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Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

Immunization Of Alpacas (Lama Pacos) With Protein Antigens And Production Of Antigen-Specific Single Domain Antibodies, K. Martin Chow, Sidney W. Whiteheart, Jeffrey R. Smiley, Savita Sharma, Kathy Boaz, Meggie J. Coleman, Alvina Maynard, Louis B. Hersh, Craig W. Vander Kooi Jan 2019

Immunization Of Alpacas (Lama Pacos) With Protein Antigens And Production Of Antigen-Specific Single Domain Antibodies, K. Martin Chow, Sidney W. Whiteheart, Jeffrey R. Smiley, Savita Sharma, Kathy Boaz, Meggie J. Coleman, Alvina Maynard, Louis B. Hersh, Craig W. Vander Kooi

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

In this manuscript, a method for the immunization of alpaca and the use of molecular biology methods to produce antigen-specific single domain antibodies is described and demonstrated. Camelids, such as alpacas and llamas, have become a valuable resource for biomedical research since they produce a novel type of heavy chain-only antibody which can be used to produce single domain antibodies. Because the immune system is highly flexible, single domain antibodies can be made to many different protein antigens, and even different conformations of the antigen, with a very high degree of specificity. These features, among others, make single domain antibodies …


Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer May 2014

Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer

University Scholar Projects

Somatic mutations may drive tumorigenesis or lead to new, immunogenic epitopes (neoantigens). The immune system is thought to represses neoplastic growths through the recognition of neoantigens presented only by tumor cells. To study mutations as well as the immune response to mutation-generated antigens, we have created a conditional knockin mouse line with a gene encoding, 5’ to 3’, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), ovalbumin (which is processed to the immunologically recognizable peptide, SIINFEKL), and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), or, YFP-ovalbumin-CFP. A frame shift mutation has been created at the 5’ end of the ovalbumin gene, hence YFP should always be expressed, …


Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer May 2014

Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer

Honors Scholar Theses

Somatic mutations may drive tumorigenesis or lead to new, immunogenic epitopes (neoantigens). The immune system is thought to represses neoplastic growths through the recognition of neoantigens presented only by tumor cells. To study mutations as well as the immune response to mutation-generated antigens, we have created a conditional knockin mouse line with a gene encoding, 5’ to 3’, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), ovalbumin (which is processed to the immunologically recognizable peptide, SIINFEKL), and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), or, YFP-ovalbumin-CFP. A frame shift mutation has been created at the 5’ end of the ovalbumin gene, hence YFP should always be expressed, …


Synthesis And Evaluation Of Stimulatory Properties Of Glycolipids For Natural Killer T Cells, Xiangtian Long May 2009

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Stimulatory Properties Of Glycolipids For Natural Killer T Cells, Xiangtian Long

Theses and Dissertations

Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) are a subset of T cells. They regulate a wide range of diseases including infection, tumor growth, and autoimmune diseases, through recognizing glycolipid antigens in the context of CD1d. An understanding of the scope of glycolipid antigens would facilitate use of this cell type in controlling immune responses. Till today, a lysosomal glycolipid, isoglobotrihexosylceramide (iGb3), is the only natural glycolipid that has been found to be recognized by both human and mouse NKT cells. To elucidate the molecular basis of this specific recognition, iGb3 variants were designed and prepared: i) replacement of the C26 …


In Vitro Expression And Purification Of Class I Mhc Molecules, Loi Cheng May 2006

In Vitro Expression And Purification Of Class I Mhc Molecules, Loi Cheng

Honors Scholar Theses

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene family responsible for many critical functions of the immune system in most vertebrates. The MHC consists of three classes differentiated by their structure and function, and MHC class I encodes antigen binding proteins as well as chaperone and accessory proteins such as tapasin. The purpose of this project is to reconstitute several human MHC class I molecules in their peptide-filled and peptide-deficient forms, and to purify these proteins for biochemical study. The expressed proteins include wild type and mutant variants of the fusion protein human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*0801-fos, and human beta-2-microglobulin (β2m). …


A Defect In Interleukin 12-Induced Activation And Interferon Gamma Secretion Of Peripheral Natural Killer T Cells In Nonobese Diabetic Mice Suggests New Pathogenic Mechanisms For Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus., Marika Falcone, Brian Yeung, Lee Tucker, Enrique Rodriguez, Nora Sarvetnick Oct 1999

A Defect In Interleukin 12-Induced Activation And Interferon Gamma Secretion Of Peripheral Natural Killer T Cells In Nonobese Diabetic Mice Suggests New Pathogenic Mechanisms For Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus., Marika Falcone, Brian Yeung, Lee Tucker, Enrique Rodriguez, Nora Sarvetnick

Journal Articles: Regenerative Medicine

The function of natural killer T (NKT) cells in the immune system has yet to be determined. There is some evidence that their defect is associated with autoimmunity, but it is still unclear how they play a role in regulating the pathogenesis of T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. It was originally proposed that NKT cells could control autoimmunity by shifting the cytokine profile of autoimmune T cells toward a protective T helper 2 cell (Th2) type. However, it is now clear that the major function of NKT cells in the immune system is not related to their interleukin (IL)-4 secretion. In …


Local Delivery Of Interleukin 4 By Retrovirus-Transduced T Lymphocytes Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis., Michael K. Shaw, James B. Lorens, Archana Dhawan, Richard Dalcanto, Harley Y. Tse, Alyssa B. Tran, Colleen Bonpane, Shanti L. Eswaran, Stefan Brocke, Nora Sarvetnick, Lawrence Steinman, Garry P. Nolan, C. Garrison Fathman May 1997

Local Delivery Of Interleukin 4 By Retrovirus-Transduced T Lymphocytes Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis., Michael K. Shaw, James B. Lorens, Archana Dhawan, Richard Dalcanto, Harley Y. Tse, Alyssa B. Tran, Colleen Bonpane, Shanti L. Eswaran, Stefan Brocke, Nora Sarvetnick, Lawrence Steinman, Garry P. Nolan, C. Garrison Fathman

Journal Articles: Regenerative Medicine

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system which serves as a model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. We demonstrate here that encephalitogenic T cells, transduced with a retroviral gene, construct to express interleukin 4, and can delay the onset and reduce the severity of EAE when adoptively transferred to myelin basic protein-immunized mice. Thus, T lymphocytes transduced with retroviral vectors can deliver "regulatory cytokines" in a site-specific manner and may represent a viable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of autoimmune disease.