• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.343-352
• /
• 2006

Sialic acid is a sugar typically found at the N-glycan termini of glycoproteins in mammalian cells. Lec3 CHO cell mutants are deficient in epimerase activity, due to a defect in the gene that encodes a bifunctional UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase/ManNAc kinase (GNE). Sialic acid modification on the cell surface is partially affected in these cells. We have mutagenized Lec3 CHO cells and isolated six mutants (termed C2m) deficient in the cell surface expression of polysialic acid (PSA). Mutant C2m9 was partially defective in expression of cell-surface PSA and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding, while in the other five mutants, both cell-surface PSA and WGA binding were undetectable. PSA expression was restored by complementation with the gene encoding the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CST), indicating that CST mutations were responsible for the phenotypes of the C2m cells. We characterized the CST mutations in these cells by Northern blotting and RT-PCR. C2m9 and C2m45 carried missense mutations resulting in glycine to glutamate substitutions at amino acids 217 (G217E) and 256 (G256E), respectively. C2m13, C2m39 and C2m31 had nonsense mutations that resulted in decreased CST mRNA stability, and C2m34 carried a putative splice site mutation. PSA and CD15s expression in CST-deficient Lec2 cells were partially rescued by G217E CST, but not by G256E CST, although both proteins were expressed at similar levels, and localized to the Golgi. These results indicate that the novel missense mutations isolated in this study affect CST activity.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.541-550
• /
• 2003

E2 glycoprotein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) comprises a surface of viral particle together with E1 glycoprotein, and is thought to be involved in the attachment of HCV viral particle to receptor (s) on the permissible cells including hepatocytes, B cells, T cells, and monocytes. We constructed a phage library expressing cellular proteins of hepatocytes on the phage surface, which turned out to be 8.8${\times}$$10^5$ cfu of diversity and carried inserts in 95% of library. We screened both cDNA phage library and 12-mer peptide library to identify the cellular proteins binding to E2 protein. Some intracellular proteins including tensin and membrane band 4.1 which are involved in signal transduction of survival and cytoskeleton organization, were selected from cDNA phage library through several rounds of panning and screening. On the contrary, membrane proteins such as CCR7, CKR-L2, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor were identified through screening of peptide library. Phages expressing peptides corresponding to those membrane proteins were bound to E2 protein specifically as determined by neutralization of binding assay. Since it is well known that HCV can infect T cells as well as hepatocytes, we examined to see if E2 protein can bind to CCR7, a member of C-protein coupled receptor family expressed on T cells, using CCR7 transfected tells. Human CCR7 cDNA was cloned into pcDNA3.1(-) vector and transfected into human embryonic kidney cell, 293T, and expressed on the surface of the cell as shown by flow cytometer. Binding assay of E2 protein using CCR7 transfected cells indicated that E2 protein bound to CCR7 by dose-dependent mode, giving rise to the possibility that CCR7 might be a putative cellular receptor for HCV.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2001

We have developed four chicken hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies to induce a protective immune response against the chicken disease avian coccidiosis, caused by the intestinal parasite Eimeria acervulina. Huwever, since the amount of antibodies secreted from these hybridomas is too low or sometimes they lost their ability to produce antibodies, the hybridoma method is not satisfactory in the production of large amounts of chicken monoclonal antibodies. To bypass these problems, we applied the antibody engineering technology using polymerase chain reaction. We cloned and determined the sequences of variable domains of the four chicken monoclonal antibodies, namely, 2-1, 5D11, 13C8 and 8C3. The sequences comparison to germline sequences skewed that the gene con version mechanism might contribute to developing diversification of heavy and λ-light chains in chicken antibodies. Several pseudogene families regarded as donors in gene conversion were identified at each framework region and the complementarily determining region of λ-light chains. In addition, as expected, numerous changes of nucleotide sequences such as nucleotide substitution, insertion and deletion were found predominantly in complementarity determining regions, which are likely to be somatic hypermutations as a result of affinity maturation in antibody-producing cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.84-89
• /
• 2015

We investigated the question of whether 7-oxygenated cholesterol derivatives could affect inflammatory and/or immune responses in atherosclerosis by examining their effects on expression of IL-23 in monocytic cells. $7{\alpha}$-Hydroxycholesterol ($7{\alpha}OHChol$) induced transcription of the TLR6 gene and elevated the level of cell surface TLR6 protein in THP-1 monocytic cells. Addition of an agonist of TLR6, FSL-1, to TLR6-expressing cells by treatment with $7{\alpha}OHChol$ resulted in enhanced production of IL-23 and transcription of genes encoding the IL-23 subunit ${\alpha}$ (p19) and the IL-12 subunit ${\beta}$ (p40). However, treatment with 7-ketocholesterol (7K) and $7{\beta}$-hydroxycholesterol ($7{\beta}OHChol$) did not affect TLR6 expression, and addition of FSL-1 to cells treated with either 7K or $7{\beta}OHChol$ did not influence transcription of the genes. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK, Akt, or PI3K resulted in attenuated transcription of TLR6 induced by $7{\alpha}OHChol$ as well as secretion of IL-23 enhanced by $7{\alpha}OHChol$ plus FSL-1. Inhibition of p38 MAPK or JNK resulted in attenuated secretion of IL-23. These results indicate that a certain type of 7-oxygenated cholesterol like $7{\alpha}OHChol$ can elicit TLR6-mediated expression of IL-23 by monocytic cells via PI3K/Akt and MAPKs pathways.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.205-212
• /
• 2013

Dectin-1, which specifically recognizes ${\beta}$-glucan of fungal cell walls, is a non-Toll-like receptor (TLR) pattern recognition receptor and a representative of C-type lectin receptors (CLRs). The importance of Dectin-1 in innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, has previously been well studied. However, the function of Dectin-1 in B cells is very poorly understood. To determine the role of Dectin-1 in B cell activation, we first investigated whether mouse B cells express Dectin-1 and then assessed the effect of Dectin-1 stimulation on B cell proliferation and antibody production. Mouse B cells express mRNAs encoding CLRs, including Dectin-1, and surface Dectin-1 was expressed in B cells of C57BL/6 rather than BALB/c strain. Dectin-1 agonists, heat-killed Candida albicans (HKCA) and heat-killed Saccharomyces cerevisiae (HKSC), alone induced B cell proliferation but not antibody production. Interestingly, HKSC, HKCA, and depleted zymosan (a selective Dectin-1 agonist) selectively enhanced LPS-driven IgG1 production. Taken together, these results suggest that, during fungal infection, ${\beta}$-glucan-stimulated Dectin-1 may cooperate with TLR4 to specifically enhance IgG1 production by mouse B cells.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.153-165
• /
• 2018

Development of an effective vaccine is critically needed for the prevention of malaria. One of the key antigens for malaria vaccines is the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the surface protein for erythrocyte invasion of the parasite. The gene encoding AMA-1 has been sequenced from populations of P. falciparum worldwide, but the haplotype diversity of the gene in P. falciparum populations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), including Thailand, remains to be characterized. In the present study, the AMA-1 gene was PCR amplified and sequenced from the genomic DNA of 65 P. falciparum isolates from 5 endemic areas in Thailand. The nearly full-length 1,848 nucleotide sequence of AMA-1 was subjected to molecular analyses, including nucleotide sequence diversity, haplotype diversity and deduced amino acid sequence diversity and neutrality tests. Phylogenetic analysis and pair-wise population differentiation ($F_{st}$ indices) were performed to infer the population structure. The analyses identified 60 single nucleotide polymorphic loci, predominately located in domain I of AMA-1. A total of 31 unique AMA-1 haplotypes were identified, which included 11 novel ones. The phylogenetic tree of the AMA-1 haplotypes revealed multiple clades of AMA-1, each of which contained parasites of multiple geographical origins, consistent with the $F_{st}$ indices indicating genetic homogeneity or gene flow among geographically distinct populations of P. falciparum in Thailand's borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In summary, the study revealed novel haplotypes and population structure needed for the further advancement of AMA-1-based malaria vaccines in the GMS.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.684-692
• /
• 2016

Acute respiratory virus infectious diseases are a growing health problem, particularly among children and the elderly. Much effort has been made to develop probiotics that prevent influenza virus infections by enhancing innate immunity in the respiratory tract until vaccines are available. Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP2, isolated from a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, has exhibited preventive effects on influenza virus infection in mice. To identify the molecular basis of this strain, we conducted a whole-genome assembly study. The single circular DNA chromosome of 3,284,304 bp was completely assembled and 3,250 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Evolutionarily accelerated genes related to the phenotypic trait of anti-infective activities for influenza virus were identified. These genes encode three integral membrane proteins, a teichoic acid export ATP-binding protein and a glucosamine - fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase involved in host innate immunity, the nonspecific DNA-binding protein Dps, which protects bacteria from oxidative damage, and the response regulator of the three-component quorum-sensing regulatory system, which is related to the capacity of adhesion to the surface of the respiratory tract and competition with pathogens. This is the first study to identify the genetic backgrounds of the antiviral activity in L. plantarum strains. These findings provide insight into the anti-infective activities of L. plantarum and the development of preventive probiotics.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2006

Background: Identification of antigen-specific T cells has yielded valuable information on pathologic process and the disease state. Assays for quantification of inflammatory cytokines or lytic-granule molecules have been generally used to evaluate antigen specific T cell response, however their applicability have been hampered due to the limited source of autologous antigen-presenting target cells (APC). Methods: K562, a leukemic cell line deficient of human leukocyte antigen (HLA), was transfected with a gene encoding HLA-A*02 (K562/ A*02) and its function as stimulator cells in inducing activation of HLA-matched T cells was evaluated by IFN-${\gamma}$ enzyme linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. Results: The stable transfectant K562/ A*02 pulsed with HLA- A*02 restricted peptide could specifically induce IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion by CD8+ T cells compared to no detectable secretion by CD4+ T cells. However, CD56+ NK cells secreted IFN-${\gamma}$ in both K562/ A*02 with peptide and without peptide. The number of IFN-${\gamma}$ secreted CD8+ T cells was increased according to the ratio of T cells to K562 and peptide concentration. Formalin-fixed K562/ A*02 showed similar antigen presenting function to live K562/ A*02. Moreover, K562/ A*02 could present antigenicpeptide to not only A*0201 restricted CD8+ T cells but also CD8+ T cells from A*0206 donor. Conclusion: These results suggest that K562/ A*02 could be generally used as target having specificity and negligible background for measuring CD8+ T cell responses and selective use of K562 with responsder matched HLA molecules on its surface as APC may circumvent the limitation of providing HLA-matched autologous target cells.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2011

A bacterial artificial chromosome library of Pectobacterium carotovorum 35 was constructed to characterize the genome and to sequence its hrp region. The hrp cluster of P. carotovorum 35 consisted of 26 open reading frames in five operons. A promoter-based green fluorescent protein technology was used to identify the genes regulated by the alternative sigma factor, HrpL, in P. carotovorum 35. The majority of the selected clones contained the hrpJ operon promoter sequence, which harbors a hrp box, but no putative hrp boxes were detected within the promoter sequences of two other hrpL-regulated genes encoding for pectate lyase and large repetitive protein. Although the promoters of five other hrp operons also contained hrp boxes, their expression was not HrpL-dependent in the promoter-based selection in E. coli. However, transcriptional analysis showed that expression from all operons harboring hrp boxes, except for the hrpN operon, was reduced significantly in the hrpL mutant. The severity of soft-rot symptoms when the hrpL mutant was applied to the surface of tobacco leaves, mimicking natural infection, was greatly attenuated. These results indicate that the hrpL gene of P. carotovorum 35 may be involved in the development of soft-rot symptoms.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.564-574
• /
• 2019

Like many fungal pathogens, the conidium and appressorium play key roles during polycyclic dissemination and infection of Magnaporthe oryzae. Ran-binding protein microtubule-organizing center (RanBPM) is a highly conserved nucleocytoplasmic protein. In animalia, RanBPM has been implicated in apoptosis, cell morphology, and transcription. However, the functional roles of RanBPM, encoded by MGG_00753 (named MoRBP9) in M. oryzae, have not been elucidated. Here, the deletion mutant ΔMorbp9 for MoRBP9 was generated via homologous recombination to investigate the functions of this gene. The ΔMorbp9 exhibited normal conidial germination and vegetative growth but dramatically reduced conidiation compared with the wild type, suggesting that MoRBP9 is involved in conidial production. ΔMorbp9 conidia failed to produce appressoria on hydrophobic surfaces, whereas ΔMorbp9 still developed aberrantly shaped appressorium-like structures at hyphal tips on the same surface, suggesting that MoRBP9 is involved in the morphology of appressorium-like structures from hyphal tips and is critical for development of appressorium from germ tubes. Taken together, our results indicated that MoRBP9 played a pleiotropic role in polycyclic dissemination and infection-related morphogenesis of M. oryzae.