The conserved N-linked glycosylation site on the Fc domain of IgG1 antibodies is essential for maintaining a functionally active conformation of the antibody. Different glycoforms of the Fc exhibit widely different effector functions. Similarly, therapeutic antibodies, with engineered glycosylation, exhibit altered binding to cellular Fc receptors (FcRs). Here, X-ray crystallographic structures were obtained for biosynthetic intermediate glycoforms of human IgG1 Fc bearing: unprocessed oligomannose-type, intermediate hybrid-type, and mature complex-type glycans. The fully processed Fc protein crystallised in an “open” conformation with glycans forming canonical stabilising interactions on the protein surface. Analysis of the biosynthetic intermediates revealed that these stabilising hydrophobic protein-glycan interactions are formed only after processing by Golgi -mannosidase II. Mutagenesis of hydrophobic residues on Fc disrupted crucial protein-glycan interactions resulting in the selective destabilization of the 3-arm of the glycan chain with the 6-arm closely matching that seen for the native structure. However, carbohydrate analysis of released glycans shows increased processing on both arms indicating a more accessible and flexible glycan in the mutant structure suggesting that the crystallographic structure of these antibody glycans represents a minor low-energy conformation. The importance of Fc glycosylation is highlighted by endoglycosidases which eliminate Fc effector function. The crystallographic structure of enzymatically deglycosylated IgG Fc revealed a significant collapse of the of Cγ2 domains resulting in a ‘closed’ quaternary conformation, incompatible with Fc receptor binding. This provides a structural explanation for immune deactivating properties of endoglycosidases including those under preclinical development for the treatment of antibody-mediated immune pathology. One such bacterial endoglycosidase, Endo S, was studied further and revealed a specificity for complex-type glycans of the type found on IgG but no hydrolytic activity towards an engineered IgG Fc with oligomannose-type glycans. Introduction of both the engineered monoclonal IgG and endoglycosidase in serum led to a dramatic increase in FcR binding as the competitive binding of serum IgG for FcRs was selectively eliminated. This approach is a general technique for boosting the effector signal of therapeutic antibodies.

Les cellules NK sont capables d’ADCC (Antibody Dependent Cytotoxicity) suite à l’engagement durécepteur Fc!RIIIa/CD16a, et de fonctions effectrices directes antivirales et anti-tumorales: c’est la«cytotoxicité naturelle ». Ainsi activées elles peuvent également répondre en produisant des cytokines, commel’IFN-!. La dégranulation et la synthèse d’IFN-! par les cellules NK observées après engagement du récepteurCD16a, dont l’expression est indépendante du polymorphisme V158F, ont été largement supérieures à cellesobtenues avec les autres récepteurs activateurs. Son engagement par les AcMor thérapeutiques a produit desréponses fonctionnelles variables selon l’AcMor, et selon les donneurs de cellules. La perte d’expression duCD16a membranaire s’est révélé être un marqueur sensible de l’activation des cellules NK, même quand cedernier n’était pas engagé. Enfin, l’emploi de d’inhibiteur d’ADAM17 (TMI-2 et TIMP3) a permis d’observerle maintien de l’expression du CD16a après activation cellulaire sans augmenter les réponses fonctionnelles.Ce travail souligne la place centrale de l’engagement du CD16a dans l’activation NK. / NK cell can trigger ADCC (Antibody Dependent Cytotoxicity) through the engagement of theFc!RIIIa/CD16a receptor, and « Natural Cytotoxicity » after integration of cellular signals coming from theiractivating and inhibitory receptors. Moreover, activated NK cells produce cytokines such as IFN-!.Engagement by monoclonal antibodies (mAb) of CD16a was strongly more efficient than that of any otheractivating receptor to induce degranulation and IFN-! synthesis. Functional responses depend on thetherapeutic mAb used to engage CD16a and on the donor of NK cells. CD16a down-modulation was a verysensitive marker of NK cell activation, whatever the mean of activation. It was inhibited in the presence ofTMI-2 and TIMP3 (ADAM17 inhibitors), whereas CD16-dependent functional responses were not increased.This work highlighted the major role of the CD16a receptor in the activation of NK cells.

Actuellement, 60% des médicaments sur le marché ont pour cible des protéines membranaires. Toutefois, l'étude de ces protéines membranaires reste un challenge de par leur structure particulière (domaines transmembranaires hydrophobes et domaines extra- et intra-cellulaires hydrophiles), mais également par leur faible expression sur les cellules.L'entreprise Ciloa, dans laquelle j'ai effectué ma thèse, a développé une technologie brevetée, qui permet d'exprimer à la surface des exosomes, des vésicules membranaires de tailles comprises entre 30 et 100nm, des protéines membranaires natives, grâce à un peptide d'adressage, le DCTM. Cette technologie possède de nombreux domaines d'applications, comme le criblage de médicaments, le développement de vaccins ou encore le développement d'anticorps monoclonaux.L'objectif de ma thèse a été, dans un premier temps, de mettre en place l'outil exosomes recombinants grâce à la technologie de Ciloa et dans un deuxième temps, d'utiliser ces outils pour le développement d'anticorps, grâce aux exosomes recombinants.Ainsi, j'ai d'abord mis au point différentes techniques de caractérisation des exosomes recombinants (ELISA), et également participé à la mise en place de différents protocoles de production et de purification, en fonction leur utilisation. Une fois ces outils optimisés, j'ai pu les utiliser pour le développement d'anticorps. J'ai testé en parallèle deux méthodes de production d'anticorps, une méthode classique, l'hybridation lymphocytaire après immunisation de souris BALB/c, et une méthode plus récente, le criblage d'une banque de scFvs par phage display.L'hybridation lymphocytaire a permis la production d'hybridomes, dont les anticorps ont été criblés sur exosomes, par ELISA. Dans le cadre du criblage par phage display, j'ai participé au développement d'une banque de scFvs, basée sur le modèle du 13R4, dont nous avons modifié les longueurs de boucles des différents CDRs, notamment le CDRH3, afin de cibler les épitopes faiblement accessibles des protéines membranaires. Les sélections de scFvs ont été effectuées sur exosomes recombinants, exprimant des protéines membranaires. / Nowadays, more than 60% of marketed drugs target membrane proteins. However, their study still represents a challenge, essentially due to their particular 3D-structure (hydrophobic transmembrane domains and hydrophilic extra- and intra-cellular domains), but also to their low expression level in cells.Ciloa, the start-up company in which I realized my PhD, has developed a patented technology that enables to express native membrane proteins on exosomes, membrane vesicles of 30 to 100nm, using a pilot peptide called DCTM (for Cytosolic Domain of TransMembrane). This technology displays a lot of different applications, in different domains such as drug screening, vaccines development or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) development.The purpose of my PhD research was, first, to set up the recombinant exosomal tool using Ciloa's innovative technology, and then to use this tool to develop monoclonal antibodies.Thus, at the beginning of my PhD, I set up exosomal characterization technics, such as ELISA, and I also took part in the setup of several production and purification protocols, depending of the use of exosomes. Once these tools had been optimized, I was able to use them to develop mAbs. I tested two methods, one classical, the generation of hybridoma after Balb/c mice immunizations, and a more recent technology, the screening of scFvs library by phage display.Therefore, I obtained hybridoma and was able to screen the derived antibodies by ELISA on exosomes. Concerning the phage display technology, I took part in the development of a new scFvs library, based on the 13R4 scaffold, of which we changed the CDRs lengths, mostly the CDRH3, in order to target epitopes with low accessibility, such as the one of membrane proteins. The library screening was realized on recombinant exosomes.

Student Number : 9000987E - PhD thesis - School of Medicine - Faculty of Health Sciences / The generation of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are able to block HIV-1 infection in vitro would be useful reagents for studying virus neutralization, and assist in identifying neutralizing antibody (NAb) epitopes of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. This may provide important information for designing HIV-1 vaccine that aim to induce NAbs. HIV-1 subtype C individuals with high levels of NAb titres were identified, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from these individuals were isolated and B-cells transformed with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Clones specific to HIV-1 gp120 using cell lysate preparations derived from HIV-1 subtype C infected cell lines were generated by performing limiting dilutions. Transformation efficiencies were estimated at over 80% by evaluating EBV-transformation cultures by microscopic visualization. Of these approximately 5% were HIV-1-specific. Five clones derived from the Du23 (1) sample secreting anti-HIV-1 antibodies were generated: 2.3C, 2.9D, 3.2C, 4.12E, and 1.5D. The 1.5D mAb could not be confirmed as anti-HIV-1 clone and it was probably lost during the process of subculturing. The remaining four Du23 mAbs were determined to be of IgG1 isotype lambda (λ) light chain. These mAbs bind to gp120, and 2.9D is probably a polyreactive clone. Clones 2.3C, 3.2C and 4.12E appear to be A32-like, but do not share the same epitope. We have determined that the binding sites for all four Du23 mAbs require at least the C1 region, and they also showed binding sites overlapping with F91 and 1.5E. All four Du23 mAbs required intact gp120 proteins for their binding, and soluble CD4 enhance their binding. Thus, their binding site is discontinuous and conformational. These mAbs are non-neutralizing as they showed limited activity of 30-59% when tested using T-cell line grown viruses or 0-30% when tested against pseudovirions. This activity is rather low when compared to over 80% shown by broadly neutralizing mAbs that have been described in the literature. The challenge in generating mAbs, in particular subtype C-derived, is to find those antibodies capable of suppressing viral replication in vivo and be capable of preventing infection. These reagents could be used to identify epitopes to guiding the design of HIV-1 subtype C envelope immunogens or vaccines. It is also envisaged that neutralizing antibodies used in therapeutic setting or in combination with antiviral drug therapy could reduce viral load and retard disease progression in infected people.

In the age of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) are now living significantly healthier and longer lives. However, HIV prevention and cure still remain significant challenges. Globally, women face specific barriers to using and accessing both female and male condoms, the primary method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent sexual transmission of HIV-1. Although HAART treatment as prevention (TasP) of HIV has shown promising preliminary results, poor economic feasibility of the method in resource poor settings has yet to be resolved. Since women carry over 50% of the disease burden, there is a significant need for the development of a female-controlled method of prevention. One such approach is the reformulation of topical vaginal microbicides. Our laboratory is developing HIV-targeted microbicide formulations that utilize highly specific, broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies (bNAbs). The purpose of my research project was to characterize Fc receptor expression in epithelial cell models of the lower female genital tract with a particular focus on the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). Fc receptors are a large family of proteins that bind to the Fc region of immunoglobulins (Igs) and function in Ig transport and effector functions. These receptors could function in enhancing the delivery of bNAbs in microbicide formulations or potentially serve as a mechanism of delivering HIV to target cells in tissues via transport of HIV-antibody complexes. Thus, this thesis assesses Fc receptor expression in human vaginal and endocervical organotypic cultures via microarray, quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistology and preliminary functional assays. Microarray results revealed significant expression of Fc receptor family genes in the epithelial cells of the lower female reproductive tract (FRT). The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), a well-characterized receptor that transports secretory IgA across mucosal epithelia, was abundantly expressed and hormonally regulated in epithelial cells of the vagina and endocervix. FcRn, a receptor originally characterized in the placenta and gut where it confers passive immunity from mother-to-child via bidirectional IgG transcytosis, was expressed in both tissue models. Moreover, several members of the novel FC receptor-like (FCRL) family were detected by microarray in both models. Immunohistological staining revealed pIgR protein in the endocervical mucosal epithelium, confirming current literature describing its expression in the FRT and role in local production of cervicovaginal secretions. FcRn protein expression was detected in the basal cell layer of the stratified squamous vaginal epithelium and in the columnar cells of the endocervix. Preliminary functional assays did not observe FcRn-specific transcytosis of human IgG across vaginal or endocervical epithelia by ELISA or immunohistology. VRCO1, a monoclonal antibody in development for application in microbicide formulation, crossed the epithelium, but was likely not transcytosed via FcRn because immunohistology revealed the presence of antibody between epithelial cells rather than the expected intracellular localization of IgG utilized in the FcRn mechanism. These preliminary findings indicate that Fc receptors, pIgR and Fc receptor-like proteins may play an important role in antibody-mediated immune responses in the FRT. Further research is require to determine whether FcRn functions in HIV-antibody complex-mediated HIV transmission or monoclonal antibody transcytosis.

Imunidade protetora depende da geração e manutenção do repertório de linfócitos T de memória. A geração dessas células está correlacionada com a apresentação de antígenos pelas células dendríticas (DCs). O direcionamento de antígenos tem sido estudado como um novo método vacinal que consiste em entregar antígenos diretamente para DCs usando anticorpos monoclonais. O principal objetivo desse trabalho foi direcionar uma proteína de Plasmodium para a subpopulação DEC205+ de DCs. Camundongos foram imunizados e então desafiados dias depois, com esporozoítos de P. yoelii. A proteína direcionada não protegeu camundongos do desafio, mas a proteína não direcionada protegeu, alcançando níveis de proteção estéril em torno de 100% em alguns casos. Observamos correlação entre a quantidade dos anticorpos e a proteção relativa dos animais imunizados com a proteína não direcionada. Além disso, utilizando anticorpos monoclonais demonstramos que a região conhecida como major repeat pode ser utilizada como alvo direto de pesquisas em vacinas contra malária. / In general, protective immunity against many pathogens depends on the generation of memory T cells, and the survival of cells for a long period of time after initial contact with pathogens. We know that the generation of these cells is correlated with the activation of parasite-specific immune cells and the presentation of antigens for dendritic cell (DCs). Targeting antigens to DCs has been studied as a new vaccination method, delivering antigens directly to DCs using monoclonal antibodies. The goal was target circunsporozoite protein (CSP), from Plasmodium, to a DEC205+ (DC) subset. Mice were immunized and challenged days later using P. yoelii sporozoites. Targeting protein did not protect mice from challenge, but non-targeting CS lead to 100% of protection. We found correlation between levels of antibody with protection, and high levels of anti-CS IgG in mice immunized with non-targeting protein. Using monoclonal antibodies we were able to map major repeat as a potential target for new researches in malaria vaccine.

No semi-árido paraibano há poucos relatos de ocorrência da raiva, há quem afirme que os caprinos, ovinos e asininos são resistentes à doença e a prática de vacinação é incomum. Este trabalho visou estudar a situação da raiva na região semi-árida de Patos-PB, estabelecendo o diagnóstico desta enfermidade em diferentes espécies de animais domésticos e silvestres. Foram capturados 12 exemplares de raposas (Dusicyon vetulus), por meio de armadilha; 192 morcegos insetívoros (Molossus molossus), capturados no Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural - CSTR, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande - UFCG, em Patos, e oito morcegos insetívoros (M. molossus) encaminhados por moradores desta cidade. As raposas capturadas foram submetidas à colheita de sangue e em seguida sacrificadas com uso de Ketamina e T-61. Outras 287 raposas e oito guaxinins (Procyon cancrivorous) atropelados e mortos nas rodovias que servem o município de Patos foram examinados, além de 74 amostras de diferentes espécies de animais domésticos, enviados pelo setor de Patologia do Hospital Veterinário do CSTR-UFCG. Os animais silvestres, uma vez transportados ao Laboratório de Virologia do CSTR-UFCG, foram necrópsiados e os fragmentos do cérebro, submetidos à prova de imunofluorescência direta (IFD) e inoculação intracerebral em camundongos (ICC) para o diagnóstico da raiva. Dos 581 materiais examinados, 50 (8,60%) foram positivos à IFD, dos quais 47 (8,09%) se confirmaram à ICC. Relativamente às espécies, 19/41 amostras de bovinos; 12/299 de raposas; 1/5 de ovinos e 2/6 de caninos apresentaram resultados positivos para ambas as provas. Amostras procedentes de caprinos, eqüinos e morcegos apresentaram resultados discrepantes entre as provas de IFD e ICC, de 2/6 e 1/6; 3/11 e 2/11; e 9/200 e 8/200, respectivamente. As amostras de vírus foram enviadas ao Laboratório de Raiva da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo, para extração do material nucléico, tipificação antigênica e genética. A tipificação antigênica e genética com base no gene M1 foi realizada no "Canadian Food and Inspection Agency", Fallowfield, Otawa, Canadá, patrocinado pela IICA – "Inter-American Institutes for Cooperation on Agriculture". A caracterização genética do gene N e o estudo filogenético foram realizados no laboratório do "National Institute of Infectious Diseases", Toyama, Tóquio, pelos pesquisadores do "College of Bioresources Sciences" da Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japão. O estudo do comportamento biológico das amostras foi realizado em camundongos, pela inoculação por via intracerebral, avaliando-se os períodos de incubação e clínico, no seu primo-isolamento. O comportamento biológico de um isolado de raposa foi estudado em caprinos e ovinos inoculados experimentalmente por via intramuscular. A mesma amostra foi utilizada para o desafio de asininos e eqüinos vacinados com uma vacina comercial de vírus inativado. Estes animais apresentaram níveis mensuráveis de anticorpos anti-rábicos neutralizantes e os resultados do desafio indicaram a eficácia da vacina contra o isolado de raposa. Os resultados da tipificação antigênica e genética permitem concluir que: na região estudada a epidemiologia da raiva é complexa, revelando existir variantes distintas, mantidas em cães domésticos, raposas, morcegos insetívoros e morcegos hematófagos. / In the semiarid of the State of Paraíba there are few reports of rabies occurrence, and it is said that caprines, ovines and asinines are resistant to rabies and the use of vaccines in these species is uncommon. This work aimed to study the situation of rabies in the semiarid of Patos-PB, establishing the diagnosis in domestic and wild animals. For the study, 12 foxes (Dusicyon vetulus) were captured alive; 192 insectivorous bats (Molossus molossus), captured at the "Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural-CSTR", of the "Universidade Federal de Campina Grande-UFCG", Patos-PB; and 8 bats (M. molossus) sent by residents of the city of Patos. Captured foxes were submitted to blood collection and then sacrificed using ketamine and T-61. Other 287 foxes and 8 raccoons (Procyon cancrivorus) road-kills collected from the roads serving the Patos municipality were examined. Other 74 samples from different domestic animals sent by the Pathology section of the Veterinary Hospital of the CSTR-UFCG were also included. The wild animals, once shipped to the Virology Laboratory of the CSTR-UFCG, were necropsied and brain fragments were submitted to the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and mouse inoculation test (MIT) for rabies diagnosis. Among the 581 materials, 50 (8.60%) were positive by FAT, and 47 (8.09%), confirmed by MIT. Concerned to animal species, 19/41 bovines; 12/299 foxes; 1/5 ovines; and 2/6 canines were positive for both FAT and MIT. Caprine, equine and bat samples presented discrepant results between the FAT and MIT, from 2/6 to 1/6; 3/11 to 2/11; 9/200 to 8/200, respectively. All the isolates were sent to the Rabies Laboratory of the "Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal", "Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia", "Universidade de São Paulo-FMVZ-USP", for extraction of nucleic materials, to perform the antigenic and genetic typing. Antigenic and genetic typing based on M1 gene was conducted at the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency, Fallowfield, Otawa, Canada, sponsored by the IICA – Inter-American Institutes for Cooperation on Agriculture. The genetic characterization of the N gene and the phylogenetic analyses were made at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama, Tokyo, by the researchers of the College of Bioresources Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan. The biologic behavior of the isolates was studied in mice through intracerebral inoculation by registering the incubation and the clinical periods at its first passage. The biologic behavior of a fox isolate was assessed in caprines and ovines, by experimental inoculation through intramuscular route. The same isolate was used for the challenge of asinines and equines that had been vaccinated with a commercially available inactivated virus vaccine. The vaccinated animals showed measurable levels of neutralizing antirabies antibodies and the results of challenge indicated the efficacy of this vaccine against the fox isolate. According to the results of antigenic and genetic typing, it can be concluded that in the region, the epidemiology of rabies is complex, revealing the existence of virus variants maintained in populations of domestic dogs, foxes and hematophagous and insectivorous bats.

Anticorpos monoclonais (AcMo) contra proteínas do vírus da raiva (RABV) foram produzidos para adequar a caracterização antigênica dos isolados no Brasil. Foram selecionados dois isolados de morcegos insetívoros, sendo um de Nyctinomops laticaudatus e outro de Eptesicus furinalis que apresentaram perfis não compatíveis (NC) com os pré-estabelecidos. As suspensões virais foram adaptadas para crescimento em cultura de células N2A. Para o preparo de AcMo foram utilizadas como antígeno as ribonucleoproteínas dos isolados selecionados. Foram obtidos dois AcMo, o 3A7 e o 4E10. Analisando 57 isolados de RABV com esses AcMo, o 3A7 reagiu com 21 (36,84%) e o 4E10 com 25 (43,85%). Dos 13 isolados caracterizados como variante antigênica 3 (Desmodus rotundus) o 3A7 reagiu com 8 (61,53%) e o 4E10 com 11 (84,61%). Dos 9 isolados com perfil NC em morcegos o 3A7 reagiu com 5 (55,55%) e o 4E10 com 4 (44,44%). Os anticorpos produzidos poderão auxiliar na complementação do painel existente de caracterização antigênica o que poderá aprimorar a vigilância epidemiológica da doença. / Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against the rabies virus (RABV) proteins were produced to improve the antigenic characterization of the isolates in Brazil. Two isolates from insectivorous bats were selected; one was from the species Nyctinomops laticaudatus and the other from Eptesicus furinalis, which showed non-compatible (NC) profiles from pre-established ones. The viral suspensions were adapted for growth in N2A cells. Ribonucleoproteins from selected isolates were used as antigen for the preparation of Mab. We obtained two Mab, the 3A7 and the 4E10. Of the 57 RABV isolates analyzed with these MAb, the 3A7 reacted with 21 (36.84%) and 4E10 with 25 (43.85%). Of the 13 isolates characterized as antigenic variant 3 (Desmodus rotundus), the 3A7 MAb reacted with 8 (61.53%) and 4E10 with 11 (84.61%). Of the nine isolates with the profile NC of bats the 3A7 reacted with 5 (55.55%) and the 4E10 with 4 (44.44%). The antibodies produced may help to complement the existing panel to antigenic characterization which could improve the disease epidemiological surveillance.

Estudos conduzidos por vários grupos demonstraram que é possível direcionar antígenos para diferentes subtipos células de dendríticas (DCs) utilizando anticorpos monoclonais (mAbs). Neste trabalho, fusionamos o mAb αDEC205 a dois fragmentos de massa molecular aproximada de 42 e 19 kDa derivados da proteína 1 de superfície do merozoíto (MSP1) do Plasmodium vivax, um importante candidato para o desenvolvimento de uma vacina contra a malária. Para estudar a resposta induzida pelo direcionamento da proteína MSP142 e MSP119 para o subtipo de DCs DEC205+CD8α+, administramos duas doses dos mAbs na presença de poly (I:C), que é um agonista de TLR3 e MDA5. Nossos resultados indicam que o direcionamento da MSP142 para o subtipo de DCs DEC205+CD8α+ é capaz de induzir uma potente resposta celular contra o fragmento de 33 kDa e elevados títulos de anticorpos contra a porção de 19 kDa nas duas linhagens de camundongos. / Studies conducted by several groups have shown that it is possible to target antigens to different subtypes dendritic cell (DC) using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Our group has been using a mAb that is able to direct the antigen to subtype of DCs DEC205+CD8α+ . In this work, we fused the αDEC205 mAb with a 42 and 19 kDa fragment derived from the Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), a major candidate for the development of a malaria vaccine. In order to study the response induced by the MSP142 targeting to the DEC205+CD8α+ DC subtype, we administered two doses of the mAbs in the presence of poly (I: C), a TLR3 and MDA5 agonist. Our results indicate that MSP142 targeting to the DEC205+CD8α+ DC subtype is able to induce strong cellular response against the 33 kDa fragment, and high antibody titers against the 19 kDa portion in two strains of mice.

This study evaluated two methods for the isolation and purification of anti-DNA antibodies. A two-step affinity purification with streptavidin (SA) biotinylated oligodeoxythymidine (dT) M-280 and protein G Dynabeadsª was compared to a two step method using Melon(TM) Gel and cellulose DNA. Although Melon gel allowed for faster antibody purification and a higher recovery rate it gave a product of less purity than the magnetic bead method. Further characterization of the antibodies was done by PhastGel(TM) non-reducing SDS-PAGE and isoelectric focusing in order to analyze purity and confirm the polyclonal nature of anti-DNA antibodies. Agilent 2100, with a higher resolution then SDS-PAGE, revealed possible subclasses of different MW not detected by SDS-PAGE. ELISA showed that all four IgG antibody subclasses were present, while Western blot confirmed the presence of human IgGs. Ultraviolet spectroscopy, Agilent, and fluorescence based assays were used to demonstrate DNA hydrolytic activity of purified anti-DNA antibody. / by Anna M. Kats. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, FL : 2008 Mode of access: World Wide Web.