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Jane Sanders

Publications and source records attributed to Jane Sanders.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Estimation of serum TSH receptor autoantibody concentration and affinity.

We have used the human monoclonal TSH receptor (TSHR) autoantibody (M22) as a labeled ligand in competition with individual patient TSHR autoantibodies (TRAb) to estimate their serum concentrations and affinities. TSHR coated tubes, (125)I-labeled M22 IgG and Fab, and patient sera IgG and Fab were used in these studies. In 15 patients with Graves' disease, TRAb concentrations ranged from 50 to 500 ng/mL of serum (5- 60 parts per million of total serum IgG) and TRAb IgG affinities from 3.0 +/- 1.0-6.7 +/- 1.54-10(10) L/mol (mean +/- SD; n=3). Fab fragment affinities were similar to those of intact IgG. Serum TRAb with blocking (TSH antagonist; 4 patients) activity had similar affinities (3.0 +/- 0.25-7.2 +/- 2.2-10(10) L/mol) to TRAb IgG from patients with Graves' disease, but blocking TRAb concentrations were higher (1.7 - 27 mg/mL of serum). The concentrations of TRAb that we observed in the sera of the 15 Graves' patient (0.33 - 3.3 nmol/L) can be compared with that of circulating TSH. In particular, a serum TSH concentration of 100mU/L (0.7 nmol/L) is in the same range as the concentrations of TRAb we observed. Such a TSH concentration (similar to that observed after injection of 0.9 mg of recombinant human TSH) would be expected to cause a similar degree of thyrotoxicosis as seen in Graves' disease. Consequently, the thyroid-stimulating potencies (i.e., activity per mol) of patient serum TRAb and human TSH appear to be of a similar magnitude in vivo as well as in vitro. Overall, our results indicate that serum TRAb affinities are high and show only limited variations between different sera whereas concentrations of the autoantibodies vary widely.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Effects of TSH receptor mutations on binding and biological activity of monoclonal antibodies and TSH.

The effects of an extensive series of mutations in the TSH receptor (TSHR) leucine-rich domain (LRD) on the ability of thyroid-stimulating monoclonal antibodies (TSMAbs) and TSH to bind to the receptor and stimulate cyclic AMP production in TSHR-transfected CHO cells has been investigated. In addition, the ability of a mouse monoclonal antibody with blocking (i.e., antagonist) activity (RSR-B2) to interact with mutated receptors has been studied. Several amino acids distributed along an extensive part of the concave surface of the LRD were found to be important for binding and stimulation by the thyroid-stimulating human MAb M22 but did not appear to be important for TSH binding and stimulation. Most of these amino acids important for M22 interactions were also found to be important for the stimulating activity of six different mouse TSMAbs and a hamster TSMAb. Furthermore, most of these same amino acids were important for stimulation by TSHR autoantibodies in a panel of sera from patients with Graves' disease. Amino acid R255 was the only residue found to be unimportant for TSH stimulation but critical for stimulation by all thyroid-stimulating antibodies tested (23 patient serum TSHR autoantibodies, M22, and all seven animal TSMAbs). About half the amino acids (all located in the N-terminal part of the LRD) found to be important for M22 activity were also important for the blocking activity of RSR-B2 and although the epitopes for the two MAbs overlap they are different. As the two MAbs have similar affinities, their epitope differences are probably responsible for their different activities. Overall our results indicate that different TSMAbs and different patient sera thyroid-stimulating autoantibodies interact with the same region of the TSHR, but there are subtle differences in the actual amino acids that make contact with the different stimulators.

Animals↗

Delusions or obsessions: the same only different? A case report.

The phenomenological distinction between delusions and obsessions has been the subject of much debate in psychiatry. Some authors feel these symptoms are distinct nosological entities, while others argue that they reflect manifestations of the same symptom and are distinguishable on the basis of the level of insight a patient displays. In this report we describe the case history of a lady who presented with an obsessional disorder. The symptom was resistant to standard treatments and subsequently became more delusional in nature. We review the literature in terms of the classification of obsessions and delusions and offer assistance to clinicians in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of cases where the distinction between these phenomena is not clear and offer alternative means of classifying these symptoms based on insight.

Adult↗

A sensitive non-isotopic assay for acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies.

BACKGROUND: Detection and measurement of serum acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies (AChRAb) are useful in the diagnosis and management of myasthenia gravis (MG). An immunoprecipitation assay (IPA) based on AChR labelled with 125I-alpha bungarotoxin is widely used for measurement of AChRAb, but a non-isotopic assay of sensitivity and specificity comparable to IPA is not available as yet. METHODS: A new AChRAb ELISA, which is based on the ability of AChRAb to compete with 3 different AChR monoclonal antibodies (MAbs 1-3) for binding sites on affinity purified fetal and adult-type AChR preparations, is described. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were assessed by comparing assay results with a conventional IPA. RESULTS: There was good agreement between the IPA and the ELISA for measurement of AChRAb (r = 0.85; n = 83; p <0.001). 76/83 MG sera were positive in the ELISA, whilst 72/83 were positive by IPA. Eight sera were positive in the ELISA (inhibition range 18%-46%) but negative by IPA (0.33-0.47 nmol/L toxin bound) and 4 sera were negative in the ELISA (inhibition range -1% to15%) whilst positive by IPA (0.56-2.9 nmol/L toxin bound). Overall 80/83 (96%) of the MG sera were AChRAb positive in one or both assays. In addition, all 191 control serum samples which were negative for AChRAb by IPA were below or equal to 16% of inhibition in our ELISA. The AChRAb ELISA also showed good inter-assay and intra-assay precision. CONCLUSION: The AChRAb ELISA we have described has sensitivity and specificity at least as high as our current radioactive IPA. It has good precision and good handling characteristics making it suitable for routine use.

Adult↗

Epitopes recognised by tissue transglutaminase antibodies in coeliac disease.

The interaction between IgA tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies (Abs) and 35S-labelled tTG produced in a transcription/translation (TnT) system with various amino acid (aa) deletions has been studied. These experiments showed that the tTG N-terminal aa 1-89 were important for tTG Ab binding in all 15 coeliac disease sera studied and the central residues (aa 401-491) were important for binding of tTG Abs in all but one sera. The contribution of C-terminal residues to tTG Ab binding varied in different coeliac sera but overall was less than the contributions of the N terminal and central regions. Mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to tTG were produced and the tTG aa sequences recognised by the MAbs determined using modified 35S-labelled tTG proteins. Analysis of the inhibiting effects of patient sera tTG Ab on binding of tTG MAbs to tTG confirmed the importance of the N-terminal and central regions of tTG in forming serum tTG Ab binding sites. Recombinant human tTG was expressed in yeast and purified to better than 95% homogeneity using MAb affinity chromatography as a final purification step. This material was highly suitable for use in an ELISA for tTGAb.

Adolescent↗

A new assay for thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies.

A new procedure for measuring patient serum thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies is described in which the autoantibodies inhibit binding of a human monoclonal thyroid stimulating antibody M22 (labeled with biotin) to TSHR-coated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plate wells. In the assay, M22-biotin binding is detected by addition of streptavidin peroxidase. The M22 based assay was more sensitive than a similar ELISA based on inhibition of TSH-biotin binding to TSHR coated wells with 1 U/L of NIBSC 90/672 giving approximately 35% inhibition in the M22-based system compared to approximately 15% inhibition in the TSH-based ELISA. This had an important impact on the precision of the 2 assays with the M22-based ELISA showing an interassay coefficient of variation (CV) of 10% at 1 U/L whereas the TSH-based ELISA had an interassay CV of 20% at 1 U/L. Analysis of sera from 307 control subjects without a diagnosis of Graves' disease indicated that only 2 (0.65%) gave inhibition of M22 binding values of greater than 10% (11% and 12% inhibition). In the case of sera from 108 patients with Graves' disease (treated and untreated) 103 (95%) gave inhibition of M22 binding values of 14% or greater. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot analysis showed that 100% specificity for TSHR autoantibody detection in Graves' disease was obtained at 95% sensitivity for the M22-based ELISA and 89% sensitivity for the TSH-biotin-based ELISA. Inhibition of M22 binding to the TSHR was closely correlated to inhibition of TSH binding in the 108 Graves' sera (r = 0.99). However, inhibition of M22 binding was almost always greater resulting in improved sensitivity and precision.

Adult↗

Analysis of the thyrotropin receptor-thyrotropin interaction by comparative modeling.

We have used the most advanced programs currently available to construct the first three-domain structure of the human thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) using comparative modeling. The model consists of a leucine-rich domain (LRD; amino acids 36-281; porcine ribonuclease inhibitor used as a template for modeling), a cleavage domain (CD; amino acids 282-409; tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 2 as template) and transmembrane domain (TMD amino acids 410-699; bovine rhodopsin as template). Models of human, porcine, and bovine TSH were also constructed (human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG] and human follicle stimulating hormone [hFSH] as templates). The LRD has a characteristic horseshoe shape with 10 tandem homologous repeats. The CD consists of beta-barrel and alpha helix structures (OB-like fold) with two disulfide bridges and the structure around these disulfide bridges remains stable after cleavage. The TMD presents the typical seven membrane-spanning helices. The TSH, LRD, CD, and TMD models were brought together in an extensive series of docking experiments. Known features of the TSH-TSHR interaction were used for selection of appropriate complexes that were then validated using a different set of experimental data. A similar approach was used to build a model of a complex between the TSHR and a monoclonal TSHR antibody with weak thyroid stimulating activity. Human thyrotropin (hTSH) alpha chains were found to make contact with many amino acids on the LRD surface and CD surface whereas no interaction between the beta chains and the CD were found. The higher affinity of bovine thyrotropin (bTSH) and porcine thyrotropin (pTSH) (relative to hTSH) for the TSHR is explained well by the models in terms of charge-charge interactions between their alpha chains and the receptor. Experimental observations showing increased sensitivity of the TSHR to hCG after mutation of TSHR Lys209 to Glu are explained well by our model. Furthermore, several mutations in the TMD that are associated with increased TSHR basal activity are predicted from our model to be caused by the formation of new interactions that stabilize the activated form of the TMD.

Animals↗

Thyroid-stimulating monoclonal antibodies.

Thyrotropin (TSH) receptor monoclonal antibodies (TSHR mAbs) were obtained from cDNA-immunized NMRI mice. Three mAb immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) (TSmAbs 1-3) that had distinct V(H )and V(L) region sequences stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production in isolated porcine thyroid cells greater than 10x basal and as little as 20 ng/mL (0.13 nmol/L) of TSmAb 1 IgG caused a 2x basal stimulation. TSmAb 1 and 2 Fab fragments were also effective stimulators and thyroid-stimulating activities of the IgGs and Fabs were confirmed using TSHR transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The TSmAbs also inhibited (125)I-labeled TSH binding to TSHR-coated tubes by 50% or more at concentrations of 1 microg/mL or less and gave 15%-20% inhibition at 20-50 ng/mL. (125)I-labeled TSmAbs bound to TSHR-coated tubes with high affinity (approximately 10(10) L/mol) and this binding was inhibited by TSHR autoantibodies with both TSH agonist and antagonist activities. Inhibition of labeled TSmAb binding by Graves' sera correlated well with inhibition of TSH binding (r = 0.96; n = 18; p < 0.001 for TSmAb 2). The TSmAbs have considerable potential as (1) new probes for TSHR structure-function studies, (2) reagents for new assays for TSHR autoantibodies, and (3) alternatives to recombinant TSH in various in vivo applications.

Animals↗

Characterization of the thyrotropin binding pocket.

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) was prepared using three different immunization strategies. The mAbs obtained (n = 138) reacted with linear epitopes covering most of the TSHR extracellular domain and with conformational epitopes. mAbs that bound to five different regions of the TSHR (amino acids [aa] 32-41, aa 36-42, aa 246-260, aa 277-296, and aa 381-385) were able to inhibit (125)I-labeled thyrotropin (TSH) binding to solubilized TSHR preparations. Fab and immunoglobulin G (IgG) preparations were similarly effective inhibitors for mAbs reactive with aa 246-260, aa 277-291 and aa 381-385 suggesting that these three regions of the TSHR are involved in TSH binding. In contrast mAbs reactive with aa 32-41 and aa 36-42 were not effective at inhibiting TSH binding when Fab preparations were used, suggesting that these N terminal regions of the TSHR were less critical for TSH binding. Our studies suggest that three distinct and discontinuous regions of the TSHR (aa 246-260 and 277-296 on the TSHR A subunit) and aa 381-385 (on the TSHR B subunit) fold together to form a complex TSH binding pocket. Alignment of the aa sequences of these three regions in TSHRs from different species indicates that they are highly conserved.

Animals↗

A mouse monoclonal antibody to the TSHR.

INTRODUCTION: Mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the ability to inhibit thyrotropin (TSH) binding to the TSH receptor (TSHR) are useful tools to study TSH-TSHR interaction. The 3C3 mAb we produced was found to inhibit binding of TSH to human (h)TSHR but not to porcine (p)TSHR. MATERIAL/METHODS: Purified 3C3 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and its antibody-binding fragment were prepared using standard methods and their ability to inhibit TSH binding to hTSHR or pTSHR was analyzed using a coated tube assay. The TSHR epitope reactive with 3C3 IgG was determined using Western blotting, ELISA based on peptides corresponding to the TSHR sequence, and the SPOT synthesis technique. RNA was isolated from 3C3 hybridoma cells and the mAb variable (V) region genes were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS: 3C3 mAb had a 1 x 108 l/mol binding affinity to the hTSHR as assessed by Scatchard analysis. 3C3 reacted with the hTSHR region between amino acids (aa) 212-230, and two aa differences were found between the corresponding regions in the hTSHR and pTSHR. The light chain (LC) genes of 3C3 were derived from the Vk21 germ-line (97.6% homology) and Jk2 genes. The heavy chain (HC) genes were from the V130 germ-line (94.6% homology) combined with a D gene (not identified) and JH3 gene. The replacement/ silent mutation ratios of 6.0 and 6.5 for the LC and the HC V regions, respectively, indicated that 3C3 underwent antigen-driven maturation. CONCLUSIONS: Mouse mAbs of this type should be useful in studying the interactions between the TSHR, TSH, and mAbs in more detail.

Amino Acid Sequence↗