ABSTRACT

Nine mouse hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MCA) against human prolactin (hPRL), 19 cell lines against bovine prolactin (bPRL) and one MCA against rat prolactin (rPRL) were established. The MCA were characterized by one- and two-site radioimmunoassays (RIA) as well as indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and used for epitope mapping of hPRL and immunoradiometric assays (IRMA).

Interspecies cross-reactivity studies by RIA revealed two groups of anti-hPRL MCA: seven which reacted only with hPRL and two additionally recognizing bPRL and ovine prolactin (oPRL). The anti-bPRL MCA, which were tested on pituitary sections by IIF could be divided into 17 MCA cross-reacting with the closely related oPRL, and two MCA which showed additional cross-reactions with equine prolactin. The anti-rPRL antibody reacted exclusively with rPRL in direct binding RIA studies. No intraspecies cross-reactions with the closely related protein hormones placental lactogen and GH were detected.

To elucidate the antigenic surface of hPRL all MCA directed against hPRL were then used for two-site epitope mapping studies in which pairs of MCA were assessed for simultaneous reaction with the same antigen. The native hormone was incubated with the first, solid-phase bound, so called 'capture MCA', and this complex treated with a second, ¹²⁵I-labelled 'detection MCA'. Based on the results of these combinations, at least three sterically non-overlapping and (taking RIA cross-reaction studies into consideration) two additional epitopes could be defined. Two antibodies (code numbers INN-hPRL-1 and INN-hPRL-9) recognizing different antigenic determinants were selected and used to elaborate a two-site IRMA with an operating range wider and a reaction time shorter than those obtained with a conventional one-site RIA.

J. Endocr. (1987) 114,311–318

SUMMARY

Blood sugar, the serum concentration of total lipids, total glycerol, cholesterol and phosphatides were determined in chickens from the Obese strain (OS) of White Leghorns. Over 90% of these chickens are afflicted with a spontaneously occurring autoimmune thyroiditis and show clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism. Blood glucose levels were increased above normal limits in OS chickens up to 5 weeks of age. Significantly increased serum lipid concentrations were found in the OS chickens at the ages of 1, 5, 8 and 15 weeks, while 3-week-old OS chickens showed almost normal serum lipid levels. A single intravenous injection of heparin in a dose which prolonged bleeding time, had no 'clearing effect' on the serum of OS birds. Insulin given subcutaneously for 4 days had no effect on blood sugar but decreased the serum phosphatides and total lipid concentrations. The short-term administration of high doses of thyroxine significantly lowered the serum levels of total lipids, cholesterol, phosphatides and total glycerol.

ABSTRACT

The bioactivity of a synthetic peptide fragment which mimics the N-terminal sequence of the 134-amino-acid porcine Inhibin α-subunit (pl- α^1-26-Gly²⁷Tyr²⁸-OH) was tested and compared with the bioactivity of GnRH in rat granulosa cell cultures. Granulosa cells from immature female rat ovaries were cultured with hFSH and testosterone to stimulate the production of cyclic AMP, progesterone and oestradiol. Addition of pl- α^1-26-Gly²⁷Tyr²⁸-OH to the culture medium caused a dose-dependent suppression of all three parameters (ID₅₀ 700-1,000 nmol/l). GnRH caused similar but higher-potency inhibition (ID₅₀ 2-4 nmol/l). Suppression of granulosa cell function by both peptides was fully reversible by a synthetic GnRH antagonist. Moreover, specific binding of the porcine inhibin fragment to ovarian GnRH receptors was demonstrated by radioreceptor assay. This is evidence that the porcine inhibin α-subunit fragment suppresses FSH-induced rat granulosa cell function via a mechanism of action similar to that of GnRH.

ABSTRACT

Discordant results on body fluid levels of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) free α- and β-subunits under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, prompted us to raise a total of 260 monoclonal antibodies (MCA) against free hCG-α, free hCG-β, holo-hCG, human follicle-stimulating hormone and bovine luteinizing hormone; 153 MCA recognizing the human α-subunit and 28 reacting with hCG-β were extensively analysed for their intra- and interspecies cross-reactivity with homologous hormones, and for the compatibility of epitopes recognized by them. The immunological topography of free hCG-α and free hCG-β was resolved by these MCA, and epitope maps were designed. Six antigenic determinants on the free α-chain (α₁–α₆), clustered in three spatially distinct domains, and seven epitopes on the surface of free hCG-β (β₁–β₇), could be distinguished. Strikingly, three α-chain epitopes (α₄, α₅ and α₆) were shared between various species, which is in contradiction to the concept of immunological species-specificity of α-subunits. Three determinants were found to be present only on the free subunits but not on holo-hCG (α₆, β₆ and β₇), and only two determinants (β₁ and β₇) were hormone-specific for hCG. Based on this information, an immunoenzymometric assay for the free α-subunit of human glycoprotein hormones was established, with a sensitivity of 1·3 pg/well and a cross-reactivity with holo-hCG of less than 0·005% Thus this assay provides the basis for detecting free α-subunits in the presence of extremely high levels of holo-hormones, which may assist in elucidating the role of free α-subunits in man.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 125, 301–309

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, α_1,2,4; B, α_3,5; 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

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

ABSTRACT

In-vitro data from experiments on rats implicate granulosa cells as primary sites of hormone-dependent ovarian inhibin biosynthesis, but no equivalent data exist for primates. We have used the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) to investigate inhibin biosynthesis in primate granulosa cells in vitro and to determine its relationship to preovulatory follicular development. To relate the production of immunoactive inhibin to follicular maturity, we studied primary granulosa cell cultures from follicles at progressive stages of preovulatory development. Granulosa cells from 'large' (≥2·0 mm diameter) follicles expressed high rates of inhibin production and steroidogenesis (progesterone), and were positively regulated by human (h)LH in vitro. Less mature granulosa cells from 'medium' (1·1–1·9 mm) and 'small' (≤ 1·0 mm) follicles expressed proportionately lower rates of inhibin production and steroidogenesis, but each parameter was stimulated in a dose- and time-dependent manner by hFSH in vitro. The stimulatory action of hFSH on immunoactive inhibin was augmented by the presence of testosterone or oestradiol; testosterone (but not oestradiol) also augmented the steroidogenic response to hFSH. Marmoset luteal tissue also produced inhibin in vitro and expressed an ∼1·5 kb inhibin α-subunit mRNA, confirming the corpus luteum as a source of ovarian inhibin in primates.

These results provide direct experimental evidence that primate granulosa cells produce inhibin. They suggest that production of inhibin by immature granulosa cells is initially induced by FSH and subject to modulation by follicular steroids. During advanced preovulatory development, granulosa cell inhibin production becomes directly responsive to LH, thereby indicating a role for LH in the control of peri- and postovulatory inhibin secretion by the primate ovary.

Journal of Endocrinology (1989) 123, 65–73