Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Complement C4 shows extensive structural and functional similarity to complement C3, hence these components are believed to have originated by gene duplication from a common ancestor. Although to date C3 cDNA clones have been isolated from all major classes of extant vertebrates including Xenopus, C4 cDNA clones have been isolated from mammalian species only. We describe here the molecular cloning and structural analysis of Xenopus C4 cDNA. The cDNA sequence encoding the thioester region of Xenopus C4 was amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using Xenopus liver mRNA as a template, and then used to screen a liver cDNA library. The amino acid sequence of Xenopus C4 deduced from a clone containing the entire protein-coding sequence showed 39%, 30%, 25%, and 20% overall identity with those of human C4, C3, C5, and alpha2-macroglobulin, respectively. The predicted amino acid sequence consisted of a 22-residue putative signal peptide, a 634-residue beta chain, a 732-residue alpha chain, and a 287-residue gamma chain. Of 30 cysteine residues, 27 were found in exactly the same positions as in human C4. Genomic Southern blotting analysis indicated that C4 is a single copy gene in Xenopus and is part of the frog MHC cluster. These results clearly demonstrate that C3/C4 gene duplication and linkage between the C4 gene and the major histocompatibility complex predate mammalian/amphibian divergence.
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PMID:Fourth component of Xenopus laevis complement: cDNA cloning and linkage analysis of the frog MHC. 860 56

Abstract Interferon gamma (IFNgamma) is an important cytokine with immunomodulatory properties that include activation of immune cells and induction of class I and class II major histocompatibility complex antigens. In this study a retroviral vector was used to introduce the IFNgamma gene into EMT6 tumor cells to assess the effect of IFNgamma gene expression on tumor immunogenicity. Transfectants were selected in G418-containing tissue-culture medium and were determined to express the inserted IFNgamma gene by reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction. Flow-cytometric analysis revealed that parental unmodified EMT6 cells constitutively expressed only class I MHC and were poorly responsive to exogenous IFNgamma stimulation, whereas class II MHC was induced in IFNgamma-transfected cells. The induction of class II MHC in IFNgamma-transfected cells correlated with the expression of a mouse class II transactivator gene that was dormant in unmodified or mock-transfected cells. In addition, IFNgamma-gene-transfected tumor cells were found to secrete up to 17 ng IFN (equivalent to 75 units/10(6) cells) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Whereas parental EMT6 cells grew unchecked, the growth of genetically modified tumor cells was significantly inhibited in immunocompetent mice. Rechallenge of animals that rejected an IFNgamma-transfected EMT6 clone (EMT6-B17) with parental EMT6 cells resulted in tumor rejection, suggesting that IFNgamma-transfected EMT6 cells were able to induce long-term immunity. Mixing experiments using gene-transfected and unmodified tumor cells demonstrated that 10% of IFNgamma-transfected cells in the population was sufficient to protect mice against subsequent challenge with tumorigenic EMT6 cells. These studies demonstrate that the immunogenicity of tumor cells that are poorly responsive to exogenous IFNgamma can be enhanced by inserting and expressing the IFNgamma transgene. These findings also suggest a role for class II MHC in reducing tumorigenicity of the EMT6 tumor and inducing long-term tumor immunity.
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PMID:Interferon gamma (IFNgamma) gene transfer of an EMT6 tumor that is poorly responsive to IFNgamma stimulation: increase in tumor immunogenicity is accompanied by induction of a mouse class II transactivator and class II MHC. 862 May 27

In human spermatogenic cells, in contrast to somatic cells, expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules is undetectable. This lack of expression may contribute to the absence of female immune reaction against spermatozoa and may be necessary for gamete fusion. Among the molecular repressor mechanisms that may be used at the DNA level, we investigated 5' CpG methylation of the different class Ia and class Ib loci in meiotic pachytene spermatocytes and postmeiotic round spermatids, which had been purified from human testes by centrifugal elutriation. These results were compared with those obtained with mature spermatozoa and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and DNA locus-specific probes, we found that HLA-A, HLA-B/C, and HLA-E loci were similarly unmethylated in the germ and somatic cells tested, whereas HLA-F and HLA-G were even less methylated in the former cells. Together with the observation that spermatozoon DNA contains class I genes that are transfectable and able to direct transcription and protein synthesis in murine L cells, these data suggest that HLA class I genes are in an active conformation in male germ cells. We indeed found that both spermatocytes and spermatids contained low levels of class Ia and class Ib mRNA. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, followed by DNA sequencing, we also detected three HLA-G transcriptional isoforms, resulting from alternative splicings, which suggested that this class Ib gene may have a potential function in these germ cells. Although intracellular expression of beta2-microglobulin (the light chain that associates with HLA class I heavy chains) was found in spermatocytes but not in round spermatids, no membrane-bound nor intracellular translated HLA class I heavy chain was detected in either germ cell type, when monomorphic anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibodies were used. Thus, lack of expression of HLA class I proteins in the male germ line is likely to involve post-transcriptional mechanisms of regulation.
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PMID:Expression of HLA class I genes in meiotic and post-meiotic human spermatogenic cells. 879 64

Free energy maps of the binding site are constructed for class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins, by rotating and translating amino acid probes along the cleft, and performing a side-chain conformational search at each position. The free energy maps are used to determine favorable residue positions that are then combined to form docked peptide conformations. Because the generic backbone structural motif of peptides bound to class I MHC is known, the mapping is restricted to appropriate regions of the site, but allows for the sometimes substantial variations in backbone and side-chain conformations. In a test demonstrating the quality of predictions for a known MHC site using only a rotational and conformational search, we started from the crystal structure of the HIV-1 gp120/HLA-A2 complex, and predicted the HLA-A2 bound structures of peptides from the influenza matrix protein, the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, and the human T cell leukemia virus. The calculated peptides are at 1.6, 1.3, and 1.4 A all-atom RMSDs from their respective crystal structures (Madden DR, Garboczi DN, Wiley DC, 1993). A further test, which also included a local translational search, predicted structures across MHCs. In particular, we obtained the Kb/SEV-9 complex (Fremont DH et al., 1992, Science 257:919-927) starting with the complex between HLA-B27 and a generic peptide (Madden DR, Gorga JC, Strominger JL, Wiley DC, 1991, Nature (Lond) 353:321-325), with an all-atom RMSD of 1.2 A, indicating that the docking procedure is essentially as effective for predictions across MHCs as it is for determinations within the same MHC, although at substantially greater computational cost. The requirements for further improvement in accuracy are identified and discussed briefly.
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PMID:Free energy mapping of class I MHC molecules and structural determination of bound peptides. 881 60

Dendritic cells were identified in afferent lymph derived by lymphatic cannulation of cattle, stained with monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the bovine workshop cluster 6 (WC6) antigen, which is highly expressed on bovine afferent lymph veiled cells, and sorted with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. These cells expressed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II and CD1b but not CD14. They bound human and murine CTLA4-immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) fusion proteins indicating expression of CD80 and or CD86. Dendritic cells induced proliferative responses in allogeneic CD4+ and CD8+ cells sorted from blood but did not induce responses in purified allogeneic WC1+, gamma/delta T cells, which are CD2-, CD4-, CD8- and are the major gamma delta T-cell population in cattle blood, even when interleukin-2 (IL-2) was added to cultures. A WC1-, CD2+ gamma delta T-cell receptor (TCR)+ population predominates in cattle spleens and proliferation of a T-cell line with this phenotype was not induced by allogeneic dendritic cells, with or without added IL-2. The observations imply that the ligand for the gamma delta TCR expressed on the two populations is not present on allogeneic dendritic cells or that the costimulatory molecules expressed on dendritic cells that render them highly effective at stimulating MHC class I- and class II-restricted CD8+ and CD4+ T cells are not recognized by the WC1+ or WC1- gamma/delta T cells. Expression of CD28 by the four cell types was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Purified CD4+ and CD8+ cells both produced CD28 transcripts but neither purified WC1+ cells nor the WC1- gamma delta TCR+ cell line did so. The findings indicate that CD80 and or CD86 are involved in the stimulation of CD4+ and CD8+ alpha beta TCR+ T cells but not in the stimulation of either of the two gamma delta TCR+ populations.
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PMID:Afferent lymph veiled cells stimulate proliferative responses in allogeneic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but not gamma delta TCR+ T cells. 888 57

T helper (Th) epitopes can be included in a recombinant protein with B and CTL epitopes to create more effective immunogens. To determine whether the antigenicity of HIV Th epitopes is preserved in this altered molecular context, human Th clones specific for peptides of HIV gp120 and reverse transcriptase p66 were challenged with recombinant proteins carrying the antigenic epitopes in different sites. We found that a given epitope was recognized by a specific T cell clone only when it was inserted in a particular position of the carrier. However, the permissive position was not the same for all epitopes. Enzymatic excision from a nonpermissive context or insertion of a polyserine spacer between the epitope and the carrier restored antigenicity. Nevertheless, antigenicity was not abolished in a synthetic peptide encompassing the epitope and the neighboring residues from the nonpermissive location. These data suggest that, in this case, the primary sequence of the chimeric protein flanking the HIV peptide is not responsible for loss of antigenicity. Furthermore, constructs carrying the epitope in a given position were recognized by peptide-specific Th clones raised from some individuals, but not from others. We show that this is due neither to individual modes of processing nor to the use of distinct major histocompatibility complex MHC class II restriction elements, but rather that it is related to the fine specificity of the clones. To study the effect of epitope context on selection of T cell repertoire in a naive individual, T cell lines were generated in vitro by stimulation with different peptide constructs. This resulted in the induction of diverse clonotypes defined by the pattern of recognition of different constructs, by T cell receptor V beta gene usage and by fine epitope mapping.
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PMID:Antigenicity of HIV-derived T helper determinants in the context of carrier recombinant proteins: effect on T helper cell repertoire selection. 889 61

A superantigen (Streptococcus pyogenes mitogen-2; SPM-2) that stimulates human helper T cells bearing unique types of variable domains of T-cell receptor beta-chain (TCR V beta) was isolated from the culture supernatant of S. pyogenes strain T12. The active molecule isolated by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose chromatography and isoelectric focusing was a protein with a molecular weight (MW) of 29,000 and isoelectric point (pl) of 6.0. This new superantigen was found to activate preferentially V beta 4+, 7+, and 8+ T cells, whereas recombinant streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and C activated V beta 12+ and V beta 2+ T cells, respectively, as determined by flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods. This proliferative response was significantly inhibited by anti-HLA-DR monoclonal antibody, and required paraformaldehyde-fixed antigen-presenting cells (APC), indicating that this action is dependent on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules without processing. Analysis of the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the molecule failed to find any identical or significantly homologous proteins. We have previously reported that cytoplasmic membrane-associated protein (CAP), a streptococcal superantigen isolated from the cell membranes of S. pyogenes T12 strain, stimulated mainly V beta 8+ T cells. Both SPM-2 and CAP preferentially stimulated helper T cells, and rabbit antiserum against SPM-2 completely neutralized the T-cell-stimulating activities of CAP, suggesting that SPM-2 and CAP belong to a family of streptococcal mitogenic proteins. The SPM-2 activity with stimulation of V beta 8+ T cells was detected extensively in the culture fluids of group A streptococci, but not in those of other streptococcal species, including groups B and D streptococci, and most of the activities detected were completely inhibited by anti-SPM-2 serum. These results indicate that SPM-2 may be a newly discovered superantigen molecule, which can be commonly synthesized by group A streptococci.
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PMID:Superantigenicity of helper T-cell mitogen (SPM-2) isolated from culture supernatants of Streptococcus pyogenes. 930 30

Although CD4-targeted therapy abrogates acute rejection and may induce permanent graft acceptance in rodents, little is known about the mechanisms of long-term graft survival in these models. Recently, we have shown that treatment with a nondepleting anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) (RIB-5/2) induces long-term survival of renal, heart, and skin allografts in strong major histocompatibility complex I/II incompatible rat strains. Here, we demonstrate that the development of major histocompatibility complex-specific and tissue-nonspecific tolerance rather than graft adaptation is responsible for long-term anti-CD4 mAb-induced transplant survival. Donor-specific but not third-party heart and pancreatic islet grafts were accepted permanently without adjunctive therapy in long-term kidney allograft recipients, and infusion of naive or alloimmune splenocytes failed to break the tolerant state. Interestingly, alloreactive T cells were not depleted in these long-term survivors, as ex vivo donor-specific mixed lymphocyte reaction was largely unaffected. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses of long-term renal allografts before and after donor-specific antigen challenge revealed no changes in CD3 mRNA level, but showed up-regulation of CD25, interleukin (IL) 2, interferon (IFN) gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 mRNA in the early phase, suggesting the presence of alloreactive T cells in tolerant rats. At later time points, the expression of IFN-gamma declined rapidly, whereas IL-4 persisted, resulting in a reversal of IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio. Our data demonstrate the stability of anti-CD4 mAb-induced tolerance despite persistence of alloreactive T cells, suggesting the role of active tolerance-maintaining mechanisms. The T helper (Th) 1/Th2 shift may be involved in this regulatory process, as anti-CD4 mAb prevents acute graft-deteriorating rejection by effectively blocking Th1 responses, and well-functioning grafts may tolerize themselves by inducing regulatory cells.
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PMID:Anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody-induced allograft tolerance in rats despite persistence of donor-reactive T cells. 935 37

Maternal IgG is transferred to the suckling mouse and rat through a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related Fc receptor (FcRn) on the brush border of the proximal small intestine. We have previously described a site on the epithelial surface of the human fetal intestine with IgG binding characteristics similar to FcRn. We report here the identification by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of the human orthologue of rat and mouse FcRn in tissue obtained from human fetal and adult intestine. FcRn protein was detected in adult human intestine by western blot. Immunohistochemical studies of sections of human intestine show that the FcRn is localized mostly to the epithelial cells, where it is in the apical region. These data suggest that the binding of IgG previously seen in the fetal intestine is due to the presence of FcRn. Potential roles for this MHC class I-like Fc receptor in the human intestine include the transfer of passive immunity, induction of oral tolerance, and immunosurveillance.
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PMID:Expression of the neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn, on human intestinal epithelial cells. 937 Sep 26

Granzyme B is a protein thought to play a pivotal role in the cytolytic functions of T cells. In view of this, the inducibility of this gene in freshly isolated T cells (T-TILs) infiltrating human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in vitro was examined by using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A reduction in granzyme B messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in stimulated T-TILs from five of nine patients with RCC compared with autologous peripheral blood T cells was noted. The reduced expression was observed after multiple stimuli including anti-CD3 antibody, interleukin-2 (IL-2), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Because CD8+ T cells represent the predominant cytotoxic population, the ability of this cell population to express granzyme B mRNA after stimulation also was examined. When compared with CD8+ peripheral blood lymphocytes (T-PBLs) from patients with RCC and normal donors, the induction of granzyme B mRNA was reduced in CD8+ T-TILs. CD8+ T-TILs also had lower non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic activity than did CD8+ T-PBLs against both Daudi cells and allogeneic RCC cell lines. These results show that in a subset of patients with RCC, depressed lytic activity of CD8+ TILs compared with CD8+ PBLs is present. Reduced granzyme B mRNA expression also was noted in selected patients.
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PMID:Defective granzyme B gene expression and lytic response in T lymphocytes infiltrating human renal cell carcinoma. 940 54


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