A capillary electrophoresis-based assay for the binding of Ca2+ and phosphorylcholine to human C-reactive protein

Relevance of lipoproteins, membranes, and extracellular vesicles in understanding C-reactive protein biochemical structure and biological activities

Early purification protocols for C-reactive protein (CRP) often involved co-isolation of lipoproteins, primarily very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). The interaction with lipid particles was initially attributed to CRP’s calcium-dependent binding affinity for its primary ligand—phosphocholine—the predominant hydrophilic head group expressed on phospholipids of most lipoprotein particles. Later, CRP was shown to additionally express binding affinity for apolipoprotein B (apo B), a predominant apolipoprotein of both VLDL and LDL particles. Apo B interaction with CRP was shown to be mediated by a cationic peptide sequence in apo B. Optimal apo B binding required CRP to be surface immobilized or aggregated, treatments now known to structurally change CRP from its serum soluble pentamer isoform (i.e., pCRP) into its poorly soluble, modified, monomeric isoform (i.e., mCRP). Other cationic ligands have been described for CRP which affect complement activation, histone bioactivities, and interactions with membranes. mCRP, but not pCRP, binds cholesterol and activates signaling pathways that activate pro-inflammatory bioactivities long associated with CRP as a biomarker. Hence, a key step to express CRP’s biofunctions is its conversion into its mCRP isoform. Conversion occurs when (1) pCRP binds to a membrane surface expressed ligand (often phosphocholine); (2) biochemical forces associated with binding cause relaxation/partial dissociation of secondary and tertiary structures into a swollen membrane bound intermediate (described as mCRP_m or pCRP*); (3) further structural relaxation which leads to total, irreversible dissociation of the pentamer into mCRP and expression of a cholesterol/multi-ligand binding sequence that extends into the subunit core; (4) reduction of the CRP subunit intrachain disulfide bond which enhances CRP’s binding accessibility for various ligands and activates acute phase proinflammatory responses. Taken together, the biofunctions of CRP involve both lipid and protein interactions and a conformational rearrangement of higher order structure that affects its role as a mediator of inflammatory responses.

Characterization of AMBN I and II Isoforms and Study of Their Ca2+-Binding Properties

Ameloblastin (Ambn) as an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) stands for an important role in the formation of enamel—the hardest biomineralized tissue commonly formed in vertebrates. The human ameloblastin (AMBN) is expressed in two isoforms: full-length isoform I (AMBN ISO I) and isoform II (AMBN ISO II), which is about 15 amino acid residues shorter than AMBN ISO I. The significant feature of AMBN—its oligomerization ability—is enabled due to a specific sequence encoded by exon 5 present at the N-terminal part in both known isoforms. In this study, we characterized AMBN ISO I and AMBN ISO II by biochemical and biophysical methods to determine their common features and differences. We confirmed that both AMBN ISO I and AMBN ISO II form oligomers in in vitro conditions. Due to an important role of AMBN in biomineralization, we further addressed the calcium (Ca²⁺)-binding properties of AMBN ISO I and ISO II. The binding properties of AMBN to Ca²⁺ may explain the role of AMBN in biomineralization and more generally in Ca²⁺ homeostasis processes.

Predicting the disruption by UO2(2+) of a protein-ligand interaction

The uranyl cation (UO(2) (2+)) can be suspected to interfere with the binding of essential metal cations to proteins, underlying some mechanisms of toxicity. A dedicated computational screen was used to identify UO(2) (2+) binding sites within a set of nonredundant protein structures. The list of potential targets was compared to data from a small molecules interaction database to pinpoint specific examples where UO(2) (2+) should be able to bind in the vicinity of an essential cation, and would be likely to affect the function of the corresponding protein. The C-reactive protein appeared as an interesting hit since its structure involves critical calcium ions in the binding of phosphorylcholine. Biochemical experiments confirmed the predicted binding site for UO(2) (2+) and it was demonstrated by surface plasmon resonance assays that UO(2) (2+) binding to CRP prevents the calcium-mediated binding of phosphorylcholine. Strikingly, the apparent affinity of UO(2) (2+) for native CRP was almost 100-fold higher than that of Ca(2+). This result exemplifies in the case of CRP the capability of our computational tool to predict effective binding sites for UO(2) (2+) in proteins and is a first evidence of calcium substitution by the uranyl cation in a native protein.

The acute-phase reactant C-reactive protein binds to phosphorylcholine-expressing Neisseria meningitidis and increases uptake by human phagocytes

Neisseria meningitidis is a global cause of meningitis and septicemia. Immunity to N. meningitidis involves both innate and specific mechanisms with killing by serum bactericidal activity and phagocytic cells. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase serum protein that has been shown to help protect the host from several bacterial pathogens, which it recognizes by binding to phosphorylcholine (PC) on their surfaces. Pathogenic Neisseria species can exhibit phase-variable PC modification on type 1 and 2 pili. We have shown that CRP can bind to piliated meningococci in a classical calcium-dependent manner. The binding of CRP to the meningococcus was concentration dependent, of low affinity, and specific for PC. CRP appears to act as an opsonin for N. meningitidis, as CRP-opsonized bacteria showed increased uptake by human macrophages and neutrophils. Further investigation into the downstream effects of CRP-bound N. meningitidis may lead us to a better understanding of meningococcal infection and help direct more effective therapeutic interventions.

Using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence to study the interaction of green fluorescent protein-labeled calmodulin with Ca2+- and calmodulin-binding protein

A separation using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) was applied to the study of green fluorescent protein tagged calmoldulin (GFP-CaM) that was expressed from Escherichia coli and purified with Ni(2+)-nitrilotriacetate (Ni-NTA) resin column. It was found that GFP-CaM not only has good fluorescence properties under various conditions similar to GFP, but also retains its calcium-binding ability as the native CaM. GFP-CaM was separated and detected by CE-LIF within 10 min with a limit-of-detection (LOD) of 2 x 10(-10) M for an injection volume of 3 nl, higher than that of common chemical fluorescent-tagged protein method. The results indicated that, as a fluorescence probe, GFP could overcome the drawback of inefficient derivatization of chemical fluorescence probes. The interaction between the GFP-CaM and Ca(2+) was studied in detail using affinity capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence and the dissociation constant (K(d)) between GFP-CaM and Ca(2+) was determined to be 1.2 x 10(-5), which is in good agreement with the literature values of untagged CaM (10(-6) to 10(-5)M) obtained by conventional method. As a preliminary application, the interaction between GFP-CaM and OsCBK was also investigated. The method makes it possible to screen the trace amounts of target proteins in crude extracts interacting with CaM under physiological conditions.

Methods for transcription factor separation

Recent advances in the separation of transcription factors (TFs) are reviewed in this article. An overview of the transcription factor families and their structure is discussed and a computer analysis of their sequences reveals that while they do not differ from other proteins in molecular mass or isoelectric pH, they do differ from other proteins in the abundance of certain amino acids. The chromatographic and electrophoretic methods which have been successfully used for purification and analysis are discussed and recent advances in stationary and mobile phase composition is discussed.

Ca(2+) and Na(+) binding to high affinity sites of calcium-containing proteins measured by capillary electrophoresis

A method for the determination of stability constants of metal ion-protein binding, based on capillary electrophoresis, is presented. It utilizes the change in electrophoretic mobility of the protein upon binding of a metal ion. Taking advantage of edta(4-) as a controller of the free Ca(2+) concentration, a [Ca(2+)](free) as low as 10(-9) M has been attained in the solutions. We have found this method very useful for measuring binding of Ca(2+) to proteins, where the stability constant is in the range 10(5)-10(8) M(-1). The stability constants for the binding of Ca(2+) to proteinase K and bovine alpha-lactalbumin has by this method been measured at an ionic strength of 0.1 M, pH(c) 7.40 and 25 degrees C. For proteinase K a constant of 10(7.4) M(-1) is found, and for alpha-lactalbumin the constant has been found to be 10(9.2) M(-1). The structural stability of both proteins are found to be affected by the presence of Na(+) in the buffer solutions. From this observation, association constants for binding of Na(+) to the Ca(2+) sites have been calculated to 10(2.4) M(-1) for proteinase K and 10(3.5) M(-1) for alpha-lactalbumin. Less than 50 microg have been used of each protein in this study, an obvious advantage over other methods.

Applications of on-line weak affinity interactions in free solution capillary electrophoresis

The impressive selectivity offered by capillary electrophoresis can in some cases be further increased when ligands or additives that engage in weak affinity interactions with one or more of the separated analytes are added to the electrophoresis buffer. This on-line affinity capillary electrophoresis approach is feasible when the migration of complexed molecules is different from the migration of free molecules and when separation conditions are nondenaturing. In this review, we focus on applying weak interactions as tools to enhance the separation of closely related molecules, e.g., drug enantiomers and on using capillary electrophoresis to characterize such interactions quantitatively. We describe the equations for binding isotherms, illustrate how selectivity can be manipulated by varying the additive concentrations, and show how the methods may be used to estimate binding constants. On-line affinity capillary electrophoresis methods are especially valuable for enantiomeric separations and for functional characterization of the contents of biological samples that are only available in minute quantities.

Immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis: determination of binding constant and stoichiometry for antibody-antigen interaction

Affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) can provide both qualitative and quantitative information on molecular interactions and affords the advantages of very low sample consumption, high mass sensitivity, short analysis time, and the use of automated instrumentation. It has been applied clinically and biochemically to the determination of the binding constant and to the measurement of the binding stoichiometry for interactions between antibodies (Ab's) and antigens (Ag's) in free solution. In many situations, the Ag molecule has two or multiple binding sites, each of which has a similar or different intrinsic affinity for binding independently to the combining site(s) on an Ab molecule. The multivalent binding reactions between Ab and Ag molecules often occur. The objective of this review is to describe the uses of ACE in the determination of binding constants and stoichiometry of Ab-Ag interactions (immunoaffnity capillary electrophoresis), focusing especially on multivalent Ab-Ag interaction modes. Five model binding systems developed recently using ACE techniques are described with principles and examples: (i) divalent mAb-monovalent Ag interaction, (ii) divalent mAb-(homo)polyvalent Ag interaction, (iii) cooperativity of two binding sites of mAb-monovalent Ag interaction, (iv) monovalent Fab-divalent Ag interaction, and (v) polyclonal Ab-monovalent Ag interaction. Finally, the determination of binding stoichiometry of Ab-Ag interactions by ACE is described.

Mapping the binding areas of human C-reactive protein for phosphorylcholine and polycationic compounds. Relationship between the two types of binding sites

We developed a fluorescence-based assay method for determining ligand binding activities of C-reactive protein (CRP) in solution. Using this method, we compared the phosphorylcholine (PC)- and polycation-based binding activities of human CRP. The PC-based binding required calcium, whereas a polycation (e.g. poly-l-lysine) was bound in the presence of either calcium or EDTA, the binding being stronger in the presence of EDTA. The published crystallographic structures of CRP and the CRP.PC complex show it to be a ring-shaped pentamer with a single PC-binding site per subunit facing the same direction. As expected from such a structure, binding affinity of a ligand increased tremendously when multiple PC residues were present on a macromolecular structure. In addition to PC-related structures, certain sugar phosphates (e.g. galactose 6-phosphate) are bound near the PC-binding site, and one of the sugar hydroxyl groups appears to interact with CRP. The best small ligands for the polycationic binding site were Lys-Lys and Lys4. Because of the presence of multiple Lys-Lys sequences, polylysines have tremendously enhanced affinity. Although PC inhibits both PC- and polycation-based binding, none of the amines that inhibit polylysine binding inhibits PC binding, suggesting that the PC and polycationic binding sites do not overlap.

Chromatographic and electrophoretic studies of protein binding to chiral solutes

Protein interactions are important in determining the transport, metabolism and/or activity of many chiral compounds within the body. This review examines data that have been obtained on these interactions by various chromatographic and electrophoretic methods, especially those based on either high-performance liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. Zonal elution, frontal analysis and vacancy methods are each considered, as are approaches that employ either soluble or immobilized proteins. There are a variety of different items that can be learned about a solute-protein system through these techniques. This includes information on the binding constants and number of binding sites for a solute-protein system, as well as the thermodynamic parameters, rate constants, interaction forces and binding site structure for the protein and solute. Numerous examples are provided throughout this review, as taken from the literature and from work performed within the author's laboratory.

Capillary electrophoresis for the study of affinity interactions

Molecular recognition may be characterized both qualitatively and quantitatively by electrophoretic methods if complexed molecules differ in electrophoretic mobility from unbound ones. The use of capillary zone electrophoresis (CE) for the characterization of affinity interactions is advantageous because of the high resolution, reproducibility and wide applicability of the technique and because of the mild conditions, i.e., physiological buffers without additions of organics or detergents, that are often sufficient for highly efficient separations. CE gives the ability to characterize binding between small amounts of unlabelled reactants in solution, has few requirements for special characteristics of the interacting molecules and is also applicable to the study of interactions of individual components in mixtures, as detection of binding and analytical separation are achieved in one step. This is unique compared with other techniques for the study of non-covalent interactions. The advantages and disadvantages of using CE to demonstrate molecular interactions, to screen for specific ligand binding in complex mixtures and to calculate binding constants will be discussed.

Using affinity capillary electrophoresis to evaluate average binding constant of 18-mer diphosphotyrosine peptide to antiphosphotyrosine Fab

We used affinity electrophoresis in capillaries to investigate the interaction between a monovalent antiphosphotyrosine antibody fragment, antigen-binding fragment (Fab), and a divalent antigen (dAg), an 18-mer diphosphopeptide phosphorylated on two-site tyrosine residues. The migration shift behavior of Fab in electrophoretic solution was observed and the quantitative expression was presented to estimate the arithmetical average value of the intrinsic affinities for two epitopes on the dAg with the Ag binding site on the Fab. In dAg excess, based on measurement of mobility changes of Fab analytes at different dAg concentrations, the experimental average dissociation constant (Kd = 27.7 microM) was calculated. It was also found that the structural variation of the two epitopes for binding specificity to the Ag-binding domain of Fab is not apparent. Moreover, the Kd values of Fab-dAg complexes were measured at higher electric fields and shown to be independent of changes in the electric field. Thus, under conditions where the total dAg concentration is in excess of the total Fab concentration, the method and quantitative expression which we developed is generally useful for the understanding of molecular interaction for an unlabeled monovalent receptor and its divalent ligand in free solution.

Identification, quantitation, and characterization of biomolecules by capillary electrophoretic analysis of binding interactions

The high resolving power of capillary electrophoresis combined with the specificity of binding interactions may be used with advantage to characterize the structure-function relationship of biomolecules, to quantitate specific analytes in complex sample matrices, and to determine the purity of pharmaceutical and other molecules. We here review recent and innovative methodologies and applications of high resolution affinity electrophoresis within the fields of binding constant determination, structure-activity studies, quantitative microassays, analysis of drug purity and protein conformation, and immobilized affinity ligands. Despite the virtues of these approaches with respect to applicability, resolving power, speed, and low sample consumption, problems remain with respect to analyte identification and low concentration limits of detection. The ongoing development of new detector technologies for capillary electrophoresis such as mass spectrometry, and possibly nuclear magnetic resonance and other spectroscopic methods, is therefore very promising for the continued increased use of affinity capillary electrophoresis.

Affinity capillary electrophoresis: important application areas and some recent developments

Affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) is a broad term referring to the separation by capillary electrophoresis of substances that participate in specific or non-specific affinity interactions during electrophoresis. The interacting molecules can be found free in solution or can be immobilized to a solid support. Every ACE mode has advantages and disadvantages. Each can be used for a wide variety of applications. This paper focuses on applications that include purification and concentration of analytes present in diluted solutions or complex matrices, quantitation of analytes based on calibration curves, and estimation of binding constants from direct and derived binding curves based on quantitation of analytes or on analyte migration shifts. A more recent chemicoaffinity strategy in capillary electrophoresis/capillary electrochromatography (CE/CEC) termed molecular imprinting ('plastic antibodies') is discussed as well. Although most ACE studies are aimed at characterizing small-molecular mass analytes such as drugs, hormones, and peptides, some efforts have been pursued to characterize larger biopolymers including proteins, such as immunoglobulins. Examples of affinity interactions that have been studied are antigen-antibody, hapten-antibody, lectin-sugar, drug-protein, and enzyme-substrate complexes using ultraviolet, laser-induced fluorescence, and mass spectrometer detectors. This paper also addresses the critical issue of background electrolyte selection and quantitation of analytes. Specific examples of bioaffinity applications are presented, and the future of ACE in the biomedical field is discussed.

A heparin-binding peptide from human serum amyloid P component characterized by affinity capillary electrophoresis

Affinity capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used for a detailed characterization of the binding between heparin and a peptide isolated from the heparin-binding serum protein amyloid P component (SAP). The peptide corresponds to a tryptic fragment (T3) comprising amino acids 14-38 of SAP. By including ligands in the electrophoresis buffer various glycosaminoglycans could be screened for binding of T3 using one sample aliquot. The binding was found to be highly specific for heparin and heparin fragments down to tetramers and appeared strongest at a slightly alkaline pH while no binding could be demonstrated with heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, desulfated heparin, mannose 6-phosphate and phosphotyrosine. The T3-heparin complexes were sufficiently stable to perform quantitative measurements of the binding using preequilibration of samples prior to a CE-mediated separation of bound and free T3-peptide. Plots based on quantitation of analyte peaks corresponding to free and complexed T3 yielded a dissociation constant of 1.5 microM for the interaction with heparin. The results indicate that a specific subfraction of the heparin molecules is active in binding interactions with the peptide. The affinity CE approach proved to be useful for these studies because of its sensitivity to complex formation involving charged ligands and the possibility of achieving separations under native conditions. Also advantageous is the low sample consumption and the ability to analyze unlabeled reactants in solution.

Affinity capillary electrophoresis: a physical-organic tool for studying interactions in biomolecular recognition

Affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) is a technique that is used to measure the binding affinity of receptors to neutral and charged ligands. ACE experiments are based on differences in the values of electrophoretic mobility of free and bound receptor. Scatchard analysis of the fraction of bound receptor, at equilibrium, as a function of the concentration of free ligand yields the dissociation constant of the receptor-ligand complex. ACE experiments are most conveniently performed on fused silica capillaries using a negatively charged receptor (molecular mass < 50 kDa) and increasing concentrations of a low molecular weight, charged ligand in the running buffer. ACE experiments that involve high molecular weight receptors may require the use of running buffers containing zwitterionic additives to prevent the receptors from adsorbing appreciably to the wall of the capillary. This review emphasizes ACE experiments performed with two model systems: bovine carbonic anhydrase II (BCA II) with arylsulfonamide ligands and vancomycin (Van), a glycopeptide antibiotic, with D-Ala-D-Ala (DADA)-based peptidyl ligands. Dissociation constants determined from ACE experiments performed with charged receptors and ligands can often be rationalized using electrostatic arguments. The combination of differently charged derivatives of proteins - protein charge ladders - and ACE is a physical-organic tool that is used to investigate electrostatic effects. Variations of ACE experiments have been used to estimate the charge of Van and of proteins in solution, and to determine the effect of the association of Van to Ac2KDADA on the value of pKa of its N-terminal amino group.

Determination of the dissociation constant of phosvitin-anti-phosphoserine interaction by affinity capillary electrophoresis

We used affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) to study the interaction of a monoclonal anti-phosphoserine antibody (mAb) to a homopolyvalent antigen (hpAg), phosvitin. A model system, which allows the measurement of the true dissociation constant (Kd) in Ag excess based on measurement of migration shifts of mAb-hpAg complexes at different Ag concentrations in solution, is presented for the study of the interactions between a mAb and an Ag that has identical determinants. The experimental value of Kd (22.4 x 10(-6) M) obtained by ACE is shown to be in close agreement with the value (17.8 x 10(-6) M) obtained by the conventional immunoassay based on indirect competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, the Kds of mAb-hpAg complexes were measured and shown to be independent of the applied electrical field strength. Thus, under conditions where the total Ag concentration is in large excess over the total Ab concentration and when certain requirements are fulfilled, this method offers the advantage of dealing with the determination of Kd for unlabeled mAb and homopolymeric Ag molecules in free solution rather than at the liquid-solid interface.

Affinity capillary electrophoresis

The application of affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) to the study of molecular interactions is reviewed. ACE appears to be a sensitive, versatile and convenient tool to obtain reliable data on binding constants and stoichiometries of interacting systems using the Hummel-Dreyer method and variants thereof. A powerful feature is the possibility to analyze simultaneously the affinity of a large number of compounds for the same ligand, making it a promising tool for the screening of large combinatorial libraries.

Capillary zone electrophoresis of proteins

This review article with 237 references is focused on capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) of proteins. It includes discussion of modeling electrophoretic migration of proteins, sample pretreatment before the analysis, methods reducing the sorptions of proteins on the capillary wall, and techniques for increasing selectivity by using electrolyte additives including the sieving matrices. Significant progress in detection techniques, namely in laser-induced fluorescence and mass spectrometry, is emphasized. Modifications of CZE using specific interactions, such as affinity capillary electrophoresis or capillary immunoelectrophoresis, are debated as well as combination of CZE with other separation methods such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A number of practical applications of CZE of proteins are described.

Capillary electrophoresis of glutamate and aspartate in rat brain dialysate. Improvements in detection and analysis time using cyclodextrins

Addition of cyclodextrins (CDs) to the electrolyte buffer in the capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) separation of derivatized amino acids was evaluated in terms of fluorescence signal enhancement, resolution, and migration time effects. Maximum fluorescence signal enhancement was observed with separation buffers containing 4 mM beta-cyclodextrin or 10 mM hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin. Resolution values decreased as the CD concentrations increased. Migration times were dependent on CD concentration. Inclusion complex formation constants calculated using changes in migration time showed slight agreement with those calculated by the steady-state fluorescence enhancement technique. Analysis of 20 microl of rat brain microdialysate by CZE using 4 mM beta-cyclodextrin in borate buffer resulted in baseline resolution of glutamate and aspartate in 3.6 min. The results of this work indicate that, when used as separation buffer additives, cyclodextrins are capable of increasing the fluorescence signal and decreasing the migration times of NDA-derivatized acidic amino acids.

Peptide analysis by capillary (zone) electrophoresis

In this review various aspects concerning the application of capillary (zone) electrophoresis for peptide analysis will be critically examined. First, the basic instrumental requirements of CE apparatus and the strategies employed to enhance sensitivity in the analysis of underivatized sample are described. Multidimensional separative techniques of complex peptide mixtures that use CE as final step and the coupling of CE with mass spectrometry are subsequently discussed. A theoretical section describes the relationships existing between peptide mobility and the pH of the separation buffer. These relationships evidence that proton dissociation constants and Stokes radius at different protonation stages can be calculated by measuring the electrophoretic mobility at different pH values. Investigation of peptide mobility dependence on pH allows us to establish the optimum conditions, in terms of resolution, for peptide separation. Subsequently, a critical discussion about semiempirical models predicting peptide mobility as a function of chemico-physical peptide properties is presented. A section is devoted to the description of principles of peptide affinity capillary electrophoresis, underlining the similarity with peptide-proton interaction. CE separations performed in aquo-organic solvents are also critically discussed, showing the good performance obtained by using water-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol solutions. Finally, selected CE applications for the determination of peptide chemico-physical properties and conventional analysis, like peptide mapping, are reported.

Recent advances in chromatographic and electrophoretic methods for the study of drug-protein interactions

Drug-protein binding is an important process in determining the activity and fate of a pharmaceutical agent once it has entered the body. This review examines various chromatographic and electrophoretic methods that have been developed to study such interactions. An overview of each technique is presented along with a discussion of its strengths, weaknesses and potential applications. Formats that are discussed include the use of both soluble and immobilized drugs or proteins, and approaches based on zonal elution, frontal analysis or vacancy peak measurements. Furthermore, examples are provided that illustrate the use of these methods in determining the overall extent of drug-protein binding, in examining the displacement of a drug by other agents and in measuring the equilibrium or rate constants for drug-protein interactions. Examples are also given demonstrating how the same methods, particularly when used in high-performance liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis systems, can be employed as rapid screening tools for investigating the binding of different forms of a chiral drug to a protein or the binding of different proteins and peptides to a given pharmaceutical agent.

Guidelines in selecting ligand concentrations for the determination of binding constants by affinity capillary electrophoresis

This study examined various factors that affect the selection of ligand concentrations when using affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) for the determination of equilibrium constants in free solution. Two groups of model systems were used in this work: the binding of nitrophenols to alpha- or beta-cyclodextrin and the binding of D- or L-tryptophan to human serum albumin (HSA). Both systems gave 1:1 binding behavior in the ACE studies and good fits to previous equations derived to describe the shift in analyte mobility that occurs as the ligand concentration of the running buffer is varied. Some practical factors limiting the range of ligand levels that could be used in such studies included the relative amount of injected analyte, ligand solubility and the ligand's background signal. More fundamental factors included the size of the equilibrium constant for the system being investigated, the relative range of mobilities over which the analyte peak might be observed, the precision of the mobility measurements and the number of analytes present in the sample. Equations and graphs were developed for illustrating each of these latter items and their role in determining the range of ligand concentrations that could be used in ACE binding constant measurements. The results predicted by these equations and graphs showed good agreement with those observed experimentally, and should prove useful in optimizing ACE conditions for other solutes and ligands.

New approaches in clinical chemistry: on-line analyte concentration and microreaction capillary electrophoresis for the determination of drugs, metabolic intermediates, and biopolymers in biological fluids

The use of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for clinically relevant assays is attractive since it often presents many advantages over contemporary methods. The small-diameter tubing that holds the separation medium has led to the development of multicapillary instruments, and simultaneous sample analysis. Furthermore, CE is compatible with a wide range of detectors, including UV-Vis, fluorescence, laser-induced fluorescence, electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, radiometric, and more recently nuclear magnetic resonance, and laser-induced circular dichroism systems. Selection of an appropriate detector can yield highly specific analyte detection with good mass sensitivity. Another attractive feature of CE is the low consumption of sample and reagents. However, it is paradoxical that this advantage also leads to severe limitation, namely poor concentration sensitivity. Often high analyte concentrations are required in order to have injection of sufficient material for detection. In this regard, a series of devices that are broadly termed 'analyte concentrators' have been developed for analyte preconcentration on-line with the CE capillary. These devices have been used primarily for non-specific analyte preconcentration using packing material of the C18 type. Alternatively, the use of very specific antibody-containing cartridges and enzyme-immobilized microreactors have been demonstrated. In the current report, we review the likely impact of the technology of capillary electrophoresis and the role of the CE analyte concentrator-microreactor on the analysis of biomolecules, present on complex matrices, in a clinical laboratory. Specific examples of the direct analysis of physiologically-derived fluids and microdialysates are presented, and a personal view of the future of CE in the clinical environment is given.

Immuno-capillary electrophoresis for the characterization of a monoclonal antibody against DNA

A monoclonal antibody against DNA established from a mouse strain that spontaneously develops systemic lupus erythematosus was characterized by migration shift immuno-capillary electrophoresis. The minimal size for DNA binding antibody was > 16 bases and the interaction with a double-stranded 32-mer oligonucleotide was almost one order of magnitude stronger than the interaction with a single-stranded oligonucleotide. The binding was highly dependent on the ionic strength conditions with an increase in binding with a decrease in ionic strength. The estimate of the dissociation constant for the antibody binding of a single stranded 32-mer oligonucleotide was 0.62 microM at pH 7.90. This value was in good agreement with the value of 0.44 microM measured by an independent method using biosensor (surface plasmon resonance) technology.

Ligand-binding sites in human serum amyloid P component

Amyloid P component (AP) is a naturally occurring glycoprotein that is found in serum and basement membranes. AP is also a component of all types of amyloid, including that found in individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome. Because AP has been found to bind strongly and specifically to certain glycosaminoglycans that are components of amyloid deposits, AP may play an important role in the maintenance of amyloid. In the present work, we isolated and identified two proteolytic fragments of AP that are responsible for its heparin-binding activity. Neither fragment corresponds to published heparin-binding sequences. The structural requirements for activity of the peptides (amino acid residues 27-38 and 192-203 of AP) were examined by means of solid-phase inhibition assays with synthetic peptides. AP-(192-203)-peptide inhibits the Ca(2+)-dependent binding of AP to heparin with an IC50 of 25 microM, while the IC50 of AP-(27-38)-peptide and AP-(33-38)-peptide are 10 microM and 2 microM, respectively. The understanding of the structure and function of active AP peptides will be useful for development of amyloid-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics.

Comparison of the Hummel-Dreyer method in high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis conditions for study of the interaction of (RS)-, (R)- and (S)-carvedilol with isolated plasma proteins

The Hummel-Dreyer method in capillary zone electrophoresis was compared with the corresponding high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) variant in order to study the interaction of racemic carvedilol and its individual enantiomers with isolated human plasma proteins [alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and human serum albumin (HSA)]. The binding parameters characterizing the high-affinity binding site of AGP evaluated by using capillary electrophoresis [Ka(RS) = (3.01 +/- 1.15).10(6) l/mol; Ka(S) = (2.13 +/- 0.53).10(6) l/mol; Ka(R) = (4.88 +/- 1.57).10(6) l/mol] were in good accordance with those obtained by HPLC [Ka(RS) = (3.88 +/- 1.74).10(6) l/mol: Ka(S) = (1.80 +/- 0.53) x 10(6) l/mol; Ka(R) = (5.43 +/- 2.53).10(6) l/mol]. Relatively small quantitative differences have been observed considering the attachment of (R)-carvedilol to the secondary low-affinity binding sites on alpha 1-acid glycoprotein by comparing these two methods. In general, the Hummel-Dreyer method applied to capillary zone electrophoresis conditions was verified to be an efficient and fast technique for reliable description of quantitative binding parameters of hydrophobic drugs.

Drug-protein binding sites. New trends in analytical and experimental methodology

In the last few years, continuous progress in instrumental analytical methodology has been achieved with a substantial increase in the number of new, more specific and more flexible methods for ligand-protein assays. In general, the methods used for drug-protein binding studies can be divided into two main groups: separation methods (enabling the calculation of binding parameters, i.e. the number of binding sites and their respective affinity constants) and non-separation methods (describing predominantly qualitative parameters of the ligand-protein complex). This review will be focussed particularly on recent trends in the development of drug-protein binding methods including stereoselective and non-stereoselective aspects using chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and microdialysis as compared to the "conventional approach" using equilibrium dialysis, ultrafiltration or size exclusion chromatography. The advantages and limitations of various methods will be discussed including a focus on "optimal" experimental strategies taking into account in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo studies. Furthermore, the importance of some particular aspects concerning the drug binding to proteins (covalent binding of drugs and metabolites, stereoselective interactions and evaluation of binding data) will be outlined in more detail.

Demonstration of a heparin-binding site in serum amyloid P component using affinity capillary electrophoresis as an adjunct technique

Linear heparin-binding sites in the DNA- and heparin-binding serum protein amyloid P component were investigated using affinity capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase HPLC in conjunction with affinity chromatography. Peptide fragments were generated from amyloid P component by treatment with Glu-C and Asp-N endoproteinases. This peptide mixture was separated by HPLC before and after passage through a column of immobilized heparin. In addition, the proteolytic digest was separated by capillary electrophoresis in the presence of various amounts of heparin in solution. Migration shift patterns in the presence of heparin were in agreement with one of the components shown by HPLC to interact with immobilized heparin. The identity of this fragment was established by mass spectrometry after preparative HPLC and represents a novel heparin-binding sequence. The results illustrate the potential synergy in the combination of the two high-resolution separation techniques HPLC and CE. HPLC has the advantages of high recovery and preparative power while capillary electrophoresis is noted for highly efficient separations under physiological conditions. The possibility of using unmodified ligands in the study of biological activities of protein substructures while consuming very little material makes CE further attractive.

Determination of antigen-antibody affinity by immunocapillary electrophoresis

The use of affinity capillary electrophoresis for the characterization of antigen-antibody interactions (immunocapillary electrophoresis) is shown using monoclonal antibodies against phosphotyrosine as a model system. The influence of the interaction kinetics on the peak profiles was demonstrated in experiments with addition of phosphotyrosine to the electrophoresis buffer. One of the two antibodies that were tested exhibited peak broadening while the other showed no change in peak shape but had a decreased mobility proportional to the amount of phosphotyrosine present. The migration shifts which were of the order 0.05 to 0.15 min at 439 V/cm were a consequence of the antibody-antigen complexes having a slower mobility than the non-complexed antibody. On the basis of measurement of migration shifts at different antigen concentrations, dissociation constants were estimated and shown to be independent on the applied field strength. Thus, when certain requirements are fulfilled, immuno-capillary electrophoresis is a fast and simple method for establishing binding characteristics of unlabelled antigen and antibody molecules under non-denaturing conditions and consumes minute amounts of sample.