Graphene Field Effect Transistor-Based Immunosensor for Ultrasensitive Noncompetitive Detection of Small Antigens.

Due to its high carrier mobility, graphene is considered a suitable material for use in field-effect transistors. However, its application to immunosensing of small molecules is still elusive. To investigate the potential of graphene field effect transistors (G-FET) as a sensor for small molecules with small or no charge, we applied the open-sandwich immunoassay (OS-IA), which detects low-molecular-weight antigens noncompetitively, to G-FET. Using an antibody variable fragment VL immobilized on graphene and a hyperacidic region of amyloid precursor protein fused to the other variable fragment VH, we successfully detected a small antigen peptide consisting of 7 amino acids (BGP-C7), with a more than 100-fold increase in sensitivity compared with that measured by enzyme-linked OS-IA. Furthermore, we succeeded in detecting BGP-C7 in the presence of human serum with similar sensitivity, suggesting its potential application in clinical diagnostics.

Epitope mapping of the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) VP28 monoclonal antibody through combined in silico and in vitro analysis reveals the potential antibody binding site.

White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) infecting shrimp is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus. The WSSV is a member of the genus Whispovirus. The envelope protein VP28 is the most investigated protein of WSSV. In the present study, the epitope mapping of the monoclonal antibody (MAb) C-33 was carried out. Based on the epitope mapping results, an antigen-antibody interaction model was derived. Peptide scanning and confirmation of epitopes of MAb C-33 were carried out using the sequence data. The MAb was reactive to the epitope of both recombinant VP28 and the whole virus. The results of the study indicated the presence of an epitope region. The epitope region is found positioned within two peptides, covering 13 amino acids. Framework and CDR (complementarity determining regions) of heavy and light chain (VH & VL) sequences showed identity to germline immunoglobulin sequences. The Web Antibody Modelling (WAM) selected for further evaluation based on a comparative analysis of WAM and Rosetta server-generated models of the Fv region. The docking study using WAM generated model revealed that the residues from LEU98 to GLY105 are active in antibody binding. The findings of this study could form a structural basis for further research in VP28 based diagnostics and therapeutics or vaccine discovery.

Preparation and identification of the nano antibodies of anti-programmed death receptor-1 / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective To prepare camelid-derived nano antibodies with high affinity binding to programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) antigen,and to provide experimental basis for subsequent functional studies.Methods The PD-1-Fc recombinant protein expressed in eukaryotic expression was used to immunize Xinjiang Bactrian camel 6 times.The peripheral blood was collected and the lymphocytes were isolated.Nested PCR amplification was performed to obtain the genes in variable region of camelid heavy chain antibody (VHH),and to construct a phage display library.The phage display library was screened by solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The PD-1 antigen,which was sequentially reduced in mass concentration (5.00、2.50、1.00 μg/ml),was coated in an ELISA plate,and the phage display library was subjected to 3 rounds of affinity selection.Individual clones that bind to PD-1 were further screened by soluble monoclonal ELISA.According to the results of DNA sequencing,three VHH monoclonals with multiple repeats were selected and ligated into pET22b vector,and transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3) competent cells,and then induced by isopropyl-β3-D-thiogalactoside.The recombinant VHH antibody protein was purified by nickel column affinity chromatography,and its binding activity and affinity to PD-1 antigen were detected by Western Blot and ELISA.Results After immunization of Bactrian camel 6 times with recombinant protein PD-1-Fc,high titer specific antibody was stimulated,and the immune serum titer reached 1∶32 000.A VHH phage display library with a reservoir size of 2.6×108 cfu/ml was constructed from the immunized camel lymphocytes.After 3 rounds of affinity selection,46 VHH monoclonals with absorbance (A600) values above 0.6 were obtained by soluble monoclonal ELISA.Among them,three clones of VHH-B7,VHH-H5 and VHH-H12 had higher repeats,indicating that significant enrichment was obtained.The results of Western Blot and ELISA showed that the purified B7,H5 and H12 nanobodies had good binding activity to PD-1 antigen and had high affinity.Their affinity constants were 1.19×1011 and 1.63×1011,1.59×1011 L/mol,respectively.Conclusion The anti-PD-1 camelid-derived nanobodies were obtained by affinity selection of VHH phage display library,which can bind to the PD-1 antigen with high affinity.This study can provide an experimental basis for subsequent functional studies.

Creation of Antigen-Dependent ß-Lactamase Fusion Protein Tethered by Circularly Permuted Antibody Variable Domains.

Antibody-based molecular switches that are able to recognize a range of exogenous antigens can be highly useful as a versatile biosensor. However, regulating the catalytic activity of enzymes by antibodies is still hard to achieve. Here, we describe a design method of unique antibody variable region Fv introduced with two circular permutations, called Clampbody. By tethering the Clampbody to a circularly permuted TEM-1 ß-lactamase (BLA), we successfully constructed a genetically encoded molecular switch Cbody-cpBLA that shows antigen-dependent catalytic activity.

Prokaryotic expression and purification of anti-AEG-1 single-chain variable antibody / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To construct anti-astrocyte elevated gene-1(AEG-1)single-chain variable antibody (V23)prokaryotic ex-pression vector,and to conduct the protein purification and immunological activity detection.Methods The Primer5 software was applied to design the primers aiming at the gene sequence of the antibody anti-AEG-1 single-chain variable region for constructing the prokaryotic expression plasmid of PRsetC/V23.After the enzyme digestion by the restriction enzyme Pst1 and correct DNA se-quencing,the prokaryotic expression plasmid was led to E.coli BL21 ,the prokaryotic expression engineering strain containing the V23 gene was constructed.After the induction with IPTG,the interest protein was purified by the magnetic beads with the HIS tag,and the content of interest protein was determined by the SDS-PAGE electrophoresis.Western blot and ELISA were adopted to detect the immune activity of the nti-AEG-1 single-chain variable region antibody.Results For the constructed prokaryotic expres-sion plasmid PRsetC/V23,the single enzyme digestion and sequencing analysis displayed that the constructed V23 gene was com-pletely consistent to the designing sequences.After IPTG induction,SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed an apparent protein band at 31×103 ,the Western blot detection showed a specific AEG-1 response band at 80 ×103 ,the ELISA test showed the positive re-sults.Conclusion The PRsetC/V23 prokaryotic expression plasmid and the V23 prokaryotic expression engineering strain are suc-cessfully constructed,this engineering strain can express anti-AEG-1 single-chain variable region antibody protein,and the protein has good immune activity.

Evaluation and applications of antibody variable stability / 军事医学

Objective To study the intrinsic relationships between the binding energy of the antibody light and heavy chains and the conformational characteristics , physical and chemical properties , and to establish a corresponding mathemat-ical model and evaluate the thermal stability of the antibody molecules , which contribute to the antibody design , optimiza-tion and affinity maturation .Methods Based on bioinformatics and computational biology methods , the antibody′s structur-al information with the crystal diffraction data was analyzed .The conformational character of the variable domain of the antibody was studied using distance geometry and computer graphics technology .With the aid of the intermolecular hydrogen bond formation theory and the reaction free energy theory , the dynamic structure and energy characteristics be-tween the heavy and light chain variable regions of the antibody were studied .Furthermore , using nonlinear fitting and regression analysis, a mathematical model was set up .Results According to simulation and statistic analysis , there was a linear relationship between the binding energy and the number of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding , Van der Waals interaction of the heavy and light chains of the antibody .There was polynomial correlation between the binding energy and the physicochemical properties of the antibody .Using the frequency of amino acid position and the established model , the humanized anti-ricin antibody , which could not obtain the stable engineering cell line , was evaluated and optimized .The stable engineering cell line of the humanized anti-ricin antibody was obtained in the experiment .Conclusion The self structure of the antibody variable region ( conformation and physicochemical properties ) has much effect on its stability . The antibody stability can be improved by structural optimization .

Are endosomal trafficking parameters better targets for improving mAb pharmacokinetics than FcRn binding affinity?

F.W.R. Brambell deduced the existence of a protective receptor for IgG, the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), long before its discovery in the early to mid-1990s. With the coincident, explosive development of IgG-based drugs, FcRn became a popular target for tuning the pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). One aspect of Brambell's initial observation, however, that is seldom discussed since the discovery of the receptor, is the compliance in the mechanism that Brambell observed (saturating at 10s-100s of µM concentration), vs. the comparative stiffness of the receptor kinetics (saturating in the nM range for most species). Although some studies reported that increasing the already very high Fc-FcRn affinity at pH 6.0 further improved mAb half-life, in fact the results were mixed, with later studies increasingly implicating non-FcRn-dependent mechanisms as determinants of mAb pharmacokinetics. Mathematical modelling of the FcRn system has also indicated that the processes determining the pharmacokinetics of mAbs have more nuances than had at first been hypothesised. We propose, in keeping with the latest modelling and experimental evidence reviewed here, that the dynamics of endosomal sorting and trafficking have important roles in the compliant salvage mechanism that Brambell first observed nearly 50 years ago, and therefore also in the pharmacokinetics of mAbs. These ideas lead to many open questions regarding the endosomal trafficking of both FcRn and mAbs and also to what properties of a mAb can be altered to achieve an improvement in pharmacokinetics.

Structure and dynamics of drug carriers and their interaction with cellular receptors: focus on serum transferrin.

Highly proliferative cells have a dramatically increased need for iron which results in the expression of an increased number of transferrin receptors (TFR). This insight makes the transferrin receptor on these cells an excellent candidate for targeted therapeutics. In this regard, it is critical to understand at a molecular level exactly how the TFR interacts with its ligand, hTF. Understanding of the hTF/TFR pathway could, in theory, maximize the use of this system for development of more effective small molecules or toxin-conjugates to specifically target cancer cells. Many strategies have been attempted with the objective of utilizing the hTF/TFR system to deliver drugs; these include conjugation of a toxin or drug to hTF or direct targeting of the TFR by antibodies. To date, in spite of all of the effort, there is a conspicuous absence of any successful candidate drugs reaching the clinic. We suggest that a lack of quantitative data to determine the basic biochemical properties of the drug carrier and the effects of drug-conjugation on the hTF-TFR interaction may have contributed to the failure to realize the full potential of this system. This review provides some guidelines for developing a more quantitative approach for evaluation of current and future hTF-drug conjugates.

Cloning and expression of Fab gene of anti-p185 monoclonal antibody / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To clone Fab genes of anti-p185 monoclonal antibody 5E12 and express it in E.coli.Methods:Fd and ? genes were cloned by RT-PCR, inserted into Fab expression vector and expressed in E.coli. The N-terminal sequences of V regions was resumed by PCR mediated mutagenesis. The antigen-binding activity of the Fab were tested by ELISA and immunohistochemistry.Results:Fd and ? genes were cloned and expressed in E.coli. But the bacterially expressed Fab fragments showed no antigen binding activity. After the N-terminal sequences of V regions was corrected to original sequences, the Fab expressed in bacterial was able to target HER2/neu-expressing cells(NIH3T3/erbB-2 cells). Correction of Fd N-terminal sequences could partially resume the antigen binding activity. But correction of ? chain N terminal sequences was shown no expected result.Conclusion:Successful in constructing and expressing anti-p185 Fab, which will benefit the construction of other engineering antibody and humanization of murine anti-p185 McAb. We also found that the V region N terminal changes introduced with PCR primers may affect antigen binding activity seriously, to which more attention should be paid during antibody engineering.

Cloning of Fab Gene of an Anti-Human Bladder Cancer Monoclonal Antibody and Its Expression in E. coli / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

Objective: To clone the Fab gene of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) BDI against human bladder cancer and its expression in E. coli. Methods: Fd and K genes of mAb BDI were cloned by RT-PCR and inserted into an Fab expression vector. Phage displaying Fab and soluble Fab were expressed in E. coli. The N-terminal sequence of VH region was corrected by PCR mediated mutagenesis. The antigen-binding characteristics of the Fab were tested by ELISA and immu-nohistochemistry. Results: Fd and K genes were cloned into the expressing vector p3MH and the phage displaying antibody and soluble Fab were expressed in E. coli, which showed weak binding activity to bladder cancer cells. Correction of the N-terminal sequence of the VHimproved the biding activity dramatically. The feasibility of the application of the Fab in phage antibody library screening was confirmed by a simulated panning procedure. Conclusion: The Fab gene of an anti-human bladder cancer mAb was expressed in E. coli. The importance of the N-terminal sequence on antibody binding activity was suggested.

Gene Cloning, Construction and Expression of Single-Chain Fv (scFv) Against the Membrane Protein of Schisotosoma japonicum / 中国寄生虫学与寄生虫病杂志

Objective To construct single chain antibody specific to membrane protein of Schistosoma japonicum by gonetic engineering technique. Methods The V\-H (heavy-chain variable region) and V\-L (light-chain variable region) genes were amplified by PCR from the genomic DNA of NP11-4 cell line, and sequenced by Sanger's method. The ScFv was constructed in pTHA90 vector using V\-H and V\-L genes, then expressed by IPTG. Results The V\-H and V\-L genes were obtained through PCR. The DNA sequences showed that V\-H and V\-L were new variable region genes of antibody. They were registered by GenBank. A ScFv gene with (Gly4Ser) 3 intralinker in the pTHA90 vector was successfully constructed. The ScFv was expressed as thioredoxin-fused proteins about 36^2 kDa. Conclusion A specific ScFv against the membrane protein of Schistosoma japonicum was constructed and expressed.