Tropoelastin, the precursor of elastin, undergoes a rapid monomer to multimer association in an inverse temperature transition. This association culminates in the rapid formation of stable, optically distinct droplets of tropoelastin. Light scattering and microscope measurements reveal that these droplets are 2-6 microm in diameter. Scanning electron microscopy confirms that the droplets are spherical. Three-dimensional confocal image stacks based on the autofluorescence of tropoelastin reveal that droplets are loaded with hydrated tropoelastin. Droplets are viable intermediates in synthetic elastin macroassembly. Dense clusters of aggregated droplets and partially formed fibers develop when droplets are incubated in the presence of a lysyl oxidase. Lysine-reacting chemical and enzyme-assisted cross-linking conditions generate cross-linked beads due to interactions between multiple, surface-exposed lysine epsilon-amino groups. Droplets represent an efficient mechanism for the bolus delivery during elastogenesis of quantized packages of preaccreted tropoelastin.

In forming elastic fibers, microfibrils act as the scaffold sites for depositing the elastin precursor tropoelastin. We examined key binding interactions that promote massive tropoelastin association through coacervation. Using a segment of the microfibril protein fibrillin-1, PF2, known to bind full-length tropoelastin, we mapped its interaction site to the N-terminal region of tropoelastin bounded by domains 2 and 18. Precise contact residues between domain 4 of tropoelastin and domain 16 of fibrillin-1 were discovered through a novel combination of transglutaminase cross-linking and mass spectroscopy, with contact sites at residues K38 of tropoelastin and Q669 of fibrillin-1. This is the first report of a role for this region of tropoelastin in microfibril interactions. The addition of PF2 thermodynamically facilitated the coacervation of tropoelastin, resulting in smaller changes in entropy and enthalpy values for the coacervating system. A novel multicomponent in vitro tropoelastin assembly reaction system demonstrated that amassed tropoelastin was spatially and preferentially directed to surfaces coated with PF2 as expected for organized three-dimensional distribution during tissue elastogenesis. This study underscores the role of this part of fibrillin-1 as an anchor point for tropoelastin at the microfibril-elastin junction during the initial stages of elastic fiber assembly.

TL1A is an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of mucosal inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and asthma. Blockade of the TL1A pathway has been shown to reduce inflammatory responses while leaving baseline immunity intact, and to be beneficial in animal models of colitis and asthma. Given the therapeutic potential of blocking this pathway in IBD and asthma, we developed C03V, a human antibody that binds with high affinity to soluble and membrane-bound TL1A. In an assay measuring apoptosis induced by exogenous TL1A, C03V was 43-fold more potent than the next most potent anti-TL1A antibody analyzed. C03V also potently inhibited endogenous TL1A activity in a primary cell-based assay. This potency was linked to the C03V-binding epitope on TL1A, encompassing the residue R32. This residue is critical for the binding of TL1A to its signaling receptor DR3 but not to its decoy receptor DcR3, and explains why C03V inhibited TL1A-DR3 binding to a much greater extent than TL1A-DcR3 binding. This characteristic may be advantageous to preserve some of the homeostatic functions of DcR3, such as TL1A antagonism. In colitis models, C03V significantly ameliorated microscopic, macroscopic and clinical aspects of disease pathology, and in an asthma model it significantly reduced airways inflammation. Notable in both types of disease model was the reduction in fibrosis observed after C03V treatment. C03V has the potential to address unmet medical needs in asthma and IBD.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately three million people in the United States. Furthermore, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) affects an estimated additional 6% of the population, e.g., 20 million in the U.S. The only effective treatment of CD and NCGS requires complete removal of gluten sources from the diet. While required adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) is extremely difficult to accomplish, efforts to develop additional supportive treatments are needed. To facilitate these efforts, we developed a gluten-sensitive (GS) rhesus macaque model to study the effects of novel therapies. Recently reported results from phase one of this project suggest that partial improvement—but not remission—of gluten-induced disease can be accomplished by 100-fold reduction of dietary gluten, i.e., 200 ppm—by replacement of conventional dietary sources of gluten with a mutant, reduced gluten (RG) barley (lys3a)-derived source. The main focus of this (phase two) study was to determine if the inflammatory effects of the residual gluten in lys3a mutant barley grain could be further reduced by oral supplementation with a prolylendopeptidase (PE). Results reveal that PE supplementation of RG barley diet induces more complete immunological, histopathological and clinical remission than RG barley diet alone. The combined effects of RG barley diet and PE supplementation resulted in a further decrease of inflammatory mediators IFN-γ and TNF secretion by peripheral lymphocytes, as well as decreased plasma anti-gliadin and anti-intestinal tissue transglutaminase (TG2) antibodies, diminished active caspase production in small intestinal mucosa, and eliminated clinical diarrhea—all comparable with a gluten-free diet induced remission. In summary, the beneficial results of a combined RG barley and PE administration in GS macaques may warrant the investigation of similar synergistic approaches.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen. Its virulence factors include a variety of MSCRAMMs (microbial surface component recognizing adhesive matrix molecules), each capable of binding specifically to the host extracellular matrix. The fibronectin-binding protein, FnBPA, has been shown previously to bind immobilized fibronectin, fibrinogen, and alpha-elastin peptides. Here we show that region A of FnBPA (rAFnBPA) binds to recombinant human tropoelastin. Binding occurs to three separate truncates of tropoelastin, encompassing domains 2-18, 17-27, and 27-36, signifying that the interaction occurs at multiple sites. The greatest affinity was for the N-terminal truncate. We observed a pH dependency for the rAFnBPA-tropoelastin interaction with strong, nonsaturable binding at low pH. The interaction ceased at higher pH. These data support a model of surface-surface interactions between the negative charges present on rAFnBPA and the positive lysines of tropoelastin. A protein lacking the negatively charged C-terminal fibronectin-binding motif of the A domain of FnBPA and another construct lacking subdomain N1 were both capable of binding immobilized tropoelastin with a lower affinity. The binding properties of five site-directed mutants of rAFnBPA were compared with wild-type rAFnBPA. There was no decreased affinity for immobilized tropoelastin, in contrast to the defective binding of these mutants to alpha-elastin and fibrinogen. The data indicate novel interactions between tropoelastin and FnBPA that include the use of surface charges. These results demonstrate that FnBPA is capable of directly binding tropoelastin prior to its incorporation into elastin.

(2015) Potent neutralizing anti-CD1d antibody reduces lung cytokine release in primate asthma model, mAbs, 7:3, 638-650, DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2015 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10. 1080/19420862.2015 Keywords: CD1d, NKT cell, antibody, asthma, cytokineAbbreviations: AHR, airway hyper-reactivity; APC, antigen-presenting cell; AUC, area under the curve; BAL, broncho-alveolar lavage; BSA, bovine serum albumin; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; G-CSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor; GM-CSF, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor; HEK, human embryonic kidney; HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; MCh, methacholine; MHC, major histocompatibility complex; MIP, macrophage inflammatory protein; NKT, natural killer T; OVA, ovalbumin; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; SPR, surface plasmon resonance; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factorCD1d is a receptor on antigen-presenting cells involved in triggering cell populations, particularly natural killer T (NKT) cells, to release high levels of cytokines. NKT cells are implicated in asthma pathology and blockade of the CD1d/ NKT cell pathway may have therapeutic potential. We developed a potent anti-human CD1d antibody (NIB.2) that possesses high affinity for human and cynomolgus macaque CD1d (K D »100 pM) and strong neutralizing activity in human primary cell-based assays (IC 50 typically <100 pM). By epitope mapping experiments, we showed that NIB.2 binds to CD1d in close proximity to the interface of CD1d and the Type 1 NKT cell receptor b-chain. Together with data showing that NIB.2 inhibited stimulation via CD1d loaded with different glycolipids, this supports a mechanism whereby NIB.2 inhibits NKT cell activation by inhibiting Type 1 NKT cell receptor b-chain interactions with CD1d, independent of the lipid antigen in the CD1d antigen-binding cleft. The strong in vitro potency of NIB.2 was reflected in vivo in an Ascaris suum cynomolgus macaque asthma model. Compared with vehicle control, NIB.2 treatment significantly reduced bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of Ascaris-induced cytokines IL-5, IL-8 and IL-1 receptor antagonist, and significantly reduced baseline levels of GM-CSF, IL-6, IL-15, IL-12/23p40, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, and VEGF. At a cellular population level NIB.2 also reduced numbers of BAL lymphocytes and macrophages, and blood eosinophils and basophils. We demonstrate that anti-CD1d antibody blockade of the CD1d/NKT pathway modulates inflammatory parameters in vivo in a primate inflammation model, with therapeutic potential for diseases where the local cytokine milieu is critical.

Reslizumab and mepolizumab are recently approved monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of severe (uncontrolled) eosinophilic asthma. Both are effective in neutralizing the function of interleukin-5 (IL-5). This study is the first to compare the binding affinity and in vitro potency of both antibodies in head-to-head assays. Two assays assessed binding affinity (using the equilibrium dissociation constant [K D ]) of each drug for human IL-5. In the Biacore surface plasmon resonance assay, the association constant (k on ) values for human IL-5 for reslizumab and mepolizumab were 3.93 × 10 6 and 1.83 × 10 5 , respectively. The dissociation constant (k off ) values were 4.29 × 10 −4 and 2.14 × 10 −4 , respectively. Calculated K D values for human IL-5 for reslizumab and mepolizumab were 109 and 1,170 pM, respectively, representing an approximately 11-fold stronger binding affinity with reslizumab. In the Kinetic Exclusion Assay, the k on values for human IL-5 for reslizumab and mepolizumab were 3.17 × 10 6 and 1.32 × 10 5 , respectively. The k off values were 1.36 × 10 −5 and 1.48 × 10 −5 , respectively. Measured K D values for human IL-5 for reslizumab and mepolizumab were 4.3 and 112 pM, respectively, representing an approximately 26-fold stronger binding affinity for reslizumab. A human-IL-5-dependent cell proliferation assay was developed to assess in vitro potency, based on a human cell line selected for enhanced surface expression of IL-5 receptor-alpha and consistent proliferation response to IL-5. The concentration at which 50% inhibition occurred (IC 50 ) was determined for both antibodies. Reslizumab and mepolizumab inhibited IL-5-dependent cell proliferation, with IC 50 values of approximately 91.1 and 286.5 pM, respectively, representing on average 3.1-fold higher potency with reslizumab. In conclusion, comparative assays show that reslizumab has higher affinity binding for and in vitro potency against human IL-5 compared with mepolizumab. However, these results do not take into consideration the different methods of administration of reslizumab and mepolizumab.

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