Conjugates of ovalbumin and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol abolish late allergic responses and decrease IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA expression in the rat.

The purpose of this study was to test the therapeutic potential of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) conjugated-allergen using a rodent model of allergic asthma. Previously, this conjugate has been shown to possess the dual capacity of inducing long-term ovalbumin (OA)-specific suppression of the antibody response and inactivating rat mast cells that have been sensitized with murine IgE to OA. Ovalbumin sensitized and challenged Brown Norway rats were studied. Fourteen days after sensitization, a test group of six rats received mPEG-OA solution intratracheally and were challenged 30 min later with aerosolized OA. Another group of seven sensitized rats was similarly challenged with OA 30 min after intratracheal administration of normal saline. A group of six sensitized rats received mPEG-OA solution intratracheally but were challenged with normal saline. Another group of seven sensitized rats received mPEG-BSA solution intratracheally and were challenged 30 min later with aerosolized OA. A final group of five unsensitized rats were neither challenged nor medicated intratracheally. Pulmonary resistance was measured before and for 8 h following inhalation challenge. mPEG-OA treatment had an inhibitory effect on the allergic late airway response, but the early response was not significantly altered. Both mPEG-OA and mPEG-BSA reduced the total cells, eosinophils and neutrophils, in bronchoalveolar lavage and decreased the expression of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma mRNA. In conclusion, mPEG-OA can prevent the development of allergen-induced late airway responses and reduce airway Th2-type cytokine expression whereas mPEG conjugated to an irrelevant antigen (BSA) is anti-inflammatory but does not affect the late response.

Potential therapeutic efficacy of allergen-monomethoxypolyethylene glycol conjugates for in vivo inactivation of sensitized mast cells responsible for common allergies and asthma.

Skin sites of rats, which had been systemically sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) were injected intradermally with murine anti-DNP IgE mAbs or with murine polyspecific IgE to recombinant Bet v 1. Injection of OVA(mPEG)10-11 conjugates into these skin sites inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) on subsequent intravenous challenge with DNP44-BSA and rBet v 1; by contrast, neither OVA nor an unrelated mPEG conjugate affected the PCA reactions. In dogs sensitized to both OVA and ragweed pollen extract (RAG), inhalation of either allergen (AL) caused a dramatic increase in airway resistance (Rrs). By contrast, administration of an aerosol of OVA(mPEG) caused no change in Rrs. Moreover, thereafter, (1) in spite of repeated challenges with aerosolized OVA over many months, the increase in Rrs on inhalation of OVA was blocked and (2) insufflation of RAG resulted in increase in Rrs of only about 50% in relation to that prior to inhalation of the conjugate; this dog's anti-RAG hyperreactivity remained blunted over many months. It is concluded that AL-mPEG conjugates of optimal composition inactivate sensitized mast cells and basophils, as manifested by a significant decrease of cutaneous or airway responses on subsequent challenge with the respective AL(s).

Induction of IgE antibodies in mice and rhesus monkeys with recombinant birch pollen allergens: different allergenicity of Bet v 1 and Bet v 2.

BACKGROUND: Serologic measurements with recombinant birch pollen allergens, rBet v 1 and rBet v 2 (birch profilin), have shown that more than 95% of patients allergic to tree pollen mount high levels of IgE against rBet v 1, whereas only approximately 10% of the patients display rather low levels of IgE against rBet v 2. OBJECTIVE: In this study an attempt was made to determine whether the different allergenicity of the major birch pollen allergen, rBet v 1, and a minor birch pollen allergen, rBet v 2, might be related to a different immunogenicity of the proteins as evaluated in experimental animal systems (mice and rhesus monkeys). METHODS: Purified recombinant allergens were injected into mice and rhesus monkeys with aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant for elicitation of specific IgE responses. Antibody responses to the allergens were detected by immunoblotting, and time courses of immune responses were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: In both animal models more than the 10-fold dose of rBet v 2 was required to induce IgE antibodies, and even then, the amount of specific IgE antibodies elicited with rBet v 1 was substantially higher than that induced by rBet v 2. It was noted that rBet v 2 formed stable polymers through disulfide bonds. CONCLUSION: In two different animal models (mice and rhesus monkeys) the major birch pollen allergen, rBet v 1, induced substantially higher levels of IgE than rBet v 2. A reduced allergenicity of Bet v 2 caused by polymer formation would be in agreement with previous studies indicating reduced allergenicity of proteins on chemical polymerization.

Comparison of recombinant timothy grass pollen allergens with natural extract for diagnosis of grass pollen allergy in different populations.

BACKGROUND: Complementary DNAs coding for the major timothy grass pollen (Phleum pratense) allergens Phl p 1, Phl p 2, and Phl p 5 and birch profilin were isolated, expressed as recombinant nonfusion proteins in Escherichia coli, and purified. OBJECTIVE: In this study the in vitro IgE-binding capacity of recombinant Phl p 1, Phl p 2, Phl p 5, and birch profilin and their IgE recognition frequencies were investigated by using sera from different populations. METHODS: One hundred eighty-three sera from patients allergic to grass pollen were obtained from different populations in Europe, Japan, and Canada. The sera were selected according to clinical criteria, skin testing, and RAST (CAP system; Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) and then tested for IgE reactivity with natural and purified recombinant timothy grass pollen allergens by ELISA and Western blot. RESULTS: Most (94.5%) of the patients allergic to grass pollen could be diagnosed with a combination of recombinant Phl p 1, Phl p 2, Phl p 5, and profilin by means of ELISA. Sera that did not react with the recombinant allergens contained low levels of timothy grass pollen-specific IgE. Although considerable variability in IgE recognition frequency of the recombinant allergens was observed in certain populations, a good correlation was found between natural timothy CAP results and the combination of recombinant allergens in all 183 tested sera (r = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Despite considerable variability in the IgE recognition frequency, purified recombinant timothy grass pollen allergens (Phl p 1, Phl p 2, Phl p 5) and profilin permitted successful in vitro diagnosis of grass pollen allergy in 94.5% of allergic individuals from different populations. The addition of other recombinant allergens (e.g., recombinant Phl p 4) would only slightly improve the in vitro test sensitivity.

Inhibition of the effector phase of IgE-mediated allergies by tolerogenic conjugates of allergens and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol.

In this study we established that the conjugate of ovalbumin (OVA), which was used as a model allergen, with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG), i.e., OVA(mPEG)11, was not only tolerogenic and essentially non-allergenic, but also capable of inactivating mast cells sensitized with anti-OVA IgE antibodies (Abs). Moreover, mast cells sensitized with a mixture of anti-OVA and anti-DNP IgE Abs were also desensitized by OVA(mPEG)11 with respect to both sensitivities. Most importantly, treatment of OVA-sensitive mice by OVA(mPEG)11 protected them from systemic anaphylaxis on challenge with OVA. The possibility of inactivating IgE-sensitized mast cells with mPEG conjugates of single epitopes of a given allergen is being investigated.

The suppressor factor of T suppressor cells induced by tolerogenic conjugates of ovalbumin and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol is serologically and physicochemically related to the alpha beta heterodimer of the T cell receptor.

Ovalbumin-specific, H-2Kd restricted, CD8+ Ts cells of clone 17.2 were shown to produce an OVA-specific Ts cell factor (TsF17.2) possessing the same Ag specificity and MHC restriction as those of the intact Ts cells. The Ts cell clone was generated from a single cell of the spleen of a mouse which had been immunosuppressed by injection of tolerogenic OVA(mPEG)12 conjugate. For the elucidation of the nature of TsF17.2, it was characterized by serologic, physicochemical, and Western blot analyses. It was found that 1) the OVA-specific suppression of in vitro antibody production by TsF17.2 could be blocked by mAb H28-710 which binds to an epitope of the constant region of the alpha-chain of TCR; 2) the TsF17.2 could be sequestered by, and eluted from, immunosorbents prepared by coupling to Affi-Gel Hz the H28-710 mAb or the mAb H57-597 and F23.1 which are specific, respectively, for an epitope of the constant region of the beta-chain and an epitope of the V beta 8 region of the TCR; and 3) the TsF17.2 had a pl of 7.0, m.w. of 84,000, and consisted of two disulfide-linked subunits of 42,000 each. After electroelution from the SDS-PAGE gel, the m.w. 84,000 molecule retained its capacity to suppress in vitro antibody production in an OVA-specific manner. From all these results it was concluded that this Ts cell factor may represent a soluble form of the alpha beta heterodimer of TCR of cloned Ts cells.

Antigen-specific suppressor factors of noncytotoxic CD8+ suppressor T cells downregulate antibody responses also to unrelated antigens when the latter are presented as covalently linked adducts with the specific antigen.

We had previously shown (i) that conjugates of a given antigen A (AgA) and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) induced AgA-specific tolerance in mice which was mediated by polyclonal CD8+ suppressor T (Ts) cells, as well as by soluble factor(s) of these cells (TsF), and (ii) that clones of nonhybridized CD8+ Ts cells could be derived from the above single cells, and monoclonal AgA-specific TsF could be released from these cloned cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that mice pretolerized by injection of AgA(mPEG)n are also unresponsive to an unrelated antigen B (AgB), or to its haptenated derivative AgB-Hpn, when AgB or AgB-Hpn is injected in the form of a covalent adduct with AgA, i.e., AgA-AgB or AgA-AgB-Hpn, but not when it is injected as a mixture with AgA; in this study human (myeloma) IgG (HIgG) served as AgA, and ovalbumin (OVA) or OVA-DNP3 served as AgB or AgB-Hpn. Moreover, this phenomenon was reproduced in vitro; i.e., Ts cells of mice tolerized with HIgG(mPEG)30, or the soluble monoclonal TsF of cloned Ts cells, exerted their associative suppressive effector function--in the obligatory presence of CD8+ T cells of syngeneic naive mice (Tn cells)--on antibody (Ab) formation to an Hp (DNP), when the Hp was present as a covalent adduct linked either directly to HIgG (e.g., HIgG-DNP7) or indirectly via OVA (as in HIgG-OVA-DNP3); however, no suppression of the anti-DNP Ab response was observed when OVA-DNP3 was present as a mixture with HIgG. Furthermore, it was established that the accessory cells involved in processing the specific Ag in the presence of the Ts cells were also downregulated, as reflected by their reduced capacity for presentation of the Ag to HIgG-specific helper T (Th) cells in proliferation assays. All these results demonstrate that (i) the phenomenon of linked immunological suppression may involve the downregulation of Th cells which recognize, concomitantly with the Ts cell, the appropriate epitopes of AgA and AgB on the same Ac cell, (ii) the downregulation of these Th cells may be a consequence of the downregulation of Ac cells by Ts cells interacting with the appropriate epitope(s) present on the Ac cells, and (iii) most remarkably the CD8+ Ts cells could be substituted by Tn cells "armed" with the specific monoclonal TsF.

Cytokine gene expression of CD8+ suppressor T cells induced by tolerogenic conjugates of antigen and mPEG.

Nonhybridized CD8+ Ts cell clones were generated from individual spleen cells of a B6D2F1 mouse, which had been immunosuppressed in an antigen-specific manner by administration of tolerogenic conjugates of ovalbumin (OVA) and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol. The cloned Ts cells were shown to suppress both in vivo and in vitro anti-OVA antibody formation in an antigen-specific and isotype-nonspecific manner, i.e., IgM, IgG1, and IgG2a anti-OVA antibodies were suppressed. The cytokine profile of three Ts cell clones was determined by bioassays, Western blot, and polymerase chain reaction analyses. It was shown that all the Ts cell clones produced IL-2, IL-4, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta 1, LT, and TNF-alpha upon activation with hamster anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or antigen plus APC. However, neither the mAbs to IFN-gamma, TGF-beta, or LT/TNF-alpha, nor the recombinant IL-2 was able to abrogate the suppression of in vitro antibody production by cloned Ts cells. These data are taken to indicate that (i) the cloned Ts cells suppress anti-OVA antibody production both in vivo and in vitro in an isotype-nonrestricted manner, (ii) the cytokine profile of these cloned Ts cells is similar to that of Th0 cells, and (iii) the immunosuppression mediated by these T cells is not directly related to the cytokines produced by cloned Ts cells.

Specific immunosuppression of human anti-murine antibody responses in hu-PBL-SCID mice.

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were reconstituted with normal human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and were shown to produce a human anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibody response on immunization with heat-treated murine monoclonal IgG1 antibody to ovalbumin, referred to as ha-Mab-2. The human anti-mouse antibody response was proportional tot the number of B cells and mononuclear cells transferred from a given batch of PBL. However, pretreatment of hu-PBL-SCID mice with a tolerogenic covalent conjugate of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) and Mab-2 suppressed this response on subsequent injections of ha-Mab-2, and this suppression was shown to be antigen-specific, i.e., it did not suppress the antibody response to ovalbumin and did not affect the level of production of human immunoglobulin of hu-PBL-SCID mice. The suppression was due to the generation of human suppressor CD8+ T (Ts) cells, which down regulated CD4+ helper T cells in an antigen and HLA class I specific manner, i.e., these findings were in accord with the previously shown immunosuppressive effect of tolerogenic mPEG conjugates in normal mice.

Suppression of human anti-mouse idiotypic antibody responses in hu-PBL-SCID mice.

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were engrafted with appropriate numbers of T cells and B plus mononuclear cells, which had been fractionated from normal human peripheral blood leukocytes (hu-PBLs). Treatment of these hu-PBL-SCID mice with a tolerogenic covalent conjugate of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) and an anti-ovalbumin, IgG1 murine monoclonal antibody, Mab-2, suppressed the human anti-mouse antibody responses to both the common (gamma 1,kappa) and the idiotypic determinants of Mab-2. Moreover, the Mab-2(mPEG)36 conjugate suppressed the immune responses of hu-PBL-SCID mice to the common and idiotypic determinants of murine monoclonal antibodies to the 2,4-dinitrophenyl residue and to human CD4, consisting also of gamma 1 and kappa chains. It is concluded that a tolerogenic mPEG conjugate of a murine monoclonal antibody induces pan-suppression of the human lymphoid system with respect to other murine monoclonal antibodies that share the isotypic determinants of the original one (here, Mab-2) incorporated in the conjugate. Hence, it may be anticipated that human anti-mouse antibody responses to any murine IgG monoclonal antibody would be suppressed by one of eight mPEG conjugates, each incorporating one of the four subclasses of IgG and one of the two light chains.

Analysis of T-cell receptor alpha beta chains of CD8+ suppressor T cells induced by tolerogenic conjugates of antigen and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol. Involvement of TCR alpha-CDR3 domain in immunosuppression.

A number of investigators have demonstrated that there exists a relationship between Ag receptors of Ts cells (TCR) and their soluble suppressor factors. With a view to elucidating this relationship, the primary structures of receptors of Ts cells, induced in mice by tolerogenic conjugates of Ag and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol, were characterized in this study. The cDNA encoding the alpha and beta chains of TCR of cloned Ts cells specific for (i) OVA and (ii) human monoclonal (myeloma) IgG (HIgG) were produced by polymerase chain reaction. From the analysis of the V alpha genes of TCR of Ts cells it was deduced that these receptors utilized a new member of the V alpha 15 gene family, which was productively joined to the J alpha genes that differed for each of the Ts cells of the two distinct specificities. Similarly, sequence analysis of the beta chain cDNA of the two Ts cell clones revealed that both clones utilized the V beta 8.2 gene, and that their J beta gene differed from each other. It is inferred that the Ts cells generated in response to the different tolerogenic Ag(mPEG)n conjugates belonged to a subset of T cells utilizing similar TCR alpha beta chains and differed only in their J alpha/J beta regions. Most importantly, pretreatment of mice with a mixture of pentadecapeptides comprising the TCR alpha chain of the OVA-Ts cells, down-regulated the immune response specific to OVA, but not to HIgG. Moreover, injection of mice with a pentadecapeptide corresponding to the CDR3 region of the TCR alpha chain of either OVA-Ts or HIgG-Ts suppressed specifically the Ab response to OVA or HIgG, respectively. On the basis of all these results, it is concluded that the CDR3 of the TCR-alpha chain of Ts cells plays a pivotal role in the Ts network underlying the specific down-regulation of the immune responses induced by tolerogenic Ag(mPEG)n conjugates.

Inhibition of lipid A- and lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine secretion, B cell mitogenesis, and lethal shock by lipid A-specific murine monoclonal antibodies.

Three murine hybridomas secreting IgM monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to lipid A (LA) of Salmonella minnesota R595 were generated. These MAbs serologically cross-reacted with LA and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of unrelated gram-negative bacterial species. All three MAbs significantly suppressed the ability of LA and LPS from various gram-negative bacteria to induce tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (36%-67%) and interleukin-1 (30%-98%) in murine peritoneal macrophages and to stimulate B lymphocytes (37%-78%). Lipid A-induced TNF alpha production was also suppressed in mice (86%-88%). All three antibodies protected adrenalectomized mice against lethal shock induced by LA of S. minnesota R595. Optimal protection was achieved with one of the antibodies (MLA-1), if it was administered 2 h before injection of lipid A, and full protection persisted < or = 24 h. Moreover, MLA-1 was able to protect adrenalized or D(+)-galactosamine-sensitized mice against lethal shock induced by LPS derived from various gram-negative bacteria. This cross-protection could be predicted on the basis of serologic cross-reactivity and cross-neutralization by MLA-1 of the bioactivity of the heterologous LA or LPS in vitro.

Purification and identification of polyclonal IgE antibodies from ragweed-sensitized dog sera.

We have purified and characterized polyclonal dog IgE. Serum IgE was precipitated by (NH4)2SO4 and then purified by two different procedures. Ion exchange on DEAE-Sephacel, followed by HPLC using Tonen hydroxylapatite and then Protein G-Sepharose, produced a highly purified IgE fraction (No. 1) free of IgG, IgA and IgM as measured by ELISA, but recovery of IgE as measured by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis was low. Gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300, Con A-Sepharose and Protein G-Sepharose recovered 18% of initial IgE, 0.02% IgG, 0.4% IgM and 0.3% IgA. This IgE fraction (No. 2) was used to induce antibody production in rabbits. Western blot analysis was then performed for dog IgE fractions No. 1 and 2. Using the rabbit anti-dog IgE, a prominent IgE band with an apparent molecular mass of 226 kD was identified in fractions No. 1 and 2 subjected to nonreducing SDS-PAGE. This band also reacted with anti-human IgE, but not with anti-dog IgG or anti-dog IgA. Under reducing conditions the approximate molecular mass for the IgE & chain, estimated by Western blot using rabbit anti-dog IgE, was 73 kD, providing a molecular mass of 196 kD for dog IgE.

Mapping of antibody binding epitopes of a recombinant Poa p IX allergen.

Antibody binding epitopes of a recombinant Poa p IX allergen were delineated using recombinant DNA and solid-phase peptide synthesis procedures. The full-length cDNA clone KBG60 and its four overlapping recombinant fragments, KBG60.1, KBG60.2, KBG8.3 and KBG10 which spanned the entire molecule were synthesized in E. coli with aid of the plasmid expression vector, pWR590.1. The antigenic and allergenic sites of these recombinant proteins were analyzed by ELISA using human IgE and murine IgG antibodies. It was thus demonstrated that although the epitopes were found on all the fragments tested, the majority of these were located on a C-terminal fragment, rKBG8.3. Furthermore, synthetic peptides were also employed to identify the epitopes of rKBG60 protein. The use of antisera raised against native KBG pollen extract and the recombinant KBG8.3 protein to scan a total of 56 overlapping deca-penta peptides, covering the entire rKBG60 protein, revealed that 10 positive peptides involved in the antibody-binding site(s). Taken together, the results of these studies indicate that rKBG60 protein possesses at least 10 antibody binding epitopes.

Neuro-hormonal host defence in endotoxin shock.

The sensitivity (LD100) of mice to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin and to its toxic moiety, lipid A (LA), increased 500-fold after adrenalectomy (ADX). Inhibition of glucocorticoid synthesis in intact mice by metyrapone had a similar, though less dramatic, sensitizing effect to LPS. In ADX mice, the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) was 40-60 times higher than that in controls at 2 h after LPS/LA treatment. In intact mice the serum corticosterone level fell 1 h after lipid A injection to below detectable levels, which was followed by a brisk increase reaching the peak level of 48-50 micrograms/100 ml at 2 h. Both TNF production and the lethal effect of PLS/LA could be inhibited in ADX mice by glucocorticoid treatment. Plasma prolactin was increased significantly 1 h after endotoxin administration in both intact and ADX animals.

Characterization of suppressor T cell clones derived from a mouse tolerized with conjugates of ovalbumin and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol.

The induction of antigen-specific tolerance in mice by conjugates of ovalbumin (OVA) and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) previously had been shown to be associated with the generation of antigen-specific suppressor T (Ts) cells. For the elucidation of the nature of these Ts cells, five nonhybridized OVA-specific Ts cell clones were generated from the spleen cells of a BDF1 mouse which had been immunosuppressed by the tolerogenic conjugate, OVA(mPEG)12. The cloned Ts cells were maintained in vitro by periodic stimulation with OVA and feeder cells and were able to suppress the in vitro antibody production in an OVA-specific and MHC class I (H-2Kd or H-2Dd)-restricted manner. All these Ts cell clones were shown to be Thy1.2+, CD4-, CD5-, CD8+, and to express CD3 and the alpha beta heterodimer of the T cell receptor. The cell-free extracts of these cells contained soluble suppressor factors which could mimic in vitro the suppressive activity of the intact cells. In contrast to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), none of the cloned Ts cells were endowed with cytolytic activity as revealed in the perforin-mediated microhemolysis and in the 18-hr51Cr release assays. These results demonstrate that (i) OVA-specific Ts cell clones can be generated from mice pretreated with OVA(mPEG)12 by employing conventional T cell culture techniques, and (ii) these Ts cells are functionally different from conventional CD8+ CTL.

Suppression of antibody responses in rats to murine anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies by conjugates with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol.

The effectiveness of therapeutically relevant xenogeneic monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) may be counteracted by their inherent immunogenicity. Since conjugates of diverse proteins with mono-methoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) were shown to induce Ag-specific tolerance in mice and rats, we used outbred rats in this study as an experimental model for establishing the tolerogenicity of mPEG conjugates of murine MoAb. The results demonstrate that: (i) murine anti-rat CD4 MoAb (W3/25) were more immunogenic than murine anti-human CD4 MoAb (MAX.16H5) in rats; (ii) W3/25 preferentially induced an anti-idiotypic (anti-id) antibody response; and (iii) antibodies to both common and idiotypic determinants could be suppressed in rats by treatment with W3/25(mPEG)28.