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The incidence of flavivirus infections has increased dramatically in recent decades in tropical and sub-tropical areas worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year. Dengue viruses are typically transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause a wide range of symptoms from flu-like fever to organ impairment and death. Although conventional diagnostic tests can provide early diagnosis of acute dengue infections, access to these tests is often limited in developing countries. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop affordable, simple, rapid, and robust diagnostic tools that can be used at 'Point of Care' settings. Early diagnosis is crucial to improve patient management and reduce the risk of complications. In the present study, a novel laser-cut device made of glass-fiber paper was designed and tested for the detection of the dengue Non Structural 1 (NS1) viral protein and specific IgM in blood and plasma. The device, called PAD, was able to detect around 25 ng/mL of NS1 protein in various sample types in 8 minutes, following a few simple steps. The PAD was also able to detect specific IgM in human plasmas in less than 10 minutes. The PAD appears to have all the potential to assist health workers in early diagnosis of dengue fever or other tropical fevers caused by flaviviruses.

International audience; The incidence of arbovirus infections has increased dramatically in recent decades, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year. The Togaviridae family includes the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which is typically transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and causes a wide range of symptoms from flu-like fever to severe arthralgia. Although conventional diagnostic tests can provide early diagnosis of CHIKV infections, access to these tests is often limited in developing countries. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop efficient, affordable, simple, rapid, and robust diagnostic tools that can be used in point-of-care settings. Early diagnosis is crucial to improve patient management and to reduce the risk of complications. A glass-fiber laser-cut microfluidic device (paper-based analytical device [PAD]) was designed and evaluated in a proof of principle context, for the analysis of 30 µL of patient serum. Biological raw materials used for the functionalization of the PAD were first screened by MAC-ELISA (IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for CHIKV Immunoglobulin M (IgM) capture and then evaluated on the PAD using various human samples. Compared with viral lysate traditionally used for chikungunya (CHIK) serology, CHIKV pseudo-particles (PPs) have proven to be powerful antigens for specific IgM capture. The PAD was able to detect CHIKV IgM in human sera in less than 10 minutes. Results obtained in patient sera showed a sensitivity of 70.6% and a specificity of around 98%. The PAD showed few cross-reactions with other tropical viral diseases. The PAD could help health workers in the early diagnosis of tropical diseases such as CHIK, which require specific management protocols in at-risk populations.

International audience; The incidence of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection has increased dramatically in recent decades. Effective diagnostic methods must be available to optimize patient management. IgM-capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (MAC-ELISA) is routinely used for the detection of specific CHIKV IgM. This method requires inactivated CHIKV viral lysate (VL). The use of viral bioparticles such as Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) and Pseudotyped-Particles (PPs) could represent an alternative to VL. Bioparticles performances were established by MAC-ELISA; physico-chemical characterizations were performed by field-flow fractionation (HF5) and confirmed by electron microscopy. Non-purified PPs give a detection signal higher than for VL. Results suggested that the signal difference observed in MAC-ELISA was probably due to the intrinsic antigenic properties of particles. The use of CHIKV bioparticles such as VLPs and PPs represents an attractive alternative to VL. Compared to VL and VLPs, non-purified PPs have proven to be more powerful antigens for specific IgM capture.

The first crystal structure of a complex between a hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein-derived peptide (residues 13–40) and the Ab fragment of a murine mAb (19D9D6) has been solved, allowing determination of the recognized epitope and elucidation of its conformation. This Ab, raised against the first 120 residues of the core protein, recognizes core particles and strongly competes with anticore human Abs, suggesting that it is highly representative of the human anti-HCV core response. Its epitope lies within the first 45 aa of the protein, the major antigenic segment of core recognized both by murine and human Abs. Surprisingly, the recognized epitope (29–37: QIVGGVYLL) has an unusual preponderance of hydrophobic residues, some of which are buried in a small hydrophobic core in the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the peptide (2–45) in solution, suggesting that the Ab may induce a structural rearrangement upon recognition. The flexibility may reside entirely within the Ag, since the Fab′-peptide complex structure at 2.34 Å shows that the Ab binding site is hardly perturbed by complexation. Given that the recognized residues are unlikely to be solvent exposed, we are left with the interesting possibility that Ab-core interactions may take place in a nonaqueous environment.

The purpose of this study was to identify autoantigens contained in human ovary extracts. Serum samples from 36 infertile women with anti-ovary antibodies as detected with an ELISA technique were tested in Western blot against human ovary extracts. A reactive protein with a molecular mass matching that of the FSH was detected in 34 cases. These serum samples also reacted strongly in Western blot and ELISA with purified FSH and, in immunofluorescence, with pituitary cells. Using the Pepscan approach, with overlapping peptides matching the amino acid sequence of the human FSH beta-chain, several immunoreactive regions were evidenced. The 78-93 amino acid sequence of the human FSH beta-chain appeared as one of the major epitopes. Synthetic peptides of this region were prepared and demonstrated to react with human serum samples from women with anti-ovary antibodies. These data demonstrate that FSH can be an autoantigen, recognized by autoantibodies associated with infertility.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protease which is characteristic of the prostate. It is widely used as a serum marker for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Nevertheless, for concentrations between 4 and 10 ng/mL, PSA does not enable PCa to be distinguished from benign diseases, such as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). In sera, the use of a ratio between free PSA (PSA uncomplexed with protease inhibitor) and total PSA (free PSA and PSA bound to alpha-1 anti-chymotrypsin) enables the "gray zone" to be reduced, but an important proportion of patients are still wrongly classed. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis, we demonstrated using 52 PCa and 40 BPH well-documented clinical cases that BPH sera show a significantly greater percentage of low-molecular-weight free PSA elements (IwPSA) than PCa sera. In our study, the use of a ratio between IwPSA and standard free PSA enables the correct diagnosis of 100% of PCa and 82.5% of BPH cases as against when 73.1% and 42.5% respectively were correctly diagnozed using the total PSA and the free/total PSA ratio. This important finding may be related to differences in the mechanism secreting PSA from the prostate into the bloodstream. We have shown how a tissue marker may be turned into a powerful tumor marker by events probably unrelated to its expression.

In order to characterize antigenic epitopes specifically targeted by the immune response of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the antibody specificities of cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) and sera from the same MS patients have been analyzed using a random pentadecapeptide library displayed on phage. The 3 peptides (mimotopes) selected with MS sera were not disease-specific. In contrast, the combination of 4 MS CSF selected mimotopes, allowed the detection of specific antibodies in 21 of 60 MS CSF whereas only 2 of 27 CSF from patients with other neurological diseases equally recognized the 4 mimotopes. Some amino acid similarities were found between two MS CSF selected mimotopes and two envelope regions (319-329 and 433-443, respectively) of MSRV (multiple-sclerosis-associated retrovirus) and the related endogenous retrovirus HERV-W.

The synthesis of Boc- or Fmoc-monoprotected propylenediamine derivatives is reported starting from N-protected α-amino acids. The introduction of these building blocks on solid support via the formation of a urea moiety leads to a new pseudopeptide family (CαCH2CH2Nα(R)CONHCα). Two carbonylating reagents, i.e N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole and triphosgene, as well as different coupling procedures, have been tested to optimize the Boc and Fmoc solid-phase synthesis of a model peptide incorporating this isosteric replacement.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the main marker for prostate cancer (PCa), is released from the prostate into the blood stream at nanogram level and may increase in PCa and nonmalignant disease such as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). More recently, advantage was taken of PSA's ability to bind to protease inhibitors in serum in order to improve discrimination between PCa and BPH, using the free PSA to total PSA ratio. The understanding of this phenomenon at molecular level, which is still unknown, may promise new improvements in the field of diagnostics. For this purpose, we determined the pattern of PSA forms in PCa and BPH sera, using the high resolving power of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) in conjunction with the high sensitivity of chemiluminescence detection. Serum PSA differs drastically from seminal PSA: apart from complexed forms, serum PSA shows few cleaved forms. Moreover, 2-DE patterns from PCa are relatively homogeneous, whereas patterns from BPH may in some cases present a higher proportion of cleaved forms and in other cases present slightly more basic spots. We therefore demonstrated, for the first time, that an increase in the free to total PSA ratio in BPH cases may be due to cleaved PSA forms (which are enzymatically inactive and unable to bind inhibitors), or possibly related to basic free PSA, which may represent the zymogen forms.

The reactivity of sera of 96 individuals infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) was tested against various synthetic peptides corresponding to the gp46 immunodominant antigenic domains: residues 86-107, 175-199, and 239-261. The frequency of reactive sera was higher for 175-199 (93%) than for 239-261 (78%) or 86-107 (24%) with some variations in geographical regions and in diseases. The region 239-261 was extensively analyzed and five (linear or conformational) epitopes were found. The reactivity of sera toward functional or immunodominant domains may depend on the sequence of the infecting virus, and the role of three frequent substitutions (asparagine by tyrosine, proline by serine, and serine by proline or leucine at positions 93, 192, and 250 respectively) was established. Finally, the role of the genetic background of the host may condition the humoral immune response as individuals infected by HTLV-Is harboring the same predicted gp46 peptide sequence may recognize one, several, or all regions examined.

SiR-FP43, the NADPH- and FAD-binding domain of the Escherichia coli sulphite reductase flavoprotein component (SiR-FP), has been overexpressed and characterized. It folds independently, retaining FAD as a cofactor and the catalytic properties associated with the presence of this cofactor. Iodonium diphenyl chloride (IDP) was shown to be a very efficient inhibitor of SiR-FP43 and SiR-FP60, the monomeric form of SiR-FP, containing both FMN and FAD as cofactors (K(i) = 18.5 +/- 5 microM, maximal inactivation rate = 0.053 +/- 0.005 s(-1)). In both cases, inactivation was shown to result from covalent binding of a phenyl group to FAD exclusively, in marked contrast with previous results obtained with cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), where FMN and a tryptophan were phenylated, but not FAD. However, our kinetic analyses are in agreement with the inhibition mechanism demonstrated with CPR [Tew (1993) Biochemistry 32, 10209-10215]. Nine different FAD phenylated adducts were isolated and, for the first time, two FAD phenylated adducts were identified directly after extraction from a protein. Taken together, our results have shown that flavoprotein inactivation by IDP is not a reliable indicator for a flavin radical intermediate in catalysis.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were generated by immunizing mice with a truncated recombinant protein corresponding to the immunodominant region (residues 1-120) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleocapsid protein. The specific recognition by either human sera or mouse monoclonal antibodies of overlapping peptides spanning the core region 1-120 as well as the comparison with epitopes described earlier allowed the fine mapping of HCV core. Within the region 1-120, the major antigenic domain could be restricted to the first 45 amino acids. Indeed, the peptide S42G (residues 2-45) allowed the detection of an anti-HCV core response by all anticore-positive human sera examined. According to their epitope localization, three groups of mouse MABs could be evidenced that were directed against different regions of core. Group II MAbs recognized a strictly linear epitope (QDVKF, residues 20-24), whereas group I MABs were directed against a conformational epitope mainly located at the amino acid residues (QIVGG, 29-33). The epitope of group III MABs was also conformational (PRGRRQPI, residues 58-65). These three epitopes appeared close but different from the three major human epitopes RKTKRNTN, VYLLPR, and GRTWAQPGYPWPLY (residues 7-17, 34-39, and 73-86, respectively). Group II MAB 7G12A8 and group I MAB 19D9D6 were used in a sandwich ELISA for the capture and the detection, respectively, of viral core antigen in sera of patients with chronic HCV infection. After treatment of sera with triton x 100 in acidic conditions, amounts of viral antigen as low as 20 pg/ml of sera could be detected.

We developed and evaluated two peptide-based immunoassays to confirm and discriminate between group M and group O HIV-1 infection. These assays are based on in vitro competition for antibody binding between M and O peptides. The first EIA is based on competition between group M and group O gp41 immunodominant domains and the second on competition between group O and group M V3 regions of gp120. Two panels of sera were used: the first consisted of 109 sera collected from 27 group O- and 92 group M-infected patients in whom the HIV isolates had been genotyped by sequencing or heteroduplex mobility assay. In this panel, the combination of the two assays correctly discriminated 106 samples (100% group O and 96.7% group M samples). The second panel, used for the field evaluation of the two assays, consisted of 157 samples from HIV-1-infected Cameroonian patients, 33 strains having been genotyped. The combination of the two techniques in a serogrouping algorithm discriminated 147 of these samples, 74 being HIV-1 group O and 73 group M. These results always correlated with genotyping results. The 10 sera that were not successfully classified by these assays were from early seroconverters. Altogether, the two assays clearly differentiated 263 of 276 (94.9%) samples in the two panels. On the basis of the genotyping results, the positive predictive value for group discrimination in the two panels was 100% for both GSEIA assays. Our peptide-blocking group-specific EIAs for differentiation and confirmation of HIV-1 group M and group O infection are complementary tools for epidemiological studies and surveillance of HIV-1 group O strain trafficking.

2-Azidoadenosine 5'-diphosphate (2-azido-ADP) labeled with 32P in the alpha-position was prepared and used to photolabel the nucleotide binding sites of beef heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase. The native F1 prepared by the procedure of Knowles and Penefsky (Knowles, A. F., and Penefsky, H. S. (1972)) contained an average of 2.9 mol of tightly bound ADP plus ATP per mole of enzyme. Short-term incubation of F1 with micromolar concentrations of (alpha-32P)-2-azido-ADP in the dark in a Mg2+-supplemented medium resulted in the rapid supplementary binding of 3 mol of label/mol of F1, consistent with the presence of six nucleotide binding sites per F1. The Kd relative to the reversible binding of (alpha-32P)-2-azido-ADP to mitochondrial F1 in the dark was 5 microM in the presence of MgCl2 and 30 microM in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. A linear relationship between the percentage of inactivation of F1 and the extent of covalent photolabeling by (alpha-32P)-2-azido-ADP was observed for percentages of inactivation up to 90%, extrapolating to 2 mol of covalently bound (alpha-32P)-2-azido-ADP/mol of F1. Under these conditions, only the beta subunit was photolabeled. Covalent binding of one photolabel per beta subunit was ascertained by electrophoretic separation of labeled and unlabeled beta subunits based on charge differencesmore » and by mapping studies showing one major radioactive peptide segment per photolabeled beta subunit.« less

The ADP/ATP carrier of beef heart mitochondria is able to bind 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP in the dark with a Kd value of congruent to 8 microM. 2-Azido ADP is not transported and it inhibits ADP transport and ADP binding. Photoirradiation of beef heart mitochondria with 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP results mainly in photolabeling of the ADP/ATP carrier protein; photolabeling is prevented by carboxyatractyloside, a specific inhibitor of ADP/ATP transport. Upon photoirradiation of inside-out submitochondrial particles with 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP, both the ADP/ATP carrier and the beta subunit of the membrane-bound F1-ATPase are covalently labeled. The binding specificity of 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP for the beta subunit of F1-ATPase is ascertained by prevention of photolabeling of isolated F1 by preincubation with an excess of ADP.

2-Azido(..cap alpha..-/sup 32/P)adenosine diphosphate (2-azido(..cap alpha..-/sup 32/P)ADP) has been used to photolabel the ADP/ATP carrier in beef heart mitochondria. In reversible binding assays carried out in the dark, this photoprobe was found to inhibit ADP/ATP transport in beef heart mitochondria and to bind to two types of specific sites of the ADP/ATP carrier characterized by high-affinity binding (K/sub d/ = 20 ..mu..M) and low-affinity binding (K/sub d/ = 400 ..mu..M). In contrast, it was unable to bind to specific carrier sites in inverted submitochondrial particles. Upon photoirradiation of beef heart mitochondria in the presence of 2-azido(..cap alpha..-/sup 32/P)ADP, the ADP/ATP carrier was covalently labeled. After purification, the photolabeled carrier protein was cleaved chemically by acidolysis or cyanogen bromide and enzymatically with the Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. In the ADP/ATP carrier protein, which is 297 amino acid residues in length, two discrete regions extending from Phe-153 to Met-200 and from Tyr-250 to Met-281 were labeled by 2-azido(..cap alpha..-/sup 32/P)ADP. The peptide fragments corresponding to these regions were sequenced, and the labeled amino acids were identified. As 2-azido-ADP is not transported into mitochondria and competes against transport of externally added ADP, it is concluded that the two regions of the carrier whichmore » are photolabeled are facing the cytosol. Whether the two photolabeled regions are located in a single peptide chain of the carrier or in different peptide chains of an oligomeric structure is discussed.« less