Induction of IgE receptors on human lymphocytes

Induction of immune rejection of tumors by protein A in mice bearing transplantable solid tissue Dalton's lymphoma tumors

In a transplantable solid tissue Dalton's lymphoma tumor model in mice we have studied the mode of antitumor action of protein A, a well known biological response modifier. Protein A (15 ug) was administered intravenously in normal and solid tissue Dalton's lymphoma tumor bearing mice on day 3 and 7 after tumor inoculation. Incidence of mortality was more in untreated tumor bearing group than that in PA treated tumor bearers. There was a significant decrease (p less than 0.001) in tumor diameter in PA treated group compared to untreated group. Protein A treatment significantly enhanced the delayed type hypersensitivity (p less than 0.01), T-cell number in spleens (p less than 0.001) and lymph nodes (p less than 0.05) as well as phagocytosis (p less than 0.001) of opsonized SRBC by peritoneal macrophages of tumor bearing animals. Apart from the nonspecific immunopotentiation, Protein A also activates natural Killer (NK) cell activity and also splenic lymphocytes mediated killing of autologous tumor targets in a significant (p less than 0.001) manner. These results suggest that PA treatment activates cellular arc of the immune system in general, and macrophage, T cells and NK cells specifically. In the present communication, we have attempted to provide the information that these immune activations appear to be related to antitumor response induced by Protein A.

Fc receptors for IgE (Fc epsilon R) on human lymphoid cells: inducible expression of Fc epsilon RII (CD23) on lymphocytes and detection by monoclonal anti-Fc epsilon RII antibody

The studies presented herein describe (1) a sensitive, quantitative, and objective assay for detecting cell membrane-bound form of Fc receptors for IgE displayed on human lymphoid cells based on measuring unlabeled Fc epsilon R-bound IgE by a solid-phase RIA of cell lysate fluids; (2) the development and characterization of an IgM monoclonal antibody, termed 7E4, which is specific for human lymphocyte Fc epsilon RII (CD23) molecules; and (3) a system for reproducibly inducing de novo synthesis and expression of Fc epsilon RII proteins on human lymphocytes following exposure to the mitogenic lectin, pokeweed mitogen. The Fc epsilon RII molecules induced by exposure to PWM were proven to be present on lymphocytes, and not on other cell types in several ways, including (1) documenting sensitivity of such proteins to both acid pH and trypsin treatment, the latter manipulation being ineffective in removing Fc epsilon RII molecules on basophils and mast cells; (2) demonstrating specific reactivity of the expressed Fc epsilon RII molecules with the 7E4 monoclonal antibody, which is specific for human lymphocyte Fc epsilon RII molecules and does not react with Fc epsilon R molecules on other cell types; and (3) observing the required concomitant presence of both T and B lymphocytes during the induction process and proving that the induced Fc epsilon R+ cells are indeed B cells of the Leu-12+ phenotype by fluorescence analysis. The ability to induce expression of Fc epsilon RII molecules on human lymphocytes exposed to a mitogen such as PWM requires special technical attention to the method of preparation and isolation of human lymphoid cells from peripheral blood. This in vitro system for up-regulating Fc epsilon RII expression on human lymphocytes should provide us with an important new tool to analyze the participation of such cells in the regulatory mechanisms controlling the human IgE antibody system.

IgE structure-function relationships defined by sequence directed antibodies induced by synthetic peptides

Six peptides, representing contiguous amino acid sequences within the C epsilon 2, C epsilon 3 and C epsilon 4 domains of murine IgE, were selected for synthesis on the basis of overall hydropathy, degree of homology to both human and rat IgE and, where possible, inclusion of a native cysteine residue. Antibodies were produced against each peptide by immunizing rabbits with peptide-KLH conjugates. Each anti-peptide antiserum exhibited good reactivity with the corresponding immunizing peptide (titer: 10(-4) to 10(-5] and four of the six antisera exhibited a distinct preferential murine IgE reactivity compared to four other murine immunoglobulin classes (IgG1, IgG2b, IgM and IgA). In addition, one antiserum (anti-epsilon peptide 5), raised against a peptide with 80% homology to human IgE, reacted comparably with both human and murine IgE. Each IgE-reactive antiserum was screened for the ability to stimulate mediator release from IgE-sensitized rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells. Two of the four IgE-reactive antisera strongly stimulated 3H-serotonin release (anti-epsilon peptides 4 and 5), one antiserum showed weak activity (anti-epsilon peptide 3) and the remaining anti-peptide serum (anti-epsilon peptide 6), which exhibited the highest anti-IgE reactivity, exhibited no detectable stimulatory activity. Individual anti-peptide antibodies were subsequently tested for the potential to bind to receptor-bound IgE. Anti-epsilon peptide 3 was shown to exhibit the least binding, anti-epsilon peptide 6 showed the highest magnitude of binding while anti-epsilon peptides 4 and 5 exhibited intermediate values. We conclude from this study that sequences defined by epsilon-peptides 4 and 5 are not significantly involved in the receptor binding mechanism whereas epsilon-peptide 3 is likely to be most proximal to the IgE-receptor recognition site of those sequences studied. Finally, we suggest that the epsilon-peptide 6 sequence is in such an orientation in cell-bound IgE that, while it is accessible to external antibody, effective cross-linking of the IgE-receptor complex cannot be achieved through this determinant.

Effect of protein A on mast cell numbers and macrophage phagocytic activity

Swiss albino male mice were given Protein A (PA) treatment ip (0, 1.0, 6.0 or 12.0 micrograms per mouse) twice weekly for two weeks. Alterations in white blood cell counts, peritoneal cell number, peritoneal macrophage and mast cell number were found. Macrophage induced phagocytosis of sheep red blood cells was also found enhanced in PA group. The maximum effect was found in 1.0 microgram of PA dose group of mice. From our studies it can be derived that PA induced tumor regression may be due to potentiation of macrophage induced antitumor activity.

IgE class-restricted tolerance induced by neonatal administration of soluble or cell-bound IgE. Cellular mechanisms

Certain aspects of the phenomenon of IgE class-restricted tolerance induced in mice by neonatal treatment with monoclonal IgE, either in soluble form or coupled to syngeneic spleen cells, were examined. The present studies document that this tolerance results from exposure to IgE molecules, irrespective of their antigen specificity, and the resulting effects are polyclonal in nature since IgE responses directed against antigenic determinants unrelated to the tolerance-inducing IgE molecules are affected. Moreover, such findings indicate that the molecular subregion(s) responsible for inducing IgE class-restricted tolerance resides in the epsilon heavy chain constant region domain(s) of IgE. When soluble IgE is employed, tolerance induction results from neonatal treatment with doses as low as 2.5 micrograms per injection per mouse; cell-bound IgE is considerably more potent, in terms of total dose required, since tolerance results from treatment with as few as 1 X 10(6) cells per injection (per mouse), equivalent to an absolute quantity of 0.2 ng of IgE per injection. This long-term class-specific tolerance appears to be a unique feature of the IgE antibody system, since treatment of mice with monoclonal antibodies of the IgA, IgG1, or IgG2b isotypes, either in soluble or cell-bound form, does not perturb antibody responses of their corresponding isotypes or in the IgE class. By analyzing the lymphoid cells of IgE-tolerant mice after they reached adulthood, the following observations were made: (a) lymphoid cells from such tolerant mice fail to develop FcR epsilon + cells upon in vitro stimulation with IgE, as is characteristically observed with lymphoid cells from nontolerant mice; and (b) mice rendered tolerant by neonatal treatment with soluble IgE possess IgE class-restricted suppressor T cells, demonstrable in adoptive transfer experiments, whereas no such suppressor cells are evident in mice in which cell-bound IgE was used for neonatal treatment. The latter observations could mean that two different mechanisms underlie the IgE class-restricted tolerance, or both mechanisms operate coordinately to varying degrees depending upon which regimen is used for tolerance induction, as discussed herein.

Mouse monoclonal IgE antibodies specific for ragweed pollen antigens

In order to obtain monoclonal IgE antibody specific for the major allergens in ragweed pollen extracts, hybridomas were constructed from spleens of mice immunized with ragweed antigen E (AgE). Two hybridomas were selected for thorough study, both secreting antibodies of the IgE class. Large quantities of IgE antibodies were isolated by affinity purification using Sepharose 4B conjugated with ragweed pollen proteins (Fraction A). Both MAbs were found to bind to a high molecular weight and heterogeneous population of proteins, but not to monomeric AgE as demonstrated by protein blot analysis. It is suspected that both MAbs react with low affinity with AgE determinants and binding could be demonstrated only with aggregated forms of AgE. Although the specific antigens with which they react are unknown, these monoclonal IgE antibodies should be useful reagents, complementing the previously obtained monoclonal anti-dinitrophenyl IgE antibody, for studying various aspects of the mouse and human IgE antibody systems.