Biomedical subjects

Paul Yoshihara

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Yoshihara.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Monoclonal antibody detection of CD46 clustering beneath Neisseria gonorrhoeae microcolonies.

CD46 (membrane cofactor protein), a complement-regulatory protein that participates in innate and acquired immunity, also serves as a receptor for viral and bacterial pathogens. CD46 isoforms terminate in one of two cytoplasmic tails, Cyt1 or Cyt2, which differ in signaling and trafficking properties. Dissecting the functions of the two cytoplasmic tails in these cellular processes has been hampered by the absence of specific reagents. Here we report the construction of Cyt1- and Cyt2-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). These MAbs recognize unique epitopes within the tails and can be used for immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation. Studies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae-infected cells with the CD46 tail MAbs demonstrate the differential recruitment of Cyt1 and Cyt2 to the cortical plaque.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Multiple diagnostic techniques identify previously vaccinated individuals with protective immunity against monkeypox.

Approximately 50% of the US population received smallpox vaccinations before routine immunization ceased in 1972 for civilians and in 1990 for military personnel. Several studies have shown long-term immunity after smallpox vaccination, but skepticism remains as to whether this will translate into full protection against the onset of orthopoxvirus-induced disease. The US monkeypox outbreak of 2003 provided the opportunity to examine this issue. Using independent and internally validated diagnostic approaches with >or=95% sensitivity and >or=90% specificity for detecting clinical monkeypox infection, we identified three previously unreported cases of monkeypox in preimmune individuals at 13, 29 and 48 years after smallpox vaccination. These individuals were unaware that they had been infected because they were spared any recognizable disease symptoms. Together, this shows that the US monkeypox outbreak was larger than previously realized and, more importantly, shows that cross-protective antiviral immunity against West African monkeypox can potentially be maintained for decades after smallpox vaccination.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Antibody-mediated protection against respiratory viral infection.

Effective antibody responses are critical for protection against many human pathogens, including those with tropism for the respiratory tract (RT). Systemic immunoglobulin (Ig)G responses as well as mucosal IgA responses play complementary roles in protection against RT infections, and induction of a tissue-specific, isotype-appropriate humoral response is central to successful vaccination strategies. For respiratory virus infections in which current vaccines are either not available or not fully effective, antibody-mediated therapies may provide a viable treatment option. Prophylactic administration of polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies shows the best clinical efficacy, whereas therapeutic administration of antibodies after infection can also be highly protective but is greatly dependent on timing; efficacy declines soon after onset of disease symptoms. Further understanding of the mechanisms underlying antibody-mediated protection against respiratory virus infections may lead to improved immunization strategies as well as more effective antibody-based therapeutics.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗