• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.186-196
• /
• 2007

Background: Although IL-12 has been widely accepted to playa central role in the control of pathogen infection, the use of recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12) as a vaccine adjuvant has been known to be ineffective because of its rapid clearance in the body. Methods: To investigate the effect of sustained release of IL-12 in vivo in the peptide and protein vaccination models, rIL-12 was encapsulated into poly ($A_{DL}$-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). Results: We found that codelivery of IL-12-encapsulated microspheres (IL-12EM) could dramatically increase not only antibody responses, but also antigen-specific $CD4^+\;and\;CD8^+$ T cell responses. Enhanced immune responses were shown to be correlated with protective immunity against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) virus challenge. Interestingly, the enhancement of $CD8^+$ T cell response was not detectable when $CD4^+$ T cell knockout mice were subjected to vaccination, indicating that the enhancement of the $CD8^+$ T cell response by IL-12EM is dependent on $CD4^+$ T cell "help". Conclusion: Thus, IL-12EM could be applied as an adjuvant of protein and peptide vaccines to enhance protective immunity against virus infection.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.121-124
• /
• 2002

This work was initiated to develope a recombinant oral poliovaccine (OPV), which is highly advanced in safety (minimizing VAPP) by introducing Type 2,3 poliovirus epitopes into our RPS-Vax system. We have introduced several potential vaccine epitopes of poliovirus Type 2, and 3 into RPS-Vax system, resulting in production of recombinant polioviruses. Any of these chimeric viruses, however, were not detected for their foreign gene expression by serotype-specific mouse antiserum. We have designed several folding units to stabilize the introduced vaccine protein and attached short epitope-concatamer or epitope-multimer to them, followed by production of chimeric viruses. Only those who have an HIV-1 Tat-mediated folding unit were nicely detected for the introduced foreign proteins by anti-Tat antiserum and type-specific peptide-induced antisera. Nevertheless, introduced epitopes were not detected in Western blot experiment with each serotype-specific antiserum. None of the mice inoculated with these chimeric viruses showed preventative immunity when challenged with Lansing and Leon wildtype 2 and 3 poliovirus, and the antiserum did not show neutralizing capacity in vitro. Conformational epitope covering B/C loop region of type 2 and 3 were newly designed by computer modeling, and introduced into the RPS-Vax vector system, followed by production of chimeric viruses. Introduced epitope regions were nicely detected by anti-Tag23 mAb or peptide antibody, but still not detected by poliovirus antiserum. Nevertheless, neutralizing antibody was detected in the Tg-PVR mice even when inoculated once with these chimeric viruses. Also, the immunized mice showed perfect preventative immunity against the wild Type poliovirus Lancing or Leon. When boosted appropriately, those chimeric virus-inoculated Tg-PVR mice produced equivalent amounts of neutralizing antibody to those in Sabin 2/3-immunized mice. These data strongly suggest that our recombinant poliovirus (RPS-PV2 and RPS-PV3) can be used as a safe and effective rec-OPV instead of any preexisting poliovaccine.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.353-358
• /
• 1995

Epitope tagging is the process of fusing a set of amino acid residues that are recognized as an antigenic determinant to a protein of interest. Tagging a protein with an epitope facilitates various immunochemical analyses of the tagged protein with a specific monoclonal antibody. The monoclonal antibody H8 has subtype specificity for an epitope derived from the preS2 region of hepatitis B virus surface antigen. Previous studies on serial deletions of the preS2 region indicated that the preS2 epitope was located in amino acid residues 130~142. To test whether the amino acid sequence in this interval is sufficient to confer on proteins the antigenicity recognizable by the antibody H8, the set of amino acid residues in the interval was tagged to the amino terminal of ${\beta}$-galactosidase and to the carboxyl terminal of the truncated $p56^{lck}$ fragment. The tagged ${\beta}$-galactosidase, expressed in Escherichia coli, maintained the enzymatic activity and was immunoprecipitated efficiently with H8. The tagged $p56^{lck}$ fragment, synthesized in an in vitro translation system, was also immunoprecipitated specifically with H8. These results demonstrate that the amino acid sequence of the preS2 region can be used efficiently for the epitope tagging approach.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2002

The mechanism by which catechin-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells remains to be elusive. To elucidate the mechanical mights of anti-tumor effects, (-)epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) of catechin was applied to human prostate cancer DU 145 cells. Cell viability was measured by crystal violet staining. Cell lysates were wed to measure the catalytic activity of caspases by using fluorogenic peptide: Ac-DEVD-AMC for caspase-3 protease, Z-IETD-AFC for caspase-8 protease, Ac-LEHD-AFC for caspase-9 protease as substrates. The equal amounts of protein from cell lysate was separated on SDS-PAGE and analyzed by western blotting with anti-Fas antibody, anti-FasL antibody, anti-BCL2 antibody and anti-Bax antibody. (-)EGCG induced the death of DUl45 cells, which was revealed as apoptosis shown by DNA fragmentation. (-)EGCG induced the activation of caspase family cysteine proteases including caspase-3, -8 and -9 proteases in DU145 cells. Also, (-)EGCG increased the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) protein in DU145 colls. The expression level of BCL2 was decreased in (-)EGCG treated DU145 cells, whereas Bax protein was increased in a time-dependent manner. We suggest that (-)EGCG-induced apoptosis of DU145 cells is mediated by signaling pathway involving caspase family cysteine protease, mitochondrial BCL2-family protein and Fas/FasL.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.5-10
• /
• 1997

Three strains of W isolated from tobacco, tomato and Pepper plants in Korea were characterized based on biological response, serological relationship, and peptide mapping of the capsid Proteins. The strains designated as TMV-common, TMV-Pepper, and TMV-tomato could be distinguishable by different visual symptoms on 3 varieties of tobacco, one variety of tomato and Pepper for each among 27 plant specieces. Serological relationships were examined by agar gel double diffusion test. Only traceable or weak reaction was observed in the incompatible antigen-antibody combinations. The Pepper strain, however, showed trace in reaction with other two antisera. Peptide maps of the capsid proteins digested by V8 protease or by trypsin were also distinguishable, suggesting differences in composition and/or sequence of the amino acids among the strains.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.1036-1039
• /
• 1996

Synthetic lipoidal peptides based on viral protein sequences have been prepared. These peptides contain an N-palmitoyl group at the N-terminal residue, which is a modified cysteine, containing a S-[2,3-bis(acyloxy)-(2-R,S)-propyl] moiety. When this residue (Pam3Cys) is at the N-terminus of a synthetic peptide, it acts as potent immunoadjuvant to enhance both IgM and IgG antibody responses to the attached peptide. Conventional analytical procedures (e.g., Edman degradation and amino acid analysis) are either not applicable due to the N-terminal modification, or do not provide confirmation of the intact structure. Chromatographic analysis is also hindered by the tendency of these lipoidal Pam3Cys peptides to form large aggregates, and in some cases to be permanently adsorbed on reversed phase columns. We have applied several mass spectrometric techniques, including fast atom bombardment (FAB), electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) to characterize the intact structures of a number of different Pam3Cys synthetic peptides. The MALDI-MS has been found to be the most sensitive for the analysis of the structure of Pam3Cys peptides.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.54-59
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to define the immunoreactive specificity of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) heat shock protein (HSP) 60 in periodontitis and atherosclerosis. Methods: In an attempt to define the cross-reactive bacterial heat-shock protein with human self-antigen at molecular level, we have introduced a novel strategy for cloning hybridoma producing anti-P. gingivalis HSP 60 which is polyreactive to bacterial HSPs or to the human homolog. Results: Five cross-reactive clones were obtained which recognized the #19 peptide (TLVVNRLRGSLKICAVKAPG) among 37 synthetic peptides (20-mer, 5 amino acids overlapping) spanning the whole molecule of P. gingivalis HSP 60. We have also established three anti-P. gingivalis HSP 60 monoclonal antibodies demonstrating mono-specificity. These clones recognized the #29 peptide (TVPGGGTTYIRAIAALEGLK). Conclusions: Peptide #19 and #29 of P. gingivalis HSP 60 might be important immunoreactive epitopes in the immuno-pathogenic mechanism of bacterial antigen-triggered autoimmune diseases.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.102-108
• /
• 2002

Background: This study was aimed to differentiate two forms of CTLA-4 (CD152) in activated peripheral blood lymphocyte and clarify the mechanism how cytoplasmic form of this molecule is targeted to cell surface. Methods: For this purpose we generated 2 different anti-human CD152 peptide antibodies and 5 different N'-terminal deletion mutant CTLA4Ig fusion proteins and carried out a series of Western blot and ELISA analyses. Antipeptide antibodies made in this study were anti-CTLA4pB and anti-CTLA4pN. The former recognized a region on extracellular single V-like domain and the latter recognized N'-terminal sequence of leader domain of human CD152. Results: In Western blot, the former antibody recognized recombinant human CTLA4Ig fusion protein as an antigen. And this recognition was completely blocked by preincubating antipeptide antibody with the peptide used for the antibody generation at the peptide concentration of 200 ug/ml. These antibodies were recognized human CD152 as a cytoplasmic sequestered- and a membrane bound- forms in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL). These two forms of CD152 were further differentiated by using anti-CTLA4pN and anti-CTLA4pB antibodies such that former recognized cytosolic form only while latter recognized both cytoplasmic- and membraneforms of this molecule. Furthermore, in a transfection expression study of 5 different N'-terminal deletion mutant CTLA4Ig, mutated proteins were secreted out from transfected cell surface only when more than 6 amino acids from N'-terminal were deleted. Conclusion: Our results implies that cytosolic form of CTLA-4 has leader sequence while membrane form of this molecule does not. And also suggested is that at least N'-terminal 6 amino acid residues of human CTLA-4 are required for regulation of targeting this molecule from cytosolic- to membrane- area of activated human peripheral blood T lymphocyte.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.763-766
• /
• 2013

A synthetic peptide was prepared based on the antigenic region of Paragonimus westermani pre-procathepsin L, and its applicability for immunodiagnosis for human paragonimiasis (due to Paragonimus heterotremus) was tested using an ELISA to detect IgG4 antibodies in the sera of patients. Sera from other helminthiases, tuberculosis, and healthy volunteers were used as the references. This peptide-based assay system gave sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of 100%, 94.6%, 96.2%, 100%, and 88.9%, respectively. Cross reactivity was frequently seen against the sera of fascioliasis (75%) and hookworm infections (50%). Since differential diagnosis between paragonimiasis and fascioliasis can be easily done by clinical presentation and fascioliasis serology, this cross reaction is not a serious problem. Sera from patients with other parasitoses (0-25%) rarely responded to this synthetic antigen. This synthetic peptide antigen seems to be useful for development of a standardized diagnostic system for paragonimiasis.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.46-54
• /
• 2003

We synthesized a contrast agent for MRI that is capable of binding to the ABP-1 receptor and enhancing the contrast of the targeted cells. We used a lysine dendrimer (G=3)DTPA[Gd] as the contrast agent and synthesized a biotinylated polyclonal antibody for ABP-1 as the first antibody. Lysine dendrimers were prepared using the solid phase peptide synthesis method.$^3$ Amino-terminated lysine dendrimers were then coupled to DTPA using the anhydride method. Gd was complexed with the DTPA-lysine dendrimer in an acidic solution of 3 eq GdCl$_3$ to one of DTPA. The lysine dendrimer-DTPA[Gd] and avidin were conjugated in MES solution, pH 6.0, using EDC as the coupling reagent. The biotin-avidin system was used to link the polyclonal antibody and contrast agent. K562 cells were used for imaging.