• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1336-1344
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• 2017

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. With recent identification of HBV receptor, inhibition of virus entry has become a promising concept in the development of new antiviral drugs. To date, 10 HBV genotypes (A-J) have been defined. We previously generated two murine anti-preS1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), KR359 and KR127, that recognize amino acids (aa) 19-26 and 37-45, respectively, in the receptor binding site (aa 13-58, genotype C). Each mAb exhibited virus neutralizing activity in vitro, and a humanized version of KR127 effectively neutralized HBV infection in chimpanzees. In the present study, we constructed a humanized version (HzKR359-1) of KR359 whose antigen binding activity is 4.4-fold higher than that of KR359, as assessed by competitive ELISA, and produced recombinant preS1 antigens (aa 1-60) of different genotypes to investigate the binding capacities of HzKR359-1 and a humanized version (HzKR127-3.2) of KR127 to the 10 HBV genotypes. The results indicate that HzKR359-1 can bind to five genotypes (A, B, C, H, and J), and HzKR127-3.2 can also bind to five genotypes (A, C, D, G, and I). The combination of these two antibodies can bind to eight genotypes (A-D, G-J), and to genotype C additively. Considering that genotypes A-D are common, whereas genotypes E and F are occasionally represented in small patient population, the combination of these two antibodies might block the entry of most virus genotypes and thus broadly neutralize HBV infection.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2002

Background: CTLA-4 (Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte associated Antigen 4, CD152) has been known as a homologue of CD28, an accessory molecule providing a key costimulatory signal for successful antigen-driven activations of T lymphocyte. Most of biochemical and cell biological characteristics of the CD152 protein remain unknown while those of CD28 have been characterized in detail. Methods: In this study CD152 expression in both $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ PBLs was studied by using flow cytometry. And intracellular CD152 multiprotein complex was purified and used for generating antibodies recognizing proteins composing of intracellular CTLA-4 multi protein complex. Results: Level of surface expression of this molecule was peaked at 2 days of PHA stimulation in flow cytometric analysis. 40~45% of PHA blast cells were $CD152^+$ in both of two subsets at this stage and the level of expression were equivalent in both two subsets. Contrary to this surface expression, intracellular expression was peaked at day 3 and it was preferentially induced in $CD8^+$ cells and about 60% of $CD8^+$ cells were $CD152^+$ at this stage. High molecular weight (>350 kD) intacellular CD152 protein complex purified by using preparative electrophoresis were immunized into rabbits and then 3 different anti-P34PC4, anti-P34PC7 and anti-P34PC8 antibodies were obtained. Using these 3 antibodies two unknown antigens associated with intracellular CD152 multiprotein complex were found and their molecular weights were 54 kD and 75 kD, respectively. Among these, the former was present as 110 kD homodimer in non-reducing condition. Conclusion: It seemed that 34 kD intracellular CD152 molecule forms high molecular weight multiprotein complex at least with 2 proteins of 75 kD monomer and 110 kD homodimer.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.387-395
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• 2022

Purpose: Toxins produced by Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) can cause enteritis and diarrhea. Although the number of pediatric CDI cases is increasing, the clinical management of pediatric CDI, including patient characteristics and prognosis, remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the background and clinical course of patients with CDI and evaluate the reliability of diagnostic tests in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Japan. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of children diagnosed with CDI between 2011 and 2021 at the Saitama Children's Medical Center in Saitama, Japan. Results: During the study period, 1,252 C. difficile antigen/toxin tests were performed, and 37 patients were diagnosed with CDI. The main underlying diseases among the patients were hematological and malignant disorders and gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (59.4%). Two patients (5.4%) had an unremarkable medical history. Among the 37 patients, 27 (73.0%) were immunocompromised, 25 (67.6%) had a history of antibiotic use within the past two months, and 6 (16.2%) were negative on the initial test but were positive on the second test. Finally, 28 patients (75.7%) required primary antibiotic therapy only, and two patients with IBD required additional antibiotic therapy as secondary treatment. Conclusion: The number of pediatric patients with CDI is increasing. Both a comprehensive interview, including underlying diseases and history of antibiotic use, and an understanding of the features of clinical examinations should be emphasized to appropriately diagnose and treat CDI.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.239-241
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• 2016

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a tropical pathogen, has re-emerged and has massive outbreaks abruptly all over the world. Containing many dominant epitopes, the envelope E2 protein of CHIKV has been explored for the vaccination or diagnosis. In the present study, the antigenicity of a recombinant expressed intrinsically disorder domain (IUD) of E2 was tested for the detection of the antibody against CHIKV through western blot method. The gene of the IUD of E2 was inserted into 2 different vectors and expressed as recombinant GST-E2 and recombinant MBP-E2 fusion protein, respectively. Two kinds of fusion proteins were tested with 30 CHIKV patient sera and 30 normal sera, respectively. Both proteins were detected by 25 patients sera (83.3%) and 1 normal serum (3.3%). This test showed a relatively high sensitivity and very high specificity of the recombinant E2 proteins to be used as diagnostic antigens against CHIKV infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.91-95
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• 1972

Investigation of leptospiral antibody in Korean cattle and pigs was carried out from February to October, 1971. Ten different living antigens, namely L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. canicola, L. antumnalis, L. hebdomadis, L. australis A, L. pomona, L. pyrogenes, L. grippotyphosa, L. bataviae and L. javanica, were used. A total of 590 Korean cattle and 460 pig blood samples collected from Seoul Majang-dong slaughterhouse were tested by the rapid microscopic agglutination test. Throughout the studies the following results were obtained and summarized. 1. Of 590 serum samples of Korean cattle 51 were positive(8.64%). 2. Of 460 serum samples of pigs 27 were positive (5.87%). 3. Of 51 positive cattle samples, 29(4.92%) showed antibody to a serotype of L. icterohaemorrhagiae and 18(3.0%) to L. canicola, and 4 (0.68%) to L. pomona. Eight of L. icterohaemorrhagiae positive samples showed a cross reaction to L. canicola. 4. Of 27 positive pig samples, 14(3.04%) showed antibody to L. ictereohaemorrhagiae and 7(1.52%) to L. grippotyphosa. 4(0.87%) to L. canicola, 2(0.43%) to L. pomona. Two of L. canicola positive samples showed a cross reaction to L. grippotyphosa. 5. Serum samples of seven pigs, showing antibody positive to L. grippotyphosa were first observed in Korea. 6. Infection rate of bovine and porcine leptospirosis, in Korea, appeared to be lower than that of Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.32.1-32.4
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• 2014

Though many alternative methods to tuberculin skin testing (TST) have been established and evaluated in recent years, sensitivities and specificities of most methods could not meet the requirements of golden standards. In this study, we sought to identify whether repeated TSTs could affect the immune responses in experimental monkeys. Nine natural tuberculosis (TB) monkeys receiving repeated TSTs biweekly were used to demonstrate the effect on TST responsiveness. Two healthy monkeys were administrated with repeated TSTs to analyze the immune response profiling. Intrapalpebral reactions in TB infections gradually weakened or presented intermittent positive reactions. The leukocyte counts, cytokine responses, and antibody responses to all antigens except Old tuberculin (OT) and MPT64L showed no specific changes for TB in healthy monkeys. Positive antibody responses to OT and MPT64L emerged during the first half experimental period, which may cause by their cross-reactivity with mycobacterial species. Results showed that repeated TSTs had no significant effects on immune responses in healthy monkeys but a progressive reduction in TST responsiveness in TB infections.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.119-132
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• 2001

An immunoelectron microscopy employing immunogold labeling method was performed to detect tissue origin of Dl fraction (DIA) among 5 antigenic protein fractions partially purified by DEAE- anion exchange chromatography from water- soluble crude antigen (PIWA) of adult Paragonimus iloktsuenensis. Immune reactions of adult worm tissues with rabbit serum immunoglobulin immunized with crude antigen (PI-Ig) and D1 antigen (D1-Ig), as well as rat serum immunoglobulin infected with P. iloktsuenensis were observed. DlA showed strong antigenicity in the intestinal epithelium of the worms during the early infection period of 2-4 weeks after infection. The vitellaria also showed stronger antigenicity than the other tissue sites in immune reaction of tissues against all immunoglobulins from 4 to 33 weeks after vitelline development. Therefore, it is suggested that DlA was mainly originated from the intestinal epithelial tissues before the development of vitelline gland of the parasites. Immune-reactivity of two immunoglobulins (PI-Ig, Dl-Ig) was significantly different in intestinal epithelial cytoplasmic protrusions (CP) and intestinal epithelial secretory granules (SG). In the experimental group with Dl-Ig, gold particles were labeled significantly in CP than in SG when compared to the PI-Ig group. Thus, the major antigenic materials in Dl antigen having a strong antigenicity in the early infection period was considered to be originated from the intestinal epithelial tissue .

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 1990

Until relatively recently plant scientists have made little use of immunological techniques. Now, however, more and more researchers are discovering the powder of these techniques for the screening of immunomodulators and for the detection, quantitative determination and localization of compounds in plant materials. Especially, the recent developments in the fields of plant biotechnology and plant genetic engineering make it even more important for forkers in the plant sciences to become acquainted with the more sophisticated methods. The possible methods include onestep purification of antigens, visualization in situ by immunocytochemis try and on polyacrylam ids gel s by ni trocellulose Western blotting and quantification by various immunoassay. Among them, in this reviews, the quantitative determination methods are to be reviewed. There are several kinds of methods for the quantitative determination of plant constituents such as colorimetry, TLC, GLC, DCC, UV derivatization, densitometry and HPLC. When the complexity of plant constituents is considered. densitometry and HPLC have many advantages in sensitivity and separation ability. After a 11 some advarltages of two methods meritiorled above, all of these methods have many disadvantages and inconveniences. Previous purification for the application of all these methods make them less sensitive and more tedious. Immunoassay can solve these problems in part. But immunoassay also has some limitations. Specificity of immunoassay, contrary, can be considered to be disadvantages. Including this the advantages and disadvantages of immunoassay are to be discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.767-771
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• 2005

Expression in yeast may prove more amenable to generating large amounts of viral antigens for a vaccine candidate. We, therefore, cloned the gene encoding the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural proteins (C-El-E2, c740) fused in-frame with, and immediately 3' to, the chicken-lysozyme signal peptide (C-SIG) gene and under the control of the yeast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene promoter. In yeast, the HCV structural proteins were expressed in two different forms: a processed and a nonprocessed aggregated form. Biophysical characterization by sucrose linear gradient centrifugation revealed that both forms were present in the same fractions with a buoyant density of 1.127-1.176 g/$cm^3$. These findings suggest that the efficient synthesis of HCV structural proteins in yeast may be an important tool to study virus assembly and may lead to the development of an HCV vaccine.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.494-498
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• 1989

Hybridoma cell lines, which secrete monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the surface antigens of Cryptosporidium parvum Sporozoites, were produced by fusing spleen cells of C. parvum Sporozoite-immunized mice with P3-X63-Ag8 myeloma cells. Two cloned antibody-secreting cell lines, Kor1 and Ea2, were established and produced IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies, respectively. Percoll-purified sporozoites were solubilized and separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Western blot assay demonstrates that an antigen of 20-kDa was bound by monoclonals. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, mAb exhibited uniform binding to the sporozoite surface.