IL-18 is a cytokine with potent IFN-gamma inducing activities as well as an important mediator of Th1 polarized immune responses. In this study we demonstrated that IL-18 induces the concentration-dependent production of the proinflammatory mediators IFN-gamma, IL-6, and GM-CSF, but not the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 from peripheral blood lymphocytes in the presence of mitogen. Three neutralizing IL-18 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were investigated, one of which (2C10) inhibited IL-18 bioactivity with an IC50 of 0.1 nM and had a K(D) of 3.9 x 10(-11) M. A NOD/SCID mouse model engrafted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes was developed to test the in vivo efficacy of this MAb. The IFN-gamma production induced by LPS administration was inhibited approximately 90% by prior dosing of MAb 2C10. The therapeutic utility of a high-affinity IL-18 MAb may be of benefit in Th1-driven autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's Disease, where elevated levels of IL-18 have been observed.
Several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to chicken riboflavin carrier protein (cRCP) were developed and characterized. Of the several MAbs analyzed, four were directed against nonoverlapping epitopes as demonstrated by MAb inhibition assay. Many of these epitopes appeared to be in close proximity and only three were situated at distinct part of the molecule as revealed by sandwich assay. A combination of chemical modification, peptide cleavage by chemical and enzymatic methods, was used to analyze the possible antigenic structure recognized by these MAbs. An assembled epitope spanning the region 22-87 forms the antigenic site recognized by 4999.1; while MAb 5555.3 interacted with the C-terminal peptide 203-219.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a fundamental role in the regulation of normal and pathological processes. The most abundantly expressed component found in the ECM is collagen. Triple helical collagen is known to be highly resistant to proteolytic cleavage except by members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of enzymes. To date little is known concerning the biochemical consequences of collagen metabolism on human diseases. This is due in part to the lack of specific reagents that can distinguish between proteolyzed and triple helical forms of collagen. Here we used the technique of Subtractive Immunization (SI) to generate two unique monoclonal antibodies (MAbs HUIV26 and HUI77) that react with denatured and proteolyzed forms of collagen, but show little if any reaction with triple helical collagen. Importantly, HUIV26 and HUI77 react with cryptic sites within the ECM of human melanoma tumors, demonstrating their utility for immunohistochemical analysis in vivo. Thus, the generation of these novel MAbs not only identify specific cryptic epitopes within triple helical collagen, but also provide important new reagents for studying the roles of collagen remodeling in normal as well as pathological processes.
Erythroid cell stimulating factor (ESF) is present in mouse serum and has been reported to function in concert with erythropoietin (EPO) in the formation of erythroid cells in in vitro culture systems. We report here the generation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against ESF, with potent anti-ESF-neutralizing activity. A hybridoma-producing MAb to ESF was selected following enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based screening of 270 colonies obtained from a fusion of immunized mouse splenocytes with NS1 myeloma cells. Western blot analyses of mouse serum using this antibody specifically detected a single protein (approximate molecular weight of 60 kDa and 120 kDa, under reducing and nonreducing conditions, respectively) corresponding to ESF, with no reactivity to EPO. Furthermore, this MAb demonstrated reactivity to a protein similar in molecular mass, across species, showing reactivity in sera obtained from human, horse, goat, guinea pig, rabbit, and rat. Immuno-chemical characterization demonstrated this antibody to be of IgG3 isotype, bearing kappa light chains. Injection of this monoclonal anti-ESF antibody to exhypoxic polycythemic mice at 6 and 24 h after EPO injection significantly reduced 59Fe incorporation into red blood cells, demonstrating its ability to neutralize in vivo erythropoiesis in our mouse model system. Thus, this novel erythroid cell-specific MAb will be an invaluable tool for further delineating the physiological role of ESF in in vivo erythropoiesis.