Natural Counterpart (natural + counterpart)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Silk Fibers Extruded Artificially from Aqueous Solutions of Regenerated Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin are Tougher than their Natural Counterparts

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 3 2009
Guanqiang Zhou
Regenerated silk fibers extruded from fibroin solutions are highly lustrous and have uniform diameters and circular cross-sections. They are stronger, more extensible, and tougher than natural silkworm silk. These fibers can be spun under clean, sterile, and carefully regulated conditions, and may permit direct incorporation of drugs for controlled release, being suitable for biomedical applications. [source]


Standardization of allergen products: 1.

ALLERGY, Issue 7 2009
Detailed characterization of GMP-produced recombinant Bet v 1.0101 as biological reference preparation
Background:, Standardization of allergen extracts requires the availability of well-characterized recombinant allergens, which can be used as reference standards provided by the European regulatory authorities. The objective of this study was the detailed physicochemical and immunological characterization of rBet v 1.0101, which shall be used in a ring trial within the framework of the Biological Standardization Programme BSP090 of the European Directorate for Quality of Medicines and Healthcare. Methods:, Recombinant Bet v 1.0101 Y0487 was produced under good manufacturing practice conditions and analysed by an array of physicochemical and immunological methods for identity, quantity, homogeneity, folding and denaturation, aggregation state and stability in solution, as well as biological activity. Results:, Batch Y0487 was shown to contain monomeric and well-folded protein being identical with rBet v 1.0101, as determined by mass spectrometry. SDS-PAGE, isoelectric focusing, deamidation analysis and size-exclusion chromatography with light scattering revealed sample homogeneity of >99.9%. Upon storage at +4°C batch Y0487 retained the monomeric state up to 3 months. Protein quantification determined by amino acid analysis was found coinciding with half-maximal inhibition of serum IgE in ELISA. Biological activity of batch Y0487 was shown to be comparable to natural Bet v 1 by IgG and IgE immunoblotting, as well as basophil and T-cell activation. Conclusion:, Recombinant Bet v 1.0101 Y0487 was characterized extensively by physicochemical and immunological methods. It was shown highly stable, monomeric and immunologically equivalent to its natural counterpart. Thus, it represents an appropriate candidate reference standard for Bet v 1. [source]


Characterization of Bet v 1-related allergens from kiwifruit relevant for patients with combined kiwifruit and birch pollen allergy

MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue S2 2008
Christina Oberhuber
Abstract Allergy to kiwifruit appears to have become more common in Europe and elsewhere during the past several years. Seven allergens have been identified from kiwifruit so far, with actinidin, kiwellin and the thaumatin-like protein as the most relevant ones. In contrast to other fruits, no Bet v 1 homologues were characterized from kiwifruit so far. We cloned, purified, and characterized recombinant Bet v 1-homologous allergens from green (Actinidia deliciosa, Act d 8) and gold (Actinidia chinensis, Act c 8) kiwifruit, and confirmed the presence of its natural counterpart by inhibition assays. Well-characterized recombinant Act d 8 and Act c 8 were recognized by birch pollen/kiwifruit (confirmed by double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge) allergic patients in IgE immunoblots and ELISA experiments. The present data point out that Bet v 1 homologues are allergens in kiwifruit and of relevance for patients sensitized to tree pollen and kiwifruit, and might have been neglected so far due to low abundance in the conventional extracts used for diagnosis. [source]


Suspension-cultured BY-2 tobacco cells produce and mature immunologically active house dust mite allergens

PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 1 2007
David Lienard
Summary The replacement of crude allergen extracts by selected allergens currently represents a major goal for the improvement of allergy diagnosis and immunotherapy. Indeed, the development of molecularly defined vaccines would facilitate both standardization and enhance batch-to-batch reproducibility as well as treatment specificity. In this study, we have investigated the potential of tobacco plant cells to produce biologically active forms of the two major allergens from the house dust mite. A detailed characterization of these plant-made allergens has shown similar proteolytic maturation and folding as well as comparable immunoreactivity to their natural counterparts. Altogether, our results exemplify that suspension-cultured BY-2 tobacco cells represent a low cost and environmentally safe expression system suitable to produce recombinant allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus under a form appropriate for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. [source]


Assessment of recombinant dog allergens Can f 1 and Can f 2 for the diagnosis of dog allergy

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 10 2004
S. Saarelainen
Summary Background The use of recombinant allergens for the diagnosis and immunotherapy of allergy may offer several advantages over allergen extracts. Objective To produce recombinant dog allergens Can f 1 and Can f 2 in Pichia pastoris yeast and to assess their suitability for the diagnosis of dog allergy. Methods Clinically diagnosed dog-allergic patients' and healthy non-atopic dog owners' reactivities against recombinant Can f 1 and Can f 2 and commercial dog epithelial extract were studied by a panel of methods including skin prick test (SPT), ELISA and IgE immunoblotting. Results Recombinant Can f 1 and Can f 2 were found immunologically functional: they bound dog-allergic patients' IgE in immunoblotting and inhibited specifically the binding of IgE to their natural counterparts in the dog allergen extract. Moreover, patients' IgE reactivity in immunoblotting to natural Can f 1 and their SPT with the recombinant allergen were perfectly concordant (, coefficient 1.0, P<0.001). The concordance was slightly lower with recombinant Can f 2 (, coefficient 0.92, P<0.001). A lower number of dog-allergic patients, 52%, reacted against Can f 1 than previously reported. About one-third of the patients reacted to Can f 2. In immunoblotting, the highest prevalence of reactivity, 60%, was directed to an 18 kDa component. Aminoterminal sequencing showed this to be a previously unidentified allergenic protein. Conclusions The recombinant allergens can be used reliably to identify Can f 1 and Can f 2-sensitized individuals. However, the two allergens are insufficient as reagents for diagnosing dog allergy. [source]