The frequency of Fabry disease with the E66Q variant in the α-galactosidase A gene in Japanese dialysis patients: a case report and a literature review.

Fabry disease (FD) is an Xlinked disorder resulting in a deficiency in α-galactosidase A (α-Gal) activity. FD is one of the causes of progressive renal dysfunction, but its diagnosis is often delayed or missed completely. We herein report the case of a 70-year-old male who had been receiving hemodialysis (HD) for 23 y who was diagnosed with FD after his participation in a screening program for plasma α-Gal activity for 892 HD patients. He had a low plasma α-Gal activity level and was demonstrated to have an E66Q mutation in exon 2 of the α-Gal gene. One of his daughters had the same mutation. The proband died due to aspiration pneumonia before receiving enzyme replacement therapy. We reviewed previous studies and found E66Q mutation in 36% of Japanese FD patients on HD including the present case. The clinical characteristics of E66Q variant are also discussed.

Interferon-gamma is produced by CD8 T cells in response to HLA-A24-restricted hepatitis C virus epitopes after sustained virus loss.

Differences in cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity in hepatitis C virus infection may account for the outcome of interferon monotherapy. To investigate this hypothesis, we analysed the response of peripheral CD8(+) T cells that recognized epitopes presented by HLA-A*2402. We synthesized HLA/beta2-microglobulin/peptide complexes using two epitopes. Production of interferon-gamma by CD8(+) T cells in response to plastic-bound monomeric HLA/peptide complex was observed frequently in sustained virus responders (SVR) (n = 13) against all the peptides, NS31296-1304 (the percentage of responding patients, 61.5%) and core 129-137 (53.8%), while no interferon-gamma production was observed in non-responders (NR) (n = 13) for any of the peptides. Tetramer-staining showed the presence of CD8(+) T cells specific for all the peptides except NS31296-1304 in two SVR at the end of interferon monotherapy, although hardly any such cells were found in four NR. Specific killing was observed against peptides NS31296-1304 (3/4) and core 129-137 (1/4) in sustained responders but none in non-responders. These results suggest that the responses of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were induced during interferon therapy in these patients and that interferon-gamma production by CD8(+) T lymphocytes against HCV NS31296-1304 and core 129-137 are well maintained in patients with SVR compared with those with NR. These findings emphasize the importance of the CD8(+) T cell response in controlling HCV infection.

Augmentation of IgM antibody to gp43 tumor-associated antigen peptide by melanoma cell vaccine.

We previously reported that gp43 tumor-associated antigen peptide (DLTMKYQIF; designated 810 antigen) on human melanoma cells is recognized by IgM human monoclonal antibody L92 and by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). In this study, we retrospectively tested sera of 44 patients with regional metastatic melanoma (22 who recurred within 1 year and 22 who survived longer than 5 years) to determine if antibody responses to 810 antigen could be induced by immunization with an allogeneic melanoma cell vaccine that contained 810 peptide. IgM and IgG antibodies were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a synthetic 810 nonamer peptide. A significant augmentation of IgM antibody was demonstrated 4 weeks after initiation of vaccine therapy, and the IgM level was significantly higher in patients who survived more than 5 years. The antigen epitope recognized by antibodies was located within TMKYQI. Of this epitope sequence, K appears to play a central role in antigenicity. The 810 antigen recognized by antibody and CTL may have clinical relevance as a potential source of melanoma vaccine.

Cytotoxic T cell recognition of a human melanoma derived peptide with a carboxyl-terminal alanine-proline sequence.

Recently, we defined the antigenic epitope recognized by the human monoclonal antibody L94 to be a protein with a C-terminal sequence of alanine-proline (AP). An antigenic peptide no. 707 (RVAALARDAP), which was identified by the use of cDNA libraries of an antigen positive melanoma cell line M14, was evaluated for cellular immune responses in melanoma patients. PBMC from 16 of 19 melanoma patients were shown to lyse autologous B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BCL) pulsed with synthetic peptide no. 707 (hereafter no. 707). This specific cytotoxicity to the peptide significantly increased in 84% of melanoma patients after in vivo immunization with a melanoma cell vaccine (MCV). In contrast, peptide specific cytotoxicity was observed in only one of 19 normal volunteer donors. In vitro restimulation of MCV treated patients' PBMC with no. 707 augmented cytotoxicity against autologous no. 707-pulsed BCL. This cytotoxicity was specific to the C-terminal sequence AP, since the removal of C-terminal AP completely abolished the specific lysis. no. 707 restimulation of PBMC enhanced cytotoxicity against autologous melanomas. Autologous melanoma and peptide-pulsed BCL targets were lysed by CD8+CTL in a HLA class I-restricted manner. The strong cytotoxicity was obtained from patients of HLA A24. CTL lysis of autologous no. 707-pulsed BCL was partially blocked by unlabeled autologous melanomas in a cold target inhibition test. This suggested that the epitope identical or cross-reactive to no. 707 may be presented on the melanoma cell surface by HLA class I antigens. Our findings suggest that peptide no. 707 presented on human melanoma cells is recognized by CTL and that C-terminal AP plays a critical role in both antibody and T cell recognition.

Peptides with carboxyl-terminal sequence of alanine-proline: detection by a human monoclonal antibody.

A human B lymphoblastoid cell line JWCI-L94 secretes an IgM human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb) that reacts with human melanoma cell lines, M14 and M12. To identify the antigenic epitope of this antibody, we screened lambda gt11 expression libraries constructed from M14 and M12. A total of 12 immunoreactive clones were isolated, and their DNA sequences were determined. The only sequence shared by all these clones was alanine-proline (A-P) at the carboxyl (C) terminal. HuMAb L94 reacted not only with C-terminal A-P-containing fusion proteins, but also with the synthetic dipeptide A-P. None of the peptides containing A-P internally or amino terminally reacted to HuMAb L94. Proline or alanine alone had no ability to bind to HuMAb L94. When alanine was replaced by glycine (G-P) or proline (P-P), the binding activity of these peptides was similar to that of A-P. On the other hand, when alanine was replaced by serine, valine, leucine, glutamine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, or hydroxyl proline, the resulting peptide completely lost the antigenic activity of HuMAb L94. These results demonstrate that HuMAb L94 recognizes C-terminal A-P, G-P, or P-P, and that a human antibody can recognize peptides as small as a two-amino acid residue.

A decapeptide (Gln-Asp-Leu-Thr-Met-Lys-Tyr-Gln-Ile-Phe) from human melanoma is recognized by CTL in melanoma patients.

The decapeptide 810 (QDLTMKYQIF) contains the antigenic epitope (KYQI) recognized by human mAb L92. This sequence is found in a 43-kDa protein associated with human melanoma M14. We examined the expression of 810 in human cells and its involvement in the cellular immune responses of melanoma patients. Nineteen stage III melanoma patients and 19 normal donors were studied for their responses to 810. All patients were immunized in vivo with an allogeneic melanoma cell vaccine. PBMC cytotoxicity was tested on autologous EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BCL) pulsed with 810 and autologous melanomas. Proliferative responses of PBMC to 810 were evaluated by using [3H]Tdr incorporation assays. Western blotting revealed that the 43-kDa protein was not specific to melanoma but was common to various cells. However, the percentage of cytotoxicity of PBMC against autologous 810-pulsed BCL was significantly greater in melanoma patients than in normal controls (p < 0.005). Cytotoxicity was increased after melanoma cell vaccine immunization in 15 patients (78%). Proliferative responses to 810 were observed only in melanoma patients and were enhanced in 12 patients (63%) after vaccination. Restimulation of PBMC from vaccinated patients with 810 increased cytotoxicity against both autologous 810-pulsed BCL and melanomas. These targets were lysed by CD8+ T lymphocytes in an HLA class I-restricted manner. HLA-A2 and -A11 seemed to serve as the 810-presenting molecule. Our findings indicate that 810 may function as an epitope for CTL on human melanoma and can be used as a vaccine.

Human monoclonal antibody identified an immunoreactive tetrapeptide sequence (Lys-Tyr-Gln-Ile) in M(r) 43,000 protein of human melanoma.

The human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb) L92 reacts to an M(r) 43,000 protein associated with human melanoma. To identify the gene encoding its antigenic epitope, a complementary DNA expression library constructed from the human melanoma cell line UCLASO M14 was screened with HuMAb L92. DNA sequence analysis of the isolated clone revealed that the immunoreactive peptide was composed of 10 amino acids (QDLT-MKYQIF). The peptide was expressed in Escherichia coli with beta-galactosidase as a fused protein. There is no homology between the cloned sequence and other reported DNA sequences. Western blot analysis showed that the fused protein had specific binding to HuMAb L92. An antigen-encoding peptide with 10 amino acids was synthesized and tested for its immunoreactivity in vitro. HuMAb L92 reacted specifically to the 10-amino acid peptide in both an antibody-binding inhibition to the M(r) 43,000 protein and a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using several truncated fusion proteins, we found the minimum number of amino acids required for the antibody binding to be 4 (KYQI). These results suggest that the identified peptide sequence encodes the antigenic epitope of the M(r) 43,000 protein.

Both VH and VL regions contribute to the antigenicity of anti-idiotypic antibody that mimics melanoma associated ganglioside GM3.

Previously we developed a murine monoclonal anti-idiotype (anti-id) antibody (4C10) that mimics the melanoma-associated ganglioside antigen GM3, that is, it carries the internal image of GM3. 4C10 was made against the human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb) L612, which reacts with several types of human cancer cells, including melanoma and breast cancer. To reduce mouse components of 4C10, the constant region was replaced by a human constant domain to form the murine/human chimeric anti-id antibody TVE-1. In the present study, we sought to determine which chain (VH or VL) of the anti-id is responsible for the antigenicity of GM3. The TVE-1 VH and VL expression vectors were simultaneously transfected with either the VH or VL expression vector of a murine-human chimeric IgG antidansyl haptenic antibody, resulting in the construction of three different combinations of VH and VL chimeric antibodies. These IgG molecules were produced from the transfectomas, and their reactivity to HuMAb L612 was tested. Neither of the IgG proteins that had cross-combined the VH-VL pair showed positive results, suggesting that both heavy and light chains are required to express the antigenicity. The in vivo antigenicity of this chimeric anti-id was confirmed by skin tests in melanoma patients receiving active specific immunotherapy.

Stable isotope aided nuclear magnetic resonance study to investigate the receptor-binding site of human interleukin 1 beta.

Resonance assignments for interleukin 1 beta at neutral pH were made by using three-dimensional NMR in combination with specific labeling and double-labeling methods with stable isotopes. On the basis of the present assignments, 15N single-quantum coherence spectra of N-terminal truncated and fusion mutants were compared with that of the wild-type. Although these mutants have reduced biological activity, they showed 15N-SQC spectra similar to that of the wild-type. However, small but significant chemical shift changes were observed for amino acid residues within a loop 86-99, in spite of the modification at the N-terminus, supporting the idea that this loop forms a biologically active part of interleukin 1 beta. Receptor-binding activity was studied for mutants (Asp-93)-, (Leu-93)- and des-(Arg-98)interleukin 1 beta's. The results show significant loss of the receptor-binding activity. The N-terminus, the C-terminus, and the loop 86-99 form a part of the open end of a beta-barrel [Finzel, B. C., Clancy, L. L., Holland, D. R., Muchmore, S. W., Watenpaugh, K. D., & Einspahr, H. M. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 209, 779-791; Clore, G. M., Wingfield, P. T., & Gronenborn, A. M. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 2315-2323], which forms the receptor-binding site of IL-1 beta.

Site-specific mutagenesis of the human interleukin-1 beta gene: structure-function analysis of the cysteine residues.

Human interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) has two cysteines located at amino acid residues 8 and 71 of the mature protein consisting 153 amino acids. To clarify the role of these characteristic cysteine residues in IL-1 beta, at first, an expression plasmid for site-specific mutagenesis has been constructed by inserting the ori and intergenic region of phage f1 into the IL-1 beta expression vector. The plasmid can be used not only for isolation of the modified IL-1 beta gene but for expression of the mutant protein in Escherichia coli. Using this plasmid, each of the cysteine codons in IL-1 beta gene was changed to serine or alanine codon, or deleted. The modified IL-1 beta showed that the two cysteine residues in IL-1 beta are not essential for biological activity but not to be eliminated for the maintenance of the functional structure of IL-1 beta.

Purification and characterization of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta produced in Escherichia coli.

Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) produced in Escherichia coli was purified to homogeneity by a combination of mass ion exchange column chromatography, ion exchange and gel filtration high performance liquid chromatography. The purified rIL-1 beta had a molecular weight of 18 kD on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and an isoelectric point of 6.9 on analytical isoelectric focusing. These values were almost same as those of natural interleukin-1 beta. The amino acid composition and amino acid sequence of the amino terminal region were consistent with those deduced from the cDNA sequence. In addition, the primary structure was confirmed by peptide mapping with lysyl-endopeptidase on reverse phase HPLC. Besides rIL-1 beta with amino terminal Ala, two molecular species, [Met0] rIL-1 beta and [desAla1] rIL-1 beta, were also obtained. Biological and physicochemical properties of the three species of rIL-1 beta were compared.

Amino acid sequence of cyanogen bromide fragments of potato phosphorylase.

Amino acid sequence analysis of the cyanogen bromide peptides of potato alpha-glucan phosphorylase was undertaken for comparison with rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase and for elucidation of the structural bases for the differences in the catalytic and regulatory properties between the animal and plant enzymes. The potato enzyme was carboxymethylated and cleaved with cyanogen bromide. The 17 distinct fragments produced were isolated by a combination of gel filtration, sulfopropyl ion exchange chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography. The molecular weights of these fragments are distributed in a range of 300 to 30,000. Fragment CI has a blocked amino terminus, and has the same amino acid sequence as CII, which has been assigned as the amino-terminal fragment of potato phosphorylase. The blocking group was deduced to be an acetyl group from the results of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of an amino-terminal pentapeptide. This paper describes the sequence determination of all the cyanogen bromide fragments of potato phosphorylase. The complete structure is presented in the following paper (Nakano, K., and Fukui, T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 8230-8236).

Amino acid sequence of cytochrome c-553 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki.

The complete amino acid sequence of cytochrome c-553 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki has been determined. The protein has a single polypeptide chain containing 79 amino acid residues and has the typical characteristics of small mitochondrial cytochromes. Contrary to the expectation that the amino acid sequence of cytochrome c-553 from D. vulgaris Miyazaki is closely related to that from D. vulgaris Hildenborough, the two are not alike, except for the 20 NH2-terminal residues and the 4 carboxyl-terminal residues; however, the tryptic peptides obtained from the two cytochromes are similar to each other. The sequence of cytochrome c-553 from D. vulgaris Miyazaki resembles that of Pseudomonas cytochrome c-551. The phylogenetic situation of Desulfovibrio cytochrome c-553 in the phylogenetic tree of the cytochrome c super-family is discussed.