Generation and characterization of a human-mouse chimeric high-affinity antibody that detects the DYKDDDDK FLAG peptide
DYKDDDDK peptide (FLAG) is a useful tool for investigating the function and localization of proteins whose antibodies (Abs) are not available. We recently established a high-affinity monoclonal antibody (mAb) for FLAG (clone 2H8).
The 2H8 Ab is highly sensitive for detecting FLAG-tagged proteins by flowcytometry and immunoprecipitation, but it can yield nonspecific signals in the immunohistochemistry of mouse tissues because it is of mouse origin. In this study, we reduced nonspecific signals by generating a chimeric 2H8 Ab with Fc fragments derived from human immunoglobulin.
We fused a 5′ terminal cDNA fragments for the Fab region of 2H8 mAb with 3′ terminal cDNA fragments for Fc region of human IgG1. We transfected both chimeric plasmids and purified the resulting human-mouse chimeric 2H8. The chimeric 2H8 Ab successfully detected FLAG-tagged proteins in flow cytometry with anti-human IgG secondary Ab with comparable sensitivity to 2H8 mAb.
Importantly, chimeric 2H8 detected specific FLAG peptide signals without nonspecific signals in immunohistochemical analysis with mouse tissues. This human-mouse chimeric high-affinity anti-FLAG Ab will prove useful for future immunohistochemical analysis of mouse tissues.
Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Position Statement on Acute Oxygen Use in Adults: ‘Swimming between the flags‘
Oxygen is a life-saving therapy but, when given inappropriately, may also be hazardous. Therefore, in the acute medical setting, oxygen should only be given as treatment for hypoxaemia and requires appropriate prescription, monitoring and review.
This update to the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) guidance on acute oxygen therapy is a brief and practical resource for all healthcare workers involved with administering oxygen therapy to adults in the acute medical setting.
It does not apply to intubated or paediatric patients. Recommendations are made in the following six clinical areas: assessment of hypoxaemia (including use of arterial blood gases); prescription of oxygen; peripheral oxygen saturation targets; delivery, including non-invasive ventilation and humidified high-flow nasal cannulae; the significance of high oxygen requirements; and acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.
There are three sections which provide (1) a brief summary, (2) recommendations in detail with practice points and (3) a detailed explanation of the reasoning and evidence behind the recommendations. It is anticipated that these recommendations will be disseminated widely in structured programmes across Australia and New Zealand.
Decitabine and Vorinostat with FLAG Chemotherapy in Pediatric Relapsed/Refractory AML: Report from the Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma (TACL) Consortium
Survival outcomes for relapsed/refractory pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) remain dismal. Epigenetic changes can result in gene expression alterations which are thought to contribute to both leukemogenesis and chemotherapy resistance.
We report results from a phase I trial with a dose expansion cohort investigating decitabine and vorinostat in combination with fludarabine, cytarabine, and G-CSF (FLAG) in pediatric patients with R/R AML [NCT02412475]. Thirty-seven patients enrolled with a median age at enrollment of 8.4 (range, 1-20) years. There were no dose limiting toxicities among the enrolled patients, including two patients with Down syndrome. The recommended phase 2 dose of decitabine in combination with vorinostat and FLAG was 10 mg/m2 .
The expanded cohort design allowed for an efficacy evaluation and the overall response rate among 35 evaluable patients was 54% (16 complete response (CR) and 3 complete response with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi)). Ninety percent of responders achieved minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity (<0.1%) by centralized flow cytometry and 84% (n=16) successfully proceeded to hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
Two-year overall survival was 75.6% [95%CI: 47.3%, 90.1%] for MRD-negative patients vs. 17.9% [95%CI: 4.4%, 38.8%] for those with residual disease (p<0.001). Twelve subjects (34%) had known epigenetic alterations with 8 (67%) achieving a CR, 7 (88%) of whom were MRD negative.
Correlative pharmacodynamics demonstrated biologic activity of decitabine and vorinostat and identified specific gene enrichment signatures in non-responding patients.
Overall, this therapy was well-tolerated, biologically active, and effective in pediatric patients with R/R AML, particularly those with epigenetic alterations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Dento-facial infections in children – A potential red flag for child neglect?
Background: Healthcare professionals are often confronted with children presenting to the emergency department with dento-facial infections. These infections may be associated with dental neglect and as such could be a marker for general neglect. The aim of this retrospective study was to ascertain whether dento-facial infections can be used as an indicator for general neglect.
Method: All children aged 16 years and under, who were admitted for surgical incision and drainage of dento-facial infection between January 2017 and January 2019 at King’s College Hospital were examined retrospectively. All patients were discussed with the local safeguarding team/local authority to establish whether they were previously known to social services.
Results: This study showed that in our cohort, 48% of children admitted with dento-facial infection were already known to social services and one (2%) had been recently referred. The most commonly affected age group were 5-8-year-olds (50%) indicating that these children have an increased risk of neglect. An average of 5.6 teeth were extracted and four (10%) patients required extra-oral drainage. The average hospital stay was 2.26 days.
Conclusion: Our retrospective study revealed that social services were already aware of 48% of patients under the age of 16, who were admitted to hospital with a dento-facial infection.
This suggests a relationship between dental neglect and generalised neglect. Families of children presenting with dento-facial infection should be supported in accessing appropriate dental services for their children and clinicians should consider dento-facial infection a potential ‘red flag’ for generalised neglect.
Keywords: Child neglect; Dental neglect; Dento-facial infections; Maxillofacial.
Reduced Expression of Emotion: A Red Flag Signalling Conversion to Psychosis in Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) Populations
Objective: In this hypothesis-testing study, which is based on findings from a previous atheoretical machine-learning study, we test the predictive power of baseline “reduced expression of emotion” for psychosis.Method: Study participants (N = 96, mean age 16.55 years) were recruited from the Prevention of Psychosis Study in Rogaland, Norway. The Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) was conducted 13 times over two years. Reduced expression of emotion was added to positive symptoms at baseline (P1-P5) as a predictor of psychosis onset over a two-year period using logistic regression.
Results: Participants with a score above zero on expression of emotion had over eight times the odds of conversion (OR = 8.69, p < .001).
Data indicated a significant dose-response association. A model including reduced expression of emotion at baseline together with the positive symptoms of the SIPS rendered the latter statistically insignificant.
FLAG Octapeptide (FLAG) Peptide |
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20-abx652293 | Abbexa |
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abx652293-5mg | Abbexa | 5 mg | 425 EUR |
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20-abx130436 | Abbexa |
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20-abx118001 | Abbexa |
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FLAG Octapeptide (FLAG) Antibody |
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20-abx132268 | Abbexa |
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abx016078-100ul | Abbexa | 100 ul | 493.2 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (Flag) Antibody |
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abx118001-100l | Abbexa | 100 µl | Ask for price |
FLAG Octapeptide (Flag) Antibody |
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abx118001-20l | Abbexa | 20 µl | 287.5 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (Flag) Antibody |
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abx118001-50l | Abbexa | 50 µl | 362.5 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (Flag) Antibody |
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abx016078-1mg | Abbexa | 1 mg | 362.5 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (FLAG) Antibody |
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abx132268-01mg | Abbexa | 0.1 mg | 850 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (FLAG) Antibody |
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abx137596-100tests | Abbexa | 100 tests | 225 EUR |
FLAG Octapeptide (FLAG) Antibody |
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abx130436-100l | Abbexa | 100 µl | 962.5 EUR |
Conclusions: The study findings confirm findings from the previous machine-learning study, indicating that observing reduced expression of emotion may serve two purposes: first, it may add predictive value to psychosis conversion, and second, it is readily observable.
This may facilitate detection of those most at risk within the clinical high risk of psychosis population, as well as those at clinical high risk. A next step could be including this symptom within current high-risk criteria. Future research should consolidate these findings.