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Polymorphisms for the size of heterochromatic regions allow sex-independent quantification of post-BMT chimerism targeting metaphase and interphase cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Fully quantitative cytological techniques for the analysis of hemopoietic chimerism are very limited and largely restricted to sex-chromosome detection after sex-mismatched bone marrow transplants (BMTs). The aim of the present investigation was to assess the usefulness of autosomal polymorphisms for the size of heterochromatic regions in the identification of donor and recipient cells and therefore in the quantification of the hemopoietic chimerism after sex-matched BMT. DESIGN AND METHODS: Hemopoietic chimerism was followed up in 3 transplanted patients targeting a polymorphism for the size of the pericentromeric heterochromatin (PCH) of chromosome 9, uncovered by restriction endonuclease (RE) in situ digestion (REISD) with the RE Sau3A, to differentiate donor and recipient cells on conventional bone marrow chromosome preparations. RESULTS: The polymorphism for the size of the PCH of chromosome 9 allowed differentiation of donor and recipient cells targeting both metaphase and interphase nuclei. The misidentification error for the polymorphism for the size of HPC of chromosome 9 was estimated as 1% for metaphases and 6-11% for interphases. The 3 cases studied showed complete chimerism in the first post-BMT sample analyzed, which was maintained in 2 of them. One patient relapsed and showed transient mixed chimerism. One month later, this patient achieved a second complete remission, showing complete chimerism again. In this patient, who received a sex-mismatched BMT, chimerism was also quantified by sex-chromosome identification using established methods, such as conventional cytogenetics and FISH, and the results obtained were similar to those rendered by Sau3A-REISD. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: The polymorphism for the size of the PCH of chromosome 9 uncovered by Sau3A-REISD allows accurate quantification of the hemopoietic chimerism after sex-matched BMT.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

High Expression in CHO Cells and Activity of an Anti-P185(erbB2) Mouse/human Chimeric Antibody.

The McAb C25 against human P185(erbB2) specifically inhibits proliferation of cancer cells overexpressing P185(erbB2). In order to decrease HAMA response in clinical therapy of human cancer using McAb, and to express this antibody efficiently in CHO cells, an anti-P185(erbB2) mouse/human chimeric antibody gene containing variable region of C25 gene was constructed. The expression vectors were constructed using genomic DNA of human IgG1 constant region, and using neo and dhfr genes driven by weaker promoters as selectable marker genes. Variable region genes of C25 were cloned by RT-PCR. VL and VH genes of C25 were sequenced and then inserted, respectively, into the light chain and heavy chain expression vectors. The two expression vectors were cotransfected into CHO-dhfr(-) cells with LipofectAMINE. The specificity of the chimeric antibody was verified using cellular-ELISA and immuno-fluorescence techniques. ELISA and RT-PCR were used toconfirm that the chimeric antibody containing both variable region of C25 and human constant region. At 72 h post-transfection, the chimeric antibody could be detected in supernatant of CHO cells by ELISA assay and the yield was 1 mg/L. After the selection by G418, stepwise MTX pressure (1x10(-8) 2.5x10(-7) mol/L) culture was carried out, and the yield of the chimeric antibody was increased up to 100 mg/L. The chimeric antibody was demonstrated to have the antigen specificity to P185(erbB2) and to carry the human antibody constant region by cellular-ELISA, immuno-fluorescence assay, indirect-ELISA and RT-PCR. The chimeric antibody could inhibit proliferation of SKBR(3) and SKOV(3) cells at the same inhibiting rate asMcAb C25. In conclusion, a mouse/human chimeric antibody against human P185(erbB2) with potential of usage in clinical therapy of human cancer was constructed and highly expressed.

Journal Article↗

[Clinical significance of formation and conversion of hematopoietic mixed chimerism in nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical significance of formation and conversion of hematopoietic mixed chimerism in nonmyeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (NAST) in treatment of hematological diseases. METHODS: Nonmyeloablative pretreatment was given to 42 patients with hematological diseases, 26 males and 16 females with the median age of 37, that were matched with the donors in terms of HLA, such as CD3 monoclonal antibody, cyclosporine A, cyclophosphamide (CTX) and cytarabine for patients with leukemia among which 6 were given fludarabine in addition, and CTX and antilymphocyte globulin for patients with myeloproliferative disease and aplastic anemia, thus practicing nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (NAST). The incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and survival were observed. RESULTS: Donor-recipient hematopoietic cell chimerism was formed in 42 patients, with 18 cases of full donor chimerism (FDC) and 24 cases of mixed chimerism (MC). Of the 42 patients, 10 (23.8%) developed acute GVHD (aGVHD). The incidence of aGVHD in group MC (2/24, 8.9%) was significantly lower than that in group FDC (8/24, 44.4%, P < 0.05). In addition, eight (19.1%) developed chronic GVHD (cGVHD). The incidence of cGVHD was also lower in group MC (4/24, 16.7%) in comparison with 4/18 (23.2%) in group FDC (P > 0.05). There was no difference in recovery time of neutrophils and platelets (P > 0.05) between the two groups. Thirty-one patients still survived and there was no significant difference between the group FDC and MC in terms of survival rate and leukemia relapse rate. CONCLUSION: Compared with full donor chimerism, mixed chimerism significantly alleviates the incidence of aGVHD and does not delay the hematopoietic reconstitution. It may be an ideal model of engraftment that mixed chimerism converts to full donor chimerism within several months after NAST.

Adolescent↗

[Construction and analysis of activity of an HIV-1/bovine immunodeficiency virus chimeric clone cDNA].

OBJECTIVE: Chimeric human/bovine immunodeficiency virus (HBIV) cDNA was constructed by replacing HIV tat and LTR with bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) tat and LTR to study the activity of BIV tat and LTR in the chimerae. METHODS: The target fragments of BIV tat, LTR and HIV gag, pol, env were respectively amplified by using PCR and sequentially inserted into pBluescript SK(+) vector. The chimeric clone was transfected into human MT4 cells. The transcript and gene expression of the HBIV chimeric virus were detected by using RT-PCR and a reverse transcriptase assay, respectively. RESULTS: BIV tat mRNA and HIV gag mRNA were detected. The reverse transcriptase activity of the chimeric virus was analyzed in the fluctuation curve. CONCLUSIONS: In chimeric HBIV cDNA transfected MT?4 cells, BIV tat and HIV gag were transcripted. The reverse transcriptase of the chimeric virus had biological activity. These data suggest that in MT4 cells, BIV LTR had promoter activity and BIV tat had the function of transactivation in the chimeric virus. The study of the chimeric virus with infectivity is in progress.

AIDS Vaccines↗

[Expression of human-mouse chimeric antibody directed against Chikungunya virus with site-specific integration system].

AIM: To obtain CHO/dhfr(-) cells line with integrated FRT sequence in the chromosome transcription active site and to express human-mouse chimeric antibody directed against Chikungunya Virus by using the cell line. METHODS: The fusion gene of FRT and HBsAg was constructed by PCR and cloned into the MCS of pCI-neo to construct pCI-FRT-HBsAg. The pCI-FRT-HBsAg was transfected into CHO/dhfr(-) cells and cell clones with high expression of HBsAg were screened by detecting the amount of HBsAg with ELISA. A CHO cell clone with the highest expression was chosen and named as CHO/dhfr(-) FRT(+). pAFRT HFLF, a expression plasmid of chimeric antibody with RFT sequence was transfected into CHO/dhfr(-) FRT(+) cells and cell clones with high expression of the chimeric antibody were screened by increasing concentration of MTX. A CHO cell clone with high expression of the chimeric antibody was cultured in large scale and supernatant was collected from which the chimeric antibody was purified. The purified chimeric antibody was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western blot and IFA. RESULTS: A CHO/dhfr(-) cells line with integrated FRT sequence in the chromosome transcription active site was obtained successfully. A cell clone with yield of 5 mg/L of chimeric antibody was obtained, as compared with routine CHO cell expression system with a yield of 2 mg/L. CONCLUSION: A cell line with integrated FRT sequence in the chromosome transcription active site was obtained and with it human-mouse chimeric antibody directed against Chikungunya virus was expressed. This system lays a solid foundation which can be used for expressing antibodies and other proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural and functional properties of mouse-human chimeric IgD.

A gene encoding mouse-human chimeric secreted IgD was constructed using the rearranged murine variable region specific for the hapten dansyl and the genomic gene sequences for the constant region of the heavy (H) chain of human IgD. When expressed with the dansyl-specific chimeric light (L) chain, chimeric IgD specific for the hapten dansyl was synthesized and secreted as an H2L2 molecule. The pathway of assembly was H + L----HL----H2L2. The chimeric IgD heavy chain contains three N-linked carbohydrate moieties; one of these appears to be added co-translationally, and the other two appear to be added post-translationally. In secreted chimeric IgD some of the N-linked carbohydrate remains in the high mannose form. The chimeric IgD heavy chain also contains O-linked carbohydrate, which is added at the time of secretion. Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation with tunicamycin halts assembly at the HL half-molecule stage and prevents secretion. Like natural human IgD, the chimeric IgD binds to and upregulates the IgD receptor (IgD-R) on human peripheral blood T cells, and it is equivalent to human myeloma IgD in the competitive inhibition of rosette formation between IgD-R-bearing cells and IgD-coated Ox-RBC, Cross-linking by dansyl-BSA is needed for the chimeric IgD in soluble form to cause IgD-R upregulation.

Animals↗

In vitro and in vivo properties of human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody specific for common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen.

A human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody specific for a common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen was efficiently obtained by ligating human heavy-chain enhancer element to the chimeric heavy- and light-chain genes. Cell binding and competitive inhibition assays of both radioiodine and indium-111- (111In) labeled chimeric antibodies demonstrated in vitro immunoreactivity identical with that of the parental murine monoclonal antibodies. The biodistribution of the radiolabeled chimeric antibody in tumor-bearing nude mice was similar to that of the parental murine antibody. Tumor accumulation of radioiodinated parental and chimeric antibodies was lower than that of 111In-labeled antibodies, probably because of dehalogenation of the radioiodinated antibodies. Indium-111-labeled chimeric antibody clearly visualized xenografted tumor. These results suggest that a human/mouse chimeric antibody can be labeled with 111In and radioiodine without the loss of its immunoreactivity, and that chimeric antibody localizes in vivo in the same way as the parental murine antibody.

Animals↗

Recombinant mouse/human chimeric anti-colorectal carcinoma antibody cACT19.

A mouse/human chimeric antibody cACT19 derived from the murine ACT19 antibody was constructed; it recognizes an epitope different from the sialosyl-Tn on the TAG72 antigen as defined by the B72.3 antibody. This chimeric cACT19 antibody was constructed by using two expression vectors, the heavy chain expression vector mpSV2neo-EP1-VHC gamma 1 and the light chain expression vector mpSV2gpt-EP1-VKCK. These vectors contain the following: (i) the neo or gpt gene as a selection marker, (ii) the murine immunoglobulin promoter and enhancer (EP1), (iii) the genomic DNA fragments of human immunoglobulin constant region (CK and C gamma 1) and (iv) the murine cDNA fragments of VH or VK region cloned from the murine ACT19 cDNA library. These two vector DNAs were sequentially transfected into the SP2/0Ag14 cell line. Transfectants were selected in media containing both G418 and mycophenolic acid. The chimeric cACT19 antibody was purified from the transfectant supernate by Protein A Sepharose chromatography. We confirmed that the chimeric cACT19 antibody was reactive for an epitope that differed from the sialosyl-Tn on the TAG72 antigen. This was achieved by using the TAG72-binding inhibition ELISA utilizing various monosaccharides and disialyllato-N-tetraose with the latter containing the NeuAc2-6 alpha Ga1NAc structure. The immunohistochemical double-staining technique provided further evidence of the difference between the epitope defined by the chimeric cACT19 antibody and the sialosyl-Tn epitope by illustrating complementary as well as noncomplementary expression of these two epitopes in different areas of colon carcinoma tissues. We also demonstrated that the chimeric cACT19 antibody displayed much more effective ADCC and CDC for the human OVAR3 tumor cells than the murine ACT19 antibody. Therefore, the mouse/human chimeric anti-colorectal carcinoma cACT19 antibody may prove to be useful in cancer immunotherapy in its own right, or especially when used in combination with the chimeric B72.3 antibody.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Monitoring of chimerism after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with unmanipulated marrow by use of DNA polymorphisms.

Highly polymorphic tandemly repetitive DNA sequences provide powerful genetic markers for the identification of individuals by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) even in close relatives. Over a three-year period, 61 consecutive patients from a single institution undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for various hematological diseases were grafted with unmanipulated marrow and followed for the development of hematopoietic chimerism. Three synthetic oligonucleotide probes homologous to the so-called minisatellite or variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) sequences were evaluated in the clinical setting of BMT for their usefulness: (i) to document marrow engraftment or rejection; (ii) to elucidate the kinetics of mixed chimerism; and (iii) in providing a sensitive tool for early detection of relapse. In addition, in patients with CML karyotyping and analysis of bcr/abl gene rearrangement was performed. Using this panel of three oligonucleotide probes, informative markers specific for donor or recipient RFLP could be demonstrated in all cases. Engraftment could be documented in all patients surviving beyond day +14 after BMT. Mixed chimerism was detected in 14% of the patients in the early phase (day +14 to day +78) after BMT but only one patient turned out to become a long-term stable mixed chimera. These results support the hypothesis that lymphocytes of recipient origin surviving the conditioning regimen may considerably contribute to mixed chimerism early after BMT. Long-term stable mixed chimerism is a rare event after BMT with unmanipulated marrow. Simultaneous analysis of chimerism after BMT by VNTR-RFLP, karyotyping, and detection of bcr/abl rearrangement in patients with CML showed corresponding results in nine out of 12 patients. In three patients either one of the methods failed to detect residual recipient cells in the early phase after BMT. Therefore different methods for assessment of mixed chimerism seem to complement rather than to exclude each other. Eleven patients who all exhibited complete chimerism early after BMT relapsed from their underlying disease. In seven of these patients grafted for acute leukemia, analysis of DNA-RFLP had been performed shortly before clinical relapse (30-86 days) and failed to herald relapse. As the sensitivity for the detection of the minor cell population by analysis of DNA-RFLPs is approximately 1%, these data may indicate that relapse of acute leukemia after BMT is characterized by a sudden increase in the percentage of recipient blast cells not detectable even by frequent RFLP analyses.

Adolescent↗

Minimal residual disease is more common in patients who have mixed T-cell chimerism after bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Determining both lymphoid chimerism and the presence of minimal residual disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) could be helpful to the understanding of the biology of leukemic relapse in this disease. We prospectively investigated 32 patients with CML post-BMT by assessing T-cell chimerism and minimal residual disease using sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodologies. Patients were studied between 1 and 24 months post-BMT. Thirty patients received a T-cell-depleted marrow grafts and 2 received unmanipulated marrow. All but 1 patient were conditioned with total body irradiation (TBI)+thiotepa+cyclophosphamide (Cy). The other patient received TBI+Cy as conditioning. The T cells were exclusively of donor origin in 12 of 16 patients who were tested at 1 month post-BMT, but were mixed chimeric in 11 of these patients by > or = 3 months. Once mixed T-cell chimerism was documented, no patient returned to having all donor T-cells. At a median follow-up of 12 months, minimal residual disease was present in 18 of 22 patients with mixed T-cell chimerism and in 3 of 10 patients with full donor chimerism. The actuarial molecular relapse rate at 24 months for the two groups is 91% and 33%, respectively (P < .02). The finding of BCR-ABL mRNA within the first 6 months of transplant or on two consecutive assays was highly predictive of subsequent cytogenetic or hematologic relapse (P = .032 and P < .02, respectively). Ten patients, 9 with mixed T-cell chimerism, have relapsed (4 clinical, 6 cytogenetic) at a median of 12 months post-BMT. These data suggest that mixed T-cell chimerism may be a marker for abrogation of graft-versus-leukemia activity that is thought to be pivotal in eradicating minimal residual disease after BMT for CML.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

[DNA polymorphism, allogenic bone marrow transplantation and peripheral cell chimerism].

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow transplantation or transplantation of peripheral stem cells is an effective treatment of a number of diseases. Its increasing success and expanding use in associated with the development of molecular diagnostic methods which enable to follow up the graft from its engraftment in a recipient and then during the whole posttransplantation period at the level extremely small numbers of cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: In peripheral blood of patients, genotypes of the following loci were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): APOB, COL2A1, D17S20, D1S80, HVR/1G, SRY and AMXY. Technique of restriction analysis was used for loci DXYS20 and DXYS75. 1. The first signs of donor bone marrow activity were observed in 50% of patients already at the beginning of the second week after transplantation, while in the second half of patients increasing number of donor cells in peripheral blood was noticed in the second and third week. 2. Engraftment with full and permanent substitution of own bone marrow without presence of recipients cells in peripheral blood--complete chimerism--was achieved only in a part of patients (cca 50%). 3. Peripheral blood of other patients did not contain only donor cells but also recipients cells--mixed chimerism. With regard to its onset, the authors have divided mixed chimerism into early and late, taking into account that some patients can develop both types. In patients under study, early chimerism was found more frequently, which apparently resulted from a shorter period of observation of lately transplanted patients. 4. In cases of oncohaematologic patients, which allowed to study specifically the presence of a pathologic clone, the follow-up of chimerism enabled to distinguish between relapse of the original disease and "biologic" recovery--resurrection of original disease-free haematopoiesis. 5. Regression of mixed chimerism was supposed to be the result of treatment focused at the original disease (CML), in some patients, however, it was a spontaneous process. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up of cellular chimerism in transplanted patients by means of molecular genetic methods provides substantial information about patient's shape which can be utilized it is necessary to decide on treatment procedures. For this reason it is desirable that examination of chimerism by molecular methods should form integral part of care of these patients.

Adolescent↗

Targeted T-cell depletion or CD154 blockade generates mixed hemopoietic chimerism and donor-specific tolerance in mice treated with sirolimus and donor bone marrow.

BACKGROUND: The administration of donor specific bone marrow (DSBM) to mice conditioned with antilymphocyte serum (ALS) and sirolimus can result in stable multilineage mixed chimerism and long-term graft survival. This study seeks to determine if either the targeted depletion of CD4 and/or CD8 pos T cells or costimulation blockade can substitute for ALS and preserve the efficacy of this regimen. METHODS: C57BL/6 recipients of BALB/c skin allografts were treated with DSBM (150 x 10(6) cells), sirolimus (24 mg/kg intraperitonealy), and either ALS or various monoclonal antibodies (alphaCD4, alphaCD8, alphaCD154 alone or in combination). Recipient peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) depletion, donor chimerism, and deletion of donor reactive T cells were assessed using flow cytometry. The specificity of immunologic nonreactivity and the presence of immunoregulatory activity were assessed through a mixed lymphocyte reaction assay. RESULTS: The administration of ALS, sirolimus, and DSBM resulted in sustained recipient PBMC depletion, transient chimerism, and prolonged graft survival. The substitution of an equivalent degree and duration of targeted depletion of either CD4 or CD8 pos T cells alone for ALS failed to produce chimerism or prolonged graft survival. In contrast, depletion of both CD4 and CD8 pos T cells resulted in durable multilineage chimerism, indefinite allograft acceptance (>350 days), and donor-specific tolerance to secondary skin grafts. Substitution of alphaCD154 monoclonal antibody for ALS also resulted in a state of mixed chimerism and donor specific tolerance. This tolerant state appears to be maintained at least partially through clonal deletion and suppression. CONCLUSION: Either combined CD4 and CD8 T-cell depletion or alphaCD154 blockade can effectively substitute for ALS in producing chimerism and tolerance in this model.

Animals↗

Comparison of variable number tandem repeat and short tandem repeat genetic markers for qualitative and quantitative chimerism analysis post allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of donor chimerism has become a routine procedure for the documentation of engraftment after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Quantitative analysis of chimerism kinetics has been shown to predict graft failure or relapse. In this study, we compared the use of variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) and short tandem repeats (STR) as polymorphic genetic markers in chimerism analysis. This study included qualitative and quantitative assessment of both techniques to assess informative yield and sensitivity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 206 samples representing 40 transplant recipients and their HLA-identical sibling donors. A panel of six VNTR loci, 15 STR loci and 1 sex chromosome locus was used. Amplified VNTR products were visualized in an ethidium bromide-stained gel. STR loci were amplified using fluorescent primers, and the products were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. RESULTS: VNTR and STR analysis gave comparable qualitative results in the majority of cases. The incidence of mixed chimerism (MC) by STR analysis was 45% compared to 32% in cases evaluated by VNTR analysis. STR markers were more informative; several informative loci could be identified in all patients. Unique alleles for both patient and donor could be identified in all patients by STR versus 32/40 by VNTR analysis. The STR markers were also more sensitive in the detection of chimerism. The size of VNTR alleles and differences between the size of donor and recipient VNTR alleles affected the sensitivity of detection. With both techniques, quantitative assessment of chimerism showed some discrepancies between the estimated and the calculated percentage of donor DNA. Discordance between the two estimates was observed in 8/19 patients with MC. However, sequential monitoring of the relative band intensity of VNTR alleles offered some insight into the direction of change in engraftment over time. CONCLUSION: The higher yield of informative loci with STR and the automated measurement of amplified STR 103 products offered the advantages of more rapid and accurate quantitative assessment of chimerism. The choice between these two techniques depends on the need for quantitative or qualitative information, the availability of equipment, and the cost.

Chimerism↗

Increased expression of Ia antigens on B cells after neonatal induction of lymphoid chimerism in mice: role of interleukin 4.

BALB/c mice rendered chimeric at birth by injection of 10(8) (A/J X BALB/c)F1 spleen cells develop a lupus-like autoimmune disease linked to the activation of donor B cells by host T cells. As in vitro studies previously indicated that interleukin 4 (IL4) was a mediator of the interactions between T and B cells, we analyzed the intensity of Ia antigen expression on B cells of chimeric mice. Flow cytometric analysis with anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies (mAb) revealed that B cells from spleens and lymph nodes of 2-week-old chimeric BALB/c mice displayed a two- to threefold increase in membrane Ia antigen expression, this increase still being present in spleens of 30-week-old animals. An increase in Ia antigen expression was also found in the small number of donor B cells detected in spleens and lymph nodes of chimeric mice. IL4 was the major stimulus leading to increased B cell Ia antigen expression, as this phenomenon was substantially prevented by in vivo treatment of chimeric mice with the anti-IL4 11B11 mAb. In vitro experiments revealed that host splenic T cells of chimeric mice, while unable to generate anti-donor cytotoxic T lymphocytes, secreted significant amounts of IL 4 when stimulated in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) with donor alloantigens. This IL4 secretion led to an increased expression of Ia antigens on donor-type F1 B cells present in MLC. No significant increase in Ia antigen expression was found on syngeneic BALB/c B cells co-cultured with T cells from chimeric mice unless A/J B cells were added to the cultures. Taken together, these findings indicate that increased Ia antigen expression on donor B cells is induced by IL4 secreted by anti-donor T cells. IL4 released in this setting also leads to increased Ia antigen expression on host B cells through a bystander effect.

Animals↗

Different behaviour of mouse-human chimeric antibody F(ab')2 fragments of IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 sub-class in vivo.

Mouse-human chimeric monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) of 3 different human IgG sub-classes directed against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have been produced in SP-0 cells transfected with genomic chimeric DNA. F(ab')2 fragments were obtained by pepsin digestion of the purified chimeric MAbs of human IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 sub-class and of parental mouse MAb IgG1. The 4 F(ab')2 fragments exhibit similar molecular weight by SDS-PAGE. They were labelled with 125I or 131I and high binding (80 to 87%) to purified unsolubilized CEA was observed. In vivo, double labelling experiments indicate that the longest biological half-life and the highest tumour-localization capacity is obtained with F(ab')2 from chimeric MAb of human IgG2 sub-class, whereas F(ab')2 from chimeric MAb IgG4 give very low values for these 2 parameters. F(ab')2 from chimeric MAb IgG1 and from parental mouse MAb yield intermediate results in vivo. Our findings should help to select the appropriate human IgG sub-class to produce chimeric or reshaped MAb F(ab')2 to be used for tumour detection by immunoscintigraphy and for radioimmunotherapy.

Animals↗

Apoptotic cell death induced by a mouse-human anti-APO-1 chimeric antibody leads to tumor regression.

The murine anti-APO-1 antibody (gamma 3, kappa) induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) following binding to the APO-1 antigen (m.w., 48 kDa) expressed, e.g., on activated or malignant lymphocytes. APO-1 expression on malignant cell lines and tissues suggested potential clinical utility supported by anti-APO-1-mediated tumor regression in a nude mouse model. A mouse-human anti-APO-1 chimeric antibody (gamma 3, kappa) with an affinity similar to that of the murine antibody was produced. Chimeric anti-APO-1 showed the same potential to inhibit growth of the SKW6.4 B-lymphoblastoid cell line as murine anti-APO-1. In addition, both the chimeric and murine anti-APO-1 antibodies were equally capable of mediating complete macroscopic tumor regression of a SKW6.4 xenotransplant in SCID mice by induction of apoptosis. Induction of apoptosis was the only mechanism for tumor regression because neither murine nor chimeric anti-APO-1 showed anti-tumor activity against solid H53 tumor (APO-1 antigen-positive, anti-APO-1-resistant) xenotransplants. Our results indicate that the chimeric anti-APO-1 antibody effectively induces apoptosis and suggest that chimeric anti-APO-1 should be evaluated for the treatment of malignant cells expressing the APO-1 antigen. However, chimeric anti-APO-I might only be used therapeutically when the antibody can be targeted specifically to tumor cells.

Animals↗

Effect of xenogeneic chimerism in a human/sheep model on natural antibody.

Xenogeneic transplantation is a potential solution to the severe shortage of donor organs for clinical transplantation. The primary limitation to xenogeneic transplantation between widely disparate species is hyperacute rejection, which is triggered by the recipient's natural antibodies reacting against the donor's endothelial cells. Natural antibodies react between widely disparate species but do not react between closely related species. Specific tolerance for xenogeneic transplantation between closely related species can be induced by creating hematopoietic chimerism between donor and recipient. However, whether specific xenograft tolerance can be induced by the creation of chimerism between widely disparate species, where natural antibody reacts, is unknown. We previously have established a model of hematopoietic chimerism between widely disparate species by the in utero transplantation of human fetal hematopoietic stem cells into early gestation fetal lambs. In the present study, we determined whether long-standing hematopoietic chimerism in this human/sheep model reduces the level of natural antibody directed against human endothelial cells. To answer this question, we measured the reactivity of serum from five chimeric sheep, five sheep controls, and five human controls in an in vitro enzyme-linked immunoabsorbance assay directed against human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Unexpectedly, we found that long-standing hematopoietic chimerism in the human/sheep model did not reduce the reactivity of serum against human endothelial cells compared to age-matched sheep controls. These results suggest that the induction of hematopoietic chimerism between widely disparate species will not control the problem of natural antibody and hyperacute rejection.

Animals↗

Construction of a series of ompC-ompF chimeric genes by in vivo homologous recombination in Escherichia coli and characterization of their translational products.

OmpC and OmpF are major outer membrane proteins and although they are homologous proteins, they function differently in several respects. As an approach to elucidate the submolecular structures that determine their differences, we have constructed a series of ompC-ompF chimeric genes by in vivo homologous recombination between these two genes, which are adjacent on a plasmid. The recombination sites in the chimeric genes were localized by means of restriction endonuclease analysis and nucleotide sequence determination. Most of the chimeric gene products were accumulated in the outer membrane. One of the chimeric gene products, with a fusion site in a central region between the OmpC and OmpF proteins, was normally expressed but not accumulated in the outer membrane. The trimeric structures of some of the chimeric gene products appeared to be extremely unstable in a SDS solution. From these results, domains contributing to the formation of specific structures in which the OmpC and OmpF proteins differ were identified. Bacterial cells possessing the chimeric gene products were also investigated as to their sensitivity to phages that require either OmpC or OmpF as a receptor component. With the aid of the chimeric gene products, the immunogenic determinants for three anti-OmpC monoclonal antibodies were found to be localized at different portions of the OmpC polypeptide: the N-terminal, central and C-terminal portions, respectively.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗