title: Peptidolytic monoclonal antibody elicited by a neuropeptide.
abstract: We report evidence that a monoclonal antibody raised by immunization with a vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-carrier protein conjugate selectively hydrolyzes VIP and a fluorescence quenched decapeptide (FQ14-22D), representing the region of VIP most susceptible to autoantibody-mediated cleavage (residues 14-22). A high affinity of the antibody for VIP and a lower affinity for FQ14-22D were revealed by kinetic studies and further substantiated by potent inhibition of FQ14-22D cleaving activity by full-length VIP. Sequencing of FQ14-22D hydrolysis products indicated selective cleavage at one peptide bond. These observations suggest that antibodies induced against naturally occurring polypeptide antigens can express peptidolytic activity targeted for specific sequences in the recognition epitope.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Tewary
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stemmer
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gianferrara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrotra
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meldal
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006868:Hydrolysis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016622:Silver Staining; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D009479:Neuropeptides; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide