Protection of IgE-mediated allergic sensitization by active immunization with IgE loops constrained in GFP protein scaffold

J Immunol Methods. 2008 Apr 20;333(1-2):10-23. doi: 10.1016/j.jim.2007.10.007. Epub 2007 Nov 20.

Abstract

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) exhibits a rigid central beta-barrel, formed by eleven beta-strands with floppy loops spanning between the stands. Herein, we evaluate whether the rigid beta-barrel may serve as a scaffold that can constrain the loops of a foreign protein, and thus its antigenicity. The spanning loops, site 6 of GFP, were engineered with RE cloning sites for inserting oligonucleotides corresponding to FcepsilonRI-binding sequence of human IgE. In a high-throughput format, shortened oligonucleotides encoding eight amino acid residues of the receptor-binding regions were inserted into site 6 of GFP by PCR, followed by enabling sequences for in vitro transcription and translation at the 5' end. Antigenized C2-3 linker (C2-3L) was shown by immuno-blots with polyclonal anti-IgE under native gel electrophoresis and transfer. Recombinant antigenized GFP was expressed and purified to homogeneity by metal affinity column, followed by Sephacryl S-200 high resolution gel filtration. Hyperimmune sera from mice immunized with C2-3L antigenized GFP contain anti-IgE reactive with JW8 murine/human chimeric IgE. Further, elevated serum anti-C2-3L and affinity pure antibodies effectively inhibits binding of JW8 IgE to recombinant FcepsilonRIalpha, and desensitizes JW8 to rat RBL-2H3 transfected with human FcepsilonRIalpha. This observation raised the possibility that active IgE vaccine may be employed in raising active protective anti-IgE in allergic patients as an alternative to passive immunization with MAb-E25 anti-IgE. Taken together, GFP appears suitable protein scaffold for spanning/constraining the C2-3L of human IgE as active vaccine; and this technique may be generally employed for eliciting antibodies to specific B-cell epitopes of other proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / immunology*
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Hypersensitivity / prevention & control
  • Immunization / methods*
  • Immunoglobulin E / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin E / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin epsilon-Chains / immunology
  • Mast Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte
  • Immunoglobulin epsilon-Chains
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin E