Cellular Binding Assays Research Articles

H6phospa-trastuzumab: bifunctional methylenephosphonate-based chelator with 89Zr, 111In and 177Lu.

The acyclic chelator H6phospa and the bifunctional derivative p-SCN-Bn-H6phospa have been synthesized using nosyl protection chemistry and evaluated with (89)Zr, (111)In, and (177)Lu. The p-SCN-Bn-H6phospa derivative was successfully conjugated to trastuzumab with isotopic dilution assays indicating 3.3 ± 0.1 chelates per antibody and in vitro cellular binding assays indicating an immunoreactivity value of 97.9 ± 2.6%. Radiolabeling of the H6phospa-trastuzumab immunoconjugate was achieved with (111)In in 70-90% yields at room temperature in 30 minutes, while (177)Lu under the same conditions produced more inconsistent yields of 40-80%. Stability experiments in human serum revealed the (111)In-phospa-trastuzumab complex to be 52.0 ± 5.3% intact after 5 days at 37 °C, while the (177)Lu-phospa-trastuzumab to be only 2.0 ± 0.3% intact. Small animal SPECT/CT imaging using mice bearing subcutaneous SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenografts was performed, and it was found that (111)In-phospa-trastuzumab successfully identified and delineated small (~2 mm in diameter) tumors from surrounding tissues, despite visible uptake in the kidneys and bone due to moderate chelate instability. As predicted from stability assays in serum, the (177)Lu-phospa-trastuzumab conjugate served as a negative control and displayed no tumor uptake, with high uptake in bones indicating rapid and complete radiometal dissociation and suggesting a potential application of H6phospa in transient lanthanide chelation for bone-delivery. Radiolabeling with (89)Zr was attempted, but even with elevated temperatures of 37 °C, the maximum observed radiometal incorporation over 18 hours was 12%. It can be concluded from this work that H6phospa is not superior to the previously studied H4octapa for use with (111)In and (177)Lu, but improvements in (89)Zr radiolabeling were observed over H4octapa, suggesting H6phospa to be an excellent starting point for elaboration of (89)Zr-based radiopharmaceutical development. To our knowledge, H6phospa is the best desferrioxamine alternative for (89)Zr radiolabeling to be studied to date.

Identification of an H2-Kb or H2-Db restricted and glypican-3-derived cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope peptide

Glypican-3 (GPC3) is overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but not expressed in normal tissues except for placenta and fetal liver and therefore is an ideal target for cancer immunotherapy. In this study, we identified an H2-Kb or H2-Db restricted and murine GPC3 (mGPC3)-derived cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitope peptide in C57BL/6 (B6) mice, which can be used in the design of preclinical studies of various therapies with GPC3-target immunotherapy in vivo. First, 11 types of 9- to 10-mer peptides predicted to bind with H2-Kb or H2-Db were selected from the mGPC3 amino acid sequence based on the binding score as calculated by the BIMAS software. We evaluated the peptide-binding affinity and confirmed that all peptides were able to bind to H2-Kb or H2-Db by in vitro cellular binding assay. Subsequently, a mixed peptide vaccine and single peptide vaccine were given to B6 mice to evaluate immunogenic potential of the 11 selected peptides. Using the splenocytes from peptide-vaccinated mice, interferon (IFN)-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays showed that mGPC3-1127–136 (AMFKNNYPSL) peptide was the most efficient for inducing CTLs among the 11 peptides. Next, we demonstrated that the mGPC3-1 peptide-specific CTL line could recognize mGPC3-expressing cancer cells, suggesting that mGPC3-1 peptide was an endogenously presented peptide. In conclusion, we identified mGPC3-1 as an H2-Kb or H2-Db restricted, mGPC3-derived CTL epitope peptide.

Comparison of nerve growth factor receptor binding models using heterodimeric muteins

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a homodimer that binds to two distinct receptor types, TrkA and p75, to support survival and differentiation of neurons. The high-affinity binding on the cell surface is believed to involve a heteroreceptor complex, but its exact nature is unclear. We developed a heterodimer (heteromutein) of two NGF muteins that can bind p75 and TrkA on opposite sides of the heterodimer, but not two TrkA receptors. Previously described muteins are Δ9/13 that is TrkA negative and 7-84-103 that is signal selective through TrkA. The heteromutein (Htm1) was used to study the heteroreceptor complex formation and function, in the putative absence of NGF-induced TrkA dimerization. Cellular binding assays indicated that Htm1 does not bind TrkA as efficiently as wild-type (wt) NGF but has better affinity than either homodimeric mutein. Htm1, 7-84-103, and Δ9/13 were each able to compete for cold-temperature, cold-chase stable binding on PC12 cells, indicating that binding to p75 was required for a portion of this high-affinity binding. Survival, neurite outgrowth, and MAPK signaling in PC12 cells also showed a reduced response for Htm1, compared with wtNGF, but was better than the parent muteins in the order wtNGF > Htm1 > 7-84-103 >> Δ9/13. Htm1 and 7-84-103 demonstrated similar levels of survival on cells expressing only TrkA. In the longstanding debate on the NGF receptor binding mechanism, our data support the ligand passing of NGF from p75 to TrkA involving a transient heteroreceptor complex of p75-NGF-TrkA.

Heptameric Targeting Ligands against EGFR and HER2 with High Stability and Avidity

Multivalency of targeting ligands provides significantly increased binding strength towards their molecular targets. Here, we report the development of a novel heptameric targeting system, with general applications, constructed by fusing a target-binding domain with the heptamerization domain of the Archaeal RNA binding protein Sm1 through a flexible hinge peptide. The previously reported affibody molecules against EGFR and HER2, ZEGFR and ZHER2, were used as target binding moieties. The fusion molecules were highly expressed in E. coli as soluble proteins and efficiently self-assembled into multimeric targeting ligands with the heptamer as the predominant form. We demonstrated that the heptameric molecules were resistant to protease-mediated digestion or heat- and SDS-induced denaturation. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis showed that both heptameric ZEGFR and ZHER2 ligands have a significantly enhanced binding strength to their target receptors with a nearly 100 to 1000 fold increase relative to the monomeric ligands. Cellular binding assays showed that heptameric ligands maintained their target-binding specificities similar to the monomeric forms towards their respective receptor. The non-toxic property of each heptameric ligand was demonstrated by the cell proliferation assay. In general,, the heptamerization strategy we describe here could be applied to the facile and efficient engineering of other protein domain- or short peptide-based affinity molecules to acquire significantly improved target-binding strengths with potential applications in the targeted delivery of various imaging or therapeutic agents..

Cutting Edge: Human FcRL4 and FcRL5 Are Receptors for IgA and IgG

Fc receptor-like (FcRL) proteins are a family of cellular receptors homologous to FcγRI and are predominantly expressed by B cells. They function to costimulate or inhibit BCR signaling through consensus ITAMs and ITIMs; however, the extracellular ligands of these receptors remain unknown or controversial. In this study, we tested the ability of human FcRL proteins to bind Igs and found FcRL4 and FcRL5 to be bona fide Fc receptors. In cellular binding assays, FcRL4 bound efficiently to IgA and FcRL5 binds all IgG isotypes with varied efficiency. Additionally, we generated mAbs capable of specifically blocking these interactions. Given their expression on activated B cells and potential for inhibitory signaling, FcRL4 and FcRL5 are likely to be important for immune complex-dependent human B cell regulation, and they represent novel therapeutic targets for receptor blockade therapies.

Abstract 3529: A direct mass spectrometry approach for HPV T cell epitope identification

Abstract To rationally design therapeutic cancer vaccines, it is important to know which T cell epitopes are present on cancer cells. Malignant transformation affects the cellular antigen processing machinery, thus not every epitope derived from intracellular proteins is necessarily presented by MHC molecules on the cancer cell surface. Up to now, T cell epitopes have mostly been defined by indirect methods, such as screening peptide libraries for MHC binders, and subsequent lymphocyte reactivity and cytotoxicity assays. However, all these assays with externally added peptides do not answer the question whether a candidate epitope is naturally processed and presented on the malignant cell. This can now be elucidated by using highly sensitive mass spectrometry approaches. For this study, we chose high-risk HPV-driven cancers as a model system. The induction and maintenance of the malignant phenotype in these tumors are dependent on two viral oncoproteins, E6 and E7, which are therefore present in all stages of HPV-driven cancers. We here aimed to assess the presence of T cell epitopes restricted by the major MHC class I supertypes, namely HLA-A1, A2, A3, A11, A24, B7, and B15, on HPV16-transformed cells. Prospective epitopes from the HPV16 E6 and E7 proteins for the above MHC supertypes were identified by high-throughput in silico epitope predictions, employing several web-based prediction algorithms. These peptides were tested for MHC binding in cellular binding assays on B-LCL of the respective HLA type. Finally, MHC-peptide complexes were immunoprecipitated from HPV16-transformed cells, and the presence of candidate epitopes was analyzed by nano-HPLC-MS2 and MS3 mass spectrometry. Binding of the majority of predicted peptides to the respective HLA allele was verified in the cellular assays. Several novel HPV16 MHC binders were identified. We optimized the immunoprecipitation protocol for epitope yield. Mass spectrometry analysis was successfully established and validated for HLA-A2, and is currently performed for the other supertypes. In conclusion, we show that ascertaining the actual cellular presentation of HPV T cell epitopes is feasible. As the included HLA supertypes have a cumulative population prevalence of >95%, the resulting set of peptides may be used for the formulation of a widely applicable therapeutic HPV vaccine, or for immunomonitoring purposes in other HPV immunotherapy studies. * These authors contributed equally to this study. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3529. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3529

Abstract LB-316: Pharmacological and immunological characterization of the therapeutic anti-EGFR antibodies cetuximab, panitumumab and matuzumab: The combination of cetuximab and matuzumab results in enhanced effector functions

Abstract Background: Therapeutic antibodies can attack tumor cells by functionally interfering with the target and/or by employing immune effector mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). The objective of this study was to analyze the anti-EGFR therapeutic antibodies cetuximab, panitumumab and matuzumab with regard to both modes of action: Interference with EGFR signaling and immune effector functions. Methods: EGFR binding and inhibition of EGFR signal transduction were characterized for the individual antibodies and antibody combinations in various tumor cell lines. The ability of single antibodies or antibody combinations to kill tumor cells via ADCC or CDC was analyzed in ex vivo assays using human immune effector cell isolates from blood or human serum, respectively. Results: In cellular assays (FACS and binding assays with 125I-labeled antibodies) cetuximab, panitumumab and matuzumab showed similar EGFR binding affinities. All three antibodies were capable of blocking EGFR signal transduction (phospho-EGFR, phospho-ERK1/2, phospho-Akt, phospho-STAT3 and inhibition of VEGF production) with cetuximab and panitumumab being slightly more potent than matuzumab. Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as effector cells, cetuximab and matuzumab mediated a marked, dose-dependent ADCC response, while no or only marginal ADCC was observed with panitumumab. Natural killer (NK) cells were the main effector cells of the PBMC fraction. Comparable results were obtained in assays using whole blood indicating no or only marginal contribution of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to the ADCC activity. No CDC activity was detected with either antibody alone. Overlapping EGFR binding epitopes for cetuximab and panitumumab that are distinct from the binding site for matuzumab have been reported. However, in cellular binding assays only cetuximab and matuzumab (but not panitumumab and matuzumab) were able to bind simultaneously to EGFR. The combination of cetuximab and matuzumab led to a strong internalization and degradation of EGFR and to an increased inhibition of EGFR signaling. Interestingly, while the cetuximab-matuzumab combination did not result in enhanced ADCC we observed a strong increase in CDC activity and recruitment of complement factors. Conclusions: Cetuximab, panitumumab and matuzumab have different characteristics with regard to EGFR binding and immune effector functions. The non-competitive, simultaneous binding of cetuximab and matuzumab resulted in superior interference with EGFR function and enhanced CDC activity of the combination. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-316.

The Use of 3-Aminophthalimide as a Pro-Chemiluminescent Label in Chemiluminescence and Fluorescence-Based Cellular Assays

We present a labeling system for direct chemiluminescence-based cellular bioassays using the stable pro-chemiluminescent, luminol precursor, 3-aminophthalimide (API). API-coupled reporter molecules are detected chemiluminometrically after treatment with hydrazine, which converts the API label to luminol. API derivatives containing a variety of functional groups are readily synthesized, allowing for ease of coupling via the imide nitrogen to a host of reporter molecules. The fluorescent nature of APIs further allows for dual fluorescence and chemiluminescence studies. To highlight the utility of this label, we show that API-labeled insulin can be successfully utilized in cellular binding and transport assays and that an API-coupled mitochondrial probe (API-triphenylphosphonium(+)) can be used to both fluorescently and chemiluminometrically investigate mitochondrial function. We also assess the use of API as a polysaccharide and nucleic acid label, and we show that API-labeled palmitic acid undergoes cellular transport and lipid metabolism.

Screening and identification of vascular-endothelial-cell-specific binding peptide in gastric cancer

Antiangiogenesis therapy has become a hot field in cancer research. Blood vessels of tumor carry specific markers that are usually related to angiogenesis. Study of these heterogeneous molecules in different tumor vessels may be beneficial for promoting antiangiogenic therapy. In this study, we established an in vitro co-culture model of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC7901, screened the peptides binding specifically to the HUVECs co-cultured with gastric cancer cells (Co-HUVECs) using phage display peptides library, and studied the affinity of these peptides to gastric cancer vascular endothelial cells. After four rounds of panning, there was an obvious enrichment for the phages specifically binding to the Co-HUVECs, and the output/input ratio of Co-HUVECs increased about 590-fold (from 0.95x10(-7) to 561.25x10(-7)). Five phage clones (M6, M3, M9, IN12, IN11), which could strongly bind to Co-HUVECs instead of wild-type HUVECs, were characterized by ELISA. In vitro cellular binding assay showed that phage IN11 preferably bound to Co-HUVECs rather than control HUVECs, and the number of the phage IN11 recovered from Co-HUVECs was 5.7- and 16.9-folds, respectively, as much as those from control HUVECs and GES cells. Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical staining confirmed that phage IN11 could specifically bind to Co-HUVECs as well as vascular endothelial cells in gastric cancer tissue sections. Competitive and inhibitory assay revealed the synthetic peptide GEBP11 (CTKNSYLMC) displayed on phage IN11 could competitively inhibit binding of the phage IN11 to Co-HUVECs. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the fluorescence-labeled peptide GEBP11 was located at the membrane and perinuclear cytoplasm of Co-HUVECs. Meanwhile, GEBP11 was found to be able to target the gastric cancer vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, GEBP11 may be a potential candidate for targeted drug delivery in antivascular therapy and diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Functional Cartography of the Ectodomain of the Type I Interferon Receptor Subunit ifnar1

Ligand-induced cross-linking of the type I interferon (IFN) receptor subunits ifnar1 and ifnar2 induces a pleiotrophic cellular response. Several studies have suggested differential signal activation by flexible recruitment of the accessory receptor subunit ifnar1. We have characterized the roles of the four Ig-like sub-domains (SDs) of the extracellular domain of ifnar1 (ifnar1-EC) for ligand recognition and receptor assembling. Various sub-fragments of ifnar1-EC were expressed in insect cells and purified to homogeneity. Solid phase binding assays with the ligands IFN(alpha)2 and IFN(beta) revealed that all three N-terminal SDs were required and sufficient for ligand binding, and that IFN(alpha)2 and IFN(beta) compete for this binding site. Cellular binding assays with different fragments, however, highlighted the key role of the membrane-proximal SD for the formation of an in situ IFN-receptor complex. Even substitution with the corresponding SD from homologous cytokine receptors did not restore high-affinity ligand binding. Receptor assembling analysis on supported lipid bilayers in vitro revealed that the membrane-proximal SD controls appropriate orientation of the receptor on the membrane, which is required for efficient association of ifnar1 into the ternary complex.

Competition‐Based Cellular Peptide Binding Assay for HLA Class I

This unit describes a competition assay to determine binding of unlabeled test peptides to thirteen of the most prevalent HLA class I molecules. It uses cells expressing the HLA class I molecule of interest on their surface, fluorescently labeled reference peptides, and unlabeled test peptides. Cells of interest are stripped from their natural HLA-bound peptides using acid treatment and subsequently incubated with a mixture of labeled reference peptide and titrating concentrations of test peptide. Subsequently, FACS analysis is performed to determine the amount of bound reference peptide, which is a measure of the ability of test peptide to compete for binding to HLA. The assay provides IC50 values for binding of test peptides to HLA molecules. It can be performed in a normally equipped cellular laboratory, requires no additional equipment besides a flow cytometer (FACS), and is relatively easy to perform. Assay-specific parameters for several HLA alleles are provided.

A simple method for predicting serum protein binding of compounds from IC50 shift analysis for in vitro assays

The shift in apparent IC50 that attends addition of serum proteins to in vitro cellular, enzymatic, and receptor binding assays can be used to determine the dissociation constant for compound–serum protein complexes. We show here that a simple linear relationship exists between the apparent IC50 in the presence of serum protein and the inverse of the apparent Kd for the compound–serum protein complex. Using a series of cell-active kinase inhibitors we demonstrate that the Kd value derived in this way can be used to predict the extent of protein binding in serum for various compounds. This method should provide a simple means of assessing the relative serum protein binding propensity of compounds early in the compound optimization phase of drug discovery campaigns.

Competition-based cellular peptide binding assays for 13 prevalent HLA class I alleles using fluorescein-labeled synthetic peptides

We report the development, validation, and application of competition-based peptide binding assays for 13 prevalent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles. The assays are based on peptide binding to HLA molecules on living cells carrying the particular allele. Competition for binding between the test peptide of interest and a fluorescein-labeled HLA class I binding peptide is used as read out. The use of cell membrane–bound HLA class I molecules circumvents the need for laborious biochemical purification of these molecules in soluble form. Previously, we have applied this principle for HLA-A2 and HLA-A3. We now describe the assays for HLA-A1, HLA-A11, HLA-A24, HLA-A68, HLA-B7, HLA-B8, HLA-B14, HLA-B35, HLA-B60, HLA-B61, and HLA-B62. Together with HLA-A2 and HLA-A3, these alleles cover more than 95% of the Caucasian population. Several allele-specific parameters were determined for each assay. Using these assays, we identified novel HLA class I high-affinity binding peptides from HIVpol, p53, PRAME, and minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1. Thus these convenient and accurate peptide-binding assays will be useful for the identification of putative cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes presented on a diverse array of HLA class I molecules.

Synthesis and applications of end-labeled neoglycopolymers.

[reaction: see text] Neoglycopolymers that vary in length and contain a single fluorescent reporter group were synthesized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The utility of these materials is demonstrated by the development of a cellular binding assay for L-selectin, a cell surface protein that plays a role in inflammation. The data reveal that these multivalent ligands interact with multiple copies of L-selectin.

Cellular solid-phase binding assay and mass spectrometry for screening of α4β7 integrin antagonists

A qualitative cellular solid-phase binding assay for screening α4β7 integrin antagonists attached via photolinker to TentaGel® Macrobeads has been developed. An activation of the integrins with Mn 2+ was necessary to achieve binding to the bead bound antagonists. The identification of the resin bound compounds was done by mass spectrometry.

Functional Interactions of the Immunoglobulin Superfamily Member F11 Are Differentially Regulated by the Extracellular Matrix Proteins Tenascin-R and Tenascin-C

The axon-associated protein F11 is a GPI-anchored member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that promotes axon outgrowth and that shows a complex binding pattern toward multiple cell surface and extracellular matrix proteins including tenascin-R and tenascin-C. In this study, we demonstrate that tenascin-R and tenascin-C differentially modulate cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth of tectal cells on F11. While soluble tenascin-R increases the number of attached cells and the percentage of cells with neurites on immobilized F11, tenascin-C stimulates cell attachment to a similar extent but decreases neurite outgrowth. The cellular receptor interacting with F11 has been previously identified as NrCAM; however, in the presence of tenascin-R or tenascin-C cell attachment and neurite extension are independent of NrCAM. Antibody perturbation experiments indicate that beta(1) integrins instead of NrCAM function as receptor for neurite outgrowth of tectal cells on an F11.TN-R complex. Cellular binding assays support the possibility that the interaction of F11 to NrCAM is blocked in the presence of tenascin-R and tenascin-C. Furthermore, a sandwich binding assay demonstrates that tenascin-R and tenascin-C are able to form larger molecular complexes and to link F11 polypeptides by forming a molecular bridge. These results suggest that the molecular interactions of F11 might be regulated by the presence of tenascin-R and tenascin-C.

Dissection of complex molecular interactions of neurofascin with axonin-1, F11, and tenascin-R, which promote attachment and neurite formation of tectal cells.

Neurofascin is a member of the L1 subgroup of the Ig superfamily that promotes axon outgrowth by interactions with neuronal NgCAM-related cell adhesion molecule (NrCAM). We used a combination of cellular binding assays and neurite outgrowth experiments to investigate mechanisms that might modulate the interactions of neurofascin. In addition to NrCAM, we here demonstrate that neurofascin also binds to the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-R (TN-R) and to the Ig superfamily members axonin-1 and F11. Isoforms of neurofascin that are generated by alternative splicing show different preferences in ligand binding. While interactions of neurofascin with F11 are only slightly modulated, binding to axonin-1 and TN-R is strongly regulated by alternatively spliced stretches located in the NH2-terminal half, and by the proline-alanine-threonine-rich segment. In vitro neurite outgrowth and cell attachment assays on a neurofascin-Fc substrate reveal a shift of cellular receptor usage from NrCAM to axonin-1, F11, and at least one additional protein in the presence of TN-R, presumably due to competition of the neurofascin- NrCAM interaction. Thereby, F11 binds to TN-R of the neurofascin/TN-R complex, but not to neurofascin, whereas axonin-1 is not able to bind directly to the neurofascin/TN-R complex as shown by competition binding assays. In conclusion, these investigations indicate that the molecular interactions of neurofascin are regulated at different levels, including alternative splicing and by the presence of interacting proteins.

The psa locus is responsible for thermoinducible binding of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis to cultured cells.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis inv mutant strains cured of the virulence plasmid exhibit thermoinducible adhesion to cultured mammalian cells. To identify the genes responsible for this phenotype, Y. pseudotuberculosis homologs of the Y. enterocolitica ail and the Y. pestis psa loci were identified. Mutations in the Y. pseudotuberculosis ail and psa loci were constructed and tested for thermoinducible binding. Results of cellular binding assays indicated that only mutations in psa, not in ail, resulted in defects for thermoinducible binding, with inv yadA psa strains showing no detectable cell adhesion. In addition, an inv psa strain was defective for hemagglutination of sheep erythrocytes, in contrast to an inv psa+ strain which was fully competent for hemagglutination. The introduction of a plasmid containing a 6.7-kb KpnI-ClaI fragment of Y. pseudotuberculosis encompassing the psa locus was sufficient to complement both the cell adhesion and hemagglutination defects of the psa mutant. Results from subcloning and transposon mutagenesis indicated that the complete 6.7-kb region was required for thermoinducible binding and hemagglutination.

Detailed motifs for peptide binding to HLA-A ∗0201 derived from large random sets of peptides using a cellular binding assay

Extensive sets of in total about 2000 synthetic peptides were investigated for their binding affinities to HLA-A ∗0201. Comparisons of the amino acid compositions of binding to nonbinding sets of peptides provided new information concerning the rules for 9-, 10-, and 11-mer peptide binding at the amino acid level. Preferred primary anchors were shown to depend on peptide length, longer peptides being more demanding in this respect. A clear preference exists for certain amino acids at several nonanchor positions. In addition, the presence of particular amino acids at those positions almost completely precludes peptide binding. We found no evidence for preferred anchor pairs. From these results new and detailed HLA-A ∗0201 peptide-binding motifs for 9-, 10-, and 11-mer peptide binding were deduced. The motifs are in accordance with earlier reports but include new findings, including C as a C-terminal anchor, the importance of D at position 4 for binding, and the deleterious effect of R at position 5 (in 9-mers). The motifs are presented in such a way that they can be used to predict peptide binding to HLA-A ∗0201 by computer analysis (see accompanying paper [56]). Human Immunology 43, 1–12 (1995)

Human anti-HLA-DQw2 monoclonal antibody secreted by an Epstein-Barr-virus- transformed lymphoblastoid cell line: Assessment of the monoclonality, allospecificity, and target

IgM molecules were purified by the use of anti-IgM antibody-coupled Sepharose from the culture supernatant of an Epstein-Barr-virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell line, MP1, that secretes alloantibodies possessing HLA-DQw2 specificity as defined by the cytotoxicity assay. The obtained IgM preparation was labeled with radioactive iodine- 125I and fractionated by gel filtration. It contained pentameric IgM and smaller oligomeric IgMs. When tested by the direct cellular binding assay against a panel of HLA-typed cell lines, they all showed the DR3 and DR7 association pattern characteristic of DQw2. A weak but significant binding was detected for DR1, DR6, and DR9. On isoelectrofocusing, MP1 pentameric IgM gave a restricted banding pattern comparable to monoclonal IgM obtained from a patient with Waldenström's syndrome. Moreover, the pattern was identical to that of IgM purified from the culture supernatant of a defined hybrid clone, 162, that was generated by fusing MP1 cells with heteromyeloma D33 cells. The target class II molecules showed the dimeric structure that conforms to DQw2 molecules.