A straightforward approach to antibodies recognising cancer specific glycopeptidic neoepitopes

Aberrantly truncated immature O-glycosylation in proteins occurs in essentially all types of epithelial cancer cells, which was demonstrated to be a common feature of most adenocarcinomas and strongly associated with cancer proliferation and metastasis. Although extensive efforts have been made toward the development of anticancer antibodies targeting MUC1, one of the most studied mucins having cancer-relevant immature O-glycans, no anti-MUC1 antibody recognises carbohydrates and the proximal MUC1 peptide region, concurrently. Here we present a general strategy that allows for the creation of antibodies interacting specifically with glycopeptidic neoepitopes by using homogeneous synthetic MUC1 glycopeptides designed for the streamlined process of immunization, antibody screening, three-dimensional structure analysis, epitope mapping and biochemical analysis. The X-ray crystal structure of the anti-MUC1 monoclonal antibody SN-101 complexed with the antigenic glycopeptide provides for the first time evidence that SN-101 recognises specifically the essential epitope by forming multiple hydrogen bonds both with the proximal peptide and GalNAc linked to the threonine residue, concurrently. Remarkably, the structure of the MUC1 glycopeptide in complex with SN-101 is identical to its solution NMR structure, an extended conformation induced by site-specific glycosylation. We demonstrate that this method accelerates dramatically the development of a new class of designated antibodies targeting a variety of “dynamic neoepitopes” elaborated by disease-specific O-glycosylation in the immunodominant mucin domains and mucin-like sequences found in intrinsically disordered regions of many proteins.

We developed new class of designated antibodies targeting of “dynamic neoepitopes” elaborated by disease-specific O-glycosylation at the immunodominant mucin domains.     

On-line preconcentration of mercury by sorption on an anion-exchange resin loaded with 1,5-bis[(2-pyridyl)-3-sulphophenyl methylene] thiocarbonohydrazide and determination by cold-vapour inductively coupled plasma atomic emission

1,5-Bis[(2-pyridyl)-3-sulphophenyl methylene] thiocarbonohydrazide (PSTH) immobilized on an anion-exchange resin (Dowex) has been used for the on-line preconcentration of mercury from biological samples and waters prior to its determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The metal was eluted from the column using a solution of 2 M HNO(3) and mixed on-line with SnCl(2). The optimum experimental conditions were evaluated for the continuous preconcentration of Hg, the direct generation of mercury vapour and the final determination of this element by ICP-AES. The enrichment, together with low blank levels of the optimized procedure, allow the simple determination of this toxic element at concentrations down to a few nanograms per milliliter. The proposed method has a linear calibration range 5-1000 ng ml(-1) of mercury, with a detection limit of 4 ng ml(-1) (S/N=3) and a sampling rate of 40 h(-1), investigated with a 9 ml sample volume. The precision of the method (evaluated as the relative standard deviation obtained after analyzing ten series of ten replicates) was +/-3.6% at the 10 ng ml(-1) level of Hg(II) and +/-1.3% at the 100 ng ml(-1) level. The accuracy of the method was examined by the analysis of certified reference materials.     

Oxorhenium(V) Complexes with Thiosemicarbazones

Neutral oxorhenium(V) complexes with thiosemicarbazones derived from 2‐pyridine formamide, HL¹, are formed when [ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] reacts with equimolar amounts of the ligands. Reduction of the metal and the formation of rhenium(III) complexes of the composition [Re(L¹)₂]⁺ occurs when an excess of thiosemicarbazones is used and the reaction is performed in boiling toluene for a prolonged period of time. The thiosemicarbazones deprotonate and act as tridentate ligands as has been confirmed by an X‐ray structure of [ReOCl₂(L^1b)], where HL^1b is 2‐pyridineformamide‐N(4)‐ethylthiosemicarbazone and the ligand occupies the equatorial coordination sphere of the complex together with one of the chloro ligands.     

Analysis of natural flavonoids by microchip-micellar electrokinetic chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Catechins (catechin and other derivatives) are naturally occurring flavonoids present in a number of plants and foods. They are also part of numerous nutraceutical formulations because they are believed to have antioxidant, cancer chemo-preventative, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. The determination of catechins has traditionally been performed by HPLC. However, this methodology is both time and sample intensive and generates large amounts of organic solvent waste. In the current report, an application of MEKC using a PDMS microchip is presented for the analysis of catechins. The system uses pulsed amperometric detection for direct analysis of important naturally occurring catechins. The effect of pH, surfactant concentration, detection potential and signal stability were analyzed. Linear relationships were found between the concentration and peak current, with good stability and limits of detection of 8 [micro sign]M for catechin, epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin, and 14 [micro sign]M for epicatechin gallate. Optimum conditions were applied to the detection of selected catechins in a commercially available green tea extract nutraceutical and the results were compared to HPLC analysis. The analysis using microchip micellar electrokinetic chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection was completed in 4.5 min, 10 times faster than the HPLC analysis.     

Structural variability in neptunium(V) oxalate compounds: synthesis and structural characterization of Na2NpO2(C2O4)OH.H2O

Reaction of a (237)Np(V) stock solution in the presence of oxalic acid, calcium chloride, and sodium hydroxide under hydrothermal conditions produces single crystals of a neptunium(V) oxalate, Na(2)NpO(2)(C(2)O(4))OH.H(2)O. The structure consists of one-dimensional chains running down the a axis and is the first example of a neptunium(V) oxalate compound containing hydroxide anions.     

Spectrophotometric determination of mercury with thiocyanate and Rhodamine B

Summary Mercury(II) in the presence of a large excess of thiocyanate forms a violet colour with Rhodamine B. The complex formed can be stabilized by addition of poly(vinyl alcohol), and forms the basis for a spectrophotometric method for determination of trace amounts of mercury. The calibration graph for measurement at 610 nm is linear in the range 1–15g of mercury per 25 ml, with a molar absorptivity of 1.1×10⁵l· mole^–1·cm·. The effect of foreign ions has been studied and the method can be applied to the determination of mercury in air with reliable analytical results.

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Spektrophotometrische Bestimmung von Quecksilber mit Rhodanid und Rhodamin B

Zusammenfassung In Gegenwart eines großen Überschusses von Rhodanid bildet Hg(II) mit Rhodamin B eine violette Färbung. Durch Zusatz von Polyvinylalkohol kann dieser Komplex stabilisiert werden und bietet somit die Grundlage für die spektrophotometrische Bestimmung von Hg-Spuren. Die Eichkurve für die Messung bei 610 nm verläuft für 1–15g Hg/25 ml linear. Die molare Absorptivität beträgt 1,1×10⁵ l·mol^–1·cm^–1. Die Fremdionenwirkung wurde untersucht. Das Verfahren kann zur Hg-Bestimmung in Luft verwendet werden.

     

An automated activation analysis system

An automated delayed neutron counting and instrumental neutron activation analysis system has been developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory's Omega West Reactor (OWR) to analyze samples for uranium and 31 additional elements with a maximum throughput of 400 samples per day. The system and its mode of operation for a large reconnaissance survey will be described.