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M J Mamula

Publications and source records attributed to M J Mamula.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

The expression of self antigenic determinants: implications for tolerance and autoimmunity.

T lymphocytes respond to small peptides in the context of major histocompatibility molecules and a host of other cell-surface proteins on antigen-presenting cells. By design, therefore, T-cell responses are dependent on the efficient and accurate processing of both foreign and self peptides by antigen-presenting cells. This review examines the functions of T cells that may be specific for self peptides processed and presented under less than ideal conditions or outside the normal pathways of antigen processing. Do these T cells survive selection events and remain in the repertoire of normal lymphocytes? Moreover, can these cells become activated and are they important in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity?

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Sequential autoantigenic determinants of the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein Sm D shared by human lupus autoantibodies and MRL lpr/lpr antibodies.

Autoantibodies directed against the Sm proteins of the spliceosome complex are found in approximately 25% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients sera. To determine which regions of the Sm D polypeptide are involved in the lupus autoimmune response, binding to overlapping octapeptides of Sm D has been evaluated with sera from nine Sm D-positive patients, six patients with other autoimmune serology, and five normal human sera. Lupus patient sera which are Sm precipitin-positive bind various combinations of five regions of the peptide. The major antigenic region, Epitope 5 (REAVA(GR)10GGPRR), is bound by eight of nine Sm precipitin-positive sera tested. This region of Sm D shows significant sequence homology with Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1. To determine the fine specificity of the murine Sm response, four unique Sm D MoAbs derived from MRL lpr/lpr mice and three adult anti-Sm-positive MRL lpr/lpr mouse sera have been analysed. Two of these monoclonals, KSm 4 and Y12, as well as the MRL lpr/lpr sera tested, show binding with Epitope 5. Another of these monoclonals, KSm 2, binds octapeptides 84-91, DVEPKVKSKKREAVAG, which corresponds to Epitope 4 of this study. Antibodies from SLE patients with autoimmune serology other than anti-Sm bind the carboxyl glycine-arginine repeat (GR)10 peptides of Sm D. However, none of the antibodies tested from patients who do not have lupus and who have different autoimmune serology binds any of the Sm D octapeptides. Normal controls did not significantly bind any of the Sm D octapeptides. These results describe two major regions of shared antigenicity of Sm D between sera from SLE patients and MRL lpr/lpr mice, thereby establishing a basis for the cross-species similarity of autoimmunity to the Sm autoantigen in SLE.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Role of intermolecular/intrastructural B- and T-cell determinants in the diversification of autoantibodies to ribonucleoprotein particles.

The U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (sn-RNP) particle, which consists of the U1 small RNA and multiple polypeptides, is a central target of the autoimmune response in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoantibodies to the individual proteins of the U1 snRNP typically co-occur in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, an observation reconciled by postulating that the intact RNA-protein complex serves as the autoimmunogen and that snRNP-specific autoreactive T cells are necessary for autoantibody production. In this study, we demonstrated that normal mice did not develop antibody responses following immunization with purified self (murine) snRNPs. However, when such mice were coimmunized with self snRNPs in conjunction with the human (foreign) U1 snRNP A protein, they developed autoantibodies directed against individual proteins of the U1 snRNP, in addition to anti-A antibodies; we have previously shown that such mice develop snRNP-specific, autoreactive T cells. Intact snRNPs as a co-immunogen were a prerequisite for antibody expansion, since this response was abrogated by disruption of snRNP particles with pancreatic RNase prior to immunization. These findings indicate that autoreactive helper T cells can drive autoantibody production to the individual proteins of snRNP particles and that such autoantibody responses may require the presence of intact snRNP particles that possess intrastructural B-cell and helper-T-cell determinants. These results also suggest that induction of an immune response to one component of an autoantigenic snRNP complex, possibly through priming with molecular mimics, can induce the diversification of autoantibodies that is characteristic of that found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The inability to process a self-peptide allows autoreactive T cells to escape tolerance.

It is now clear that antigen presenting cells (APCs) do not present all the possible peptides of self-proteins to the immune system. When then, is the fate of T cells specific for those self-peptides that escape processing? In this study, the COOH-terminal peptide (residues 81-104) of self cytochrome c (cyt c) elicited strong autoimmune T cells, as well as autoantibodies specific for this immunogen. These T cells did not respond to stimulation with the whole self cyt c molecule, demonstrating that APCs cannot process and present the self 81-104 peptide. Whereas mice were unresponsive to immunization with the whole mouse cyt c molecule, the mouse 81-104 fragment together with the whole self-molecule induced and amplified the autoimmune T cell response to sites within the 1-80 peptide. T cells that never contact the relevant self-peptide are functionally ignorant. They do not become tolerized or deleted, nor do they normally participate in immune responses to the native whole self-protein, since APCs cannot present the 81-104 peptide.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Breaking T cell tolerance with foreign and self co-immunogens. A study of autoimmune B and T cell epitopes of cytochrome c.

The initiation of autoimmune B cell and T cell responses by self Ag or by foreign pathogens (molecular mimics) is not well understood. In the present study, cytochrome c (cyt c) was used as a model autoantigen to investigate how self-proteins are involved in the priming of autoimmune T cell responses. Immunization with foreign cyt c has been extensively analyzed in previous studies as a model for both humoral and cellular immune responses. Mice do not, however, make antibody or T cell responses to immunization with self (mouse) cyt c. In addition, T cell tolerance can be broken by autoreactive B cells that are readily elicited by immunization with cross-reactive foreign cyt c. These immune B cells presumably bind self cyt c and process and present the self Ag to stimulate an autoreactive T cell response. Autoreactive T cell clones derived by this mechanism are all specific for determinants within amino acids 1-80 of the cyt c protein presented by I-Ek. No T cell responses were observed to the carboxyl terminal 81-104 fragment that dominates the response to foreign cyt c. All clones derived in this study are stimulated by a polypeptide encompassing amino acids 54-68 and utilized the V beta 8.2 TCR gene. In contrast, T cells stimulated by foreign cyt c did indeed respond to fragment 81-104 and appear to utilize alternate TCR genes. Our data demonstrate that B cells specific for linear determinants distributed along the entire length of the foreign cyt c molecule can provide the stimulus required for breaking T cell tolerance to self cyt c. The applications of this work to understanding the mechanisms of autoimmune disease are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Induction of autoreactive B cells allows priming of autoreactive T cells.

A novel mechanism for breaking T cell self tolerance is described. B cells induced to make autoantibody by immunization of mice with the non-self protein human cytochrome c can present the self protein mouse cytochrome c to autoreactive T cells in immunogenic form. This mechanism of breaking T cell self tolerance could account for the role of foreign antigens in breaking not only B cell but also T cell self tolerance, leading to sustained autoantibody production in the absence of the foreign antigen.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The specificity of human anti-cytochrome c autoantibodies that arise in autoimmune disease.

Cytochromes c (cyt c) are among the best characterized model Ag because their amino acid sequences and tertiary structures are well defined. One unique aspect of cyt c as an immunogen is its ability to induce autoantibody responses in animal models, although no pathology resulting from these responses has been reported. In this study, the presence and specificity of autoantibodies to cyt c were investigated in patients with SLE and related connective tissue diseases. Anti-cyt c antibodies were found in approximately 7% of patient sera and were statistically associated with the expression of antimitochondrial antibodies but were not statistically associated with any disease subset among those represented. Anti-cyt c was not associated with the presence of autoantibodies to DNA, histones, Ro, La, or Sm autoantigens. Most of the autoantibodies were specific for native or native-like forms of cyt c but antibodies to denatured forms were also apparent. Autoantibody binding was shown to be directed predominantly at selected sites of evolutionary variability within cyt c. The specificity of the human anti-cyt c autoantibodies appear to be similar to that of mouse anti-human cyt c antibodies and to autoantibodies elicited in mice against rat (mouse) cyt c.

Antibody Affinity↗
PubMed1989

Human monoclonal anti-La antibodies. The La protein resides on a subset of Ro particles.

We have addressed the problem of anti-La autoimmune responses by defining the specific binding sites of human mAb to the La protein. Two human anti-La mAb were developed; one an IgM (kappa) (designated 8G3) and the second an IgG1 (kappa) (9A5) isotype. The mAb 8G3 immunoprecipitated the La RNA and La protein from crude human cell lysates; bound the 50-kDa La protein and a 28-kDa digestion fragment in immunoblots, and recognized a small defined internal segment from the cloned La protein. In contrast, the IgG isotype (9A5) failed to precipitate native La from cell lysates but bound the same segment of digested La protein and the same polypeptide of 131 amino acids in length from the cloned La protein. Immunoprecipitation experiments performed with these mAb demonstrated that the La protein is a component of a subset of Ro particles. The data suggest that the La protein is not present on the hY RNA in the absence of the Ro polypeptide. These observations may define functional subsets or maturation states of hY RNA based on their association with Ro or Ro and La polypeptides.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1989

The Ro ribonucleoprotein particle: induction of autoantibodies and the detection of Ro RNAs among species.

High titers of autoantibody specific for the Ro(SSA) ribonucleoprotein are frequently found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome. In this study we have analyzed the immune responses to the Ro particle when utilized as an immunogen in animal hosts. Anti-Ro autoantibodies which bound autologous Ro ribonucleoprotein particles were induced in rabbits. In immunodiffusion studies using crude rabbit tissue extracts, the rabbit antibody made a precipitin line of identity with a prototype human anti-Ro serum. In solid-phase assays, the human autoimmune serum and the antigen-induced rabbit serum competed for similar or overlapping epitopes on the Ro particle. The rabbit and human sera precipitated the four Ro RNAs from human cells as well as four previously uncharacterized Ro RNAs from a bovine cell line, three Ro RNAs from a rabbit cell line, and two Ro RNAs from duck cells. While total numbers of cellular Ro RNAs differ among species, all possess an RNA of common size which comigrated with the hY1 of human cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

An immunological determinant of RNase P protein is conserved between Escherichia coli and humans.

RNase P, an enzyme with RNA and protein subunits, cleaves tRNA precursor molecules to form the 5' termini of mature tRNAs in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Rabbit antibodies made against the protein subunit, C5 protein, of Escherichia coli RNase P bound RNase P protein from E. coli and Bacillus subtilis in immunoblots and solid-phase immunoassays. These rabbit anti-C5 antibodies also bound a protein (Mr approximately 40,000) in preparations of RNase P from human (HeLa) cells and depleted the enzymatic activity from preparations of RNase P from both human and E. coli cells. Finally, rabbit anti-C5 antibodies immunoprecipitated from crude extracts of human cells a ribonucleoprotein complex containing H1 RNA, the putative RNA component of human RNase P. These results show that an antigenic determinant is shared by C5 protein from E. coli RNase P and a protein component of RNase P from human cells.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1987

Implications of anti-Ro/Sjögren's syndrome A antigen autoantibody in normal sera for autoimmunity.

We have applied a sensitive assay to analyze lupus and Sjögren's syndrome autoantibodies in 40 normal sera. Seven of these bound Ro/Sjögren's syndrome A antigen (SSA). Although this binding was 1,000-fold lower than the highest anti-Ro/SSA level measured from patients, it was inhibited by human Ro/SSA. Positive normal serum-bound Ro/SSA in Western immunoblots and binding activity was demonstrated in the F(ab')2 fragment of IgG. Affinity purification of normal anti-Ro/SSA IgG increased the specific anti-Ro/SSA binding by greater than 17-fold. This purified antibody formed a Ro/SSA precipitin and had a relative affinity for Ro/SSA identical to that of Ro/SSA precipitin-positive patients. These data demonstrate that the anti-Ro/SSA present in healthy normal donors is true autoantibody. Anti-La/Sjögren's syndrome B antigen (SSB) autoantibodies were found in 3 of the 40 normal sera, while none bound nuclear ribonucleoprotein (Sm). Finding low levels of anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB among normals may indicate that anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB occur in disease by enhancement of a preexisting immune response.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The Ro/SSA autoantigen as an immunogen. Some anti-Ro/SSA antibody binds IgG.

The rheumatic disease autoantigen, Ro/SSA, was immunogenic to a rabbit host. The heteroimmune rabbit serum bound the Ro/SSA particle in immunoblots and in an ELISA. Both the rabbit anti-Ro/SSA and a human prototype anti-Ro/SSA serum also bound IgG; and moreover, IgG inhibited both rabbit and human anti-Ro/SSA activity. Anti-IgG activity of the rabbit and human anti-Ro/SSA sera bound Ro/SSA by Western blot and solid-phase assays. In addition, purified Ro/SSA inhibited the anti-IgG activity of the anti-Ro/SSA sera from rabbit and man. Affinity purification of the IgG- and Ro/SSA-binding fractions of the rabbit anti-Ro/SSA demonstrated that both the anti-Ro/SSA and anti-IgG activities were concentrated in these fractions. These data show that Ro/SSA and IgG share epitopes that are bound by anti-Ro/SSA antibody. Inhibition experiments suggest that this antibody is found in most human anti-Ro/SSA autoimmune sera and that the epitope(s) are found in the F(ab')2 fragment of IgG.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Role of macrophage lipids in regulating tumoricidal activity.

Peritoneal macrophages (M phi) from mice became cytotoxic after incubation with lymphokine (LK); tumoricidal activity was evident with M phi treated with LK for 4 hr, became maximal after 8-12 hr of incubation, and decreased to control levels by 24-36 hr. LK induced marked changes in M phi lipid composition: cellular content of cholesterol (CHOL) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content of cellular lipids (especially 18:3) increased two- to threefold after 8 hr when the cells showed maximal tumoricidal activity. Cellular lipid and fatty-acid content returned to control levels by 24 hr when the M phi had lost tumoricidal activity. These changes were not observed with equal numbers of M phi cultured in control supernatants. To analyze the role of CHOL and UFA in M phi tumor cytotoxicity, casein-induced peritoneal M phi were enriched in CHOL or linolenic acid (18:3) and then tested for their ability to kill 1023 tumor cells. The 18:3-enriched cells were markedly tumoricidal, whereas controls cultured in delipidized medium alone or enriched with saturated fatty acid (18:0) were not cytotoxic. CHOL-enriched M phi were not tumoricidal; indeed, these cells were inhibited in their killing after treatment with LK compared to M phi cultured in delipidized medium with LK alone. The effects of 18:3 and CHOL enrichment of the M phi on their metabolic status, inflammatory function, and tumor cell-binding capacity were tested. The 18:3-enriched M phi were depressed in their ability to synthesize protein and in phagocytic activity compared to controls; these cells showed a transient increase in superoxide release. M phi cultured with 18:3 for 48 hr were also cytotoxic for P815 tumor cells, but did not show an enhanced capacity for P815 binding compared to controls. CHOL-enriched M phi were similar to control cells in their protein synthesizing and phagocytic activities; these cells also showed an early transient increase in superoxide release. CHOL-enriched M phi were not cytotoxic for P815 cells, but bound the tumor cells more readily than did the 18:3-enriched M phi. The data suggest that endogenous levels of 18:3 and CHOL can regulate M phi tumor cytotoxicity, but not through regulation of M phi protein synthesis, oxidative metabolism, or augmented capacity for tumor target binding.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anti-Ro autoantibody with cross-reactive binding to the heavy chain of immunoglobulin G.

Autoantibodies directed at the intracellular Ro ribonucleoprotein complex are found in the serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related autoimmune diseases. The antigenic stimulus for the induction of these autoantibodies is unknown, although we have previously demonstrated that the Ro protein and immunoglobulin G (IgG) share immunologic determinants bound by anti-Ro antibodies. The present study further defines the fine specificity of this cross-reactive binding. Using both patient autoanti-Ro antibodies and antigen-induced rabbit anti-Ro serum, the binding specificity for IgG was located to the heavy chains of IgG outside the Fc domain. F(ab')2 fragments of IgG were observed to inhibit specific Ro binding by either human or antigen-induced rabbit sera, while Fc fragments of IgG failed to inhibit Ro binding. Anti-Ro sera were found to bind the heavy chains of IgG in immunoblots, and the antibodies eluted from these heavy chains were capable of immunoprecipitating the Ro particle from human cell extracts. Not all patient sera with anti-Ro antibodies possessed IgG binding antibodies. Studies of cyanogen bromide digestion fragments of IgG implicate the hinge region of IgG as the region cross-reactive with the Ro protein. The nature of this cross-reactivity may be important in understanding the induction and/or perpetuation of the anti-Ro response in patients with autoimmune disease.

Animals↗