Extraneous Proteins Research Articles

An isolated enriched organ-specific cancer neoantigen of human lung cancer for leukocyte adherence inhibition assays

Until now, measurement of human antitumor immunity to organ-specific cancer neoantigen (OSN) by the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay depended on using crude extracts of cancer. In this study, a new method is presented to generate and to isolate a highly enriched OSN from spent medium of a lung cancer cell line, NCI-H69, grown in chemically defined medium. Production of large quantities of OSN with minimal contamination by extraneous proteins was possible. Four physicochemical steps were used to give a 1000-fold enrichment of OSN activity: anion-exchange and molecular-sieve chromatography; Blue Sepharose affinity chromatography; and finally anion-exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography. The enriched OSN isolates showed dose-response antigenicity when tested in LAI assay with leukocytes from lung cancer patients but had no antigenicity with leukocytes from control subjects or patients having malignant melanoma, colon cancer, or pancreatic cancer. Cross-reactive antigenicity was observed with leukocytes from patients with breast cancer and slight reactivity with leukocytes from bladder cancer patients. The final isolate from the four-step separation procedure as well as the isolates produced using additional separation techniques consistently had antigenicity at less than 10 ng in blocking LAI and 500 ng in the direct assay and showed components with molecular weights of about 62,000 +/- 3,000 (SD) (p62), 40,000 +/- 3,000 (p40), and 25,000 +/- 1,000 (p25) by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The OSN isolates on two-dimensional gels showed p40 to have microheterogeneity (seven spots), with a pl from 6.2 to 7.6, and p62 and p25 as even more basic streaks. The polypeptide bearing the antigenic determinant was not purified, although we tried to separate p62, p40, and p25 to determine whether they carried the OSN determinant. The results of this study are important in showing that an isolate of an organ-specific tumor antigen containing 5 to 13 components, as determined by highly sensitive silver stains and radiolabeled patterns on single and two-dimensional gels, can be used successfully in LAI to measure tumor immune responses.

Cross-protection between Sunn-hemp Mosaic and Tobacco Mosaic Viruses

Summary Cross-protection reactions of two tobamoviruses, sunn-hemp mosaic virus (SHMV) and common tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-C), were investigated and compared. A mutant of SHMV (SHMV-n), produced by nitrous acid treatment, induced necrotic lesions in bean. SHMV protected completely against this mutant and against SHMV-n RNA. SHMV in bean protected only weakly, however, against TMV-C. To determine whether the coat protein of these viruses affected the ability to superinfect, RNA of each virus was encapsidated in the coat protein of the other. TMV-C RNA encapsidated in SHMV coat protein was five- to 27-fold less infectious on SHMV-infected bean leaves than TMV-C RNA re-encapsidated in TMV-C coat protein. When homologous or heterologous coat protein was added to inocula, infectivity for healthy plants was diminished markedly more by homologous protein, suggesting that extraneous homologous protein diminished infectivity by inhibiting viral uncoating. SHMV-n RNA encapsidated in TMV-C coat protein did not superinfect SHMV-infected bean leaves. Thus, although coat protein was shown to be a factor in cross-protection in some situations, other factors must also be involved.

Simplified Concanavalin-A Sepharose adsorption method for separation of cone visual pigments from rhodopsin

Batch adsorption of chicken photoreceptor extract using Concanavalin-A Sepharose enables separation of rod and cone pigments and separation of cone pigments of different color sensitivity. In earlier work, column separations using the same adsorption medium, although effective, with high resolution, were slow, demanding and required many differential bleachings of column fractions for analysis. It is shown here that affinity separations can be performed in the batch adsorption mode to purify cattle, frog and chicken rhodopsin. These procedures are more rapid and much more convenient. An extract from the chicken retina can rapidly be separated into four fractions, including three highly enriched (80% or more) visual pigment fractions; (1) extraneous proteins, carotenoids and phospholipids; (2) short wavelength-sensitive pigments; (3) iodopsin; and (4) rhodopsin. While the resolution is not as great as that of the columns, the selectivity is sufficient to produce cone pigments, which are only slightly contaminated with rhodopsin and free of other proteins, either to experiment with directly or to enable heavier loading on high resolution columns. The method is adaptable both to highly labile pigments and to very small quantities, neither of which perform well in column separations.

Mechanisms of fever induced by recombinant human interferon.

Since the early trials using human interferon (hIFN) derived from blood leukocytes or cell lines, fever has been a prominent component of IFN therapy. Human protein impurities might account for the fever to cell-derived hIFN, but recombinant hIFN, free of extraneous human proteins, has produced fever in nearly all recipients during clinical trials. Our present studies were carried out to determine the mechanisms of fever due to recombinant hIFN currently being used in humans. Because recombinant hIFN is produced in Escherichia coli, in these experiments we considered contaminating endotoxin as the cause of fever. Polymyxin B, which blocks endotoxin, had no effect on the pyrogenicity of hIFN in rabbits. In addition, hIFN injected into an endotoxin-resistant strain of mice produced fever. The pyrogenicity of hIFN does not appear to involve production of leukocytic pyrogen (LP), since no circulating LP was detected in rabbits during IFN fever. Furthermore, human mononuclear cells incubated with hIFN in vitro at 10(4)-10(6) U/ml did not release LP. However, hIFN stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release from rabbit hypothalamic tissue in vitro. Intracerebroventricular injection of hIFN into the awake cat also produced fever and a rise in PGE2 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid; both effects were reversed by treatment with indomethacin. We conclude that the fever of recombinant hIFN is not due to endotoxin but that hIFN is intrinsically pyrogenic by inducing PGE2 in the hypothalamus.

Severe homozygous protein C deficiency

An infant with recurrent purpura fulminans in the first year of life was found to have severe homozygous deficiency of protein C (less than 1% of normal levels). The episodes of purpura fulminans were controlled by infusions of fresh frozen plasma containing protein C. The requirement of frequent plasma infusions, however, eventually resulted in several complications secondary to hyperproteinemia. Factor IX concentrates rich in protein C were then given to maintain adequate levels of the factor while minimizing the amount of extraneous proteins. The patient has remained asymptomatic and free of complications for greater than 10 months while receiving these concentrates every 48 hours.

Characterization of the Solubilized Plasma Membrane ATPase of Red Beet

The plasma membrane ATP-phosphohydrolase (ATPase) from red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) storage tissue was solubilized with the zwitterionic detergent Zwittergent 3-14 from a plasma membrane-enriched fraction which was extracted with the anionic detergent, sodium deoxycholate. For both the extraction of extraneous proteins by deoxycholate and the solubilization of active plasma membrane ATPase by Zwittergent 3-14, the optimal concentration of detergent was 0.1% (weight per volume) with a detergent to protein ratio of 1.0 (milligram per milligram). The properties of the solubilized ATPase were found to be similar to the membrane-bound enzyme with respect to pH optimum, substrate specificity, inhibitor sensitivity, and kinetics of K(+) stimulation. The solubilized ATPase preparation formed a rapidly turning over phosphoenzyme, the breakdown velocity of which was increased in the presence of 50 millimolar KCl. Solubilization with 0.1% Zwittergent 3-14 following extraction with 0.1% deoxycholate resulted in an increase in both ATPase activity and steady state phosphoenzyme level; however, a direct correspondence between the increase in ATPase activity and phosphorylation level did not exist. It is proposed that this discrepancy may be the result of a detergent-mediated modification of kinetic rate constants in the mechanism of the enzyme.

Ultrastructure of unit fragments of the skeleton of the human erythrocyte membrane.

We have examined fragments of the filamentous network underlying the human erythrocyte membrane by high-resolution electron microscopy. Networks were released from ghosts by extraction with Triton X-100, freed of extraneous proteins in 1.5 M NaCl, and collected by centrifugation onto a sucrose cushion. These preparations contained primarily protein bands 1 + 2 (spectrin), band 4.1 and band 5 (actin). The networks were partially disassembled by incubation at 37 degrees C in 2 mM NaPi (pH 7), which caused the preferential dissociation of spectrin tetramers to dimers. The fragments so generated were fractionated by gel filtration chromatography and visualized by negative staining with uranyl acetate on fenestrated carbon films. Unit complexes, which sedimented at approximately 40S, contained linear filaments approximately 7-8 nm diam from which several slender and convoluted filaments projected. The linear filaments had a mean length of 52 +/- 17 nm and a serrated profile reminiscent of F-actin. They could be decorated in an arrowhead pattern with S1 fragments of muscle heavy meromyosin which, incidentally, displaced the convoluted filaments. Furthermore, the linear filaments nucleated the polymerization of rabbit muscle G-actin, predominantly but not exclusively from the fast-growing ends. On this basis, we have identified the linear filaments as F-actin; we infer that the convoluted filaments are spectrin. Spectrin molecules were usually attached to actin filaments in clusters that showed a preference for the ends of the F-actin. We also observed free globules up to 15 nm diam, usually associated with three spectrin molecules, which also nucleated actin polymerization; these may be simple junctional complexes of spectrin, actin, and band 4.1. In larger ensembles, spectrin tetramers linked actin filaments and/or globules into irregular arrays. Intact networks were an elaboration of the basic pattern manifested by the fragments. Thus, we have provided ultrastructural evidence that the submembrane skeleton is organized, as widely inferred from less direct information, into short actin filaments linked by multiple tetramers of spectrin clustered at sites of association with band 4.1.

Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase from human brain: Purification and partial characterization

A facile and rapid purification procedure, based upon the heat denaturation of extraneous proteins and GMP-Sepharose affinity chromatography, has been used to purify hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase from human brain. A homogeneous enzyme preparation, as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate and gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was obtained. The subunit molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated as 24,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The native molecular weight, determined by gradient gel electrophoresis, was approximately 100,000. These results suggest human brain hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase is a tetramer, consistent with recent results reported for the human erythrocyte enzyme. At least three charge variant forms of the human brain enzyme were distinguished by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, electrofocusing, and chromatofocusing. Acidic p I values of ∼5.7, 5.5, and 5.0 were estimated for the three major species.

Modified tissue culture medium for corneal storage. II. Investigation of the effect of the corneoscleral rim on bacterial contamination.

Our previous experiments showed the effect of time, temperature, and antibiotics on replication of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa introduced into the modified tissue culture medium (MTCM). Penicillin G potassium was ineffective in the MTCM, and gentamicin sulfate was not uniformly effective against a gentamicin-sensitive organism. Placement of the MTCM at room temperature for two hours enhanced the antibacterial activity of gentamicin. Culturing techniques that fail to remove the antibiotic from the system are invalid. Experiments reported herein showed that the addition of the corneoscleral rim (or extraneous protein) prolongs the survival of these same organisms. Organisms can survive in the MTCM despite high concentrations of gentamicin. Maintaining the MTCM at room temperature for two hours after storage at 4 degrees C effectively reduces but may not completely eliminate the recovery of organisms. The antibiotic removal device may be superior to other methods for recovering viable organisms.

Quantitation of rabbit cytochrome P-450, form 2, in microsomal preparations bound directly to nitrocellulose paper using a modified peroxidase-immunostaining procedure

Rabbit hepatic microsomal suspensions were bound directly to nitrocellulose sheets using a “Hybridot” apparatus to ensure uniformity. Cytochrome P-450, form 2, was then detected by a modified immunochemical method wherein the nitrocellulose paper was incubated sequentially with antibody to form 2 for 1 h at 25°C, rabbit anti-goat immunoglobulin G (IgG) at a 1:100 dilution for 15 min at 25°C, goat peroxidase-antiperoxidase at a 1:2000 dilution for 15 min at 25°C, and 3,3′-diaminobenzidine at 0.3 mg/ml plus 0.002% hydrogen peroxide for 30 min at 25°C. These conditions, as opposed to those previously published, yielded less background staining. The density of the stain, scanned with a soft laser (Zeineh), increased linearly from 2 to 100 fmol for purified form 2. Cytochrome P-450, form 2, was detected and quantitated in microsomal samples containing 0.1 to 0.5 and 0.02 to 0.05 μg protein for preparations from untreated and phenobarbital-treated rabbits, respectively. The results agreed with those obtained by Western blotting and single radial immunodiffusion. This assay is more sensitive than either Western blotting or radial immunodiffusion and has significant advantages such as ease of operation, increased sample numbers, and reduced interference from extraneous proteins.

Purification of testicular anti-Müllerian hormone allowing direct visualization of the pure glycoprotein and determination of yield and purification factor

An improved method is described for the purification of anti-Müllerian hormone from incubation medium of bovine fetal testes, using RIA to optimize the yield at different steps. Proteins present in incubation medium are precipitated by ammonium sulphate at 30–45% saturation and subjected to ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose. The bulk of the hormone is eluted from the ion-exchanger by a 0.12 M concentration of NaCl. Purification is achieved by immunochromatography on a monoclonal antibody: usually, addition of extraneous protein to the eluting buffer is required, but can be dispensed with if a second, cumulative, immunochromatography is performed by pooling the eluates from the first procedure. AMH obtained by this procedure has been studied using Coomassie blue and immunoblotting, and compared with fucose-labelled AMH, which is recognized by the same monoclonal antibodies as the carrier of the anti-Müllerian biological activity. In the absence of reducing conditions, several multimers, from 145 000 to 235 000 in molecular weight, are present. Reduction of disulphide bond linkages results in the disappearance of the multimeric forms, and the appearance of a 72000 monomer. Equivalence between RIA and weight units has been established in one experiment: one AMH unit corresponds to 15 μg of protein. Pure AMH isolated by this procedure is highly bioactive at a concentration of 200 mU/ml.

Monoclonal Antibodies to Human C4

A C4-specific monoclonal antibody has been developed that allows the rapid purification of C4 from whole serum or plasma by affinity chromatography. 1- to 2-ml volumes of serum are loaded onto a small column of antibody-coupled agarose beads and washed through with buffer. C4 is eluted by adjusting the pH to 11.2. The purified C4 is free of extraneous proteins as detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and retains high activity as assessed by hemolytic assay and incorporation of [14C]-methylamine. Columns are reusable, and the entire procedure can be adapted for large-scale purifications.

Interactions of Purified Rat Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor with Rat and Human Platelets – Effect of Albumin and Ristocetin

Rat platelets do not respond to ristocetin in their own plasma nor do they aggregate in the presence of bovine or porcine factor VIII von Willebrand factor (F VIII R:WF) or human F VIII R:WF in presence of ristocetin. However, rat plasma supports ristocetin induced aggregation of washed human platelets. In this study we report on purification of rat F VIII R:WF from cryoprecipitate. Similarly to porcine or bovine material, purified rat F VIII R:WF induced aggregation of human washed fixed platelets. This effect was enhanced by addition of ristocetin and was not modified by addition of albumin. Rat washed platelets were aggregated by ristocetin in the presence of rat or human F VIII R:WF provided that high concentrations of ristocetin are added in a system essentially free of extraneous proteins. Increasing concentrations of albumin dramatically reduced the ability of ristocetin to aggregate rat platelets while human platelet aggregation by human or rat F VIII R:WF was only moderately affected. These studies show that rat F VIII R:WF can interact with rat and human platelets. The lack of response of rat platelets to ristocetin in their own plasma is most likely due to a low sensitivity of rat platelets to this drug and to an inhibitory activity of plasma proteins on this reaction.

Purification of chymotrypsin by subunit exchange chromatography on the denatured protein

The alpha-chymotrypsin subunits immobilized under denaturing conditions (6 M urea or 1% SDS) on CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B, were found to interact with soluble chymotrypsin subunits with the formation of oligomers higher than dimers. Subunits immobilized under nondenaturing conditions form only dimers. The effects of several parameters, such as organic solvents, cations, and anions of the lyotropic series, on the associating properties of the immobilized derivatives were examined. The interaction between immobilized and free enzyme was shown to be specific because extraneous proteins and compounds were not bound by the derivatives. Chymotrypsinogen, studied analogously, did not show appreciable self-associating capacity. Chymotrypsin subunits immobilized under denaturing conditions and packed in a column proved to be suitable for the purification of chymotrypsin from both bovine and porcine pancreatic extracts. The "subunit exchange" chromatography of such extracts, carried out between pH 2.5 and 4, gave an eightfold purification with a 93% recovery of chymotryptic activity. The specific activity was ca. 12,000 Schwert and Takenaka units/mg. Only 6% of the tryptic activity was bound by the column. The capacity of the matrix, 6 mg chymotrypsin/mL, dropped to about 70% of the original value after.

Ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase from comfrey: Isolation and characterization

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from comfrey, Symphytum spp. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis studies on the purified product showed no extraneous proteins. Comparisons of the electrophoretic mobilities of the subunits to those of standard proteins indicated a large subunit MW of 50 000 and a small subunit of 12 700, which for an octameric structure of each subunit indicates a native MW of 502 000. Specific activities of the comfrey enzyme ranged from 1.2 to nearly 2 μmol 14CO 2 fixed/min.mg of protein over several preparations and were maintained for months when stored from the sucrose gradient at − 70°. The specific activities depended critically on the amounts of enzyme used in the assay even under saturating conditions of substrates and cofactors. The effective pH dependence for carboxylase catalysis peaked near 7.4, which apparently is the lowest elective optimum yet reported for this enzyme from any source. However, on a constant carbon dioxide basis the pH dependence profile was reversed with a maximum near pH 8.6 which was 0.4 units higher than the value for the spinach enzyme. The K ms for carbon dioxide and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate at pH 7.5 were 130 μM and 30 μM, respectively, which are comparable to the accepted values for the carboxylase from spinach at pH 7.2.

Partial Purification and Characterization of a Growth Factor for Macrophage Progenitor Cells With High Proliferative Potential in Mouse Bone Marrow

A population of macrophage progenitor cells, with high proliferative potential, has recently been demonstrated in postfluorouracil-treated and normal mouse bone marrow (BM) in vitro, when the newly discovered growth factor (synergistic activity, SA) is combined with a macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF) as a proliferative stimulus. SA, shown to be present in human spleen and placental conditioned media (HSCM and HPCM, respectively) have been studied and found to be unstable to trypsin digestion and to heating at 50 degrees C or above; stable between pH 4 and 9; nonadherent to Con-A-Sepharose; and to have an isoelectric point between pH 5 and 5.8 and a molecular weight of between 14,000 and 21,000 as indicated by gel filtration chromatography. SAs from both HSCM and HPCM have been purified 89- and 122-fold, respectively, by precipitation of extraneous proteins at pH 5 followed by chromatographing twice on Sephacryl S200. Neither of these partially purified SAs contain any CSF for mouse BM. These results indicate that the SAs from HSCM and HPCM may be closely related and that they are structurally different from CSFs derived from various murine sources that have been shown to be stable to proteolytic enzymes and heat.

Partial purification and characterization of a growth factor for macrophage progenitor cells with high proliferative potential in mouse bone marrow

A population of macrophage progenitor cells, with high proliferative potential, has recently been demonstrated in postfluorouracil-treated and normal mouse bone marrow (BM) in vitro, when the newly discovered growth factor (synergistic activity, SA) is combined with a macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF) as a proliferative stimulus. SA, shown to be present in human spleen and placental conditioned media (HSCM and HPCM, respectively) have been studied and found to be unstable to trypsin digestion and to heating at 50 degrees C or above; stable between pH 4 and 9; nonadherent to Con-A-Sepharose; and to have an isoelectric point between pH 5 and 5.8 and a molecular weight of between 14,000 and 21,000 as indicated by gel filtration chromatography. SAs from both HSCM and HPCM have been purified 89- and 122-fold, respectively, by precipitation of extraneous proteins at pH 5 followed by chromatographing twice on Sephacryl S200. Neither of these partially purified SAs contain any CSF for mouse BM. These results indicate that the SAs from HSCM and HPCM may be closely related and that they are structurally different from CSFs derived from various murine sources that have been shown to be stable to proteolytic enzymes and heat.

Isolation of bronchial mucins from cystic fibrosis sputum by use of citraconic anhydride

Citraconylation was used to solubilize cystic fibrosis sputum and to dissociate its mucus glycoproteins from extraneous proteins. The mucin fraction was isolated by precipitation with Cetavlon, and characterized in terms of amino acid and carbohydrate composition. The data suggest that, in determining the physical properties of glycoproteins of cystic fibrosis mucus, aggregation by noncovalent forces may be as important as (or more important than) disulfide bonds.

In vitro stability of nitrate reductase from barley leaves

Barley seedling nitrate reductase was stabilized in vitro without the use of extraneous protein by optimizing the buffer components. The extraction buffer (NRT 8.5) consists of 0.25 M Tris-HCl, pH 8.5, 3 mM DTT, 5 μM FAD, 1 μ M sodium molybdate and 1 mM EDTA. This buffer stabilizes the extracted nitrate reductase at O° and 30°, whereas the addition of extraneous protein to standard extraction buffers stabilizes the enzyme only at 0°.

Effects of phospholipid and detergent on the substrate specificity of adrenal cytochrome P-450scc. Substrate binding and kinetics of cholesterol side chain oxidation.

Cytochrome P-450scc was isolated from mitochondria of bovine adrenal cortex by hydrophobic chromatography on octyl Sepharose followed by affinity chromatography on cholesterol-7-(thiomethyl)carboxy-3 beta-acetate-Sepharose. The partially purified eluate from the octyl Sepharose resin was free of adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase and displayed biphasic binding characteristics for cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate (CA). Chromatography of the octyl Sepharose eluate on CA-Sepharose removed extraneous proteins and resolved the cytochrome P-450scc into two fractions, each of which displayed monophasic binding with all three substrates. These fractions behaved identically with respect to their ability to bind substrates, their kinetic properties, and their rate of migration during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The dissociation constants of the cytochrome P-450scc.substrate complexes are 1.1, 2.6, and 1.3 microM for cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate, respectively. Addition of phospholipids isolated from adrenal cortex mitochondria or adrenodoxin had no effect on the equilibrium binding constants. Addition of Emulgen 913, however, decreased the binding affinities 10-20-fold. Emulgen 913 also inhibited the interaction of adrenodoxin with the cytochrome. An active side chain cleavage system was reconstituted with purified P-450 by addition of saturating amounts of adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase, and NADPH-generating system. The apparent Km values for this reconstituted system of cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate are 1.8, 1.9, and 0.6 microM, respectively. Since the Km values of substrate oxidation are similar to the Kd values of the cytochrome P-450.substrate complexes, it seems likely that the binding of substrates, particularly when the side chain cleavage system is free of mitochondrial membranes, is not rate-limiting. Based on these results and electrophoretic data, it appears that one cytochrome P-450 present in adrenal mitochondria can oxidize cholesterol, its sulfate, and its acetate. This enzyme represented about 60% of the cytochrome P-450 present in the octyl Sepharose eluate. The factors responsible for the biphasic kinetics of oxidation by intact mitochondria and biphasic binding of sterol substrates by partially purified preparations of cytochrome P-450scc are still unknown.