Production and characterisation of mouse monoclonal antibodies reacting with the lipopolysaccharide core region of gram-negative bacilli.

Monoclonal antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core region were produced by immunising mice with Escherichia coli strain J5 (chemotype Rc). One of these bound to the deepest part of the core, i.e., Lipid A, and reacted with other heat-killed but not live gram-negative bacilli, including E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eight other monoclonal antibodies, binding to the terminal glucose residue of Rc LPS, reacted with live cells of E. coli strains only. Thus, the O antigen does not necessarily render the core inaccessible to antibody. However, despite binding to live bacteria, these monoclonal antibodies neither enhanced phagocytic killing, nor protected mice from dying from gram-negative infection or endotoxaemia. It is concluded that antibodies reacting with the most immunodominant parts of the J5 core are not protective.

Transient correction of excision repair defects in fibroblasts of 9 xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups by microinjection of crude human cell extracts.

Crude extracts from human cells were microinjected into the cytoplasm of cultured fibroblasts from 9 excision-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) complementation groups. The level of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) was measured to determine the effect of the extract on the repair capacity of the injected cells. With a sensitive UDS assay procedure a (transient) increase in UV-induced UDS level was found in fibroblasts from all complementation groups after injection of extracts from repair-proficient (HeLa) or complementing XP cells (except in the case of XP-G), but not after introduction of extracts from cells belonging to the same complementation group. This indicates that the phenotypic correction is exerted by complementation-group-specific factors in the extract, a conclusion that is in agreement with the observation that different levels of correction are found for different complementation groups. The XP-G-correcting factor was shown to be sensitive to proteolytic degradation, suggesting that it is a protein like the XP-A factor.

Uptake of cloacin DF13 by susceptible cells: removal of immunity protein and fragmentation of cloacin molecules.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed against different epitopes on the equimolar complex of cloacin and immunity protein (cloacin DF13) were isolated, characterized, and used to study the uptake of cloacin DF13 by susceptible cells. Four MAbs recognized the amino-terminal part, one MAb recognized the central part, and three MAbs recognized the carboxyl-terminal part of the cloacin molecule. Three MAbs reacted with the immunity protein. Five MAbs inhibited the lethal action of cloacin DF13, but none of the MAbs inhibited the binding of cloacin DF13 to its purified outer membrane receptor protein or the in vitro inactivation of ribosomes. Binding of cloacin DF13 to susceptible cells cultured in broth resulted in a specific, time-dependent dissociation of the complex and a fragmentation of the cloacin molecules. Increasing amounts of immunity protein were detected in the culture medium from about 20 min after the addition of cloacin DF13. Cloacin was fragmented into two carboxyl-terminal fragments with relative molecular masses of 50,000 and 10,000. The larger fragment was detected 5 min after the binding of the bacteriocin complex to the cells. The smaller fragment was detected after 10 min. Both fragments were associated with the cells and could not be detected in the culture supernatant fraction. Cells grown in brain heart infusion were much less susceptible to cloacin DF13 than cells grown in broth, although they possessed a similar number of outer membrane receptor molecules. This decreased susceptibility correlated with a decreased translocation, dissociation, and fragmentation of cloacin DF13.

Microinjection of Micrococcus luteus UV-endonuclease restores UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in cells of 9 xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups.

The UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in cultured cells of excision-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) complementation groups A through I was assayed after injection of Micrococcus luteus UV-endonuclease using glass microneedles. In all complementation groups a restoration of the UV-induced UDS, in some cells to the repair-proficient human level, was observed. Another prokaryotic DNA-repair enzyme, T4 endonuclease V, restored the UV-induced UDS in a similar way after microinjection into XP cells. Since both enzymes specifically catalyse only the incision of UV-irradiated DNA, we conclude that this activity is impaired in cells of all 9 excision-deficient XP complementation groups tested.

Detection of different cellular sides in rat liver and kidney by two monoclonal antibodies raised against the nucleotide-sugar hydrolyzing enzymes phosphodiesterase I and CMP-sialic acid hydrolase.

Six different monoclonal antibodies were generated after immunization of mice with a partially purified enzyme preparation of rat liver, containing nucleotide-sugar hydrolase (NSH) I and II. These enzymes are also known under the names phosphodiesterase I and CMP-sialic acid hydrolase respectively [11]. In the enzyme-immunoassay the antibodies directed against NSH I displayed some cross-reactivity with the enzyme preparation of NSH II, and to a much lower extent the reverse was also true. Two antibodies, C and D highly reactive with NSH II and NSH I respectively, were used for immunocytochemical studies on sections of various rat tissues, which were known to contain high activities of both enzymes. Both antibodies were shown to be highly specific domain markers for different sides of the various cells. Antibody C was bound exclusively to the sinusoidal side of liver hepatocytes and to the basal side of cells from kidney tubule and epididymis. For antibody D the binding pattern was completely different, showing exclusive binding to the canalicular side of the hepatocytes and to the brush border membranes of kidney tubule cells, whereas in epididymis only binding to connective tissues was observed. Our studies clearly demonstrate, at least for liver and kidney, that NSH I and II are located at different cellular sides and that the monoclonal antibodies C and D can be used as domain markers for basal and apical sides of these cells respectively.

Three epitope-specific monoclonal antibodies against the hapten penicillin.

Three monoclonal antibodies (Pen 4, Pen 7 and Pen 9) were raised against the benzylpenicilloyl group and used to investigate the antigenicity of this group. The binding of Pen 4 to carrier-bound penicillin derivatives was shown in an ELISA to be dependent on the structure of the side chain in the derivative. Hence Pen 4 recognizes this side chain. From the difference in binding to carrier-bound penicillin derivatives in a competitive enzyme immunoassay it was concluded that Pen 7 mainly recognizes the new antigenic determinant which emerges from the binding of the penicillin derivative to a carrier. The binding of Pen 9 to carrier-bound penicillin derivatives was not influenced by the nature of the side chain. Neither was the bound or free nature of the derivative of influence on the binding. Therefore it is concluded that Pen 9 mainly recognizes the thiazolidine ring of penicillin. This study thus shows that in the benzylpenicilloyl group at least three epitopes can be recognized.

Production of monoclonal antibodies defining guinea pig T-cell surface markers and a strain 13 Ia-like antigen: the value of immunohistological screening.

The production and characterization of eight monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against surface markers of guinea pig T-cells is reported. MAbs CT5 and CT7 define putative pan-T-cell markers. CT5, however, also reacts with the B-cell leukemic line L2C. MAb CT6 is reactive with less than 30% of peripheral T-cells. MAbs CT1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 are reactive with lymphocytes, but not with germinal center B-cells. In addition to the CT's, a MAb (CI-13.1) has been prepared that reacts with an Ia-like antigen on cells of strain 13 and outbred guinea pigs, but not with cells of strain 2 animals. CI-13.1 cross-reacts with human tissue sections: About 30% of the OKIa-positive dendritic cells in the human dermis are recognized by CI-13.1. In the course of production and characterization, various binding assays and an immunohistological method were used for determining the antibody specificity. Immunohistological screening was found to be the most informative method.

Cotransfer of syntenic human genes into mouse cells using isolated metaphase chromosomes or cellular DNA.

Chromosome-mediated gene transfer (CMGT) of the human genes for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) and cytosol thymidine kinase (TK1) into HPRT deficient mouse A9 cells or TK deficient Swiss mouse 3T3TK- cells was found to occur at frequencies at least one order of magnitude higher than DNA-mediated gene transfer (DMGT). The frequency of CMGT into 3T3TK- cells was reduced by more than an order of magnitude by a posttreatment of the recipient cells with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). After CMGT, expression of the non-selected genes coding for galactokinase (GALK) and acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA), both syntenic with TK1, was observed in a number of transformants. From the pattern of cotransfer, a tentative gene ordering of CENTROMERE-GALK-TK1-GAA on human chromosome 17 was deduced. Chromosome-mediated cotransfer of X-linked human phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) with HPRT was observed in two out of 33 A9 transformants analysed. DNA-mediated cotransfer of a syntenic gene was only observed for GALK, cotransferred with TK1 in two out of 18 TK+ transformants of mouse LTK- cells. Therefore, with murine cells as recipients of human donor genetic material, CMGT results in a higher frequency of transfer and a higher incidence of cotransfer of syntenic genes than DMGT using cellular DNA in the same cell system.

Microinjection of human cell extracts corrects xeroderma pigmentosum defect.

Cultured fibroblasts of patients with the DNA repair syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) were injected with crude cell extracts from various human cells. Injected fibroblasts were then assayed for unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) to see whether the injected extract could complement their deficiency in the removal of u.v.-induced thymidine dimers from their DNA. Microinjection of extracts from repair-proficient cells (such as HeLa, placenta) and from cells belonging to XP complementation group C resulted in a temporary correction of the DNA repair defect in XP-A cells but not in cells from complementation groups C, D or F. Extracts prepared from XP-A cells were unable to correct the XP-A repair defect. The UDS of phenotypically corrected XP-A cells is u.v.-specific and can reach the level of normal cells. The XP-A correcting factor was found to be sensitive to the action of proteinase K, suggesting that it is a protein. It is present in normal cells in high amounts, it is stable on storage and can still be detected in the injected cells 8 h after injection. The microinjection assay described in this paper provides a useful tool for the purification of the XP-A (and possibly other) factor(s) involved in DNA repair.

An enrichment technique for auxotrophs of Agrobacterium tumefaciens using a combination of carbenicillin and lysozyme.

A procedure to enrich for auxotrophic and fermentation mutants of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is described. The method is based on the amplification of the killing power of carbenicillin by the addition of lysozyme. Isolation frequencies of some types of mutants are presented, with and without the application of the proposed procedure. The yield of mutants is usually enhanced a hundredfold per enrichment treatment.