Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available by subscription via World Wide Web.

published_or_final_version / Dentistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

Immunoassays for 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and monensin in water were developed, devised and tested to see if the sensitivity could be established and improved. MIB and monensin are hydrophobic haptens with molecular weights of 168 and 671 Da, respectively. Rabbits were immunized with (-) camphor-BSA and (-) borneol-BSA for the production of polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) to MIB. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced in Mus musculus using (-) camphor-BSA as immunogen. (+) Bornylamine-thyroglobulin (TG) and MIB-TG were synthesized and used as plate coatings. For the monensin immunoassay, monensin was conjugated to BSA and OVA for immunogen and plate coating, respectively. Several physical parameters that affect the sensitivity of immunoassays including pre-incubation of antibody and antigen, incubation time and temperature, detergent, organic solvents, and ionic strength were evaluated. Improvement of immunoassay sensitivity was also performed by reducing the concentrations of coating antigen and antibodies and using alternative reporter systems such as chemiluminescence (CICL-ELISA), tyramide signal amplification (TSA) and biotin-streptavidin. Different assay formats, i.e., competitive indirect and competitive direct were also compared. Usability of both pAb-based immunoassays for MIB and monensin was evaluated in fortified water samples. A polyclonal-based (pAb) ELISA for MIB had a detection limit of 4.8 ng mL-1 and an IC50 of 105 ng mL-1. Rabbits immunized with (-) camphor-BSA showed a higher immune response than rabbits immunized with (-) borneol-BSA. One clone (i.e., 4F11) of fourteen characterized clones was used to create the monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based ELISA, which had an IC50 of 100.2 ng mL-1 and an LOD of 1.9 ng mL-1. The pAb- and mAb-based CI-ELISA were not specific to MIB alone and cross reacted with camphor and camphor-like compounds. Meanwhile, a pAb-based ELISA for monensin produced a detection limit of 0.1 ng mL-1 and had an IC50 of 1.056-1.090 ng mL-1 with high specificity to monensin. Other reporter systems did not improve the sensitivity of the immunoassays significantly. MIB and monensin polyclonal-based assays showed good correlation to analytical instrumental methods (i.e., GC-MS and LC-MS) in fortified water samples. With a detection limit of ca. 5 ng mL-1 and 0.1 ng mL-1 for MIB and monensin, respectively, both polyclonal-based assays can be used for detection of these analytes in water from different sources and employed as screening tools to complement GC/HPLC-MS instrument methods.

Intermediate filaments are fibrous proteins, appearing in a wide variety of tissue specific forms. The function of these proteins is poorly understood, although they are commonly believed to perform a structural role in the cell. Evidence suggests that the role these proteins play may be more dynamic than was previously believed. To gain more insight into their normal in vivo function, a single-chain monoclonal antibody has been constructed to serve as a specific reagent which can disrupt the intermediate filament network in vivo. The work presented in this thesis represents the first step in an approach which involves the use of single-chain monoclonal antibodies as specific reagents to target and disrupt the function of intracellular proteins. / The polymerase chain reaction was used for the cloning and modification of the heavy and light chain variable regions of the murine monoclonal antibody produced by the TIB 131 hybridoma. The variable regions of the light and heavy IgG chains were initially amplified from cDNA using degenerate 5$ sp prime$ primers and 3$ sp prime$ primers complementary to the constant region of the appropriate chain. The amplification products were cloned individually, sequenced, then modified to include restriction sites suitable for cloning into an expression vector. The two modified variable regions were cloned into an expression vector, and when expressed in either bacteria or in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, yielded a protein of the expected molecular weight.

The mucosal antibody repertoire of the cervical mucosa in commercial sex workers from Nairobi, Kenya, who are highly sexually exposed to human immune deficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) but remain persistently IgG seronegative (HEPS), may represent a novel source of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against HIV-1. Mucosal IgA specific for HIV-1 envelope (Env) subunit gp41 has been suggested as a correlate of protection in HEPS individuals. The in depth studies at both the gene and function level required to confirm their role in HIV-1 resistance are possible only using recombinant monoclonal IgAs. Human mAbs have traditionally been selected from libraries displayed on the surface of microorganisms (phage, yeast). However, due to inherent limitations, such techniques may not be optimal for isolating such rare mAbs from a pool of cervical B cells. We have developed an antibody selection system based on surface display on mammalian cells and used this technology to isolate four novel monoclonal antibodies, against linear epitopes on gp41, from the IgA repertoire of the cervical mucosa in Kenyan HEPS. Furthermore, three of the four mAbs were shown to bind with surface expressed consensus clade B and clade C Env on mammalian cells. Characterization of the variable region cDNA of the two strongest binding mAbs reveals extensive somatic mutations with a bias of replacement mutations clustering in the complementary determining regions (CDR) indicating antigen-driven affinity maturation had occurred. Affinity matured monoclonal IgAs, such as these, may play a role in the identification of new, vulnerable epitopes on HIV-1, or act as a component in a topical microbicide.

Heterosexual intercourse now accounts for the majority of HIV transmission within sub-Saharan Africa. The generation of microbicides and vaccines, therefore, requires a better understanding of the mucosal correlates of protection, including the role of HIV-specific IgA. It is now accepted that not all individuals are equally susceptible to HIV-1 infection, as exemplified by the HIV Exposed Seronegative (HESN) women of the Pumwani Cohort in Nairobi, Kenya. To assess whether mucosal IgA responses contribute to this protection, 3 novel IgA variable genes were cloned from HESN cervical B-cell cDNA. Nine monoclonal IgA Abs were produced, two of which were properly produced from cell culture. The HESN-derived A6/30L and A9/30L variants had a greater specificity for gp120IIIB than their A6/4L and A9/4L counterparts, while the A6 variant recognizes a distinct gp120 epitope compared to the broadly neutralizing antibody IgGb12. Further characterization of these IgA chains may suggest their suitability for use in microbicides or mucosal vaccines.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have been raised against $ beta$-tubulin of B. pahangi and A. suum. Anti-B. pahangi MAbs were used to investigate the heterogeneity of tubulins from nematodes and mammals. One-dimensional SDS-PAGE showed that MAbs P3D and 1B6 react with $ beta$-tubulin from a number of filarial and intestinal nematodes, but not with tubulin from protozoan and mammalian cells. Two-dimensional SDS-PAGE demonstrated that MAb P3D recognizes two isoforms of $ beta$-tubulin and 1B6 recognizes one. Limited proteolysis showed that MAb 1B6 reacted with the amino-terminal fragments and MAb P3D with the carboxyl-terminal fragments of $ beta$-tubulin. The effect of anti-B. pahangi MAbs on the viability of adult B. pahangi was assessed using MTT assay. It was found that MAbs P3D and 1B6 caused an 80% and 40% reduction respectively, in worm viability, whereas anti-chick MAb 357 or mebendazole drug had no effect. Immunogold labelling of B. pahangi demonstrated the presence of tubulin in the median and basal layers of the cuticle, hypodermal layer and somatic muscle blocks, as well as the uterus of B. pahangi. The reduction in the viability of worms may, therefore, be due to the disruption of microtubules in the body wall muscle of B. pahangi. The total MBZ binding was highest in the intestine followed by the body wall muscle and in the reproductive tract extracts of A. suum. Electron microscopy of A. suum tissues demonstrated that the tubulin content decreased from the intestine through the body wall muscle to the reproductive tract. One dimensional SDS-PAGE revealed the presence of $ alpha,$ $ beta sb1$ and $ beta sb2$ tubulin subunits in all tissues of A. suum. This data confirmed the reduction of tubulin from the intestine through the body wall muscle to the reproductive tract. Two dimensional SDS-PAGE followed by Western blotting demonstrated that $ alpha$ and $ beta$ tubulin isoform patterns are dissimilar in different tissues of A. suum. Body wall muscle, inte

No description available.

The mucosal antibody repertoire of the cervical mucosa in commercial sex workers from Nairobi, Kenya, who are highly sexually exposed to human immune deficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) but remain persistently IgG seronegative (HEPS), may represent a novel source of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against HIV-1. Mucosal IgA specific for HIV-1 envelope (Env) subunit gp41 has been suggested as a correlate of protection in HEPS individuals. The in depth studies at both the gene and function level required to confirm their role in HIV-1 resistance are possible only using recombinant monoclonal IgAs. Human mAbs have traditionally been selected from libraries displayed on the surface of microorganisms (phage, yeast). However, due to inherent limitations, such techniques may not be optimal for isolating such rare mAbs from a pool of cervical B cells. We have developed an antibody selection system based on surface display on mammalian cells and used this technology to isolate four novel monoclonal antibodies, against linear epitopes on gp41, from the IgA repertoire of the cervical mucosa in Kenyan HEPS. Furthermore, three of the four mAbs were shown to bind with surface expressed consensus clade B and clade C Env on mammalian cells. Characterization of the variable region cDNA of the two strongest binding mAbs reveals extensive somatic mutations with a bias of replacement mutations clustering in the complementary determining regions (CDR) indicating antigen-driven affinity maturation had occurred. Affinity matured monoclonal IgAs, such as these, may play a role in the identification of new, vulnerable epitopes on HIV-1, or act as a component in a topical microbicide.