OBJECTIVE: Immunoturbidimetric assays are sensitive techniques in clinical biology that may be subjected to matrix effects, hook effects or aspecific reactions. Among these, large quantities of immunoglobulins can distort the intensity of the detected signal. This study illustrates the deleterious effect of analytical interference on clinical patient management, and assesses the practical relevance of a recently proposed algorithm for interference investigation.
METHODS: Determination of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) concentration by liquid immunoprecipitation on latex particles coated with mouse anti-CRP monoclonal antibodies, rabbit anti-CRP polyclonal antibodies, by solid phase immunochemistry or by enzymatic assay.
RESULTS: During the follow-up of a 75-year-old patient suffering from multiple chronic diseases in the Internal Medicine Department of Toulouse University Hospital, a severe infection was suspected facing a CRP plasma value over 700 mg/L while he was in remission of an indolent marginal zone lymphoma. Because of the absence of clinical signs of infection, an interference in the liquid immunoprecipitation CRP assay was suspected. The hypothesis of an interference due to anti-mouse autoantibodies was ruled out because of normal results for other immunoassays using different types of antibodies. Moreover, no interference was observed using solid phase immunochemistry assay. Protein electrophoresis and immunofixation documented a relapse of lymphoma along with the presence of abnormal monoclonal immunoglobulins interfering with CRP measurement.
CONCLUSIONS: The interpretation of common clinical biochemistry parameters such as CRP can be difficult owing to analytical interferences. Reviewing all the pharmaco-clinico-biological data and collaboration with clinicians is of critical importance for optimal patient management.

Natural products, while valuable for drug discovery, encounter limitations like uncertainty in targets and toxicity. As an important active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, celastrol exhibits a wide range of biological activities, yet its mechanism remains unclear. In this study, they introduced an innovative \"Degradation-based protein profiling (DBPP)\" strategy, which combined PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTAC) technology with quantitative proteomics and Immunoprecipitation-Mass Spectrometry (IP-MS) techniques, to identify multiple targets of natural products using a toolbox of degraders. Taking celastrol as an example, they successfully identified its known targets, including inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PI3Kα), and cellular inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A), as well as potential new targets such as checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1), O-GlcNAcase (OGA), and DNA excision repair protein ERCC-6-like (ERCC6L). Furthermore, the first glycosidase degrader is developed in this work. Finally, by employing a mixed PROTAC toolbox in quantitative proteomics, they also achieved multi-target identification of celastrol, significantly reducing costs while improving efficiency. Taken together, they believe that the DBPP strategy can complement existing target identification strategies, thereby facilitating the rapid advancement of the pharmaceutical field.

Amphiphysin (AMPH) autoimmunity is associated with a variety of neurological complications, including encephalitis, peripheral neuropathy, myelopathy, and cerebellar syndrome. Its diagnosis is based on clinical neurological deficits and the presence of serum anti-AMPH antibodies. Active immunotherapy, such as intravenous immunoglobulins, steroids, and other immunosuppressive therapies, has been reported to be effective in most patients. However, the extent of recovery varies depending on the case. Herein, we report the case of a 75-year-old woman with semi-rapidly progressive systemic tremors, visual hallucinations, and irritability. Upon hospitalization, she developed a mild fever and cognitive impairment. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed semi-rapidly progressive diffuse cerebral atrophy (DCA) over 3 months, while no clear abnormal intensities were observed. The nerve conduction study revealed sensory and motor neuropathy in the limbs. The fixed tissue-based assay (TBA) failed to detect antineuronal antibodies; however, based on commercial immunoblots, the presence of anti-AMPH antibodies was suspected. Therefore, serum immunoprecipitation was performed, which confirmed the presence of anti-AMPH antibodies. The patient also had gastric adenocarcinoma. High-dose methylprednisolone, and intravenous immunoglobulin were administered and tumor resection was performed, resulting in resolution of the cognitive impairment and improvement in the DCA on the post-treatment MRI. After immunotherapy and tumor resection, the patient\'s serum was analyzed using immunoprecipitation, which showed a decrease in the level of anti-AMPH antibodies. This case is noteworthy because the DCA showed improvement after immunotherapy and tumor resection. Additionally, this case demonstrates that negative TBA with positive commercial immunoblots do not necessarily indicate false positive results.

We encountered a 30-year-old woman with remarkably elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, as measured by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA), and no specific symptoms. We performed the following investigations: dilution linearity test, polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation test, immunoprecipitation test, protein G addition test, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The linearity of patient\'s serum was similar to that of a standard LH preparation, and non-specific reactions were not observed. The recovery rate of LH shown by the PEG precipitation test, immunoprecipitation test, and protein G addition test was low. Moreover, an abnormal peak in HPLC was located at a slightly larger molecular weight position than that of IgG. These results showed the presence of macro-LH, LH, and anti-LH-IgG autoantibody complex and suggested that the clearance of LH from the blood was delayed due to IgG binding, and therefore, the LH value was falsely high. We should keep the possibility of macro-LH in mind in cases of unexpectedly high LH values.

暂无摘要。

The NAA10-NAA15 (NatA) protein complex is an N-terminal acetyltransferase responsible for acetylating ~ 40% of eukaryotic proteins. In recent years, NAA10 variants have been found in patients with an X-linked developmental disorder called Ogden syndrome in its most severe form and, in other familial or de novo cases, with variable degrees of syndromic intellectual disability (ID) affecting both sexes.
Here we report and functionally characterize a novel and de novo NAA10 (NM_003491.3) c.332 T > G p.(V111G) missense variant, that was detected by trio-based whole exome sequencing in an 11 year old girl with mild/moderate non-syndromic intellectual disability. She had delayed motor and language development, but normal behavior without autistic traits. Her blood leukocyte X-inactivation pattern was within normal range (80/20). Functional characterization of NAA10-V111G by cycloheximide chase experiments suggests that NAA10-V111G has a reduced stability compared to NAA10-WT, and in vitro acetylation assays revealed a reduced enzymatic activity of monomeric NAA10-V111G but not for NAA10-V111G in complex with NAA15 (NatA enzymatic activity).
We show that NAA10-V111G has a reduced stability and monomeric catalytic activity, while NatA function remains unaltered. This is the first example of isolated NAA10 dysfunction in a case of ID, suggesting that the syndromic cases may also require a degree of compromised NatA function.

Bacillus subtilis possesses two glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenases with opposite roles, the glycolytic NAD-dependent GapA and the NADP-dependent GapB enzyme, which is exclusively required during gluconeogenesis but not active under conditions promoting glycolysis. We propose that proteins that are no longer needed will be recognized and proteolyzed by Clp proteases and thereby recycled. To test this postulation, we analyzed the stability of the glycolytic enzyme GapA and the gluconeogenetic enzyme GapB in the presence and absence of glucose. It turned out that GapA remained rather stable under both glycolytic and gluconeogenetic conditions. In contrast, the gluconeogenetic enzyme GapB was degraded after a shift from malate to glucose (i.e., from gluconeogenesis to glycolysis), displaying an estimated half-life of approximately 3 h. Comparative in vivo pulse-chase labeling and immunoprecipitation experiments of the wild-type strain and isogenic mutants identified the ATP-dependent ClpCP protease as the enzyme responsible for the degradation of GapB. However, arginine protein phosphorylation, which was recently described as a general tagging mechanism for protein degradation, did not seem to play a role in GapB proteolysis, because GapB was also degraded in a mcsB mutant, lacking arginine kinase, in the same manner as in the wild type.IMPORTANCE GapB, the NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphosphate dehydrogenase, is essential for B. subtilis under gluconeogenetic conditions. However, after a shift to glycolytic conditions, GapB loses its physiological function within the cell and becomes susceptible to degradation, in contrast to GapA, the glycolytic NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which remains stable under glycolytic and gluconeogenetic conditions. Subsequently, GapB is proteolyzed in a ClpCP-dependent manner. According to our data, the arginine kinase McsB is not involved as adaptor protein in this process. ClpCP appears to be in charge in the removal of inoperable enzymes in B. subtilis, which is a strictly regulated process in which the precise recognition mechanism(s) remains to be identified.

Oligomerization is often a structural requirement for proteins to accomplish their specific cellular function. For instance, tetramerization of the ryanodine receptor (RyR) is necessary for the formation of a functional Ca(2+) release channel pore. Here, we describe detailed protocols for the assessment of protein self-association, including yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and chemical cross-linking assays. In the Y2H system, protein self-interaction is detected by β-galactosidase assay in yeast co-expressing GAL4 bait and target fusions of the test protein. Protein self-interaction is further assessed by co-IP using HA- and cMyc-tagged fusions of the test protein co-expressed in mammalian HEK293 cells. The precise stoichiometry of the protein homo-oligomer is examined by cross-linking and SDS-PAGE analysis following expression in HEK293 cells. Using these different but complementary techniques, we have consistently observed the self-association of the RyR N-terminal domain and demonstrated its intrinsic ability to form tetramers. These methods can be applied to protein-protein interaction and homo-oligomerization studies of other mammalian integral membrane proteins.

BACKGROUND: In polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibodies are closely associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), a frequent pulmonary complication. However, the clinical significance of anti-ARS antibodies is not well established.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of anti-ARS antibodies in PM/DM-ILD patients.
METHODS: Forty-eight consecutive PM/DM-ILD patients were studied retrospectively. Anti-ARS antibodies were screened by ELISA and confirmed by RNA immunoprecipitation test. Medical records, high-resolution computed tomography images, and surgical lung biopsy specimens were compared between ARS-positive (ARS group) and ARS-negative patients (non-ARS group).
RESULTS: Anti-ARS antibodies were detected in 23 of 48 patients (48%). Radiologically, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern was observed more frequently in the ARS group than in the non-ARS group (73.9% vs. 40%, P = 0.02). Pathologically, NSIP was the most frequent in both groups. Ten-year survival rate was also significantly higher in the ARS group than in the non-ARS group (91.6% vs. 58.7%, P = 0.02). Univariate Cox hazards analysis revealed that the presence of anti-ARS antibodies was associated with better prognosis (HR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.08-0.80; P = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of anti-ARS antibodies is a possible prognostic marker in patients with PM/DM-ILD.

The authors present diagnostic methods used in a young healthy person who had isolated aspartate aminotransferase elevation. Polyethylene glycol precipitation test, aspartate aminotransferase serum electrophoresis and immunofixation were performed for measuring the macro-aspartate aminotransferase. It was found that aspartate aminotransferase activity in the patient was almost completely eliminated after precipitation of immunoglobulins with polyethylene glycol. In addition, aspartate aminotransferase migrated in the control samples to the anode while in the patient towards the cathode. Finally, a wider and more intense staining band was visible in the region of immunoglobulin A in the patient sample on the immunofixation gel as compared to the control sample. The authors conclude that that increased aspartate aminotransferase activity was due to macro formation. The elevated level of immunoglobulin A and selective increase of polyclonal immunoglobulin A (κ and λ light chains) indicated that the macro format was created by immunoglobulin A bound to aspartate aminotransferase.
A szerzők egy fiatal, egészséges egyén esetét ismertetik, akinél az izolált aszpartát-aminotranszferáz-emelkedés diagnosztikai nehézséget jelentett. A probléma megoldására polietilénglikol precipitációs tesztet, aszpartát-aminotranszferáz-szérumelektroforézist és immunfixációt alkalmaztak. Kimutatták, hogy a beteg szérummintáiban polietilénglikol-precipitációt követően az aszpartát-aminotranszferáz-aktivitás majdnem teljesen megszűnt. Az aszpartát-aminotranszferáz a kontrollmintákban az anód, míg a betegmintában a katód felé vándorolt. Immunfixációs gélen szélesebb és intenzívebben festődő csík volt látható az immunglobulin-A-régióban a betegmintában a kontrollmintához képest. Ezek a laboratóriumi tesztek megerősítették, hogy az aszpartát-aminotranszferáz-aktivitás makroformáció következményeként is megemelkedhet. Esetükben az emelkedett immunglobulin-A-szint és a szelektív poliklonális immunglobulin-A- (κ- és λ-könnyűláncok) növekedés makroformátumot jelzett, amit az aszpartát-aminotranszferázhoz való immunglobulin-A-kötődés hozott létre. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(39), 1558–1562.