Expression of a bioactive bovine interleukin-12 using baculovirus

Recombinant baculoviruses that express recombinant bovine interleukin-12 (rboIL-12) subunits, p35 and p40 subunits were constructed. A recombinant virus containing the p40 subunit gene expressed the p40 subunit as a 40kDa monomer and an 80kDa disulfide-linked homodimer in the infected insect cells and in the culture supernatant. The p35 subunit was expressed in a 30kDa monomer in the infected cells but not in the supernatant. Superinfection of both recombinant viruses into the cells in a spinner flask resulted in the formation of a 70kDa disulfide-bonded heterodimer detected in the supernatant by immunoblotting using anti-p40 and anti-p35 subunits antibodies. The superinfected culture supernatant showed induction of IFNgamma mRNA synthesis and IFNgamma production in bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Thus, the bioactive rboIL-12 was produced in large scale using a baculovirus expression system.     

High level expression, purification, and in vivo activity of bovine granulocyte-colony stimulating factor produced using a baculovirus system

A bovine granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (bG-CSF) cDNA clone bearing a C-terminal poly-His-tag (bG-CSFHis) was constructed and expressed by the baculovirus expression system. The bG-CSFHis was expressed as an approximately 19kDa protein in the culture supernatants and was purified using a nickel chelate column. The purified bG-CSFHis had bioactivity in vitro in the NFS-60 bioassay. In order to evaluate activity in vivo, purified bG-CSFHis was administered to cattle as single or multiple dosages. The bG-CSFHis increased neutrophil counts in peripheral blood and modulated the phagocytic activity of the neutrophils. The data indicates that the recombinant protein had activity in vivo.     

Large-scale production of porcine mature interleukin-18 (IL-18) in silkworms using a hybrid baculovirus expression system

In this report, a hybrid baculovirus expression system, which means a hybrid virus of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus and the Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus, was used for the large-scale production of porcine mature interleukin-18 (IL-18) in silkworms. Two recombinant hybrid baculoviruses containing cDNA of the porcine precursor IL-18 and the porcine caspase-1 were constructed and were used to infect silkworm larvae. After the co-infection of the two viruses, porcine mature IL-18 was efficiently produced in the haemolymph. The concentration of IL-18 in the haemolymph was 80-100 microg/ml, as determined by porcine IL-18 specific ELISA. This yield was twenty-times more than that of the insect cell expression system described previously. The porcine mature IL-18 produced by the silkworms strongly induced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production from porcine PBMC. An insect factory system for the large-scale production of useful cytokines for livestock animals will be available in the near future.     

High level expression of recombinant chicken interferon-alpha using baculovirus

Bioactive recombinant chicken interferon-alpha (ChIFN-alpha) was expressed in a baculovirus system. For easy purification, it was expressed as ChIFN-alpha bearing histidine hexamer (His-tag) at C-terminal, designated ChIFN-alphaHis. The expressed proteins were detected by SDS-PAGE analysis with Coomassie brilliant blue staining as around 23 and 19 kDa bands thought to be immature and matured ChIFN-alphaHis respectively. The purified ChIFN-alphaHis with a nickel chelated column showed anti-viral activity in vitro.     

High level expression of biologically active canine interferon-alpha subtype 4 using a baculovirus

In this study, a high amount of bioactive recombinant canine interferon-alpha subtype 4 (CaIFN-alpha4) was expressed in a baculovirus system. For easy purification, it was expressed as a CaIFN-alpha4 bearing histidine hexamer at the C-terminal region, designated CaIFN-alpha4His. CaIFN-alpha4His was detected in culture supernatants of insect cells infected with the recombinant virus using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining. The level of expression was very high, and approximately 1 mg of purified protein, with 5.0 x 10(7) units/mg, was obtained from 300 ml of culture supernatant. The purified product showed antiviral activity against Vesicular stomatitis virus on canine tumor cell line A72 and chicken embryo fibroblast cells.     

奶牛白细胞介素-18的温控表达和活性分析

白细胞介素-18 是机体先天性和获得性免疫的重要调节因子,在慢性炎症、自体免疫性疾病、各种各样的癌变及众多传染病的发生过程中都有表达[1].     

High level expression of C-terminal truncated recombinant chicken interferon-gamma in baculovirus vector system

Chicken interferon-gamma (ChIFN-gamma) was expressed by baculovirus in a C-terminal truncated form, namely ChIFN-gammaT, to accelerate the secretion of the expressed protein. It is also expressed as ChIFN-gammaT bearing poly His tag, ChIFN-gammaTHis, for easy purification. The expressed proteins were detected by SDS-PAGE analysis with Coomassie brilliant blue staining. The purified ChIFN-gammaTHis with nickel chelated column showed anti-viral activity in vitro and stimulation of the secretion of nitrogen intermediates such as nitric oxide in chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Antiserum against ChIFN-gammaTHis recognized the 15 kDa, 16 kDa, and 32 kDa bands that seemed to be an unglycosylated monomer, a glycosylated monomer, and a homodimer of ChIFN-gammaTHis in the culture supernatant, respectively. The anti-serum also recognized around 14 kDa and 28 kDa bands in the sera of chickens or concanavalin A stimulated spleen cell culture supernatants that seemed to be monomeric and dimeric forms of a natural ChIFN-gamma, respectively.     

Cloning and expression of bovine and porcine interleukin-2 in baculovirus and analysis of species cross-reactivity

The cDNAs encoding bovine and porcine interleukin-2 (IL-2) have been expressed using the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus as a vector in insect cells. Insect cells infected with recombinant viruses secreted bovine and porcine IL-2 into the culture medium, with biological activities for maintaining the proliferation of homologous cells. When the activities of these two IL-2 proteins and commercially available human IL-2 were tested on heterologous cells differences were found. Recombinant bovine (rb)IL-2 only supported the growth of bovine lymphocytes and was not active on human, mouse or porcine lymphocytes. Recombinant porcine (rp)IL-2 and recombinant human (rh)IL-2 supported the proliferation of human, bovine, porcine and murine cells. However, the proliferative response of human lymphocytes to rpIL-2 was only 50% of that seen with rhIL-2. Sequence differences at the predicted p55 and p75 contact binding sites may explain this.     

猪IL-18基因的原核表达及重组蛋白的纯化

以pcDNA3．1-pIL-18为模板，采用PCR技术扩增到了猪白细胞介素18（IL-18）的成熟蛋白基因，通过KpnⅠ＋SacⅠ双酶切及连接反应，构建了pET32c—pIL—18原核表达质粒。经过限制性内切酶分析、PCR鉴定及DNA序列测定证实，重组质粒中的基因片段连接正确。之后，重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3），于37℃、1．0mmol／L IPTG条件下诱导表达。菌体裂解产物经SDS—PAGE分析，在分子质量约为33ku处出现了预期的目的蛋白。用8mol／L脲对表达产物变性，经Ni^2＋NTA柱纯化，透析复性，得到了纯化的IL-18蛋白。Western—blot分析证实，纯化的重组IL-18蛋白具有反应活性。上述研究结果为重组IL-18的应用奠定了基础。     

Characterization of bioactive recombinant woodchuck interleukin-2 amplified by RLM-RACE and produced in eukaryotic expression system

Woodchucks (Marmota monax) infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) represent a highly valuable laboratory model of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, in which molecular, immunological and pathological events occurring in infected humans are adequately reflected. To advance studies on T cell immune responses and propagation of hepadnavirus in T lymphocytes in this animal model, we determined the complete sequence of woodchuck interleukin-2 (wIL-2) cDNA by utilizing RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE) reaction. The wIL-2 sequence revealed a single open reading frame encoding for the predicted precursor protein comprised of a signal peptide and a 134 amino acid-long mature protein. The mature wIL-2 protein produced in the Escherichia coli expression system, designated as ec-rwIL-2, was found to be immunogenic but not biologically active. In contrast, precursor wIL-2 protein cloned into baculovirus transfer vector and expressed in Sf9 cells, designated as bac-rwIL-2, demonstrated functional competence. Further, bac-rwIL-2 was able to stimulate proliferation and to induce multiple daughter cell generations in woodchuck T cells, as well as facilitated the survival of standard IL-2-dependent mouse CTLL-2 cells in culture. Western blot analysis of bac-rwIL-2 using antibodies generated against ec-rwIL-2 revealed a single protein band of 15.5kDa. The availability of biologically active recombinant wIL-2 should facilitate ex vivo studies on functional competence of woodchuck T lymphocytes derived from different stages of hepadnaviral hepatitis and assist in recognizing their contribution to the pathogenesis of liver injury in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B.     

Cloning and expression of goat interleukin-18 gene

We isolated and sequenced a 480 bp cDNA encoding mature goat interleukin-18 (gIL-18) from alveolar macrophages and splenocytes activated with LPS by RT-PCR. The gIL-18 gene was cloned into pET32a (+) vectors and sequenced. Nucleotide sequence of gIL-18 shares high homology with cattle. Fusional expression with pET32a (+) of gIL-18 of about 38kD was obtained by SDS-PAGE analysis after induction by IPTG in the E. Coli BL21 expression system. The recombinant protein can induce IFN-gamma production in PBMC. The IL-18 mRNA was constitutively detected in goat alveolar macrophages with or without LPS, While, enhanced expression was detected in splenocytes and liver cells if treated by LPS, and can be weakly detected in Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated by activators. Significant deference of IL-18 mRNA level may reflect the capacity to produce mature IL-18 in such tissues.     

猪IL-2基因的克隆、序列分析及其杆状病毒表达载体的构建

参照GenBank发表的猪IL-2 cDNA基因序列设计1对引物,将猪脾淋巴细胞在伴刀豆球蛋白A(Con A)的刺激下体外培养27 h后,提取激活淋巴细胞总RNA,进行反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)扩增,克隆到pGEM-TEasy载体上并测序.测序结果显示,克隆的猪IL-2 cDNA全长为516 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)包含465 bp,编码154个氨基酸,相对分子质量为17 400,等电点为5.27,此cDNA与已报道的猪IL-2同源性为100%.与猫、牛、鸡、犬、鸭、山羊、马、人、家鼠等的IL-2基因进行比较分析,核苷酸同源性分别为83.7%、82.6%、28.2%、80.6%、29.6%、83.4%、81.3%、82.0%和61.5%.将此IL-2基因亚克隆到杆状病毒转移载体pFastBacDual后获得了重组质粒pFBD-IL2,进而转化进含穿梭载体Bacmid的感受态细胞DH10Bac中,发生转座作用;经抗性及蓝白斑筛选得到了含猪IL-2基因的重组DNA,将其命名为Bacmid-IL2.本试验为进一步在昆虫细胞中表达猪IL-2基因、开发研制新型免疫佐剂奠定了基础.     

利用杆状病毒表达系统表达鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒VP2蛋白

从GenBank下载传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)VP2基因序列,根据昆虫细胞偏爱密码子对IBDV VP2基因进行密码子优化,化学合成优化后的VP2基因序列,然后构建杆状病毒表达载体pTri Ex-4-VP2,构建成功的重组杆状病毒pTri Ex-4-VP2转染sf9细胞,制备病毒原种,采用SDS-PAGE和Western blot方法鉴定VP2的免疫原性。结果显示:细胞感染Bac-VP2后,其细胞裂解蛋白在58 ku附近有1个条带,且该条带与IBD阳性血清发生特异性反应;间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)结果显示VP2基因能在Sf9细胞中表达;动物攻毒保护试验中,2次免疫重组VP2蛋白后能诱导14日龄SPF鸡产生对IBDV强毒攻击,保护率为60%。本研究为进一步研究IBDV VP2基因工程疫苗提供了物质基础。     

Establishment of a large-scale purification procedure for purified recombinant bovine interferon-tau produced by a silkworm-baculovirus gene expression system

We developed a procedure for the large-scale purification of bovine interferon-tau (boIFN-tau) by means of a silkworm-baculovirus gene expression system. Recombinant boIFN-tau (rboIFN-tau) was efficiently produced in the silkworm infected with boIFN-tau cDNA recombinant baculovirus and accumulated in the haemolymph. To establish a purification method suitable for mass production, we tried three crude purification methods, namely, an acidification and neutralization treatment (ANT), silica gel column chromatography (SGCC), and Blue sepharose column chromatography (BSCC) with a combination of Q-sepharose (QSC) and chelating sepharose column chromatographies (CSCC). As a result, the acidification and neutralization treatment was found to be the most efficient and cost effective. With this combination, we obtained 91% pure products. To confirm the applicability of the procedure for mass production, we inoculated 100 silkworms with the recombinant virus, and recovered about 4.55 mg (1.26 x 10(8)U/mg) of 91% pure rboIFN-tau by means of a combination of the ANT, followed by QSC and CSCC.     

Production of biologically active, heterodimeric porcine interleukin-12 using a monocistronic baculoviral expression system

A baculoviral expression system for the production of biologically active, heterodimeric interleukin (IL)-12 was developed by utilizing foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) self-cleaving peptide, 2A. Recombinant porcine IL-12 (rpoIL-12) was produced by insect cells after infection with recombinant baculoviruses expressing the gene encoding a fusion protein of p35 and p40 subunits of IL-12 connected with 2A. By reducing and non-reducing SDS-PAGE analyses, it was demonstrated that rpoIL-12 had a heterodimeric structure which was resulted from 2A-dependent cleavage of the precursor fusion protein. In contrast, uncleaved, monomeric rpoIL-12 was produced by infection with baculoviruses expressing the gene lacking the 2A sequence. To assess the biological activities of these recombinants, we performed the proliferation assays of PHA-activated human PBMCs. The heterodimeric rpoIL-12 induced proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the uncleaved rpoIL-12 did not. Moreover, such biological activity was specifically inhibited by addition of anti-IL-12 antibodies or rpoIL-12 p40. These observations suggest that FMDV 2A can exert its self-cleaving activity even in a heterologous system, and that biologically active, heterodimeric rpoIL-12 can be generated by monocistronic expression of the p35/p40 fusion gene in combination with the 2A sequence.     

Cloning,expression, and tissue distribution of bovine interleukin-21

Bovine interleukin-21 (IL-21) cDNA was cloned and sequenced from bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) stimulated with 10 microg/ml concanavalin A (ConA), 10 microg/ml phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and 50 ng/ml phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 48 h. The open reading frame of the bovine IL-21 cDNA is 459 bp in length and encodes 152 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence is 78.2 and 58.5% homologous to the human and murine IL-21 amino acid sequences, respectively. Recombinant bovine IL-21 was expressed by a baculovirus expression system. The bovine IL-21 was processed to the mature form in insect cells and secreted to the supernatant confirmed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. The recombinant bovine mature IL-21 induced the proliferation of human IL-2-dependent cells, ILT-MAT. The mRNA expression for bovine IL-21 was observed in the spleen, but not in the brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. The bovine IL-21 identified in this study may provide new methods for the enhancement of innate immunity in cows.     

鸡IL-18成熟蛋白基因变构体毕赤酵母表达载体的构建及表达

为使鸡IL-18成熟蛋白基因在真核系统中高效表达,对其进行定点突变,将酵母低频密码子突变为偏嗜性密码子,构建了鸡IL-18成熟蛋白变构基因真核重组表达载体pPICZαA-MChIL18*,并将其转化入P.pastoris X-33.重组菌株X-33/pPICZαA-MChIL18*经甲醇诱导后,表达产物的上清液经SDS-PAGE检测,结果在约23 000处有目的条带,与预期的相对分子质量一致,占总蛋白的45%,对其进行Western-blot检测,结果与兔抗鸡IL-18多克隆抗体发生特异性免疫反应.结果表明,鸡IL-18成熟蛋白变构基因在毕赤酵母中成功的进行了表达.