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Archive for category: Featured Articles

Featured Articles

C180 Thompson figure

G protein-coupled receptors, accessory proteins and signalling

, 26 August 2020/in Featured Articles /by 3wmedia

Molecular diagnostics is increasingly embracing pharmacogenomics. Here we discuss the role of G protein-coupled receptors and their accessory proteins in disease, drawing on our experience addressing the role of the calcium-sensing receptor polymorphisms/variation in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia in order to highlight the role that pharmacogenomics may play in personalized treatment.

by Dr M. D. Thompson, Dr D. E. C. Cole and Dr G. N. Hendy

Introduction
The identification and characterization of gene families encoding G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and the proteins necessary for the processes of ligand binding, GPCR activation, inactivation and receptor trafficking facilitates the study of drug response in the context of human genetic disease. Thompson et al. reviewed these topics in Volume 1175 of Methods in Molecular Biology in 2014 [1–3].

With the advance of genomic technologies, there has been a substantial increase in the inventory of naturally occurring rare and common GPCR variants [2, 3]. In addition to functional GPCR variants, genetic variation has been found in a variety of G protein subunits and accessory proteins that normally modify or organize heterotrimeric G protein coupling. These include variants of the regulator of G protein signalling (RGS) protein associated with hypertension; variants of the activator of G protein signalling (AGS) proteins associated with various phenotypes (such as the type III AGS8 variant to hypoxia); variants in of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) proteins, such as GRK4, associated with disorders such as hypertension [1]. Variation in GPCR, G protein and accessory protein structure and function provides the basis for examining the pharmacogenomics of GPCRs and the genetics of related monogenic disorders [1–3].

GPCR variants and variant G protein subunits associated with human disease
Diseases caused by the genetic disruption of GPCR functions may be selectively targeted by drugs that rescue altered receptors. The identification of variants in these receptors provides genetic reagents useful in drug screens. Examples of drugs developed as a result of targeting GPCRs mutated in disease include: the calcimimetics and calcilytics, drugs targeting melanocortin receptors in obesity and interventions that alter gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GNRHR) loss from the cell surface in idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism [2, 3].

Inactive, overactive and constitutively active receptors
Genetic variations in GPCR genes disrupt GPCR function in a variety of human genetic diseases. In vitro studies and animal models have been used to identify the molecular pathologies underlying these GPCR mutations. Inactive, overactive, or constitutively active receptors have been identified. These receptor variants alter ligand binding, G protein coupling, receptor desensitization, or receptor recycling. Variant GPCRs disrupted in disease include rhodopsin, thyrotropin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), melanocortin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, GNRHR, adrenocorticotropic hormone, vasopressin, endothelin-β, purinergic, and the G protein associated with asthma [GPRA or neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1)] [2]. Data on the role of activating and inactivating calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) mutations provide examples that will be discussed in detail with respect to familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH) [4].

Calcium-sensing receptor mutations and hypercalcemia/hypocalcemia
The CASR functions as an extracellular calcium sensor for the parathyroid gland and the kidney. The CASR itself is a plasma membrane GPCR that is abundantly expressed in the PTH secreting cells of the parathyroid gland and the cells lining the renal tubule lumen [2, 4]. The activity and/or expression levels of the CASR dictate the calcium set-point at which PTH is secreted from the parathyroid gland [2]. CASR gene variants may influence many physiological processes by contributing to individual differences in calcium metabolism [2].

Inherited abnormalities of the CASR gene give rise to a variety of disorders of mineral ion homeostasis [5]. Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations cause familial (benign) hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) in which the lifelong mild hypercalcemia is generally asymptomatic. Homozygous inactivating mutations give rise to neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT) with extreme hypercalcemia and marked skeletal changes [5–7]. Heterozygous activating mutations of the CASR cause ADH that may be asymptomatic or present with seizures in the neonatal period or childhood or later in life [2].

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia and neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism

The syndrome known as familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH), or familial benign hypercalcemia, results in mild primary hyperparathyroidism and relatively normal serum concentrations of PTH [8]. A key feature of FHH is the unusually high renal tubular reabsorption of calcium and magnesium in the face of hypercalcemia. However, some FHH families have affected members in which calcium excretion is increased and this may reflect the particular CASR mutation involved [2].

NSHPT involves multiglandular parathyroid hyperplasia. Children under the age of 6 months develop severe, symptomatic hypercalcemia with bony changes of hyperparathyroidism. Delay in treatment can lead to a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder. Some forms of neonatal hyperparathyroidism, involving either a de novo or paternal inheritance of a mutated CASR allele, present with milder symptoms [2].

Upwards of 200 unique inactivating, FHH/NSHPT type mutations in the CASR have been identified [2], as shown in Figure 1 (http://www.casrdb.mcgill.ca/). Although FHH is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with almost 100% penetrance and variable expressivity, the population prevalence is not well defined. The FHH trait was initially mapped to chromosome 3q21, the locus of the CASR gene: two-thirds of FHH cases are due to mutations in the CASR gene and the disorder is FHH type 1 [2].

In some kindreds, however, the FHH trait maps to either chromosome 19p13.3 (FHH type 2) or 19q13.3 (FHH type 3). FHH2 is due to heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in GNA11, the gene encoding the alpha subunit of G11 that couples the activated CASR to intracellular signalling pathways [9]. FHH3 is due to inactivating mutations in the AP2S1 gene that encodes the sigma subunit of adaptor protein complex 2 critical for clathrin-mediated endocytosis of a variety of cell surface proteins including GPCRs such as the CASR [2].

Hypocalcemia, hypoparathyroidism, and hypocalcemic hypercalciuria
Gain-of-function mutations in the CASR gene have been identified in several families previously diagnosed with ADH, autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism, and hypocalcemic hypercalciuria [2]. In the parathyroid gland, the activated CASR suppresses PTH secretion and in the kidney, it induces hypercalciuria [4]. De novo mutations are common [2]. Mosaicism for de novo mutation in an otherwise healthy parent has been described and this has important implications for counselling parents about the risk of recurrence [2].

In a subset of ADH families, CASR gain-of-function mutations have been associated with the onset of tonic–clonic seizures. In ADH, brain calcifications – sometimes accompanied by seizures – suggest that activating mutations may alter calcium homeostasis in the brain. The abnormal set-point of calcium regulation complicates treatment with calcitriol and dietary calcium supplementation because the CASR expressed in the kidney may override other regulators of calcium excretion. The constitutively activated CASR mutant induces hypercalciuria, which may exacerbate the hypocalcemia [2, 10].

More than 100 activating mutations (virtually all missense) have been identified and appear almost equally divided between the amino-terminal third of the extracellular domain (ECD) and the transmembrane domain shown in Figure 1 (http://www.casrdb.mcgill.ca/).

GPCR pharmacogenomics
Pharmacogenetics investigates the influence of genetic variants on physiological phenotypes related to drug response and disease, while pharmacogenomics takes a genome-wide approach to advancing this knowledge. Both play an important role in identifying responders and non-responders to medication, avoiding adverse drug reactions, and optimizing drug dose for the individual.

The CASR provides an example of GPCR variability in the population. While CASR variants contribute to monogenic disorders such as FHH and ADH, common CASR polymorphisms also account for some of the population variation in calcium response that is a risk factor for a variety of disease susceptibilities. CASR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with a number of complex phenotypes. For example, the Ala986Ser variant may contribute to bone mineral density, primary hyperparathyroidism, and Paget disease [11].
The cluster of missense polymorphisms located in the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor is associated with inter-individual population differences in Ca2+ metabolism [12]. Different haplotypes are associated with primary hyperparathyroidism and the frequency of kidney stones. More recent genome-wide association studies in ~33,000 individuals of European and Indian Asian ancestry confirmed that the blood calcium concentration associated most significantly with SNPs in the CASR gene [13].

CASR variants are known to alter the sensitivity of the CASR and result in altered extracellular calcium-concentration set points in tissues. Web sites such as http://www.casrdb.mcgill.ca/ document a number of SNPs scattered across the more than 100 kb region of genomic DNA that encompasses the CASR gene. Common missense SNPs (Ala986Ser and Arg990Gly) are clustered in the DNA region encoding the cytoplasmic tail of CASR. The most common of these, the Ala986Ser variant, is predictive of the unbound, extracellular calcium levels [11]. The Ala986Ser variant is thus a mild inactivating variant that may predispose to hypercalcemia without being fully predictive of hypocalciuria. By contrast, the Arg990Gly variant (activating) results in the increased calcium excretion that characterizes idiopathic hypercalciuria and is predictive of nephrolithiasis [2].

Conclusion
GPCRs are the primary target of therapeutic drugs and have been the focus of these studies. These variants include SNPs and insertion/deletions that have potential to alter GPCR expression of function. In vivo and in vitro studies have determined functional roles for many GPCR variants, but genetic association studies that define the physiological impact of the majority of these common variants are still limited. Despite the breadth of pharmacogenetic data available, GPCR variants have not been included in drug labelling and are only occasionally considered in optimizing clinical use of GPCR targeted agents. As the extent of GPCR pharmacogenomic data increases, the opportunity for routine assessment of GPCR variants to predict disease risk, drug response and potential adverse drug effects will no doubt become more commonplace.

References
1. Thompson MD, Cole DE, Jose PA, et al. G protein-coupled receptor accessory proteins and signaling: pharmacogenomic insights. Methods Mol Biol. 2014; 1175: 121-52.
2. Thompson MD, Hendy GN, Percy ME, et al. G protein-coupled receptor mutations and human genetic disease. Methods Mol Biol. 2014; 1175: 153-87.
3. Thompson MD, Cole DE, Capra V, et al. Pharmacogenetics of the G protein-coupled receptors. Methods Mol Biol. 2014; 1175: 189-242.
4. Zhang C, Zhuo Y, Moniz HA, et al. Direct determination of multiple ligand interactions with the extracellular domain of the calcium sensing receptor. J Biol Chem. 2014 Oct 10. pii: jbc.M114.604652.
5. Thim SB, Birkebaek NH, et al. Activating calcium-sensing receptor gene variants in children: a case study of infant hypocalcaemia and literature review. Acta Paediatr. 2014 Jul 10. doi: 10.1111/apa.12743.
6. Toka HR, Pollak MR.The role of the calcium-sensing receptor in disorders of abnormal calcium handling and cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2014; 23: 494-501.
7. Grzegorzewska AE, Ostromecki G. Gene polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor, vitamin D-binding protein and calcium-sensing receptor in respect of calcium-phosphate disturbances in chronic dialysis patients. Przegl Lek. 2013; 70: 735-8.
8. Jakobsen NF, Rolighed L, Nissen PH, et al. Muscle function and quality of life are not impaired in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia: a cross- sectional study on physiological effects of inactivating variants in the calcium-sensing receptor gene (CASR). Eur J Endocrinol. 2013; 169: 349-57.
9. Nesbit MA, Hannan FM, Howles SA, et al. Mutations affecting G-protein subunit α11 in hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368: 2476-86.
10. Ranieri M, Tamma G, Di Mise A, et al. Excessive signal transduction of gain-of-function variants of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) are associated with increased ER to cytosol calcium gradient. PLoS One. 2013; 8: e79113.
11. Han G, Wang O, Nie M, et al. Clinical phenotypes of Chinese primary hyperparathyroidism patients are associated with the calcium-sensing receptor gene R990G polymorphism. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013; 169: 629-38.
12. Scillitani A, Guarnieri V, Battista C, et al. Primary hyperparathyroidism and the presence of kidney stones are associated with different haplotypes of the calcium-sensing receptor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007; 92: 277-83.
13. Kapur K1, Johnson T, Beckmann ND, et al. Genome-wide meta-analysis for serum calcium identifies significantly associated SNPs near the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) gene. PLoS Genet. 2010; 6: e1001035.

The authors
Miles D. Thompson1* PhD; David E. C. Cole2 MD, PhD; Geoffrey N. Hendy3 PhD

1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. M5S 1A8.
2Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Medicine and Genetics, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. M4N 3M5.
3Departments of Medicine, Physiology, and Human Genetics, McGill University, and Calcium Research Laboratory and Hormones and Cancer Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada. H3A 1A1.

*Corresponding author
E-mail: miles.thompson@utoronto.ca

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Ultrasensitive colorimetric detection of HIV-1 p24

, 26 August 2020/in Featured Articles /by 3wmedia

To reduce the window period for HIV-1 infection, a method for detecting trace amounts of HIV-1 p24 in blood is needed. We developed a simple de novo ultrasensitive colorimetric ELISA by adding a thio-NAD cycling solution to the standard ELISA. The limit of detection for p24 was 0.005 IU (i.e. attomoles) per assay by the ultrasensitive colorimetric ELISA.

by Dr A. Nakatsuma, M. Kaneda, H. Kodama, M. Morikawa, S. Watabe, et al.

Background
During the window period between infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the appearance of detectable antibodies to HIV-1, the infection cannot be diagnosed. Attempts to shorten this period have been made using a fourth-generation immunoassay that detects both HIV-1/2 IgG/M and HIV-1 p24 antigens [1]. However, most of the commercially available detection systems for fourth-generation immunoassays use chemiluminescent measurement and thus require specialized, highly expensive automated measurement equipment. For this reason, fourth-generation immunoassays are performed only at diagnostics companies and hub hospitals. To overcome this limitation and to test many samples simultaneously, there is need of an immunoassay with increased sensitivity for the HIV-1 p24 antigen that nonetheless uses a common enzyme and does not require any specialized instruments.

In 2010, French health authorities mandated a limit of detection of at least 2 IU/mL of HIV-1 p24 antigen for a Conformité Européenne (CE)-marked HIV antigen/antibody assay [2]. According to this mandate, commercially available assay kits were manufactured to detect p24 antigen with limits of detection ranging from 0.505 to 1.901 IU/mL and from 11.9 to 33.5 pg/mL [2]. Units of pg/mL are used for the Société Française de Tranfusion Sanguine (SFTS) standard (i.e. recombinant proteins), versus IU/mL for the WHO (World Health Organization) standard. As 1 IU/mL is estimated to be equivalent to 10 pg/mL and MW = 24 000 for p24, the best sensitivity in these kits is 0.505 IU/mL, which is ~2 × 10−16 moles/mL.

To date, numerous methods have been proposed for the detection of p24 antigen. However, the limit of detection of p24 antigen is not expected to overcome the sensitivity of 10−17 to 10−18 moles/mL. In addition, we have to note that HIV testing of many samples requires not only ultrasensitive HIV-1 p24 detection but also rapidity, a reasonable cost, and a simple protocol without the requirement of special equipment. In the present review, we introduce a de novo ultrasensitive colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HIV-1 p24 [3].

Mechanism of ultrasensitive colorimetric ELISA
Watabe and colleagues developed an ultrasensitive ELISA to measure trace amounts of proteins by combining a conventional ELISA with thionicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (thio-NAD) cycling [4]. Their rationale was that although proteins cannot be amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the manner of nucleic acids, a detectable signal for proteins can be amplified. Thus, their ultrasensitive ELISA (Fig. 1) employs a sandwich method using a primary and a secondary antibody for antigens. An androsterone derivative, 3α-hydroxysteroid, is produced by the hydrolysis of 3α-hydroxysteroid 3-phosphate with alkaline phosphatase linked to the secondary antibody. This 3α-hydroxysteroid is oxidized to a 3-ketosteroid by 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3αHSD) with a cofactor thio-NAD. By the opposite reaction, the 3-ketosteroid is reduced to a 3α-hydroxysteroid by 3α-HSD with a cofactor NADH. During this cycling reaction, thio-NADH accumulates in a quadratic function-like fashion. Accumulated thio-NADH can be measured directly at an absorbance of 400 nm without any interference from other cofactors.

This method enables the detection of a target protein with ultrasensitivity (10−19 moles/assay) by measuring the cumulative quantity of thio-NADH by a colorimetric method without the use of any special instruments for the measurements of fluorescence, luminescence or radio isotopes [4]. Further, we should note that this ultrasensitive method will allow a technician to detect trace amounts of proteins simply by applying thio-NAD cycling reagents to the conventional ELISA system. We therefore applied this ultrasensitive ELISA to the detection of HIV-1 p24 antigen in blood [3].

Sensitivity and stability of the ultrasensitive colorimetric ELISA for HIV-1 p24
A typical linear calibration curve for HIV-1 p24 antigen provided by the ultrasensitive ELISA coupled with thio-NAD cycling was y = 0.27x + 0.019, R2 = 0.99 in the range of 0.1‒1.0 IU/mL. The limit of detection of p24 was 0.0055 IU/assay (i.e. ~2 × 10−18 moles/assay). These findings indicate that the ultrasensitive colorimetric ELISA succeeds in detecting p24 at the attomole level [3]. Because this measurement system employs a 50 µL solution for each assay, the detection limit corresponded to 0.1 IU/mL, or 10−17 moles/mL. Therefore, even in terms of the concentration per mL, our detection limit is less than one-tenth of that required by the French health authorities [2]. The coefficient of variation was 8% for 1 IU/mL.

Spike-and-recovery test using serum
We attempted to perform spike-and-recovery tests in which the HIV-1 p24 antigen was added to the control serum. Because our results demonstrated that the ratio was about 100% for 0.5 IU/mL of HIV-1 p24, which was less than the value (2 IU/mL) required for a CE-marked HIV antigen/antibody assay (see Background), the ultrasensitive method was judged to sufficiently detect IV-1 p24 antigen in human blood obtained from patients in the very early period after infection.

Detection of HIV-1 p24 in the early stages of infection
It is important to diagnose primary HIV-1 infection and begin antiretroviral treatment as early as possible. Most HIV-1/2 antibody diagnostic tests detect the antibodies for the antigens of HIV-1 gp41 and HIV-2 gp36, which are highly conservative transmembrane proteins. These tests are quick and easy, and thus have been widely used in many clinics and public health centres. However, when only the antibody diagnostic tests are used, there is a long delay (generally a 28-day window period) before diagnosis is possible [5]. Further, HIV-1/2 antibody tests in children younger than 18 months tend to be especially inaccurate as a result of the continued presence of maternal antibodies [6]. To shorten the delay and to validate HIV tests, the HIV-1 p24 antigen, the concentration of which is expected to increase before antibodies emerge, should be detectable in trace amounts. HIV-1 p24 in blood emerges transiently in the very early period after infection, and then its concentration quickly returns to the basal level [5]. An HIV-1 p24 test is, therefore, very useful as a screening test in the early stage of infection.

Closing the gap on PCR-based nucleic acid testing (NAT)
Generally, the gold standard for diagnosing HIV-1 is PCR-based nucleic acid testing (NAT) [7], but this method is expensive and has infrastructure requirements, a long measuring time, and high complexity, thereby limiting its usefulness for large numbers of samples. There is also the issue that much of the world lacks access to reliable NAT, and thus in many geographic regions the policy is to simply wait until symptoms develop. Use of ultrasensitive detection of HIV-1 p24 antigen for early diagnosis would be a simple and reasonable alternative to NAT, such as for monitoring HIV treatment and protecting the blood supply. Accordingly, it is time to reconsider whether NAT should be the gold standard for diagnosing HIV-1. Barletta et al. claimed that the target protein (i.e. HIV-1 p24 antigen) is present in the virion in much higher numbers than viral RNA copies (approximately 3000 HIV-1 p24 antigen molecules versus 2 RNA copies per virion) [8]. The 10−18 moles/assay value in our present results corresponds to 106 protein molecules/assay, or ~103 RNA copies/assay. Although under laboratory conditions a real-time PCR (i.e. NAT) can detect on the order of 101 RNA copies/assay, the limitation of detection is usually in the order of 102 RNA copies/assay [9]. Hence, the ultrasensitive ELISA coupled with thio-NAD cycling for HIV-1 p24 is closing in on the detection limit obtained by NAT, with a margin of difference of only one order of magnitude.

Conclusion
The ultrasensitive ELISA coupled with thio-NAD cycling is a very convenient method for the early testing of HIV-1 infection because it requires only the addition of a thio-NAD cycling solution to the usual ELISA without the use of any specialized measuring equipment. Consequently, the present method could be widely used as a powerful tool to test many samples simultaneously.

References
1. George CRR, Robertson PW, Lusk MJ, Whybin R, Rawlinson W. Prolonged second diagnostic window for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in a fourth-generation immunoassay: Are alternative testing strategies required? J Clin Microbiol. 2014; 52: 4105–4108.
2. Ly TD, Plantier JC, Leballais L, Gonzalo S, Lemée V, Laperche S. The variable sensitivity of HIV Ag/Ab combination assays in the detection of p24Ag according to genotype could compromise the diagnosis of early HIV infection. J Clin Virol. 2012; 55: 121–127.
3. Nakatsuma A, Kaneda M, Kodama H, Morikawa M, Watabe S, Nakaishi K, Yamashita M, Yoshimura T, Miura T, Ninomiya M, Ito E. Detection of HIV-1 p24 at attomole level by ultrasensitive ELISA with thio-NAD cycling. PLoS One 2015; 10: e0131319.
4. Watabe S, Kodama H, Kaneda M, Morikawa M, Nakaishi K, Yoshimura T. Ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of proteins by combination with the thio-NAD cycling method. BIOPHYSICS. 2014; 10: 49–54.
5. World Health Organization (WHO). HIV/AIDS Fact sheet No 360. WHO 2015; http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs360/en/
6. Zijenah LS, Tobaiwa O, Rusakaniko S, Nathoo KJ, Nhembe M, Matibe P, Katzenstein DA. Signal-boosted qualitative ultrasensitive p24 antigen assay for diagnosis of subtype C HIV-1 infection in infants under the age of 2 years. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2005; 39: 391–394.
7. Patel P, Mackellar D, Simmons P, Uniyal A, Gallagher K, Bennett B, Sullivan TJ, Kowalski A, Parker MM, LaLota M, Kerndt P, Sullivan PS; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Acute HIV Infection Study Group. Detecting acute human immunodeficiency virus infection using 3 different screening immunoassays and nucleic acid amplification testing for human immunodeficiency virus RNA, 2006-2008. Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170: 66–74.
8. Barletta JM, Edelman DC, Constantine NT. Lowering the detection limits of HIV-1 viral load using real-time immuno-PCR for HIV-1 p24 antigen. Am J Clin Pathol. 2004; 122: 20–27.
9. Wagatsuma A, Sadamoto H, Kitahashi T, Lukowiak K, Urano A, Ito E. Determination of the exact copy numbers of particular mRNAs in a single cell by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. J Exp Biol. 2005; 208: 2389–2398.

The authors

Akira Nakatsuma1 PhD, PhC; Mugiho Kaneda1 BAgr; Hiromi Kodama1 MAgr; Mika Morikawa1,2 BASc; Satoshi Watabe3 BPha; Kazunari Nakaishi2; Masakane Yamashita4 PhD; Teruki Yoshimura5 PhD, PhC; Toshiaki Miura6 PhD, PhC; Masaki Ninomiya1 PhD, PhC; Etsuro Ito*1 PhD

1 Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki, Japan
2 TAUNS Laboratories, Inc., Izunokuni, Japan
3 BL Co., Ltd., Numazu, Japan
4 Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
5 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Japan
6 Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

*Corresponding author
E-mail: eito@kph.bunri-u.ac.jp

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Anti-parietal cell antibodies

, 26 August 2020/in Autoimmunity & Allergy, Featured Articles, Gastrointestinal Disorders /by 3wmedia

by Dr Petraki Munujos The anti-parietal cell antibodies show one of the most distinctive fluorescent patterns in the autoantibody screening by indirect immunofluorescence. Although these antibodies react with a well known target antigen (H+/K+ ATPase) solely present in the parietal cells of the gastric gland, the use of combined tissue sections in the same reaction […]

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Mass spectrometric immunoassay for top-down protein analysis

, 26 August 2020/in Featured Articles /by 3wmedia

Mass spectrometry-based methods hold great promise for addressing protein heterogeneity. As a result of post-translational processing, proteins can exist in vivo as multiple proteoforms. The added information contained in the protein profile can be important in physiological and pathological states. Presented here is an overview of a mass spectrometric immunoassay (MSIA) for quantitative determination of the chemokine RANTES proteoforms. MSIA offers protein quantification and profiling in a high-throughput and time-efficient manner. Across a cohort of ~300 human plasma samples, a total of 11 different RANTES proteoforms were quantified in less than 3 hours.

by Dr O. Trenchevska, N. D. Sherma, Dr P. D. Reaven, Dr R. W. Nelson and Dr D. Nedelkov

The role of mass spectrometry in protein analyses
Mass spectrometry (MS) has proven successful in the clinical laboratory for the analysis of small molecules, but is on the rise as an emerging methodology for peptides and proteins [1]. Currently, a handful of MS-based protein assays have been adapted in the routine clinical analyses and used for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) testing [2, 3]. MS-based methodologies are the assays of choice because they can overcome the limitations of immunoassays (i.e. nonspecific binding, cross-reactivity of analytes, etc.). In order to be clinically applicable, all MS-based assays should comply with the well-established ‘fit-for-purpose’ approach and be fully validated and characterized [4]. Also, working protocols must be practical (in terms of sample preparation), as well as cost efficient, so they are price-competitive with current immunoassays. Although overcoming these requirements is still a challenge, one inevitable advantage that makes MS-based protein assays indispensable, is their unique ability to address protein heterogeneity.

The majority of clinically adapted MS-based methodologies for protein profiling are the single/multiple reaction monitoring liquid chromatography MS (SRM/MRM LC-MS) assays [5, 6] and mass spectrometric immunoassays (MSIA) [7, 8]. MRM assays are ‘bottom-up’ assays and use isotopically labelled peptides as internal reference standards for surrogate protein quantification via chosen, enzymatically generated peptides. Because SRM/MRM LC-MS assays detect only specific peptides, important information about novel proteoforms or post-translational modifications with potential clinical implications can be overlooked. MSIAs, on the other hand, follow a ‘top-down’ approach, having intact proteins as primary targets. As a result of the immunoaffinity capture of a targeted protein(s), and the ‘soft’ ionization in MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight) MS, MSIA enable for detection of post-translationally modified proteoforms as well as other changes in protein structure without the harsh enzyme digestion. Literature data show that post-translationally modified proteins have the potential to be used as biomarkers [9]. Having that in mind, the proteoform detection adds a whole new dimension to the way we look at proteins.

Mass spectrometric immuno-assay for analysis of RANTES proteoforms
Here we review a mass spectrometric immunoassay (MSIA) for quantification of the chemokine RANTES proteoforms in human plasma samples. RANTES (Regulated on Activation, Normal, T-cell Expressed and Secreted), is a member of the CC chemokine family (hence its alternative name – CCL5) and is essential in the initiation and maintenance of inflammation [10]. RANTES has been studied extensively in clinical context, in association with autoimmune diseases, arthritis, diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, some types of cancer and viral infections [11–13]. In addition, RANTES proteoforms have been associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases [14].

There are several types of commercially available, as well as in-house developed immunoassays for total RANTES quantification [15]. These assays, however, are not tailored for detecting and quantifying the numerous proteoforms associated with RANTES. In previous work, we have addressed RANTES heterogeneity by qualitative and quantitative MSIA [16, 17]. In developing the quantitative MSIA for RANTES, we took on the approach of using RANTES standard and a homologous RANTES derivative – met-RANTES as an internal reference standard (IRS) for quantification. Met-RANTES is a recombinant derivative of RANTES (therefore not found in humans) and has a molecular weight (MW) of 7979.2 Da, which is in close proximity to that of full-length human RANTES (MW=7847.9 Da). Another advantage of using the RANTES/met-RANTES pair was the ability of a single anti-RANTES antibody to capture both proteins from the biological samples.

The immobilization of the anti-RANTES antibody was onto activated surfaces of affinity pipettes as previously described [17]. The quantity of the anti-RANTES antibody (7.5 µg Ab/tip) was optimized to be enough that variable RANTES concentrations in the samples could be truly quantified with the assay. Due to low plasma RANTES physiological concentration (in the ng/mL level), undiluted plasma was used for the analyses. In the analytical samples, met-RANTES was spiked at a constant concentration (V=250 µL at c=50 ng/mL), in order to produce a constant signal in the mass spectra. Following sample preparation and affinity pipette derivatization, the antibody-coated pipettes were mounted onto the head of an automated 96-channel pipettor and initially rinsed with PBS/0.1% Tween buffer. Next, the pipettes were immersed into a microplate containing the analytical samples and 500 aspirations and dispense cycles were performed (100 μl volumes each) allowing for affinity capture of RANTES proteoforms and met-RANTES. The pipettes were then rinsed with assay buffer water to remove non-specifically bounded proteins. Captured proteins were eluted directly on a 96-well formatted MALDI target using sinapic acid. Five-thousand laser shots of mass spectra were acquired from each sample spot on a Bruker’s Ultraflex III MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer. The mass spectra were externally and internally calibrated with protein standard mix and the singly and doubly charged met-RANTES signals before analysis.

In the mass spectra, several RANTES proteoforms can be detected. As shown in Figure 1, most abundant are signals representing full-length, native RANTES (1-68) and met-RANTES, along with the N-terminally cleaved RANTES proteoforms (3-68) [MW=7,663.7; missing the ‘SP’ N-terminal dipeptide, product of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) enzyme cleavage] and (4-68) (MW=7,500.6; missing ‘SPY’ N-terminal tripeptide). RANTES proteoforms missing N-terminal tripeptide and C-terminal dipeptide, (4-66) (MW=7,282.3) completed the dominant signals (Figure 1, top right inlet). Additional RANTES proteoforms were identified, in lower abundance and frequency: (7-66) (MW=6993.1; missing six N-terminal and two C-terminal amino acids), (4-64) (MW=7040.1; missing three N-terminal and four C-terminal amino acids), (4-65) (MW=7153.2; missing three N- and three C-terminal amino acids) and (3-66) (MW=7445.5; missing two N- and two C-terminal amino acids). The signal labelled M-RANTES with MW=7413.5 has multiple N- and C-terminal truncation possibilities, and has not been specifically assigned. The assignation of these signals was done using the observed m/z values and the program Paws, and was in accordance with previously published qualitative results [16].

All identified RANTES proteoforms were quantified using an eight-point standard curve, in the range from 1.56 to 200 ng/mL. The standard curve was constructed from the ratio of the peak intensities of the RANTES standard and the met-RANTES IRS (y-axis) versus the RANTES standard concentration (x-axis). For the analytical samples, first, the RANTES/met-RANTES peak intensity ratios for each proteoform were determined and summed up. Using the generated standard curve equation, these ratios were used to determine the total RANTES concentration in the analysed plasma sample. Then, the concentration of the individual RANTES proteoforms was calculated based on their percentage of the total RANTES. The assay was validated through several standard procedures. The intra- and inter-assay precision experiments yielded coefficients of variation of <10%. Linearity and spiking-recovery experiments produced results between 92 and 112% (observed vs expected concentration). In a final test, the results of the RANTES MSIA were compared with those obtained with commercially available ELISA using Altman–Bland plot. A good correlation, with slight positive bias (11.3%) was obtained with the native RANTES [17]. The developed MSIA for RANTES proteoforms was applied to a cohort of 297 human plasma samples. The analyses were performed on an automated platform, which enabled for a high-throughput analysis of 96 samples in a single run. Among the samples, we were able to determine the concentration and frequency of 11 RANTES proteoforms (Figure 2). The total average concentration of RANTES was found to be 44.9 ng/ml (2.15–163 ng/mL). In majority of samples, the main proteoform was the full-length, native RANTES [c(RANTES(1-68))avg=37.4 ng/mL; 1.92–132 ng/mL], followed by RANTES (3-68), [c(RANTES(3-68))avg =6.64 ng/mL; 0.138–34.4 ng/mL]. The other truncated RANTES proteoforms were present in variable frequencies in the samples, albeit at much lower concentrations (<10% of the total RANTES). Figure 2 summarizes the distribution and frequency of all 11 RANTES proteoforms. Even though majority of RANTES proteoforms were detected in only a handful of samples and in low quantities, they should be given full attention. Cleaved proteoforms have the potential to be used as indicators of an enzymatic activity, and, in turn, of changes in the metabolic homeostasis [18]. The information that this MSIA provides puts a new perspective of RANTES quantitative analysis and can be a good starting point for looking at RANTES heterogeneity in clinical context. Concluding remarks
The assay described above uses MALDI-TOF-MS to fully quantify RANTES proteoforms, and it is one of just a handful of such MALDI-based assays in existence today. The assay’s two-step approach is similar to that of well-established immunoassays, with the added benefit of MS detection as an enabling factor in differentiating the multiple proteoforms. The MALDI target is designed to accept the eluates from 96 tips at the same time, therefore making it high-throughput and time efficient (total time for RANTES assay is ~1 hour). The assay is performed on an automated platform, which limits the errors that can occur during assay execution. In review of previous and ongoing work, MSIA for RANTES performs well and introduces a new prospect and capacity for potential clinical applications in the field of biomarker discovery/rediscovery and diagnostics.

References
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The authors
Olgica Trenchevska*1, Nisha D. Sherma1, Peter D. Reaven2, Randall W. Nelson1, Dobrin Nedelkov1
1Molecular Biomarkers, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
2Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA

*Corresponding author
E-mail:
olgica.trenchevska@asu.edu

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