| egf induces coalescence of different lipid rafts. | the suggestion that microdomains may function as signaling platforms arose from the presence of growth factor receptors, such as the egfr, in biochemically isolated lipid raft fractions. to investigate the role of egfr activation in the organization of lipid rafts we have performed flim analyses using putative lipid raft markers such as ganglioside gm1 and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (gpi)-anchored gfp (gpi-gfp). the egfr was labeled using single domain antibodies from llama glama that specific ... | 2008 | 18628305 |
| cloning, expression, and characterization of a single-domain antibody fragment with affinity for 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol. | a single-domain variable heavy chain (v(h)h) antibody fragment specific to the mycotoxin 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-acdon) was obtained after immunization of a llama (llama glama) with the protein conjugate 15-don-bsa plus titermax classic adjuvant. after confirmation of a polyclonal response to don toxin in both conventional (cigg) and heavy chain antibody (hcab) fractions, a v(h)h library was constructed from amplified cdna by nested pcr. v(h)h fragments with binding affinity for the mycotoxi ... | 2008 | 18632156 |
| llama-derived single-chain antibody fragments directed to rotavirus vp6 protein possess broad neutralizing activity in vitro and confer protection against diarrhea in mice. | group a rotavirus is one of the most common causes of severe diarrhea in human infants and newborn animals. rotavirus virions are triple-layered particles. the outer capsid proteins vp4 and vp7 are highly variable and represent the major neutralizing antigens. the inner capsid protein vp6 is conserved among group a rotaviruses, is highly immunogenic, and is the target antigen of most immunodiagnosis tests. llama-derived single-chain antibody fragments (vhh) are the smallest molecules with antige ... | 2008 | 18632867 |
| alpaca and llama nematodes in britain. | | 2008 | 18660528 |
| glycosylation at the fetomaternal interface: does the glycocode play a critical role in implantation? | during pregnancy, the heavily glycosylated surfaces of the implanting blastocyst and maternal uterine epithelium interact in a highly controlled and specific manner. examination of this interface in species that show interdigitation of embryonic and maternal surfaces (epitheliochorial placentation) shows that each has its own particular pattern of glycosylation or glycotype, and that closely related and/or interbreeding species e.g. horse and donkey or llama and guanaco, have very similar glycot ... | 2009 | 18677581 |
| development of elisas for the measurement of igm and igg subclasses in sera from llamas (lama glama) and assessment of the humoral immune response against different antigens. | members of the camelidae family possess a functional class of antibodies devoid of light chains (known as heavy chain antibodies, hcabs). three igg isotypes have been identified (igg(1), igg(2) and igg(3)); igg(2) and igg(3) are hcabs whereas the igg(1) has the conventional structure. different subtypes of igg(1) (igg(1a) and igg(1b)) and igg(2) (igg(2a), igg(2b) and igg(2c)) have been classified according to variations in the amino acids sequence of the hinge region. the single variable domain ... | 2008 | 18692907 |
| the synergizer service for translating gene, protein and other biological identifiers. | the synergizer is a database and web service that provides translations of biological database identifiers. it is accessible both programmatically and interactively. availability: the synergizer is freely available to all users inter-actively via a web application (http://llama.med.harvard.edu/synergizer/translate) and programmatically via a web service. clients implementing the synergizer application programming interface (api) are also freely available. please visit http://llama.med.harvard.ed ... | 2008 | 18697767 |
| tnt detection using llama antibodies and a two-step competitive fluid array immunoassay. | llamas possess unique subclasses of antibodies that lack light chains, and thus are made by the pairing of two heavy chains. igg was purified from two llamas which had been immunized with trinitrobenzene-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. conventional igg1 and heavy chain igg2 and igg3 subclasses were fractionated using affinity chromatography. the effectiveness of heavy chain antibodies for the detection of trinitrotoluene (tnt) using a competitive fluid array immunoassay was evaluated and compared to ... | 2008 | 18755196 |
| conditional inactivation of hif-1 using intrabodies. | hypoxia is a hallmark of solid cancers and triggers the transcription of genes responsible for cell survival. the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (hif-1) is a key regulator in this response and frequently activated in human cancer. hif-1 activation is associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor clinical outcome and, therefore, may provide an attractive therapeutic target. here we provide a novel approach for hif-1 targeted therapy using single-domain llama antibodies directed a ... | 2008 | 18791271 |
| design of a village breeding programme for a llama population in the high andes of bolivia. | no national breeding programme for llamas is in place in bolivia. initiatives for genetic improvement are rarely found and are usually carried out by ngos working in rural development or improvement of livestock production or research stations. farmers in the province of ayopaya in the district of cochabamba have formed a breeders' organization with the aim of improving fibre production. in this study, a detailed outline of a breeding programme with a focus on organizational and technical detail ... | 2008 | 18803786 |
| llama antibody fragments with cross-subtype human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1)-neutralizing properties and high affinity for hiv-1 gp120. | members of the camelidae family produce immunoglobulins devoid of light chains. we have characterized variable domains of these heavy chain antibodies, the vhh, from llamas immunized with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1) envelope protein gp120 in order to identify vhh that can inhibit hiv-1 infection. to increase the chances of isolating neutralizing vhh, we employed a functional selection approach, involving panning of phage libraries expressing the vhh repertoire on recombinant gp12 ... | 2008 | 18842738 |
| simple sequence repeats for genetic studies of alpaca. | trace sequences from the 2x alpaca genome sequencing effort were examined to identify simple sequence repeats (microsatellites) for genetic studies. a total of 6,685 repeat-containing sequences were downloaded from genbank, processed, and assembled into contigs representing an estimated 4,278 distinct sequences. this sequence set contained 2,290 sequences of length > 100 nucleotides that contained microsatellites of length > or = 14 dinucleotide or 10 trinucleotide repeats with purity equal to 1 ... | 2008 | 18855250 |
| thermostable llama single domain antibodies for detection of botulinum a neurotoxin complex. | immunoglobulins from animals of the camelidae family boast unique forms that do not incorporate light chains. antigen binding in these unconventional heavy-chain homodimers is mediated through a single variable domain. when expressed recombinantly these variable domains are termed single domain antibodies (sdab) and are among the smallest naturally igg-derived antigen binding units. sdab possess good solubility, thermostability, and can refold after heat and chemical denaturation making them pro ... | 2008 | 18947189 |
| relevance of the diversity among members of the trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase family analyzed with camelids single-domain antibodies. | the sialic acid present in the protective surface mucin coat of trypanosoma cruzi is added by a membrane anchored trans-sialidase (tcts), a modified sialidase that is expressed from a large gene family. in this work, we analyzed single domain camelid antibodies produced against trans-sialidase. llamas were immunized with a recombinant trans-sialidase and inhibitory single-domain antibody fragments were obtained by phage display selection, taking advantage of a screening strategy using an inhibit ... | 2008 | 18949046 |
| placental glycosylation in a cama (camel-llama cross) and its relevance to successful hybridisation. | | 2008 | 18950721 |
| parasite-induced leucomyelopathy in llamas (lama glama). | | 2008 | 18953077 |
| probing of actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae apxiiia toxin-dependent cytotoxicity towards mammalian peripheral blood mononucleated cells. | abstract: | 2008 | 19046441 |
| isolation of monoclonal antibody fragments from phage display libraries. | techniques developed over the past 20 years for the display of foreign peptides and proteins on the surfaces of filamentous bacteriophages have been a major driving force in the rapid development of recombinant antibody technology in recent years. with phage display of antibodies as one of its key components, recombinant antibody technology has led to the development of an increasing number of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. antibody gene libraries are fused to a gene encoding a phage coat pr ... | 2009 | 19082566 |
| llama-derived single-domain intrabodies inhibit secretion of hepatitis b virions in mice. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) infections cause 500,000 to 700,000 deaths per year as a consequence of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. efficient and safe antivirals to treat chronically infected patients and consequently to prevent development of hepatocellular carcinoma are still awaited. we isolated five single-domain antibodies (vhhs) that recognize the most abundant envelope protein (s) of hbv. vhhs, when expressed and retained in the endoplasmic reticulum as intrabodies ... | 2009 | 19085971 |
| reproductive glycogenetics--a critical factor in pregnancy success and species hybridisation. | hybridisation occurs rarely in nature and experiments using interspecific transfer of embryos generally result in implantation failure. here we show that appropriate glycosylation of the apposing surfaces of endometrium and trophoblast probably is an important factor and may play a critical role in pregnancy success. examination of closely related species shows that each has its own specific pattern of glycosylation, or glycotype, at the fetomaternal interface and that interacting surfaces appea ... | 2009 | 19121542 |
| selection, characterization, and cdr shuffling of naive llama single-domain antibodies selected against auxin and their cross-reactivity with auxinic herbicides from four chemical families. | indoleacetic acid (iaa)-binding single-domain antibodies (sdabs) were isolated from a naive phage-display library constructed from the heavy chain antibody repertoire of a ilama. the highest-affinity sdab isolated (csf2a) had a k(d) of 5-20 microm for two iaa-protein conjugates and a k(d) of 20 microm for free iaa. this sdab also bound to a synthetic auxin analogue, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (naa), and to six auxinic herbicides (k(d) values of 0.5-2 mm), but not to serotonin and tryptophan, which ... | 2006 | 19127743 |
| simulated mutagenesis of the hypervariable loops of a llama vhh domain for the recovery of canonical conformations. | in this work, wildtype and mutated hypervariable regions of an anti-hcg llama vhh antibody were simulated via a molecular dynamics replica exchange method (rem). seven mutants were simulated with the goal of identifying structural determinants that return the noncanonical h1 loop of the wildtype antibody to the type 1 canonical structure predicted by database methods formulated for conventional antibodies. two cases with three point mutations yielded a stable type 1 h1 structure. in addition, ot ... | 2009 | 19132876 |
| isolation of novel egfr-specific vhh domains. | epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) is overexpressed or mutated in a high percentage of tumors. egfr has long been considered a promising target for cancer diagnostic and therapeutic applications. however, monoclonal antibodies and other large antibody constructs diffuse into tumors slowly, limiting their efficacy. to develop lower molecular weight probes for egfr and other tumor cell receptors, the authors immunized a llama with the extracellular domains (ecds) of egfr and an oncogenic muta ... | 2009 | 19171923 |
| pre-weaning morbidity and mortality of llamas and alpacas. | to describe the morbidity and mortality patterns and identify factors associated with morbidity in pre-weaning llamas and alpacas. | 2009 | 19178480 |
| conformation and anatomical relations of the liver of llama (lama glama). | morphological studies of the liver of the llama are structural supportive to the clinical practice, surgery and specific diagnostic techniques. the aims of this study were first to determine the location of the organ and the direction of its major axis to project it to the abdominal wall, identifying visible and palpable bony references. secondly, to characterize and determine anatomical relations of the surfaces, borders and angles of the llama liver, as well as, of its lobulation. twenty adult ... | 2009 | 19183352 |
| infertility associated with persistent hymen in an alpaca and a llama. | perforation and dilation of the persistent hymen in an alpaca and a llama, detected by vaginal examination and endoscopy, was achieved by use of a sigmoidoscope and incremental dilation using cylindrical instruments to a maximum diameter of 38 mm. outcome and subsequent fertility are dependent on length of time the obstruction has been present and secondary uterine disease. | 2008 | 19183735 |
| immunological applications of single-domain llama recombinant antibodies isolated from a naïve library. | we describe the rapid isolation of single-domain recombinant antibodies in vhh format from a pre-immune llama library created in our laboratory. such naïve library has demonstrated to be a versatile tool and enabled the isolation of several different antibodies for any of the six proteins panned in parallel. the binders specific for human fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (fgfr1) were successively analyzed in more detail and resulted suitable for both western blot and immunofluorescence analys ... | 2009 | 19196718 |
| platelet aggregation responses in clinically healthy adult llamas. | limited information exists regarding hemostasis in camelids despite the importance of platelet function testing in the accurate identification of platelet disorders. as further importation of llamas to north america is restricted, variability in breeding stock will continue to decrease, potentially leading to an increase in heritable bleeding disorders. | 2009 | 19228355 |
| prevention of oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy by muscular expression of llama single-chain intrabodies in vivo. | oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (opmd) is a late onset disorder characterized by progressive weakening of specific muscles. it is caused by short expansions of the n-terminal polyalanine tract in the poly(a) binding protein nuclear 1 (pabpn1), and it belongs to the group of protein aggregation diseases, such as huntington's, parkinson's and alzheimer diseases. mutant pabpn1 forms nuclear aggregates in diseased muscles in both patients and animal models. intrabodies are antibodies that are mod ... | 2009 | 19258344 |
| pentabody-mediated antigen delivery induces antigen-specific mucosal immune response. | an efficient immunization system is essential for the development of mucosal vaccine. cholera toxin (ct) and escherichia coli heat labile toxin (lt) are among the strongest adjuvants tested in experimental animals but their use in humans has been hindered by their toxicity. on the other hand, the role of their non-toxic b-subunits, ctb or ltb, in enhancing mucosal immune response is not clear. we propose here a novel strategy for the induction of mucosal immune responses. single domain antibodie ... | 2009 | 19269688 |
| cotoneaster sp. poisoning in a llama (lama glama). | a case of poisoning with a cotoneaster sp. is described in a llama (lama glama). the clinical signs were dyspnea, with congested mucous membranes, chewing, recumbency, and opisthotonos. several hours after ingestion of the plant, the llama died, despite treatment with sodium thiosulfate and nitrite. necropsy revealed approximately 676 g of leaves and fruit of cotoneaster in the first compartment of the stomach. the blood was light red and did not clot. because cotoneaster sp. contains low concen ... | 2009 | 19286507 |
| metastatic uterine adenocarcinoma and hepatic lipomatosis in a llama (lama glama). | a 6-year-old, female llama (lama glama) presented with progressive anorexia and ascites. postmortem examination revealed an infiltrative uterine adenocarcinoma with widespread metastases. the neoplasm completely replaced and infiltrated the myometrium of the uterine body and cervix and metastasized largely to the serosal surfaces of the peritoneal cavity. histopathology identified a highly invasive growth of neoplastic cells in solid packets or tubular arrangements and marked fibroplasia. no bov ... | 2009 | 19286516 |
| prevalence of eimeria macusaniensis and eimeria ivitaensis in south american camelids of northwest argentina. | faecal samples from mostly adult llamas (n=626), vicuñas (n=161) and guanacos (n=4) were obtained between december 2004 and july 2008 in three provinces of northwest argentina in order to study the prevalence of eimeria macusaniensis and eimeria ivitaensis. faeces were examined by a flotation technique using a cl(2)zn+clna solution (specific gravity=1.59). oocysts of e. macusaniensis occurred in 88.3% of 77 llama herds and in 50.3% of 626 llamas sampled whereas oocysts of e. ivitaensis occurred ... | 2009 | 19349120 |
| crystallization of the altitude adapted hemoglobin of guinea pig. | hemoglobin is the versatile oxygen carrier in the blood of vertebrates and a key factor for adaptation to live in high altitudes. several structural changes are known to account for increased oxygen affinity in hemoglobin of altitude adapted animals such as llama and barheaded goose. guinea pigs are adapted to live in high altitudes in the andes and consequently their hemoglobin has an increased oxygen affinity. however, the structural changes responsible for the adaptation of guinea pig hemoglo ... | 2009 | 19356144 |
| reverse proteomic antibody screening identifies anti adhesive vhh targeting vla-3. | therapeutic approaches aimed at targeting tumor surface markers using monoclonal antibodies provide a powerful strategy in cancer treatment. here we report selection of single variable domains (vhh) of llama heavy chain antibodies, using a vhh-phage-display library. a reverse proteomic approach was used to identify the cognate proteins recognized by enriched vhh on hela cells. one of these vhh bound the integrin alpha 3 beta 1 (vla-3) and was further characterized. most interestingly, this vhh c ... | 2009 | 19359042 |
| passive immunization with llama single-domain antibody fragments reduces foot-and-mouth disease transmission between pigs. | we aim to develop a method that confers rapid protection against foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) by passive immunization with recombinant llama single-domain antibody fragments (vhhs). previously constructed genetic fusions of two vhhs (vhh2s) that either neutralizes fmdv or binds to porcine immunoglobulin to increase the serum half-life, conferred only limited protection to pigs. we therefore now generated vhh3s containing an additional fmdv binding vhh. two vhh3s neutralized fmdv more potently th ... | 2009 | 19368770 |
| effect of ecg superstimulation and buserelin on cumulus-oocyte complexes recovery and maturation in llamas (lama glama). | the aim of the present study was two-fold. experiment i: evaluate the effect of buserelin on llama's oocyte maturation after exogenous follicular activity suppression, followed by ovarian superstimulation with different doses of equine chorionic gonadotropin (ecg). experiment ii: compare the number of follicles aspirated and the number of cumulus-oocyte complexes (cocs) recovered according to different doses of ecg followed by buserelin. experiment i consisted in a control group (without buserel ... | 2009 | 19392664 |
| mange in alpacas, llamas and goats in the uk: incidence and risk. | a retrospective postal questionnaire was used to obtain information about the prevalence of mange and its association with husbandry-related risk factors, in alpaca, llama and goat herds in the uk. in total 1797 questionnaires were sent out to members of the british alpaca society, the british llama society and the british goat society, giving response rates of 40.4%, 29.3% and 22.8% from the three groups, respectively. between january and december 2007, mange was reported in 52.2% (151 of 292), ... | 2009 | 19446959 |
| alpaca and llama health management. preface. | | 2009 | 19460637 |
| management of neonatal llamas and alpacas. | most llama and alpaca crias will be born without complication and survive the neonatal period without incident. however, it is important to be able to recognize which crias are likely to be at risk of complications so that you are best able to advise owners and take the correct course of action if required. this article deals with management of the pregnant camelid, the events associated with parturition and the peripartum period with emphasis on the cria, management of the newborn cria includin ... | 2009 | 19460645 |
| chemical restraint, anesthesia, and analgesia for camelids. | this article covers techniques used to provide chemical restraint, injectable or inhalation anesthesia, and analgesia in camelid patients. understanding the information presented improves safety and efficacy when using the techniques presented in the article. this article focuses primarily on llama and alpaca patients. of the techniques that have been used on camels, the dosing protocols provided have proven effective. | 2009 | 19460650 |
| specific immuno capturing of the staphylococcal superantigen toxic-shock syndrome toxin-1 in plasma. | toxic-shock syndrome is primarily caused by the toxic-shock syndrome toxin 1 (tsst-1), which is secreted by the gram-positive bacterium staphylococcus aureus. the toxin belongs to a family of superantigens (sags) which exhibit several shared biological properties, including the induction of massive cytokine release and v(beta)-specific t-cell proliferation. in this study we explored the possibility to use monoclonal variable domains of llama heavy-chain antibodies (vhh) in the immuno capturing o ... | 2009 | 19475676 |
| a llama single domain anti-idiotypic antibody mimicking her2 as a vaccine: immunogenicity and efficacy. | her2 over-expression in breast cancer correlates with reduced survival. anti-idiotypic antibodies (abs) that closely mimic her2 could play a crucial role in the development of effective therapeutic vaccines. here, we show that an anti-idiotypic single domain antibody (sdab) 1he isolated from a library generated from a trastuzumab f(ab')(2)-immunized llama, closely mimics her2. sdab 1he shows high affinity for trastuzumab f(ab')(2), selectively inhibits her2 binding to trastuzumab f(ab')(2), and ... | 2009 | 19523913 |
| llama single-domain antibodies directed against nonconventional epitopes of tumor-associated carcinoembryonic antigen absent from nonspecific cross-reacting antigen. | single-domain antibodies (sdabs), which occur naturally in camelids, are endowed with many characteristics that make them attractive candidates as building blocks to create new antibody-related therapeutic molecules. in this study, we isolated from an immunized llama several high-affinity sdabs directed against human carcinoembryonic antigen (cea), a heavily glycosylated tumor-associated molecule expressed in a variety of cancers. these llama sdabs bind a different epitope from those defined by ... | 2009 | 19531051 |
| traditional llama husbandry and breeding management in the ayopaya region, bolivia. | the llama claims the largest population of the domestic south american camelids, most of which are raised in bolivia. more than 53,000 rural families are dedicated to llama husbandry as part of their livelihood strategy. contemporary andean societies deliberately select animals for specific traits and employ substantial livestock management to secure subsistence. this study presents traditional llama husbandry and breeding management activities in the ayopaya region, bolivia. traditional selecti ... | 2010 | 19544004 |
| endometrial population of oestrogen receptors alpha and beta and progesterone receptors a and b during the different phases of the follicular wave of llamas (lama glama). | the aim of this study was to characterize the distribution of oestrogen receptor (er)α and erβ as well as both progesterone receptors isoforms progesterone receptor (pr) a and prb in the luminal and glandular epithelia and stroma of the endometrium during the different phases of the follicular wave in llamas. six llamas were examined by transrectal ultrasonography, and a transcervical biopsy was obtained when a follicle at the growing, plateau and regressing phase was recorded. blood samples wer ... | 2010 | 19548916 |
| capillary electrophoresis of intact basic proteins using noncovalently triple-layer coated capillaries. | the usefulness of a noncovalent, positively charged capillary coating for the efficient analysis of intact basic proteins with ce was studied. capillaries were coated by subsequent flushing with solutions of 10% w/v polybrene (pb), 3% w/v dextran sulfate (ds), and again 10% w/v pb. coating characterization studies showed that stable coatings could be produced which exhibited a ph-independent and highly reproducible eof. the pb-ds-pb coating was evaluated with tris phosphate bges of various ph us ... | 2009 | 19557816 |
| mycobacterium microti--pulmonary tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient. | human tuberculosis is caused by members of the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which includes m. tuberculosis, m. bovis, m. africanum and m. bovis bcg. however there are increasing reports of rarely occurring genetic variants such as m. canettii, m. microti and m. pinipedii. the natural reservoir, mode of transmission and potential modification of host interaction of these species is not yet fully elucidated. we report a rare case of extensive cavitary smear-positive tuberculosis of the left ... | 2009 | 19562286 |
| llama vhh antibody fragments against gfap: better diffusion in fixed tissues than classical monoclonal antibodies. | camelids produce antibodies made of homodimeric heavy chains, and the antigen-binding region being composed of a single domain called vhh. these vhhs are much smaller than complete igg. they are also more thermostable and more soluble in water; they should, therefore, diffuse more readily in the tissues. vhhs, expressed in bacteria, are easier to produce than conventional monoclonal antibodies. because of these special characteristics, these antibody fragments could have interesting developments ... | 2009 | 19597828 |
| improvement of llama (lama glama) seminal characteristics using collagenase. | llama semen is characterized by great structural viscosity and minimal sperm progressive motility. these characteristics, inherent to south american camelid ejaculates, have slowed down the development of assisted reproductive techniques in these species. the aim of the present research was to evaluate the effect of different combinations of dilutions and incubation time with h-talp-bsa medium, with and without adding 0.1% collagenase, on the qualitative and quantitative semen characteristics, f ... | 2010 | 19616391 |
| ovarian response and embryo production in llamas treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin alone or with a progestin-releasing vaginal sponge at the time of follicular wave emergence. | the objective of the study was to compare the ovulatory response and embryo production in llamas (lama glama) treated with a single dose of equine chorionic gonadotropin (ecg) alone or combined with intravaginal medroxyprogesterone acetate (mpa) at the time of follicular wave emergence. llamas with a growing follicle >or=7 mm in diameter were assigned to one of the following groups: (1) control (n=28): nonstimulated llamas were mated and embryos were collected 7 d after mating. (2) ecg (n=32): l ... | 2009 | 19616837 |
| neutralization of bothrops mattogrossensis snake venom from bolivia: experimental evaluation of llama and donkey antivenoms produced by caprylic acid precipitation. | polyspecific bothropic/crotalic and bothropic/lachesic antivenoms were produced in bolivia by immunizing two donkeys with the venoms of bothrops mattogrossensis and crotalus durissus terrificus and one llama with the venoms of b. mattogrossensis and lachesis muta. these antivenoms are currently being used for snakebite envenomation in bolivia. the rationale for using these animals is that donkeys and llamas are better adapted than horses to the high altitudes in south america and constitute good ... | 2010 | 19647761 |
| oleander intoxication in new world camelids: 12 cases (1995-2006). | to characterize the clinical and clinicopathologic effects and evaluate outcome associated with oleander toxicosis in new world camelids. | 2009 | 19650704 |
| lectin binding patterns and carbohydrate mediation of sperm binding to llama oviductal cells in vitro. | sperm binding to oviductal epithelium would be involved in sperm reservoir formation in the utero tubal junction (utj). although in other mammals sperm-oviduct interaction has been proved to be mediated by carbohydrate-recognition mechanisms, the factors implicated in the sperm adhesion to oviductal epithelium of llama are still unknown. in order to assess the role of carbohydrates present in the mucosa surface, we examined the distribution of glycoconjugates in the llama oviduct by confocal lec ... | 2010 | 19682806 |
| protein mislocalization in plant cells using a gfp-binding chromobody. | a key challenge in cell biology is to directly link protein localization to function. the green fluorescent protein (gfp)-binding protein, gbp, is a 13-kda soluble protein derived from a llama heavy chain antibody that binds with high affinity to gfp as well as to some gfp variants such as yellow fluorescent protein (yfp). a gbp fusion to the red fluorescent protein (rfp), a molecule termed a chromobody, was previously used to trace in vivo the localization of various animal antigens. in this st ... | 2009 | 19686537 |
| differential tumor-targeting abilities of three single-domain antibody formats. | the large molecular size of antibody drugs is considered one major factor preventing them from becoming more efficient therapeutics. variable regions of heavy chain antibodies (hcabs), or single-domain antibodies (sdabs), are ideal building blocks for smaller antibodies due to their molecular size and enhanced stability. in the search for better antibody formats for in vivo imaging and/or therapy of cancer, three types of sdab-based molecules directed against epidermal growth factor receptor (eg ... | 2010 | 19716651 |
| next generation software for functional trend analysis. | funcassociate is a web application that discovers properties enriched in lists of genes or proteins that emerge from large-scale experimentation. here we describe an updated application with a new interface and several new features. for example, enrichment analysis can now be performed within multiple gene- and protein-naming systems. this feature avoids potentially serious translation artifacts to which other enrichment analysis strategies are subject. availability: the funcassociate web applic ... | 2009 | 19717575 |
| cutaneous angiomatosis in a llama (lama glama). | cutaneous angiomatosis was diagnosed in an adult female llama (lama glama). lesions were raised or plaque-like, erythematous, firm to soft in consistency and were observed on the face and skin of the axillary, abdominal, perineal and inguinal regions. the lesions were not painful or pruritic. microscopical examination revealed an irregular parakeratotic lamellar hyperkeratosis associated with diffuse proliferation of arterioles and venules in the superficial dermis. immunohistochemical analysis ... | 2010 | 19740480 |
| a single-step procedure of recombinant library construction for the selection of efficiently produced llama vh binders directed against cancer markers. | heavy chain antibodies are naturally occurring in camelidae (camels and llamas). their variable domain (vhh) can be efficiently produced as a recombinant protein in e. coli with a large range of applications in the fields of diagnostics and immunotherapy. standard cloning approach involves resolution of vhh from the heavy chain variable domain of conventional antibodies (vh) by a nested pcr amplification followed by a phage display based selection. present work illustrates that in contrast to us ... | 2009 | 19744487 |
| use of serological techniques for diagnosis of mycobacterium bovis infection in a llama herd. | | 2009 | 19749210 |
| a recombinant heavy chain antibody approach blocks art2 mediated deletion of an inkt cell population that upon activation inhibits autoimmune diabetes. | the ectoenzyme adp-ribosyltransferase 2.2 (art2.2) can apoptotically delete various t-cell subsets. depending on the involved apoptotic t-cell subset, enhanced art2.2 activity could result in immunosuppression or autoimmunity. diminished activity of the cd38 ectoenzyme that normally represents a counter-regulatory competitor for the nad substrate represents one mechanism enhancing art2.2 activity. hence, it would be desirable to develop an agent that efficiently blocks art2.2 activity in vivo. w ... | 2010 | 19796917 |
| antibody response to the epsilon toxin of clostridium perfringens following vaccination of lama glama crias. | enterotoxaemia produced by clostridium perfringens a, c and d is an important cause of mortality in young llamas. there is no data on antibody responses following vaccination with epsilon toxin. | 2009 | 19801806 |
| lamanema chavezi (nematoda: molineidae): epidemiological data of the infection in south american camelids of northwest argentina. | faecal samples from llamas (n=708), vicuñas (n=171) and guanacos (n=4) were obtained between december 2004 and may 2009 in three provinces of northwest argentina (jujuy, salta and catamarca) to know the distribution, prevalence and intensity of lamanema chavezi infection in these south american camelid species (sacs). faeces were examined by a sedimentation-flotation technique using a cl(2)zn+clna solution (specific gravity=1.59). eggs of l. chavezi occurred in 30.3% of 89 llama herds and in 18. ... | 2009 | 19819627 |
| isolation of targeting nanobodies against co-opted tumor vasculature. | tumor vasculature is in general highly heterogeneous. this characteristic is most prominent in high-grade gliomas, which present with areas of angiogenic growth, next to large areas of diffuse infiltrative growth in which tumor cells thrive on pre-existent brain vasculature. this limits the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic compounds as these will not affect more matured and co-opted vessels. therefore, additional destruction of existing tumor vasculature may be a promising alternative avenue to ... | 2010 | 19823171 |
| a one-step exclusion-binding procedure for the purification of functional heavy-chain and mammalian-type gamma-globulins from camelid sera. | a new approach has recently been proposed for the purification of 'mammalian-type' igg, consisting of exclusion binding. the technique uses a gel ('melon gel'; pierce) that binds to all plasma proteins, but not to iggs, thus allowing iggs to be recovered in the ft (flow-through) fraction. here, the technique was applied to camelid iggs, which are known to be composed of not only classic mammalian-type iggs (igg1) but also hc-iggs (heavy chain iggs). both mammalian type and hc-iggs can be purifie ... | 2009 | 19824883 |
| [identification of immunoreactive antigens of leptospira interrogans]. | a batch of 28 llama (lama gama) sera from jujuy province in argentina was studied in order to identify immune reactive antigens to leptospira interrogans. different antigenic preparations from the bacterium were used to study the immune reactivity by the microagglutination (mat), elisa and western immunoblot tests. a control pool of positive bovine sera was used. all the llama sera were negative to mat as well as to elisa. two of the llama sera and the positive bovine sera pool rendered positive ... | 2009 | 19831309 |
| isolation of antigen-binding camelid heavy chain antibody fragments (nanobodies) from an immune library displayed on the surface of pichia pastoris. | yeast surface display is an efficient tool for isolating and engineering antibody fragments, both scfv and fab. we describe the use of protein display on pichia pastoris for the rapid selection of camelid antibodies composed only of heavy chains (nanobodies) from a library derived from a llama immunized with green fluorescent protein. the library of nanobody-coding sequences was fused to the c-terminal part of the saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-agglutinin gene (sag1) and expressed in glycoengine ... | 2010 | 19861136 |
| differential recognition of vascular and parenchymal beta amyloid deposition. | by phage display, llama-derived heavy chain antibody fragments were selected from non-immune and immune libraries and tested for their affinity and specificity for beta amyloid by phage-elisa, immunohistochemistry and surface plasmon resonance. we identified eight distinct heavy chain antibody fragments specific for beta amyloid. while three of them recognized vascular and parenchymal beta amyloid deposits, the remaining five heavy chain antibody fragments recognized vascular beta amyloid specif ... | 2009 | 20015576 |
| llama heavy-chain antibody fragments efficiently remove toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 from plasma in vitro but not in experimental porcine septic shock. | staphylococcus aureus produces the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tsst-1). when the bacterium invades the human circulation, this toxin can induce life-threatening gram-positive sepsis. current sepsis treatment does not remove bacterial toxins. variable domains of llama heavy-chain antibodies (vhh) against toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 ([alpha]-tsst-1 vhh) were previously found to be effective in vitro. we hypothesized that removing tsst-1 with [alpha]-tsst-1 vhh hemofiltration filter ... | 2010 | 20016410 |
| ovarian follicular dynamics and hormonal secretory profiles in guanacos (lama guanicoe). | the objective of the present study was to describe ovarian activity in 11 adult non-mated guanacos, evaluated every second day for 40 days by transrectal ultrasonography and by plasma estradiol-17beta and progesterone concentrations. an inverse relationship (r = -0.29, p < 0.001) was observed between the diameter of the largest ovarian follicle and the total number of follicles indicating that follicular growth in guanacos occurs in waves. the mean duration of follicular wave was 15.1 +/- 4.2 da ... | 2010 | 20022436 |
| single domain antibodies are specially suited for quantitative determination of gliadins under denaturing conditions. | food intended for celiac patients' consumption must be analyzed for the presence of toxic prolamins using high detectability tests. though 60% ethanol is the most commonly used solvent for prolamins extraction, 2-mercaptoethanol (2-me) and guanidinium chloride (guhcl) can be added to increase protein recovery. however, ethanol and denaturing agents interfere with antigen recognition when conventional antibodies are used. in the present work, a new method for gliadins quantification is shown. the ... | 2010 | 20039674 |
| antibody-mediated purification of co-expressed antigen-antibody complexes. | immunoaffinity is an established chromatographic method for isolating macromolecules independently on the presence of specific tags while the tight interaction between antigen and antibody has been exploited to stabilize proteins during crystallization trials. therefore, it seems reasonable to try to combine the two protocols, namely to co-express the target proteins together with their specific antibodies to obtain stable complexes suitable for direct purification and further analyses. using th ... | 2010 | 20060475 |
| llama single domain antibodies specific for the 7 botulinum neurotoxin serotypes as heptaplex immunoreagents. | there are currently 7 known serotypes of botulinum neurotoxin (bont) classified upon non-cross reactivity of neutralizing immunoglobulins. non-neutralizing immunoglobulins, however, can exhibit cross-reactivities between 2 or more serotypes, particularly mosaic forms, which can hamper the development of highly specific immunoassays, especially if based on polyclonal antisera. here we employ facile recombinant antibody technology to subtractively select ligands to each of the 7 bont serotypes, re ... | 2010 | 20098614 |
| single domain antibody templated nanoparticle resistors for sensing. | the diversity of biomolecules enables materials to be synthesized at ambient conditions into complex shapes and structures while affording improved control over nanoparticle synthesis, structures, properties, and functionality. also, biomolecules can impart recognition and sensing capabilities to metal nanoparticles. here, llama single domain antibodies selected towards the beta-subunit of cholera toxin were used to template the synthesis of gold nanoparticles and subsequently assembled onto ele ... | 2010 | 20117926 |
| a single-domain llama antibody potently inhibits the enzymatic activity of botulinum neurotoxin by binding to the non-catalytic alpha-exosite binding region. | ingestion or inhalation of botulinum neurotoxin (bont) results in botulism, a severe and frequently fatal disease. current treatments rely on antitoxins, which, while effective, cannot reverse symptoms once bont has entered the neuron. for treatments that can reverse intoxication, interest has focused on developing inhibitors of the enzymatic bont light chain (bont lc). such inhibitors typically mimic substrate and bind in or around the substrate cleavage pocket. to explore the full range of bin ... | 2010 | 20138889 |
| a llama-derived gelsolin single-domain antibody blocks gelsolin-g-actin interaction. | rna interference has tremendously advanced our understanding of gene function but recent reports have exposed undesirable side-effects. recombinant camelid single-domain antibodies (vhhs) provide an attractive means for studying protein function without affecting gene expression. we raised vhhs against gelsolin (gsnvhhs), a multifunctional actin-binding protein that controls cellular actin organization and migration. gsnvhh-induced delocalization of gelsolin to mitochondria or the nucleus in mam ... | 2010 | 20140750 |
| coccidioides posadasii keratouveitis in a llama (lama glama). | a 7-year-old male llama was examined for a 3-month history of weight loss, and unilateral keratouveitis. clinical examination revealed nonulcerative corneal stromal abscessation, corneal vascularization, corneal edema, miosis, posterior synechia, cataract, and fibrin in the anterior chamber of the right eye. the left eye was normal. histopathology of the right eye following enucleation revealed pyogranulomatous keratouveitis with intralesional fungal spherules consistent with coccidioides spp. p ... | 2010 | 20149177 |
| oestradiol-17beta plasma concentrations after intramuscular injection of oestradiol benzoate or oestradiol cypionate in llamas (lama glama). | llamas (lama glama) are induced ovulators and the process of ovulation depends on dominant follicular size. in addition, a close relationship between behavioural estrus and ovulation is not registered in llamas. therefore, the exogenous control of follicular development with hormones aims to predict the optimal time to mate. oestradiol-17beta (e2) and its esters are currently used in domestic species, including camelids, in synchronization treatments. but, in llamas, there is no reports regardin ... | 2010 | 20149242 |
| effect of estradiol benzoate used at the start of a progestagen treatment on superovulatory response and embryo yield in lactating and non-lactating llamas. | two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of estradiol benzoate (eb) and intravaginal progestagen treatment on ovarian follicular dynamics and superstimulatory response in ecg-treated llamas. the purpose of experiment 1 was to evaluate the effect of eb and progestagen treatment starting at different phases of dominant follicle (df1) development on regression pattern and subsequent follicle wave emergence (we2) in lactating and non-lactating llamas. early lactating (n=24, 30+/-4 days ... | 2010 | 20189735 |
| structural basis for a pabpn1 aggregation-preventing antibody fragment in opmd. | oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy is caused by small alanine expansions in polyadenylate binding protein nuclear 1 (pabpn1) protein resulting in its intranuclear accumulation in skeletal muscle. 3f5 llama antibody specifically interferes with the pabpn1 aggregation process in vitro and in vivo. to understand the structural basis for its epitope recognition we mapped the binding interface of 3f5 with pabpn1 and provide a structural model of the 3f5-pabpn1 complex. we show that 3f5 complementarit ... | 2010 | 20226184 |
| a candidate gene for choanal atresia in alpaca. | choanal atresia (ca) is a common nasal craniofacial malformation in new world domestic camelids (alpaca and llama). ca results from abnormal development of the nasal passages and is especially debilitating to newborn crias. ca in camelids shares many of the clinical manifestations of a similar condition in humans (charge syndrome). herein we report on the regulatory gene chd7 of alpaca, whose homologue in humans is most frequently associated with charge. sequence of the chd7 coding region was ob ... | 2010 | 20237599 |
| estimating total body water content in suckling and lactating llamas (lama glama) by isotope dilution. | total body water (tbw) in 17 suckling and six lactating llamas was estimated from isotope dilution at three different post natum and lactation stages using both (18)o and deuterium oxide (d(2)o). in total, 69 tbw measurements were undertaken. while tbw in lactating dams, expressed in kilogram, remained stable during the three measurement periods (91.8 +/- 15.0 kg), the body water fraction (tbw expressed in percent of body mass) increased slightly (p = 0.042) from 62.9% to 65.8%. in contrast, tbw ... | 2010 | 20379776 |
| generation of a family-specific phage library of llama single chain antibody fragments that neutralize hiv-1. | recently, we described llama antibody fragments (vhh) that can neutralize human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (hiv-1). these vhh were obtained after selective elution of phages carrying an immune library raised against gp120 of hiv-1 subtype b/c cn54 with soluble cd4. we describe here a new, family-specific approach to obtain the largest possible diversity of related vhh that compete with soluble cd4 for binding to the hiv-1 envelope glycoprotein. the creation of this family-specific library of ... | 2010 | 20400507 |
| a novel promiscuous class of camelid single-domain antibody contributes to the antigen-binding repertoire. | it is well established that, in addition to conventional abs, camelids (such as camelus dromedarius and lama glama) possess unique homodimeric h chain abs (hcabs) devoid of l chains. the ag-binding site of these hcabs consists of a single variable domain, referred to as vhh. it is widely accepted that these vhhs, with distinct framework-2 imprints evolved within the v(h) clan iii-family 3, are exclusively present on hcabs. in this study, we report the finding of a distinct leader signal sequence ... | 2010 | 20404276 |
| an intrabody based on a llama single-domain antibody targeting the n-terminal alpha-helical multimerization domain of hiv-1 rev prevents viral production. | the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (hiv-1)-encoded rev protein is essential for the expression of late viral mrnas. rev forms a large organized multimeric protein-protein complex on the rev response element of these viral mrna species and transports them from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, exploiting the crm1-mediated cellular machinery. here we report the selection of a nanobody, derived from a llama heavy-chain only antibody, that efficiently blocks the assembly of rev multimers. the nano ... | 2010 | 20406803 |
| sudden death associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in an alpaca (llama pacos). | a healthy, 3-year-old, intact male alpaca (llama pacos) died suddenly and unexpectedly and had an unusual pattern of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that was restricted to the interventricular septal and right ventricular myocardium. grossly pale areas in the affected myocardium corresponded histologically to thickened and disorganized myofibers with excessive branching and marked nuclear pleomorphism. mitoses were absent. inflammation and fibrosis were minimal. a few thickened muscular arteries wer ... | 2010 | 20453225 |
| ovulation-inducing factor: a protein component of llama seminal plasma. | previously, we documented the presence of ovulation-inducing factor (oif) in the seminal plasma of llamas and alpacas. the purpose of the study was to define the biochemical characteristics of the molecule(s) in seminal plasma responsible for inducing ovulation. | 2010 | 20462434 |
| efficacy of anthelmintics on south american camelid (llama and alpaca) farms in georgia. | the number of south american camelid (sac; llama and alpaca) farms is growing in the southeastern united states, and infection with gastrointestinal nematodes (gin) is a major health concern in this region. there is widespread resistance to anthelmintic remedies in small ruminants (sheep and goats), but a paucity of information on llamas and alpacas. anthelmintic resistance was evaluated on three sac farms (two llama; one alpaca) in georgia in the southern united states using fecal egg count red ... | 2010 | 20462700 |
| crystal structure of the neutralizing llama v(hh) d7 and its mode of hiv-1 gp120 interaction. | hiv-1 entry into host cells is mediated by the sequential binding of the envelope glycoprotein gp120 to cd4 and a chemokine receptor. antibodies binding to epitopes overlapping the cd4-binding site on gp120 are potent inhibitors of hiv entry, such as the llama heavy chain antibody fragment v(hh) d7, which has cross-clade neutralizing properties and competes with cd4 and mab b12 for high affinity binding to gp120. we report the crystal structure of the d7 v(hh) at 1.5 a resolution, which reveals ... | 2010 | 20463957 |
| in vivo and in vitro sperm interaction with oviductal epithelial cells of llama. | sperm reservoirs in south american camelids would be crucial for successful fertilization. since ovulation occurs approximately 36 h after mating, the maintenance of the sperm viability in the oviduct waiting for the ovum is a critical reproductive event. our study aimed at determining whether the isthmus or the utero tubal junction (utj) could function as a sperm reservoir in llama by means of in vivo and in vitro experiments. for the in vivo experiments, the oviducts of adult females with a do ... | 2009 | 20468081 |
| immunohistochemical study of rabies virus within the central nervous system of domestic and wildlife species. | immunohistochemistry using a commercial polyclonal antibody for lyssavirus was applied to 39 archival cases of rabies. paraffin blocks from 13 different species were available, including 3 dogs, 4 cats, 1 pig, 6 cattle, 4 horses, 1 llama, 7 skunks (mephitis mephitis), 7 raccoons (procyon lotor), 1 bat (myotis species), 1 white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus), 1 bobcat (lynx rufus), 2 gray foxes (urocyon cinereoargenteus), and 1 red fox (vulpes vulpes). all cases had previously been diagnose ... | 2010 | 20484176 |
| the complete mitochondrial dna sequence of the guanaco (lama guanicoe): comparative analysis with the vicuña (vicugna vicugna) genome. | south american camelids comprise the guanaco (lama guanicoe) and the vicuña (vicugna vicugna), which are wild species, and the domestic llama (lama glama) and alpaca (lama pacos). this paper presents the first complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of the guanaco and the mt coding sequence of the vicuña. the guanaco mtdna is 16,649 nt long and its composition and organization are similar to the mitochondrial genome of other mammals. excluding the control region, comparison of the complete guanaco an ... | 2010 | 20524143 |
| confirmation of the chewing louse, bovicola breviceps, in a british llama (lama glama) herd. | | 2010 | 20562379 |
| llama-derived single-domain antibodies for the detection of botulinum a neurotoxin. | single-domain antibodies (sdab) specific for botulinum neurotoxin serotype a (bont a) were selected from an immune llama phage display library derived from a llama that was immunized with bont a toxoid. the constructed phage library was panned using two methods: panning on plates coated with bont a toxoid (bont a td) and bont a complex toxoid (bont ac td) and panning on microspheres coupled to bont a td and bont a toxin (bont a tx). both panning methods selected for binders that had identical se ... | 2010 | 20582697 |
| kinetic analysis of novel mono- and multivalent vhh-fragments and their application for molecular imaging of brain tumours. | the overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) and its mutated variant egfrviii occurs in 50% of glioblastoma multiforme. we developed antibody fragments against egfr/egfrviii for molecular imaging and/or therapeutic targeting applications. | 2010 | 20590596 |
| embryo transfer technique: factors affecting the viability of the corpus luteum in llamas. | the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the embryo transfer (et) maneuvers on plasma progesterone concentrations in recipient lama glama females and the relationship between the site the embryo was transferred to and corpus luteum (cl) localization. experiment i (effect of transcervical threading): adult non-pregnant, non-lactating llama females were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (without cervical threading, n=10) and group a (with cervical threading, n=10). ... | 2010 | 20663621 |
| esophageal dysfunction in four alpaca crias and a llama cria with vascular ring anomalies. | 3 alpaca crias and cadavers of an alpaca cria and a llama cria were evaluated for evidence of esophageal dysfunction. | 2010 | 20673113 |
| antibodies to pathogenic livestock viruses in a wild vicuña (vicugna vicugna) population in the argentinean andean altiplano. | serum samples from 128 wild vicuñas (vicugna vicugna) were tested for antibodies (ab) to rotavirus (rv), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (bpiv-3), bovine herpesvirus-1 (bhv-1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv-1), foot-and-mouth disease virus (fmdv), bluetongue virus (btv), equine herpesvirus-1 (ehv-1), and influenza a virus equine (eiv). samples were collected in cieneguillas province of jujuy, in northern argentina. feces from 44 vicuñas were also collected to investigate rv shedding. llamas (la ... | 2010 | 20688660 |
| skin lesions associated with demodex sp. in a llama (lama glama). [corrected] | a 2.5-yr-old female llama (lama glama) [corrected] with skin lesions was presented to the animal health center in seoul grand park zoo, korea. mites of the genus demodex in the absence of other mites or fungi were identified from the lesions by skin scrapings. the bodies were elongated, tapered, and 200-280 1m in length; four pairs of stumpy legs were present at the front of the body, and the striated opisthosoma constituted about half of the body length. histologic examination of the skin biops ... | 2010 | 20722277 |
| characterization of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus faecium isolated from swine in three michigan counties. | vancomycin-resistant enterococci are a major cause of nosocomial infections but are rarely found in humans in the community and have not been identified in food animals in the united states. we evaluated a total of 360 fecal specimens from humans and their animals being raised for exhibit at three county fairs in michigan. fecal samples from 158 humans, 55 swine, 50 cattle, 25 horses, 57 sheep, 14 goats, and 1 llama were obtained and plated onto enterococcosel agar containing 16 μg/ml of vancomy ... | 2010 | 20739498 |