Study of protein haptenation by amoxicillin through the use of a biotinylated antibiotic

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 3;9(3):e90891. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090891. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Allergic reactions towards β-lactam antibiotics pose an important clinical problem. The ability of small molecules, such as a β-lactams, to bind covalently to proteins, in a process known as haptenation, is considered necessary for induction of a specific immunological response. Identification of the proteins modified by β-lactams and elucidation of the relevance of this process in allergic reactions requires sensitive tools. Here we describe the preparation and characterization of a biotinylated amoxicillin analog (AX-B) as a tool for the study of protein haptenation by amoxicillin (AX). AX-B, obtained by the inclusion of a biotin moiety at the lateral chain of AX, showed a chemical reactivity identical to AX. Covalent modification of proteins by AX-B was reduced by excess AX and vice versa, suggesting competition for binding to the same targets. From an immunological point of view, AX and AX-B behaved similarly in RAST inhibition studies with sera of patients with non-selective allergy towards β-lactams, whereas, as expected, competition by AX-B was poorer with sera of AX-selective patients, which recognize AX lateral chain. Use of AX-B followed by biotin detection allowed the observation of human serum albumin (HSA) modification by concentrations 100-fold lower that when using AX followed by immunological detection. Incubation of human serum with AX-B led to the haptenation of all of the previously identified major AX targets. In addition, some new targets could be detected. Interestingly, AX-B allowed the detection of intracellular protein adducts, which showed a cell type-specific pattern. This opens the possibility of following the formation and fate of AX-B adducts in cells. Thus, AX-B may constitute a valuable tool for the identification of AX targets with high sensitivity as well as for the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in allergy towards β-lactams.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amoxicillin / chemistry
  • Amoxicillin / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Binding, Competitive / immunology
  • Biotinylation / methods
  • Butylamines
  • Haptens / immunology
  • Haptens / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Macrophages
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Structure
  • Serum Albumin / metabolism
  • beta-Lactams / immunology
  • beta-Lactams / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Butylamines
  • Haptens
  • Serum Albumin
  • beta-Lactams
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Amoxicillin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants SAF2012-36519 from MINECO and RETIC RD07/0064/0007 and RD12/0013/0008 to DPS, Junta de Andalucía CTS-6603 and ISCIII PS09/01768 and PI12/02529 to MJT, funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement n° 300230, to MIM. The stay of A.A. at CIB-CSIC was funded in part by a fellowship from ISCIII. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.