Biomedical subjects

Peter Højrup

Publications and source records attributed to Peter Højrup.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Calibration of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight peptide mass fingerprinting spectra.

This chapter describes a number of aspects important for calibration of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight spectra prior to peptide mass fingerprinting searches. Both multipoint internal calibration and mass defect-based calibration is illustrated. The chapter describes how potential internal calibrants, like tryptic autodigest peptides and keratin-related peptides, can be identified and used for high-precision calibration. Furthermore, the construction of project/user-specific lists of potential calibrants is illustrated.

Calibration↗

PubMed2006

Identification of CT521 as a frequent target of Th1 cells in patients with urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

BACKGROUND: The human immune response to a Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D lysate was investigated in patients with urogenital C. trachomatis infection, to identify novel T cell targets. METHODS: A C. trachomatis lysate was fractionated on the basis of molecular mass, and each fraction was used to stimulate peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from patients with C. trachomatis infection. In frequently recognized fractions, proteins were identified by mass spectrometry, recombinantly expressed, and tested for T cell recognition. RESULTS: T cell recognition of the fractions was highly heterogeneous in patients with C. trachomatis infection (n=16). Four patients exhibited responses that were strongly targeted to antigens of 16-20-kDa molecular mass. Three proteins were identified in this fraction: CT043, CT511, and CT521. The T cell response to the individual recombinant proteins were investigated, and CT521 was found to induce the highest level of interferon (IFN)- gamma. The recognition of CT521 was investigated in a larger study population (n=41), and a positive IFN-gamma response was measured in 83% of the patients. Several T cell epitopes were identified in CT521; in particular, peptide 5 in the central part of the protein was frequently recognized by T cells (63%). CONCLUSION: We have identified a novel C. trachomatis antigen, CT521, that is frequently recognized in patients with urogenital C. trachomatis infection.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The light-harvesting antenna of Chlorobium tepidum: interactions between the FMO protein and the major chlorosome protein CsmA studied by surface plasmon resonance.

Green sulfur bacteria possess two external light-harvesting antenna systems, the chlorosome and the FMO protein, which participate in a sequential energy transfer to the reaction centers embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. However, little is known about the physical interaction between these two antenna systems. We have studied the interaction between the major chlorosome protein, CsmA, and the FMO protein in Chlorobium tepidum using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Our results show an interaction between the FMO protein and an immobilized synthetic peptide corresponding to 17 amino acids at the C terminal of CsmA. This interaction is dependent on the presence of a motif comprising six amino acids that are highly conserved in all the currently available CsmA protein sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Post-translational modifications of human thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI): evidence for a large shift in the isoelectric point and reduced solubility upon activation.

Thrombin-activable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is distinct from pancreatic procarboxypeptidase B in several ways. The enzymatic activity of TAFIa is unstable and decays with a half-life of a few minutes. During this study, we observed that (i) the isoelectric point (pI) of TAFI shifts dramatically from pH 5 toward pH 8 upon activation and (ii) TAFIa is significantly less soluble than TAFI. The structural bases for these observations were investigated by characterizing all post-translational modifications, including attached glycans and disulfide connectivity. The analyses revealed that all five potential N-glycosylation sites were utilized including Asn22, Asn51, Asn63, Asn86 (located in the activation peptide), and Asn219 (located in the catalytic domain). Asn219 was also found in an unglycosylated variant. Four of the glycans, Asn51, Asn63, Asn86, and Asn219 displayed microheterogeneity, while the glycan attached to Asn22 appeared to be homogeneous. In addition, bisecting GlcNAc attached to the trimannose core was detected, suggesting an origin other than the liver. Monosaccharide composition and LC-MS/MS analyses did not produce evidence for O glycosylation. TAFI contains eight cysteine residues, of which two, Cys69 and Cys383, are not involved in disulfides and contain free sulfhydryl groups. The remaining six cystines form disulfides, including Cys156-Cys169, Cys228-Cys252, and Cys243-Cys257. This pattern is homologous to pancreatic procarboxypeptidase B, and it is therefore unlikely that permutations in the cysteine connectivity are responsible for the enzymatic instability. LC-MS/MS analyses covering more than 90% of the TAFI amino acid sequence revealed no additional modifications. When these results are taken together, they suggest that the inherent instability of TAFIa is not caused by post-translational modifications. However, after activation, TAFIa loses 80% of the attached glycans, generating a large shift in pI and a propensity to precipitate. These changes are likely to significantly affect the properties of TAFIa as compared to TAFI.

Carboxypeptidase B2↗

PubMed2006

Large-scale purification and characterization of non-glycosylated Gc globulin (vitamin D-binding protein) from plasma fraction IV.

Gc globulin, also called vitamin D-binding protein, is a plasma protein involved in the extracellular actin-scavenger system. Low levels of Gc globulin have been found to correlate with multiple organ failure and nonsurvival of patients with fulminant hepatic failure and trauma. Therefore substitution therapy with Gc globulin might be beneficial for such patients, increasing their chance of survival. In the present study, we describe a large-scale purification process for the production of a virus-safe human plasma-derived Gc globulin from Cohn fraction IV paste. The process includes three ion-exchange-chromatography steps, followed by a gel filtration, and two virus-reduction steps are implemented. The Gc globulin product was characterized with respect to purity, functional activity, glycosylation and, finally, with respect to content of endotoxin. From the results, it can be concluded that human Gc globulin purified from Cohn fraction IV is non-glycosylated. The purified Gc globulin is able to mask the presence of endotoxin by 20%.

Chromatography, Gel↗

PubMed2005

Identification of the receptor scavenging hemopexin-heme complexes.

Heme released from heme-binding proteins on internal hemorrhage, hemolysis, myolysis, or other cell damage is highly toxic due to oxidative and proinflammatory effects. Complex formation with hemopexin, the high-affinity heme-binding protein in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, dampens these effects and is suggested to facilitate cellular heme metabolism. Using a ligand-affinity approach, we purified the human hemopexin-heme receptor and identified it as the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)/CD91, a receptor expressed in several cell types including macrophages, hepatocytes, neurons, and syncytiotrophoblasts. Binding experiments, including Biacore analysis, showed that hemopexin-heme complex formation elicits the high receptor affinity. Uptake studies of radio-labeled hemopexin-heme complex in LRP/CD91-expressing COS cells and confocal microscopy of the cellular processing of fluorescent hemopexin-heme complex established the ability of LRP/CD91 to mediate hemopexin-heme internalization resulting in cellular heme uptake and lysosomal hemopexin degradation. Uptake of hemopexin-heme complex induced LRP/CD91-dependent heme-oxygenase 1 mRNA transcription in cultured monocytes. In conclusion, hemopexin-heme complexes are removed by a receptor-mediated pathway showing striking similarities to the CD163-mediated haptoglobin-hemoglobin clearance in macrophages. Furthermore, the data indicate a hitherto unknown role of LRP/CD91 in inflammation.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Amnionless function is required for cubilin brush-border expression and intrinsic factor-cobalamin (vitamin B12) absorption in vivo.

Amnionless (AMN) and cubilin gene products appear to be essential functional subunits of an endocytic receptor called cubam. Mutation of either gene causes autosomal recessive Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (I-GS, OMIM no. 261100) in humans, a disorder characterized by selective intestinal malabsorption of cobalamin (vitamin B12) and urinary loss of several specific low-molecular-weight proteins. Vital insight into the molecular pathology of I-GS has been obtained from studies of dogs with a similar syndrome. In this work, we show that I-GS segregates in a large canine kindred due to an in-frame deletion of 33 nucleotides in exon 10 of AMN. In a second, unrelated I-GS kindred, affected dogs exhibit a homozygous substitution in the AMN translation initiation codon. Studies in vivo demonstrated that both mutations abrogate AMN expression and block cubilin processing and targeting to the apical membrane. The essential features of AMN dysfunction observed in vivo are recapitulated in a heterologous cell-transfection system, thus validating the system for analysis of AMN-cubilin interactions. Characterization of canine AMN mutations that cause I-GS establishes the canine model as an ortholog of the human disorder well suited to studies of AMN function and coevolution with cubilin.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Synthesis and degradation of dinoflagellate plastid-encoded psbA proteins are light-regulated, not circadian-regulated.

In many dinoflagellate species, the plastid genome has been proposed to exist as a limited number of single-gene minicircles, and many genes normally found in the plastid genome are nuclear-encoded. Unlike the nuclear-encoded plastid-directed gene products whose expression is often regulated by the circadian clock, little is known about expression of minicircle genes. Furthermore, even the plastid location of the minicircles has recently been challenged. We have examined the incorporation in vivo of [(35)S]methionine into the proteins of purified plastids, and we find that several plastid proteins are labeled in the presence of cycloheximide but not chloramphenicol. One of these proteins, labeled in two different dinoflagellate species, was identified as psbA by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, this psbA has the expected physiological characteristics, because both synthesis and degradation are induced by light. We find no evidence for circadian control over either synthesis or degradation of psbA, unlike the several nuclear-encoded plastid-directed proteins studied. Finally, we find that levels of psbA protein or RNA do not change over a 24-h light-dark cycle, suggesting that this protein may not be involved in mediating the circadian rhythm in oxygen evolution rates. This demonstration is the first, to our knowledge, that minicircle genes encoding plastid proteins are translated in dinoflagellate plastids, and it suggests that a proteomic approach to characterizing the dinoflagellate plastid genome is feasible.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Characterization of the oligomer structure of recombinant human mannan-binding lectin.

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) belongs to a family of proteins called the collectins, which show large differences in their ultrastructures. These differences are believed to be determined by different N-terminal disulfide-bonding patterns. So far only the bonding pattern of two of the simple forms (recombinant rat MBL-C and bovine CL-43) have been determined. Recombinant MBL expressed in human cells was purified, and the structure of the N-terminal region was determined. Preliminary results on human plasma-derived MBL revealed high similarity to the recombinant protein. Here we report the structure of the N-terminal part of recombinant human MBL and present a model to explain the oligomerization pattern. Using a strategy of consecutive enzymatic digestions and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, we succeeded in identifying a number of disulfide-linked peptides from the N-terminal cysteine-rich region. Based on these building blocks, we propose a model that can explain the various oligomeric forms found in purified MBL preparations. Furthermore, the model was challenged by the production of cysteine to serine mutants of the three N-terminally situated cysteines. The oligomerization patterns of these mutants support the proposed model. The model indicates that the polypeptide dimer is the basic unit in the oligomerization.

Dimerization↗

PubMed2005

Characterization of different cell culture media for expression of recombinant antibodies in mammalian cells: Presence of contaminating bovine antibodies.

Several new cell culture media designed specifically for the expression of recombinant antibodies in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were investigated for the presence of bovine IgG. Three serum-free media, three protein-free (animal component free) media, as well as one chemically defined medium were included in the study. Employing a combination of affinity chromatography (Protein G or A columns), SDS-PAGE analysis, and peptide mass fingerprinting, two of the serum-free media were found to contain bovine IgG in the range of approximately 0.5 mg/L. The other five media did not contain detectable levels of contaminating Protein A or G-binding proteins such as bovine IgG.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Conformational stability of calreticulin.

The conformational stability of calreticulin was investigated. Apparent unfolding temperatures (Tm) increased from 31 degrees C at pH 5 to 51 degrees C at pH 9, but electrophoretic analysis revealed that calreticulin oligomerized instead of unfolding. Structural analyses showed that the single C-terminal alpha-helix was of major importance to the conformational stability of calreticulin.

Calcium↗

PubMed2004

alpha-Synuclein filaments bind the transcriptional regulator HMGB-1.

Abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein filaments in Lewy bodies is a neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease and sequestration of cellular protein into these protein aggregates may contribute to the degenerative process. We identified the transcriptional co-factor high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB-1) as a ligand for alpha-synuclein filaments by a filament spin-down technique, mass spectrometric peptide mapping and immunoblotting. HMGB-1 binds preferentially to aggregated alpha-synuclein and is present in alpha-synuclein filament-containing Lewy bodies isolated from brain tissue affected with dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson's disease. Our results demonstrate that alpha-synuclein filaments hold the potential for disturbing the cellular gene expression as they can sequester a component involved in cellular transcription regulation.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

p25alpha Stimulates alpha-synuclein aggregation and is co-localized with aggregated alpha-synuclein in alpha-synucleinopathies.

Aggregation of the nerve cell protein alpha-synuclein is a characteristic of the common neurodegenerative alpha-synucleinopathies like Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, and it plays a direct pathogenic role as demonstrated by early onset diseases caused by mis-sense mutations and multiplication of the alpha-synuclein gene. We investigated the existence of alpha-synuclein pro-aggregatory brain proteins whose dysregulation may contribute to disease progression, and we identified the brain-specific p25alpha as a candidate that preferentially binds to alpha-synuclein in its aggregated state. Functionally, purified recombinant human p25alpha strongly stimulates the aggregation of alpha-synuclein in vitro as demonstrated by thioflavin-T fluorescence and quantitative electron microscopy. p25alpha is normally only expressed in oligodendrocytes in contrast to alpha-synuclein, which is normally only expressed in neurons. This expression pattern is changed in alpha-synucleinopathies. In multiple systems atrophy, degenerating oligodendrocytes displayed accumulation of p25alpha and dystopically expressed alpha-synuclein in the glial cytoplasmic inclusions. In Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, p25alpha was detectable in the neuronal Lewy body inclusions along with alpha-synuclein. The localization in alpha-synuclein-containing inclusions was verified biochemically by immunological detection in Lewy body inclusions purified from Lewy body dementia tissue and glial cytoplasmic inclusions purified from tissue from multiple systems atrophy. We suggest that p25alpha plays a pro-aggregatory role in the common neurodegenerative disorders hall-marked by alpha-synuclein aggregates.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Characterization of gel-separated glycoproteins using two-step proteolytic digestion combined with sequential microcolumns and mass spectrometry.

Protein glycosylation can be vital for changing the function or physiochemical properties of a protein. Abnormal glycosylation can lead to protein malfunction, resulting in severe diseases. Therefore, it is important to develop techniques for characterization of such modifications in proteins at a sensitivity level comparable with state-of-the-art proteomics. Whereas techniques exist for characterization of high abundance glycoproteins, no single method is presently capable of providing information on both site occupancy and glycan structure on a single band excised from an electrophoretic gel. We present a new technique that allows characterization of low amounts of glycoproteins separated by gel electrophoresis. The method takes advantage of sequential specific and nonspecific enzymatic treatment followed by selective purification and characterization of the glycopeptides using graphite powder microcolumns in combination with mass spectrometry. The method is faster and more sensitive than previous approaches and is compatible with proteomic studies.

Acetonitriles↗

PubMed2004

Phosphorylation of the regulatory beta-subunit of protein kinase CK2 by checkpoint kinase Chk1: identification of the in vitro CK2beta phosphorylation site.

The regulatory beta-subunit of protein kinase CK2 mediates the formation of the CK2 tetrameric form and it has functions independent of CK2 catalytic subunit through interaction with several intracellular proteins. Recently, we have shown that CK2beta associates with the human checkpoint kinase Chk1. In this study, we show that Chk1 specifically phosphorylates in vitro the regulatory beta-subunit of CK2. Chymotryptic peptides and mutational analyses have revealed that CK2beta is phosphorylated at Thr213. Formation of a stable complex between CK2beta and Chk1 is not affected by the modification of Thr213 but it does require the presence of an active Chk1 kinase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Efficacy and compatibility with mass spectrometry of methods for elution of proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and polyvinyldifluoride membranes.

The resolving power of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) combined with isoelectric focusing in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis has made it one of the most important techniques for resolving complex mixtures, and it is of great importance for proteome mapping projects. As a result of this, methods for postelectrophoretic protein characterization are of great interest as exemplified by in situ protease digestion combined with mass spectrometry (MS), which is the method of choice for identification of proteins. In this study we have developed and compared methods for recovering intact proteins from polyacrylamide gels and electroblotting membranes to define efficient methods compatible with MS. These methods complement in situ digestion protocols and allow determination of the molecular mass of whole proteins separated by SDS-PAGE. Passive elution of proteins from SDS-PAGE gels was efficient only in the presence of SDS, whereas electroelution was achieved using buffers without SDS. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization MS (SELDI-MS) analysis of proteins eluted in the presence of SDS was possible using ion exchange ProteinChip arrays for concentration of sample and removal of SDS. Comparison of different electroblotting methods verified that the different membranes and buffers were equally efficient for transfer of proteins in the range 20-100 kDa. Elution from polyvinyldifluoride membranes was most efficient using either concentrated solutions of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or combinations of 8M urea and 1% Triton X-100, 1% Tween 20, or 40% isopropanol. The same result was obtained using nitrocellulose membranes, except that these were incompatible with organic solvent and TFA. Elution by TFA was compatible with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization MS (MALDI-MS) but was complicated by a high degree of trifluoroacetylation of the proteins. Alternatively, elution by 8M urea+1% Triton X-100, 1% Tween 20, or 40% isopropanol was compatible with both SELDI-MS and MALDI-MS. Eluted proteins were identified in MS experiments by intact mass determination, by peptide mapping, and by MS/MS analysis.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed2004

Proteasomal inhibition by alpha-synuclein filaments and oligomers.

A unifying feature of many neurodegenerative disorders is the accumulation of polyubiquitinated protein inclusions in dystrophic neurons, e.g. containing alpha-synuclein, which is suggestive of an insufficient proteasomal activity. We demonstrate that alpha-synuclein and 20 S proteasome components co-localize in Lewy bodies and show that subunits from 20 S proteasome particles, in contrast to subunits of the 19 S regulatory complex, bind efficiently to aggregated filamentous but not monomeric alpha-synuclein. Proteasome binding to insoluble alpha-synuclein filaments and soluble alpha-synuclein oligomers results in marked inhibition of its chymotrypsin-like hydrolytic activity through a non-competitive mechanism that is mimicked by model amyloid-Abeta peptide aggregates. Endogenous ligands of aggregated alpha-synuclein like heat shock protein 70 and glyceraldehyde-6-phosphate dehydrogenase bind filaments and inhibit their anti-proteasomal activity. The inhibitory effect of amyloid aggregates may thus be amenable to modulation by endogenous chaperones and possibly accessible for therapeutic intervention.

Chymotrypsin↗

PubMed2004

Recombinant human serum amyloid P component from Pichia pastoris: production and characterization.

Human serum amyloid P component (SAP) was expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. SAP cDNA was placed under control of regulatory sequences derived from the alcohol oxidase gene (AOX1), and its protein product was secreted using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-mating factor signal sequence. Recombinant SAP (r-SAP) was produced in a bioreactor with computer controlled fed-batch mode and purified by use of a C-terminal histidine tag. The yield of purified r-SAP was 3-4mg from 1L supernatant and 5-6mg from 1L cell paste, indicating that the majority of the produced SAP was not secreted. Treatment of the cell paste with EDTA increased the yield further by about 30%. The N-terminal of r-SAP purified from the supernatant showed non-complete cleavage of the alpha-mating factor signal sequence. Purified r-SAP, analyzed under native conditions, was shown to be a decamer, like purified human SAP (h-SAP), with monomers of 27kDa. Each monomer had one N-glycosylation site, positioned at the same site as for h-SAP. r-SAP bound to antibodies produced against h-SAP. Furthermore, r-SAP bound to ds DNA and influenza A virus subunits in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner and inhibited influenza A virus hemagglutination. These results indicate that r-SAP produced in P. pastoris has the same biological activity as purified h-SAP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗