1. |
- Figgemeier, Egbert, et al.
(author)
-
Modification of electron transfer properties in photoelectrochemical solar cells by substituting {Ru(terpy)(2)}(2+) dyes with thiophene
- 2004
-
In: Inorganic Chemistry Communications. - : Elsevier BV. - 1387-7003 .- 1879-0259. ; 7:1, s. 117-121
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A comparison of the properties of the 2-thienyl-substituted carboxyphenyl {RuII(terpy)2} dyes with their non-substituted analogues has enabled us to gain insight into the electronic properties that are prerequisite for efficient electron injection into the TiO2 conduction band in photoelectrochemical solar cells. Introducing the thienyl group has a profound effect upon the efficiency of photoinduced electron injection. This effect can be explained by a significant shift in the LUMO position from the terpy ligand anchored on the TiO2 surface towards the 2-thienyl substituted ligand, which is shown by means of electrochemistry and semiempirical calculations.
|
|
2. |
- Hinkula, Jorma, et al.
(author)
-
Immunization with DNA Plasmids Coding for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Capsid and Envelope Proteins and/or Virus-Like Particles Induces Protection and Survival in Challenged Mice
- 2017
-
In: Journal of Virology. - : AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY. - 0022-538X .- 1098-5514. ; 91:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a bunyavirus causing severe hemorrhagic fever disease in humans, with high mortality rates. The requirement of a high-containment laboratory and the lack of an animal model hampered the study of the immune response and protection of vaccine candidates. Using the recently developed interferon alpha receptor knockout (IFNAR(- / -)) mouse model, which replicates human disease, we investigated the immunogenicity and protection of two novel CCHFV vaccine candidates: a DNA vaccine encoding a ubiquitin-linked version of CCHFV Gc, Gn, and N and one using transcriptionally competent virus-like particles (tc-VLPs). In contrast to most studies that focus on neutralizing antibodies, we measured both humoral and cellular immune responses. We demonstrated a clear and 100% efficient preventive immunity against lethal CCHFV challenge with the DNA vaccine. Interestingly, there was no correlation with the neutralizing antibody titers alone, which were higher in the tc-VLP-vaccinated mice. However, the animals with a lower neutralizing titer, but a dominant cell-mediated Th1 response and a balanced Th2 response, resisted the CCHFV challenge. Moreover, we found that in challenged mice with a Th1 response (immunized by DNA/DNA and boosted by tc-VLPs), the immune response changed to Th2 at day 9 postchallenge. In addition, we were able to identify new linear B-cell epitope regions that are highly conserved between CCHFV strains. Altogether, our results suggest that a predominantly Th1-type immune response provides the most efficient protective immunity against CCHFV challenge. However, we cannot exclude the importance of the neutralizing antibodies as the surviving immunized mice exhibited substantial amounts of them. IMPORTANCE Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is responsible for hemorrhagic diseases in humans, with a high mortality rate. There is no FDAapproved vaccine, and there are still gaps in our knowledge of the immune responses to infection. The recently developed mouse models mimic human CCHF disease and are useful to study the immunogenicity and the protection by vaccine candidates. Our study shows that mice vaccinated with a specific DNA vaccine were fully protected. Importantly, we show that neutralizing antibodies are not sufficient for protection against CCHFV challenge but that an extra Th1-specific cellular response is required. Moreover, we describe the identification of five conserved B-cell epitopes, of which only one was previously known, that could be of great importance for the development of diagnostics tools and the improvement of vaccine candidates.
|
|
3. |
- Persson, Nina, et al.
(author)
-
Epitope mapping of a new anti-Tn antibody detecting gastric cancer cells
- 2017
-
In: Glycobiology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0959-6658 .- 1460-2423. ; 27:7, s. 635-645
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here, we introduce a novel scFv antibody, G2-D11, specific for two adjacent Tn-antigens (GalNAc- Ser/Thr) binding equally to three dimeric forms of the epitope, Ser-Thr, Thr-Thr and Thr-Ser. Compared to other anti-Tn reagents, the binding of G2-D11 is minimally influenced by the peptide structure, which indicates a high degree of carbohydrate epitope dominance and a low influence from the protein backbone. With a high affinity (KDapp = 1.3 × 10-8 M) and no cross-reactivity to either sialyl-Tn epitope or blood group A antigens, scFv G2-D11 is an excellent candidate for a well-defined anti-Tn-antigen reagent. Detailed immunohistochemical evaluation of tissue sections from a cohort of 80 patients with gastric carcinoma showed in all cases positive tumor cells. The observed staining was localized to the cytoplasm and in some cases to the membrane, whereas the surrounding tissue was completely negative demonstrating the usefulness of the novel Tn-antigen binding antibody.
|
|
4. |
- Wendel, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
A novel monoclonal antibody targeting carboxymethyllysine, an advanced glycation end product in atherosclerosis and pancreatic cancer
- 2018
-
In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Advanced glycation end products are formed by non-enzymatic reactions between proteins and carbohydrates, causing irreversible lysine and arginine alterations that severely affect protein structure and function. The resulting modifications induce inflammation by binding to scavenger receptors. An increase in advanced glycation end products is observed in a number of diseases e.g. atherosclerosis and cancer. Since advanced glycation end products also are present in healthy individuals, their detection and quantification are of great importance for usage as potential biomarkers. Current methods for advanced glycation end product detection are though limited and solely measure total glycation. This study describes a new epitope-mapped single chain variable fragment, D1-B2, against carboxymethyllysine, produced from a phage library that was constructed from mouse immunizations. The phage library was selected against advanced glycation end product targets using a phage display platform. Characterization of its binding pattern was performed using large synthetic glycated peptide and protein libraries displayed on microarray slides. D1-B2 showed a preference for an aspartic acid, three positions N-terminally from a carboxymethyllysine residue and also bound to a broad collection of glycated proteins. Positive immunohistochemical staining of mouse atherosclerotic plaques and of a tissue microarray of human pancreatic tumors confirmed the usability of the new scFv for advanced glycation end product detection in tissues. This study demonstrates a promising methodology for high-throughput generation of epitope-mapped monoclonal antibodies against AGE.
|
|