Covalent binding of C3b to tetanus toxin: influence on uptake/internalization of antigen by antigen-specific and non-specific B cells.

Antigen opsonization by the C3b fragment of complement is a significant event in the modulation of cell-mediated immune response, but its mechanism is still largely unknown. The structural characteristics of C3b allow it to act as a bifunctional ligand between antigen and cells via their membrane C3b receptors. It was thus of interest to study the influence of the covalent link between C3b and antigen on the fixation and internalization of this antigen by antigen-presenting cells. Tetanus toxin (TT) was used as antigen, either free or covalently linked to C3b (TT-C3b). The antigen-presenting cells were TT-specific (4.2) or non-specific (BL15) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cells. C3b was found to play an important role in antigen fixation and internalization by both antigen-specific and antigen non-specific cells. Covalent binding of C3b on TT (1) permitted fixation and internalization of this antigen by non-specific cells via their complement receptors; (2) enhanced antigen fixation and resulted in cross-linking between membrane immunoglobulins and complement receptors on antigen-specific cells. The consequences of covalent C3b binding to TT were analysed using antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific cells. In both cases, a net increase in antigen fixation was observed. At the intracellular level, covalent C3b binding to TT resulted in a large TT incorporation in endosomes of nonspecific cells, similar to that observed in antigen-specific cells. Thus, C3b covalently linked to antigen enlarges the array of B-cell types capable of presenting antigen, including non-specific cells.

Requirement for both D domains of the propolypeptide in von Willebrand factor multimerization and storage.

Biosynthesis of the adhesive glycoprotein von Willebrand factor (vWf) by endothelial cells results in constitutive secretion of small multimers and storage of the largest multimers in rod-shaped granules called Weibel-Palade bodies. This pattern is reproduced by expression of pro-vWf in heterologous cells with a regulated pathway of secretion, that store the recombinant protein in similar elongated granules. In these cells, deletion of the vWf prosequence prevents vWf storage. The prosequence, composed of two homologous domains (D1 and D2), actively participates in vWf multimer formation as well. We expressed deletion mutants lacking either the D1 domain (D2vWf) or the D2 domain (D1vWf) in various cell lines to analyze the relative importance of each domain in vWf multimerization and storage. Both proteins were secreted efficiently without being retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. Despite this, neither multimerized past the dimer stage and they were not stored. We conclude that several segments of the prosequence are jointly involved in vWf multimerization and storage.

Major involvement of cathepsin B in the intracellular proteolytic processing of exogenous IgGs in U937 cells.

Monoclonal antibodies used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes behave as antigens when injected into patients. They are recognized by T cells in a processed form and in a major histocompatibility complex class II restricted fashion. Monoclonal murine IgG2a were used as a model to analyse the early phase of antigen processing in U937 cells. IgG2a prebound to cell surface Fc receptors were rapidly internalized in the cells. During internalization, they were proteolysed with a time-dependent intracellular accumulation of 26, 25, 24, 22 and 14 kDa fragments. Comparison of in vitro IgG2a proteolysis by U937 subcellular fractions or by purified cathepsin B and their intracellular processing indicated that a major cathepsin B like protease is responsible for IgG2a intracellular processing in endo-lysosomal compartments of U937 cells.

von Willebrand factor storage requires intact prosequence cleavage site.

Large multimers of the adhesive glycoprotein von Willebrand factor (vWf) are stored in endothelial cells in rod-shaped granules called Weibel-Palade bodies, while small multimers are secreted constitutively. Expression of pro-vWf in other cells with a regulated pathway of secretion, results in formation of vWf-containing storage granules that have a morphology similar to Weibel-Palade bodies. vWf expressed without its prosequence is not stored. To evaluate the importance of prosequence cleavage in vWf storage, the Arg at position -1, known to be necessary for cleavage, was mutated to Gly. Transfection of this cleavage mutant into two cell lines with a regulated pathway of secretion (RIN 5F and AtT-20 cells) led to the formation of large multimers. However, treatment of the cell lysates by the enzyme endoglycosidase H (Endo-H) did not reveal significant amounts of intracellular Endo-H-resistant vWf, which indicates the absence of a pool of stored processed vWf. In addition, no Weibel-Palade body-like structure was detected in these cells by immunofluorescence labeling with anti-vWf antiserum. Electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry of RIN 5F cells expressing the pro-vWf mutant confirmed the absence of Weibel-Palade body-like structures. In addition, anti-vWf-linked gold particles were found in the ER, occasionally in rounded granules and particularly in lysosomal structures which were abundant. We conclude that the formation of large aggregates is not sufficient to induce efficient vWf storage, and that the lack of cleavage of the prosequence may direct the mutant pro-vWf molecule to a degradative pathway. Therefore, the prosequence cleavage is a requirement for vWf storage.

Nucleotide sequence of the gene for the immunity protein to colicin A. Analysis of codon usage of immunity proteins as compared to colicins.

The nucleotide sequence of the structural gene for the immunity protein to colicin A (cai) has been established. This sequence consists of 534 base pairs. According to the predicted amino acid sequence, the polypeptide chain of this immunity protein comprises 178 amino acids and has a relative molecular mass of 20462. As expected from its localization in the inner membrane, large hydrophobic fragments are found along the polypeptide chain that also contains clusters of mostly positively charged residues. The cai like the ceiA genes encode proteins that are weakly expressed as compared to the corresponding colicins (A and E1). Codon usage reflects this difference. In contrast, the four genes for immunity to cloacin DF13 and to colicin E3 and for these bacteriocins, all of which are highly expressed and are organized in operon, display similar codon usage. These results are discussed with regards to the possible relationship between expressivity and codon usage.