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N W Hudson

Publications and source records attributed to N W Hudson.

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The specificity properties that distinguish members of a set of homologous anti-digoxin antibodies are controlled by H chain mutations.

Five murine A/J strain anti-digoxin mAb (35-20, 40-40, 40-120, 40-140, and 40-160) have highly homologous H and L chain V regions, only differing by somatic mutation, yet differ in affinity and specificity. The availability of the VH and VL genomic clones from one hybridoma, 40-140, has now allowed studies involving in vitro mutagenesis and chain recombination among these five hybridomas. To determine the relative contributions of the mutations found in either VH or VL to the overall binding properties of these antibodies, we recombined the 40-140VH with the VL of each hybridoma. The 40-140VH gene was transfected into hybridoma variants that produce only VL. The recombinant antibodies show that the mutations present in VH, rather than in VL, affect the fine specificity properties of these antibodies, whereas, the mutations among both VH and VL chains are important in determining antigen affinity. From mutations present in VH that affect fine specificity properties, the comparison of the antibody sequences, and from the previously measured binding properties, we predicted and tested selected VH mutations for their ability to alter specificity or affinity by doing site-directed in vitro mutagenesis. The results for the somatic mutations found in this group of antibodies show: 1) VH mutations control the fine specificity properties that distinguish different members of this group; 2) in particular, VH residues 54 and 55 in CDR2 control the distinguishing characteristics of specificities between these antibodies; and 3) by mutagenesis, we had the unusual result of being able to alter Ag specificity without affecting affinity. A computer model of the 40-140 antibody binding site was generated which indicates that VH residues 54 and 55 are highly accessible.

Amino Acid Sequence

A V kappa-J kappa junctional change in an antidigoxin recombinant antibody destroys digoxin-binding activity.

A set of high affinity antidigoxin antibodies were previously identified with high homologous V kappa 1A L chain sequences but were associated with two entirely different VH regions and two dramatically different specificities for digoxin analogs. Antibodies 40-20, 40-60, 40-90, and 40-100 displayed similar binding specificities but differed from that of antibody 26-10. In a previous study using somatic cell fusion for Ig chain recombination we demonstrated that a recombinant antibody consisting of the H chain of antibody 26-10 and the L chain of antibody 40-20 retained digoxin binding and the 26-10 Id, but displayed a binding specificity pattern dominated by the 26-10 H chain donor. In the present study we produced three additional chain recombinant antibodies that contain the 26-10 H chain recombined with each of the L chains of antibodies 40-60, 40-90, and 40-100. All four recombinants expressed the 26-10 Id indistinguishably from the 26-10 antibody. Two of the recombinants (using the 40-60 and 40-90 L chains) bind digoxin; however, the recombinant using the 40-100 L chain failed to bind digoxin. Complete sequence analyses of the 40-20, 40-60, 40-90, and 40-100 VH and VL regions were performed. Antibodies 40-90 and 40-100 have identical VH region sequences but differed only in their L chains at position 96 (proline/leucine). This single difference at the VK-JK junction abolished digoxin binding in the context of one H chain (26-10), but does not cause a significant change in binding in association with the "normal" parental chains 40-90 and 40-100. Thus, structurally closely related VL regions can recombine with different VH regions to form digoxin binding sites of different specificity; in one binding site the identity of a L chain junctional residue is critical whereas in the second binding site that residue is unimportant. Molecular modeling studies revealed major differences between calculated binding site structures for 26-10 when leucine is substituted for proline at position 96 in the 26-10 VL region.

Amino Acid Sequence

Heavy and light chain contributions to antigen binding in an anti-digoxin chain recombinant antibody produced by transfection of cloned anti-digoxin antibody genes.

We used immunoglobulin gene transfection to study the effect that substituting an homologous light (L) chain for a parental L chain has on antigen fine specificity and affinity. High-affinity monoclonal anti-digoxin antibodies 26-10 and 40-100 were selected for study because their L chains are 92% homologous (although the H chains differ), and their binding with digoxin and digoxin analogs show very different properties. In order to generate a recombinant transfectoma, the genes encoding the 26-10 H and L chains were cloned. After the sequenced clones had been shown to contain the V gene and the transcriptional control elements, the H and L chain V region genes were subcloned into different expression vectors. Both constructs were transfected into myeloma J558L, a lambda 1 chain producer, to verify that the genetic constructs expressed correctly. The recombined 26-10 antibody was identical to parental 26-10 antibody in fine specificity and affinity. The 26-10 L chain construct was then transfected into a cell line, CR-101, that expresses the 40-100 H chain and a lambda 1 chain. The transfectoma 1E6, secreting 40-100 H chain and 26-10 L chain, was selected. Appropriate gene expression in 1E6 was proven by polymerase chain reaction cloning and sequencing. The fine specificity properties of the 1E6 recombinant derive from both the 40-100 and 26-10 antibodies; however, the affinity of 1E6 is 130 times less than that of the parental antibodies. We conclude that, in 1E6, the H and L chains are codominant in their influence on antigen specificity and that homologous pairing of H and L chains is required for optimal affinity.

Amino Acid Sequence

Mouse alpha-macroglobulin. Structure, function and a molecular model.

Mouse alpha-macroglobulin (M-AMG) is believed to be a functional homologue of human alpha 2-macroglobulin (h-alpha 2M). The subunit composition, the tryptic cleavage pattern before and after methylamine incorporation and the two-dimensional tryptic-peptide mapping, however, indicate that these two proteins are structurally distinct. M-AMG is composed of two major types of polypeptides (Mr 163,000 and 35,000) together with a minor polypeptide (Mr 185,000), whereas h-alpha 2M has only one type of polypeptide (Mr 185,000). After incorporation of methylamine, there is no change in the normal tryptic-cleavage pattern of M-AMG; however, tryptic cleavage of h-alpha 2M is severely retarded [Hudson & Koo (1982) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 704, 290-303]. The N-terminal sequence of the 163,000-Mr polypeptide of M-AMG shows sequence homology with the N-terminal sequence of h-alpha 2M. The amino acid compositions of M-AMG and its two major polypeptide chains are compared. Thermal fragmentation studies show that the 163,000-Mr polypeptide is broken down into 125,000-Mr and 29,000-Mr fragments. Trypsin-binding studies show that M-AMG can bind two molecules of trypsin/molecule. Inactivations of the trypsin-binding property of M-AMG and h-alpha 2M with methylamine show similar kinetics of inhibition at 4 degrees C. A structural model of M-AMG is proposed, based on accumulated data.

Amino Acids

Immunoglobulin chain recombination among antidigoxin antibodies by hybridoma-hybridoma fusion.

Conditions necessary for in vitro chain recombination of high affinity (10(9) to 10(12) M-1) antidigoxin monoclonal antibodies resulted in decreased affinity for both intact "native" and chain recombinant molecules. Chain recombination by somatic cell fusion was used instead to study the effects on antigen specificity and idiotypy of recombinants in which an homologous light (L) chain substituted for the parental L chain. The antidigoxin antibody 26-10 utilizes a VL sequence highly homologous to that of antibody 40-20, an antidigoxin antibody which uses a different VH gene than does 26-10 and lacks significant reactivity with an anti-26-10 idiotypic serum. The drug-marked antidigoxin cell line 26-10 (gamma 2a, kappa) and a drug-marked light chain producing variant of antidigoxin hybridoma 45-20 (lambda 1) which lacks both digoxin binding and idiotypy were fused. The fusion progeny (gamma 2a, kappa, lambda 1) which binds digoxin and is idiotype-positive, was selected for kappa loss (resulting in loss of digoxin and idiotype binding) and then fused with a heavy (H) chain loss variant of antidigoxin hybridoma 40-20 (kappa, digoxin nonbinding, idiotype negative). The resultant cell line CR-57 (gamma 2a, kappa, lambda) secretes antibodies which assemble the 26-10 H chain with both the 40-20 kappa-chain and the 45-20 lambda 1-chain. The affinity purified recombinant species consisting of 26-10 H chain and 40-20 kappa-chain expresses complete 26-10 idiotypic determinants. However, this recombinant antibody binds digoxin with decreased affinity and altered specificity relative to native 26-10. The binding specificity pattern nonetheless is most similar to the H chain donor. Amino acid and nucleotide sequence analyses of the respective light chains demonstrate six variable region differences between them, two of which are in complementarity-determining regions and the remainder in the framework. Hybridoma-hybridoma fusion provides an alternative to in vitro chain recombination for studying the contribution of chain combinational diversity to antibody diversity, antigen binding, and idiotypy.

Amino Acid Sequence

Construction and expression of a recombinant antibody-targeted plasminogen activator.

Covalent linkage of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) to a monoclonal antibody specific for the fibrin beta chain (anti-fibrin 59D8) results in a thrombolytic agent that is more specific and more potent than t-PA alone. To provide a ready source of this hybrid molecule and to allow tailoring of the active moieties for optimal activity, we have engineered a recombinant version of the 59D8-t-PA conjugate. The rearranged 59D8 heavy chain gene was cloned and combined in the expression vector pSV2gpt with sequence coding for a portion of the gamma 2b constant region and the catalytic beta chain of t-PA. This construct was transfected into heavy chain loss variant cells derived from the 59D8 hybridoma. Recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography and analyzed with electrophoretic transfer blots. These revealed a 65-kDa heavy chain-t-PA fusion protein that is secreted in association with the 59D8 light chain in the form of a 170-kDa disulfide-linked dimer. Chromogenic substrate assays showed the fusion protein to have 70% of the peptidolytic activity of native t-PA and to activate plasminogen as efficiently as t-PA. In a competitive binding assay, reconstituted antibody was shown to have a binding profile similar to that of native 59D8. Thus, by recombinant techniques, we have produced a hybrid protein capable of high-affinity fibrin binding and plasminogen activation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal