• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 1992

To elucidate structure of group "a" epitope, mouse antibodies that express idiotype monoclonal antibody and anti-idiotype monoclonal antibody against the group specific "a" determinant were purified by hydroxyapatite column. To obtain hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg). HBsAg positive blood was sequencially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydroxyapatite, sepharose 4B column chromatography and ultracentrifugation. The major protein (p25) and glycoprotein (gp30) of HBsAg were isolated by concanavalin-A-sepharose 4B. The ability of p25-gp30 among the HBsAg to inhibit the idiotype-anti-idiotype reaction was dependent on conformation, since reduced and alkylated p25-gp30 virtualy lost their inhibitory capacity when compared to native HBsAg. The data suggest that hepatitis B antigen is a conformational antigen critically dependent upon the disulfide bonds of p25-gp30.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.2403-2406
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.11a
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• pp.61-67
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• 1994

One fundamental problem in developing an AIDS vaccine is antigenic variation of HIV. Despite a substantial induced immune response in gp120-immunized monkeys and humans, high titers of V3-directed type specific neutralizing antibodies may not be sufficient to neutralize continuously emerging new isolates. Several studies analyzing anti-gp120 antibodies in HIV-infected individuals have clearly indicated that most broadly neutralizing antibodies are directed to conformation-dependent epitopes. Therefore, it seems important to evaluate the potential efficacy of candidate gp120 vaccines at inducing such antibodies, that might be potentially protective against multiple HIV strains. One concern in the development of any recombinant protein as a vaccine is its stability when mixed with an adjuvant. This could be a particularly important factor for recombinant gp120, given the conformational nature of its major, broadly neutralizing, epitopes. We hypothesized that gp120 complexed with recombinant CD4 could stabilize the conformation-dependent epitopes and effectively deliver these epitopes to the immune system. In this study, a soluble gp120-CD4 complex in Syntex Adjuvant Formulation was tested in mice to analyze the anti-gp120 antibody response. With the aim of defining the fine specificity and neutalizing activities of the immune response, 17Mabs were generated and characterized. The studies indicate that the gp120-CD4 complex elicits neutralizing anti-gp120 antibodies, most of which are directed to the conformation dependent epitopes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 1997

Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. S-1 secretes a large amount (approximately 80% of total pullulanase activity) of an extracellular pullulanase (PUL-E). The pullulanase exists in two forms: a precursor form (PUL-I: $M_r$ 180,000), and a processed form (PUL-E: $M_r$ 140,000). Two forms were purified to homogeneity and their properties were compared. PUL-I was different in molecular weight, isoelectric point, $NH_2$-terminal amino acid sequence, and stabilities over pH and temperature ranges. The catalytic activities of PUL-I were also distinguishable in the $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values for various substrates, and in the specific activity for pullulan hydrolysis. PUL-E showed 10-fold higher specific activities than PUL-I. However. PUL-I is immunologically identical to PUL-E, suggesting that PUL-I is initially synthesized and proteolytically processed to the mature form of PUL-E. Processing was inhibited by PMSF, but not by pepstatin, suggesting that some intracellular serine proteases could be responsible for processing of the PUL-I. PUL-I has a different conformational structure for antibody recognition from that of PUL-E. It is also postulated that the translocation of alkaline pullulanase(AP) in the bacterium possibly requires processing of the $NH_2$-terminal region of the AP protein. Processing of the precursor involves a conformational shift. resulting in a mature form. Therefore. precursor processing not only cleaves the signal peptide, but also induces conformational shift. allowing development of active form of the enzyme.