Pigment Content of D1-D2-Cytochrome b559 Reaction Center Preparations after Removal of CP47 Contamination: An Immunological Study

5 pages, figures, and tables statistics.Isolated D1 -D2-cytochrome b559 photosystem I1 reaction center preparations with pigment stoichiometry higher than 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins can be contaminated with CP47 proximal antenna complex. Reaction centers prepared by a modification of the Nanba-Satoh procedure and containing about 6 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins showed immuno-cross-reactivity when probed with a monoclonal antibody raised against the CP47 polypeptide. Furthermore, they could be fractionated successfully by Superose- 12 sieve chromatography into two different populations. The first few fractions off the column contained a more definitive 435 nm shoulder corresponding to increased chlorophyll content, and showed strong immuno-cross-reactivity with the CP47 antibody. The peak fractions off the column displayed a less prominent 435 nm shoulder, and did not cross-react with the antibody. Moreover, when a 6-chlorophyll preparation was mixed with Sepharose beads coupled to CP47 antibody, the eluted material corresponded to a preparation of about 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins and did not show any crossreaction with the antibody against CP47. The amount of CP47 protein in the 6-chlorophyll preparation as quantitated using Coomassie Blue staining or from gel blots was sufficient to account for most of the extra 2 chlorophylls. We conclude that D 1 -D2-cytochrome b559 preparations containing more than 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins can be contaminated with small amounts of CP47-D1 -D2-Cyt b559 complex and that native photosystem I1 reaction centers contain 4 core chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins.Peer reviewe

Pigment Content of D1-D2-Cytochrome b559 Reaction Center Preparations after Removal of CP47 Contamination: An Immunological Study

5 pages, figures, and tables statistics.Isolated D1 -D2-cytochrome b559 photosystem I1 reaction center preparations with pigment stoichiometry higher than 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins can be contaminated with CP47 proximal antenna complex. Reaction centers prepared by a modification of the Nanba-Satoh procedure and containing about 6 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins showed immuno-cross-reactivity when probed with a monoclonal antibody raised against the CP47 polypeptide. Furthermore, they could be fractionated successfully by Superose- 12 sieve chromatography into two different populations. The first few fractions off the column contained a more definitive 435 nm shoulder corresponding to increased chlorophyll content, and showed strong immuno-cross-reactivity with the CP47 antibody. The peak fractions off the column displayed a less prominent 435 nm shoulder, and did not cross-react with the antibody. Moreover, when a 6-chlorophyll preparation was mixed with Sepharose beads coupled to CP47 antibody, the eluted material corresponded to a preparation of about 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins and did not show any crossreaction with the antibody against CP47. The amount of CP47 protein in the 6-chlorophyll preparation as quantitated using Coomassie Blue staining or from gel blots was sufficient to account for most of the extra 2 chlorophylls. We conclude that D 1 -D2-cytochrome b559 preparations containing more than 4 chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins can be contaminated with small amounts of CP47-D1 -D2-Cyt b559 complex and that native photosystem I1 reaction centers contain 4 core chlorophylls per 2 pheophytins.Peer reviewe

Assessment of plasma chitotriosidase activity, CCL18/PARC concentration and NP-C suspicion index in the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C : A prospective observational study

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in either the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. The diagnosis of NP-C remains challenging due to the non-specific, heterogeneous nature of signs/symptoms. This study assessed the utility of plasma chitotriosidase (ChT) and Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 (CCL18)/pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC) in conjunction with the NP-C suspicion index (NP-C SI) for guiding confirmatory laboratory testing in patients with suspected NP-C. In a prospective observational cohort study, incorporating a retrospective determination of NP-C SI scores, two different diagnostic approaches were applied in two separate groups of unrelated patients from 51 Spanish medical centers (n = 118 in both groups). From Jan 2010 to Apr 2012 (Period 1), patients with ≥2 clinical signs/symptoms of NP-C were considered 'suspected NP-C' cases, and NPC1/NPC2 sequencing, plasma chitotriosidase (ChT), CCL18/PARC and sphingomyelinase levels were assessed. Based on findings in Period 1, plasma ChT and CCL18/PARC, and NP-C SI prediction scores were determined in a second group of patients between May 2012 and Apr 2014 (Period 2), and NPC1 and NPC2 were sequenced only in those with elevated ChT and/or elevated CCL18/PARC and/or NP-C SI ≥70. Filipin staining and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) measurements were performed in all patients with NP-C gene mutations, where possible. In total across Periods 1 and 2, 10/236 (4%) patients had a confirmed diagnosis o NP-C based on gene sequencing (5/118 [4.2%] in each Period): all of these patients had two causal NPC1 mutations. Single mutant NPC1 alleles were detected in 8/236 (3%) patients, overall. Positive filipin staining results comprised three classical and five variant biochemical phenotypes. No NPC2 mutations were detected. All patients with NPC1 mutations had high ChT activity, high CCL18/PARC concentrations and/or NP-C SI scores ≥70. Plasma 7-KC was higher than control cut-off values in all patients with two NPC1 mutations, and in the majority of patients with single mutations. Family studies identified three further NP-C patients. This approach may be very useful for laboratories that do not have mass spectrometry facilities and therefore, they cannot use other NP-C biomarkers for diagnosis

Subcutaneous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin for prevention of disease in asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trialResearch in context

Summary: Background: Anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin (hIG) can provide standardized and controlled antibody content. Data from controlled clinical trials using hIG for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 outpatients have not been reported. We assessed the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous anti-COVID-19 hyperimmune immunoglobulin 20% (C19-IG20%) compared to placebo in preventing development of symptomatic COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We did a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, in asymptomatic unvaccinated adults (≥18 years of age) with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection within 5 days between April 28 and December 27, 2021. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive a blinded subcutaneous infusion of 10 mL with 1 g or 2 g of C19-IG20%, or an equivalent volume of saline as placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants who remained asymptomatic through day 14 after infusion. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of individuals who required oxygen supplementation, any medically attended visit, hospitalisation, or ICU, and viral load reduction and viral clearance in nasopharyngeal swabs. Safety was assessed as the proportion of patients with adverse events. The trial was terminated early due to a lack of potential benefit in the target population in a planned interim analysis conducted in December 2021. ClinicalTrials.gov registry: NCT04847141. Findings: 461 individuals (mean age 39.6 years [SD 12.8]) were randomized and received the intervention within a mean of 3.1 (SD 1.27) days from a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. In the prespecified modified intention-to-treat analysis that included only participants who received a subcutaneous infusion, the primary outcome occurred in 59.9% (91/152) of participants receiving 1 g C19-IG20%, 64.7% (99/153) receiving 2 g, and 63.5% (99/156) receiving placebo (difference in proportions 1 g C19-IG20% vs. placebo, −3.6%; 95% CI -14.6% to 7.3%, p = 0.53; 2 g C19-IG20% vs placebo, 1.1%; −9.6% to 11.9%, p = 0.85). None of the secondary clinical efficacy endpoints or virological endpoints were significantly different between study groups. Adverse event rate was similar between groups, and no severe or life-threatening adverse events related to investigational product infusion were reported. Interpretation: Our findings suggested that administration of subcutaneous human hyperimmune immunoglobulin C19-IG20% to asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection was safe but did not prevent development of symptomatic COVID-19. Funding: Grifols