The molecular basis for epitopes on the free β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), its carboxyl-terminal peptide and the hCGβ-core fragment

1994 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Dirnhofer ◽  
S Madersbacher ◽  
J-M Bidart ◽  
P B W Ten Kortenaar ◽  
G Spöttl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Tertiary Structure ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal

Abstract The molecular basis for antigenic determinants on the free β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCGβ), its carboxyl-terminal peptide (hCGβCTP) and the hCGβcore fragment (hCGβcf) was elucidated by means of monoclonal antibodies (MCAs). The objective of the present study was to resolve the antigenic topography of these three molecules in terms of epitope identification at different levels of structural organization as well as analysis of their spatial arrangement. An hCGβcf preparation, a synthetic peptide corresponding to the hCGβCTP (β109–145), overlapping synthetic peptides spanning the entire amino acid sequence of hCGβ, and a reduced and alkylated hCGβ preparation were assayed in a solid-phase one-site enzyme-linked immunoassay and in a solublephase direct-binding radioimmunoassay (RIA) or competitive RIA. The antigenic topography was mapped by incorporating the MCAs into two-site binding assays. On the surface of free hCGβ, nine different epitopes (β1–β9), arranged in three spatially distinct domains, could be distinguished. Epitopes β1–β7 were located in a single large domain on both hCGβ and the hCGβcf whereas hCGβCTP contained two topographically distant determinants, designated β8 and β9 respectively. All but the two epitopes located on hCGβCTP (β8 and β9) were destroyed by reducing and alkylating hCGβ, suggesting that most antigenic determinants are predominantly non-contiguous and require an intact tertiary structure whereas the molecular structure of hCGβCTP is linear. At a molecular level, amino acid residues spanning hCGβ 45–52, hCGβ 137–144 and hCGβ 113–116 contributed to the formation of epitopes β5, β8 and β9 respectively. We have also shown that the hCGβcf represents the immunodominant part of the free β-subunit of hCG, containing seven mainly conformationally determined epitopes, one of which has a share of the sequence β45–52. The hCGβCTP does not play a critical role in the immunologically important tertiary structure of hCGβ and was itself found to be a predominantly continuous sequence also within the native hormone, expressing two spatially distant antigenic determinants located within residues β113–116 and β137–144 respectively. Journal of Endocrinology (1994) 141, 153–162

Free α subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin: molecular basis of immunologically and biologically active domains

1994 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Dirnhofer ◽  
O Lechner ◽  
S Madersbacher ◽  
R Klieber ◽  
R de Leeuw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence ◽  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Molecular Organization ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Α Subunit

Abstract Immunochemical studies were undertaken to identify surface-orientated epitopes of the free α subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG-α) at the amino acid sequence level. We investigated the molecular organization of these epitopes, resolved the immunological topography in terms of spatial arrangement of antigenic domains and related structures to functions such as subunit association or receptor binding. Overlapping synthetic peptides covering the entire amino acid sequence of hCG-α, an enzymatically digested hCG-α subunit, and a reduced and alkylated hCG-α preparation were assayed in a solid-phase one-site enzyme-linked immunoassay, and in a solution-phase competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA). The antigenic topography was mapped by monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) in two-site binding assays (sandwich RIA). On the surface of hCG-α, seven different epitopes (α1–α7), arranged in four spatially distinct domains, could be distinguished: A, α1,2,4; B, α3,5; C, α6; D, α7. The peptides spanning hCG-α(13–18), hCG-α(17–22) and hCG-α(33–42) appeared to contribute to the formation of epitopes α2, α4 and α6 respectively. Since epitope α6 is present only on the free non-assembled subunit of different species, we concluded that the region hCG-α(33–42), which is evolutionarily highly conserved, represents a subunit assembly site. All but one epitope (α7) are destroyed by reducing and alkylating hCG-α. In contrast, chymotryptic digestion of hCG-α, leading to release of the heptapeptide hCG-α(41–47), did not affect epitope expression, indicating that this sequence is not involved in the formation of antigenic determinants. Addressing the biological properties of hCG-α epitopes by radioreceptor assay revealed that the three hCG-α peptides corresponding to epitopes α2, α4 and α6 did not displace radiolabelled hCG from its receptor, whereas any of the MCAs directed against determinants (α1–α5), shared by hCG and hCG-α, totally inhibited binding. Consistent with this, the antibodies neutralized the biological activity of hCG in terms of testosterone production in a mouse Leydig cell in vitro bioassay. We therefore concluded that hormone antibody-binding sites differ from those of hormone receptor binding, revealing no essential congruence of immunologically and biologically active domains. Journal of Endocrinology (1994) 140, 145–154

A single amino acid residue replacement in the β subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin results in the loss of biological activity

1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Chen ◽  
D. Puett
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Residue ◽  
Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Single Amino Acid Residue

ABSTRACT The heterodimer, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), contains an a subunit that is common to the glycoprotein hormones and a hormone-specific β subunit. A comparison of all known β amino acid sequences shows that an aspartic acid at position 99 (with the numbering scheme for hCG-β) is one of the seven non-Cys invariant residues. Using site-directed mutagenesis we have replaced hCG-β Asp99 with Arg. Chinese hamster ovary cells, containing a stably integrated gene for bovine a subunit, were transiently transfected with plasmids containing wild-type and mutant hCG-β cDNAs. The Arg99 β mutant associated with the a subunit, but the resulting heterodimer failed to enhance intracellular cyclic AMP production in a gonadotrophin-responsive transformed murine Leydig cell line. Thus, a single amino acid residue replacement in this glycosylated heterodimer containing 237 amino acid residues is sufficient to abolish activity.

Lysine residues 2 and 104 of the human chorionic gonadotrophin β subunit influence receptor binding

1993 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Xia ◽  
J Huang ◽  
T-M Chen ◽  
D Puett
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Basic Amino Acid ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Lysine Residues

ABSTRACT Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), like other members of the glycoprotein hormone family, contains a common α subunit and a hormone-specific β subunit. The latter is a 145 amino acid residue polypeptide with six sites of glycosylation. Positions 2 and 104 are occupied by basic amino acid residues in the 12 known amino acid sequences of mammalian β subunits from CG and LH, a related gonadotrophin that acts through the same receptor. Lysine residues are found in both these positions in hCG-β. Using site-directed mutagenesis, each of these two lysines in hCG-β was replaced with glutamic acid. The mutant and wild-type cDNAs were subcloned into a eukaryotic expression vector, which was then transiently transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells containing a stably integrated gene for the bovine α subunit. Holoprotein formation occurred with each of the two heterologous gonadotrophin mutants, i.e. the bovine α subunit bound to hCG-β (Glu2) and to hCG-β (Glu104), as well as with the control, i.e. the bovine α subunit bound to the hCG-β wild-type subunit. In two in-vitro assays, one a competitive binding assay with 125I-labelled hCG as bound ligand and the other based on stimulation of progesterone production in a transformed murine Leydig cell line, MA-10, both the heterodimers containing a mutant β subunit exhibited bioactivity, but their potencies were lower than that of the bovine α subunit bound to the hCG-β wild-type subunit. These results suggest that the basic amino acid residues at positions 2 and 104 in hCG-β participate, either directly or indirectly, in receptor binding.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHINS EXTRACTED FROM HUMAN, RHESUS MONKEY AND MARMOSET PLACENTAE

1972 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRUCE HOBSON ◽  
LEIF WIDE
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Rhesus Monkey ◽  
Human Placenta ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Antigenic Determinants

SUMMARY Evidence is provided to show that chorionic gonadotrophins extracted from the human, rhesus monkey and marmoset placentae have antigenic determinants in common. Similar slopes were obtained for these gonadotrophins in a radioimmunoassay for human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). The biological activity of the monkey gonadotrophins was neutralized by anti-HCG serum. When the gonadotrophic activity of the monkey placental extracts was assayed biologically and immunologically, using HCG as a standard, similar results were obtained. Higher values were obtained by the immunoassay than by the bioassay when extracts of human placenta were assayed using the same HCG standard.

Comparison of two solid-phase peptide syntheses of a 32-amino acid carboxyl-terminal fragment of human parathyroid hormone, hPTH-(53–84)

1980 ◽  
Vol 199 (1) ◽  
pp. 286-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rosenblatt ◽  
Geoffrey W. Tregear ◽  
Gary L. Shepard ◽  
George A. Tyler ◽  
Marta Veroni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parathyroid Hormone ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Human Parathyroid Hormone ◽  
Terminal Fragment ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal

Specific enzyme immunoassay for human chorionic gonadotrophin

1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuhiro Sekiya ◽  
Yoshihito Furuhashi ◽  
Setsuko Goto ◽  
Shigeaki Kaseki ◽  
Yutaka Tomoda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Assay Tube ◽  
Sandwich Type ◽  
Serial Samples

Abstract. A sandwich-type enzyme immunoassay system specific for human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) was prepared with the antibody Fab'-β-D-galactosidase complex and the antibody F(ab')2-immobilized silicone rubber solid phase by using a purified antibody to β subunit of hCG (hCGβ). The assay system cross-reacted less than 4% with human luteinizing hormone (hLH) and human follicular stimulating hormone (hFSH), and proved to be highly sensitive with hCG measurable at levels as low as 0.3 mIU per assay tube. Using 50 μl of serum sample, 6–600 mIU/ml of hCG in serum could be determined specifically with the same degree of precision as in radioimmunoassay but without sample interference with the assay. The coefficients of variation within-run and between-run were 8.6–8.9%, and 4.9– 10.7%, respectively. Values obtained with the enzyme immunoassay correlated well with those of radioimmunoassay ([unk] = 0.98, slope = 0.94, y-intercept = 10.2 mIU/ml for 75 serum samples). Results of the immunoassay of hCG levels in serial samples of serum from healthy women and patients with choriocarcinoma show that this method is useful in the clinical diagnosis of trophoblastic disease.

PRODUCTION OF ANTISERA AGAINST HIGHLY PURIFIED HUMAN FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE, LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE

1976 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. THORELL ◽  
B. HOLMSTRÖM
Keyword(s):  
Luteinizing Hormone ◽  
Follicle Stimulating Hormone ◽  
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone ◽  
High Titre ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
High Avidity ◽  
Cross Reactions ◽  
Stimulating Hormone

SUMMARY Antisera were produced in rabbits against highly purified preparations of human LH (2000 or 10000 i.u./mg), human FSH (5500 i.u./mg), and human TSH (7·5 i.u./mg). Most rabbits produced antisera of high titre and high avidity. Cross-reactions were minimal between human TSH and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and between human FSH and HCG but marked between human LH and HCG. TSH and FSH also showed a constant but relatively weak cross-reaction. LH cross-reacted with FSH to a higher degree than did HCG. The avidity of the antisera was high. It was concluded that much of the lack of specificity recorded for glycoprotein antisera are effects of impure immunogens. Some of the true cross-reactions are probably explained by shared antigenic determinants of the β-subunits. Unadsorbed antisera could be used for assay of FSH and TSH in plasma from pregnant women.

scholarly journals Antigenic and structural features of goblet-cell mucin of human small intestine

1984 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Mantle ◽  
G G Forstner ◽  
J F Forstner
Keyword(s):  
Goblet Cell ◽  
Tertiary Structure ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Western Blots ◽  
Intestinal Mucin ◽  
Small Intestinal ◽  
Three Dimensional Configuration

With the use of a newly developed solid-phase radioimmunoassay method, the major antigenic determinants of human small-intestinal goblet-cell mucin were investigated and related to the overall tertiary structure of the mucin. Preliminary hapten inhibition studies with various oligosaccharides of known sequence and structure suggested that the determinants did not reside in carbohydrate. Exhaustive thiol reduction, however, almost abolished antigenicity, caused breakdown of the mucin into small heterogeneous glycopeptides, and liberated a ‘link’ peptide of Mr 118000. Western ‘blots’ of reduced mucin from polyacrylamide gels on to nitrocellulose sheets showed that a small amount of residual antigenicity remained in large-Mr glycopeptides (Mr greater than 200000). The ‘link’ peptide was not antigenic. Timed Pronase digestion of native mucin resulted in a progressive loss of antigenic determinants. Gel electrophoresis revealed that after 8h of digestion the 118000-Mr peptide had disappeared, whereas antigenicity, which was confined to large-Mr glycopeptides, was destroyed much more slowly with time (70% by 24h, 100% by 72h). Despite the loss of antigenicity, 72h-Pronase-digested glycopeptides retained all of the carbohydrate of the native mucin. Therefore the antibody to human small-intestinal mucin appears to recognize a ‘naked’ (non-glycosylated and Pronase-susceptible) peptide region(s) of mucin glycopeptides. For full antigenicity, however, disulphide bonds are required to stabilize a specific three-dimensional configuration of the ‘naked’ region.

scholarly journals Structural and functional analysis of rare missense mutations in human chorionic gonadotrophin β-subunit

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 379-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liina Nagirnaja ◽  
Česlovas Venclovas ◽  
Kristiina Rull ◽  
Kim C. Jonas ◽  
Hellevi Peltoketo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Analysis ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Β Subunit
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