Production, purification and characterization of mouse monoclonal antibodies against human mitochondrial transcription termination factor 2 (MTERF2)
PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION
Authors: Xiong, Wei; Huang, Weiwei; Jiao, Yang; Ma, Jie; Yu, Min; Ma, Mingxing; Wu, Hong; Tan, Deyong
Abstract
Human mitochondrial transcription termination factor 2 (MTERF2) is a member of the mitochondrial transcription termination factors (MTERFs) family and a cell growth inhibitor. To create a specific mouse monoclonal antibody against human MTERF2, the full-length His-tag MTERF2 protein (1-385 aa) was expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified recombinant protein was injected into three BALEB/c mice to perform an immunization procedure. Eight stable positive monoclonal cell lines were screened and established. ELISA results demonstrated that all antibody light chains were kappa, while the heavy chains displayed three subtypes IgG1. IgG2a, and IgG2b respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the monoclonal antibodies against human MTERF2 were determined using immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence analyses. Furthermore, serum regulation of human MTERF2 protein expression levels in human glioma U251 cells was examined with these monoclonal antibodies and the results demonstrated that the expression level of MTERF2 protein was dramatically inhibited by the addition of serum to serum-starved cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate the functionality of these mouse anti-human MTERF2 monoclonal antibodies, which may provide a useful tool to elucidate the role of MTERF2 in human mitochondrial transcription as well as other potential activities. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the preparation and characterization of mouse monoclonal antibodies against human MTERF2. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Advax delta inulin adjuvant overcomes immune immaturity in neonatal mice thereby allowing single-dose influenza vaccine protection
VACCINE
Authors: Honda-Okubo, Yoshikazu; Ong, Chun Hao; Petrovsky, Nikolai
Abstract
Neonates are at high risk for influenza morbidity and mortality due to immune immaturity and lack of priming by prior influenza virus exposure. Inactivated influenza vaccines are ineffective in infants under six months and to provide protection in older children generally require two doses given a month apart. This leaves few options for rapid protection of infants, e.g. during an influenza pandemic. We investigated whether Advax (TM), a novel polysaccharide adjuvant based on delta inulin microparticles could help overcome neonatal immune hypo-responsiveness. We first tested whether it was possible to use Advax to obtain single-dose vaccine protection of neonatal pups against lethal influenza infection. Inactivated influenza A/H1N1 vaccine (iH1N1) combined with Advax (TM) adjuvant administered as a single subcutaneous immunization to 7-day-old mouse pups significantly enhanced serum influenza-specific IgM, IgGl, IgG2a and IgG2b levels and was associated with a 3-4 fold increase in the frequency of splenic influenza-specific IgM and IgG antibody secreting cells. Pups immunized with Advax had significantly higher splenocyte influenza-stimulated IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 production by CBA and a 3-10 fold higher frequency of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4 or IL-17 secreting T cells by ELISPOT. Immunization with iH1N1 + Advax induced robust protection of pups against virus challenge 3 weeks later, whereas pups immunized with iH1N1 antigen alone had no protection. Protection by Advax-adjuvanted iH1N1 was dependent on memory B cells rather than memory T cells, with no protection in neonatal mu MT mice that are B-cell deficient. Hence, Advax adjuvant overcame neonatal immune hypo-responsiveness and enabled single-dose protection of pups against otherwise lethal influenza infection, thereby supporting ongoing development of Advax (TM) as a neonatal vaccine adjuvant. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.