximately 9.5) and is characterized by a high glycine content of approximately 20%. Nitrocellulose-filter analysis has shown that p50 interacts with globin mRNA with an association constant of approximately 2.5 x 10(8) M-1 (100 mM KAc, 4 degrees C). Various RNA and polyribonucleotides have the following relative affinity for p50; poly(G) > poly(U) > globin mRNA approximately 16S rRNA > poly(A) > poly(C). p50 can be phosphorylated both in vitro and in vivo.

Role of cytoplasmic mRNP proteins in translation.

Polyribosomal and free mRNPs from rabbit reticulocytes were isolated and characterized. Translation of mRNPs was studied in the rabbit reticulocyte and wheat germ cell-free systems. Both classes of mRNPs were active in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. However, considerable differences between mRNPs and mRNA have been revealed. High concentrations of mRNA in the form of mRNP did not inhibit protein biosynthesis, whereas the same amounts of deproteinized mRNA caused inhibition of this process. Polyribosomal mRNPs and deproteinized mRNA, but not free mRNPs, are active in the wheat germ cell-free translation system. Translation of free mRNPs in this system can be restored by addition of 0.5 M KCl-wash of rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes. These results suggest the existence of a special repressor/activator regulatory system which controls mRNA distribution between free mRNPs and polyribosomes in rabbit reticulocytes. This regulatory system should include: i) a translation repressor associated with mRNA within free mRNPs, preventing its translation; and ii) a translation activator associated with ribosomes, overcoming the effect of the repressor. Both classes of cytoplasmic mRNPs contain a major 50 kDa protein (p50). The content of this protein per mol of mRNA in free mRNPs is twice as much as in polyribosomal ones. The method of p50 isolation has been developed and some properties of this protein were investigated. It has been shown that small amounts of p50 stimulate, whereas high amounts inhibit mRNA translation. We suggest that p50 has a dual role in protein biosynthesis. In polyribosomal mRNPs (p50:mRNA approximately 2:1, mol/mol), this protein promotes the translation process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A special repressor/activator system controls distribution of mRNA between translationally active and inactive mRNPs in rabbit reticulocytes.

Translation of free mRNPs and polyribosomal mRNPs from rabbit reticulocytes was studied in a rabbit reticulocyte and wheat germ cell-free systems. It has been shown that translation efficiency of polyribosomal mRNPs and the mRNA isolated from the particles is nearly the same in both systems. At the same time, mRNP's translatability, which is high in the homologous cell-free system, is very low in the system from wheat germs. Translation efficiency of free mRNPs in the wheat germ system can be restored by addition of 0.5 M K CI-wash of rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes. The results testify to the existence of some special repressor repressor/activator system which controls the distribution of mRNA between free mRNPs and polyribosomes in rabbit reticulocytes.

Translational active mRNPs from rabbit reticulocytes are qualitatively different from free mRNA in their translatability in cell-free system.

The translatability of polyribosomal and free mRNPs from rabbit reticulocytes and their mRNA was compared. Both classes of mRNPs turned out to be active in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Considerable differences between mRNPs and mRNA have been revealed. The most striking feature of mRNPs was that high concentrations of mRNPs do not inhibit protein biosynthesis, whereas high concentrations of mRNA strongly inhibit this process. This inhibition is specific for mRNA and does not occur at the addition of the same amount of rRNA from E. coli. The features of mRNP translation are not the result of addition of the supplementary translation factors within particles. The specific function of mRNP proteins in the process of translation is under discussion.

Evidence for the appearance of a reticulocyte population low in lipoxygenase mRNA during the recovery from a phenylhydrazine-induced anemia in rabbits.

It is shown that during recovery from a phenylhydrazine-induced anemia in rabbits a selective decrease in lipoxygenase mRNA takes place with a corresponding shut-off of the synthesis of the enzyme. It is suggested that a new population, 'recovery'-reticulocytes, makes its appearance in the peripheral blood. Their cells are more mature than the stress macroreticulocytes. A cell-free system prepared from the recovery-reticulocytes exhibits low endogenous synthesis of non-globin polypeptides, even without nuclease treatment, but retains full capacity to be stimulated by exogenous mRNA.

[Comparison of eukaryotic and prokaryotic elongation factors: isoelectric points and molecular masses]. / Cravnenie éukarioticheskikh i prokarioticheskikh faktorov élongatsii: izoélektricheskie tochki i molekuliarnye massy.

Using the O'Farrell method, a two-dimensional analysis of RNA-binding proteins from rabbit reticulocytes was carried out. The latter have been shown to consist of several scores of polypeptides, predominantly of a moderately basic type with isoelectric points ranging from 7 to 9.5. The two main components of RNA-binding proteins have been identified as eukaryotic elongation factors EF-1L and EF-2. The RNA-binding elongation factors in eukaryotes have higher isoelectric points and somewhat higher molecular masses as compared to their functional analogs from prokaryotes EF-Tu and EF-G having no affinity for RNA. These results are compatible with the assumption that a nonspecific RNA-binding ability of elongation factors in eukaryotes could have arisen in the course of evolution due to the appearance of an additional RNA-binding "domain" of an alkaline type.