1
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Dombrowsky CS, Happel D, Habermann J, Hofmann S, Otmi S, Cohen B, Kolmar H. A Conditionally Activated Cytosol-Penetrating Antibody for TME-Dependent Intracellular Cargo Delivery. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:37. [PMID: 38804305 DOI: 10.3390/antib13020037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, therapeutic and diagnostic applications of antibodies are primarily limited to cell surface-exposed and extracellular proteins. However, research has been conducted on cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), as well as cytosol-penetrating antibodies, to overcome these limitations. In this context, a heparin sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-binding antibody was serendipitously discovered, which eventually localizes to the cytosol of target cells. Functional characterization revealed that the tested antibody has beneficial cytosol-penetrating capabilities and can deliver cargo proteins (up to 70 kDa) to the cytosol. To achieve tumor-specific cell targeting and cargo delivery through conditional activation of the cell-penetrating antibody in the tumor microenvironment, a single-chain Fc fragment (scFv) and a VL domain were isolated as masking units. Several in vitro assays demonstrated that fusing the masking protein with a cleavable linker to the cell penetration antibody results in the inactivation of antibody cell binding and internalization. Removal of the mask via MMP-9 protease cleavage, a protease that is frequently overexpressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME), led to complete regeneration of binding and cytosol-penetrating capabilities. Masked and conditionally activated cytosol-penetrating antibodies have the potential to serve as a modular platform for delivering protein cargoes addressing intracellular targets in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Sophie Dombrowsky
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dominic Happel
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jan Habermann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sarah Hofmann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sasi Otmi
- Inter-Lab, a Subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | - Benny Cohen
- Inter-Lab, a Subsidiary of Merck KGaA, South Industrial Area, Yavne 8122004, Israel
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Strasse 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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2
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Pasch T, Bäumer N, Bäumer S, Buchholz F, Mootz HD. Towards targeted Cas9 (CRISPR-Cas) delivery: Preparation of IgG antibody-Cas9 conjugates using a split intein. J Pept Sci 2024. [PMID: 38447547 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has revolutionized the field of genetic engineering, but targeted cellular delivery remains a central problem. The delivery of the preformed ribonuclease-protein (RNP) complex has the advantages of fewer side effects and avoidance of potential permanent effects. We reasoned that an internalizing IgG antibody as a targeting device could address the delivery of Cas9-RNP. We opted for protein trans-splicing mediated by a split intein to facilitate posttranslational conjugation of the two large protein entities. We recently described the cysteine-less CL split intein that efficiently performs under oxidizing conditions and does not interfere with disulfide bonds or thiol bioconjugation chemistries. Using the CL split intein, we report for the first time the ligation of monoclonal IgG antibody precursors, expressed in mammalian cells, and a Cas9 precursor, obtained from bacterial expression. A purified IgG-Cas9 conjugate was loaded with sgRNA to form the active RNP complex and introduced a double-strand break in its target DNA in vitro. Furthermore, a synthetic peptide variant of the short N-terminal split intein precursor proved useful for chemical modification of Cas9. The split intein ligation procedure reported here for IgG-Cas9 provides the first step towards a novel CRISPR-Cas9 targeting approach involving the preformed RNP complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Pasch
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nicole Bäumer
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bäumer
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Buchholz
- Medical Systems Biology, University Cancer Center (UCC), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Henning D Mootz
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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3
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di Leandro L, Colasante M, Pitari G, Ippoliti R. Hosts and Heterologous Expression Strategies of Recombinant Toxins for Therapeutic Purposes. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:699. [PMID: 38133203 PMCID: PMC10748335 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15120699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of therapeutic recombinant toxins requires careful host cell selection. Bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells are common choices, but no universal solution exists. Achieving the delicate balance in toxin production is crucial due to potential self-intoxication. Recombinant toxins from various sources find applications in antimicrobials, biotechnology, cancer drugs, and vaccines. "Toxin-based therapy" targets diseased cells using three strategies. Targeted cancer therapy, like antibody-toxin conjugates, fusion toxins, or "suicide gene therapy", can selectively eliminate cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. Notable toxins from various biological sources may be used as full-length toxins, as plant (saporin) or animal (melittin) toxins, or as isolated domains that are typical of bacterial toxins, including Pseudomonas Exotoxin A (PE) and diphtheria toxin (DT). This paper outlines toxin expression methods and system advantages and disadvantages, emphasizing host cell selection's critical role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rodolfo Ippoliti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.d.L.); (M.C.); (G.P.)
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4
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Yamazaki S, Matsuda Y. Tag‐Free Enzymatic Modification for Antibody−Drug Conjugate Production. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202203753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yutaka Matsuda
- Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services 11040 Roselle Street San Diego CA 92121 United States
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5
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Targeted Phagocytosis Induction for Cancer Immunotherapy via Bispecific MerTK-Engaging Antibodies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415673. [PMID: 36555321 PMCID: PMC9779728 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tyro, Axl, and MerTK receptors (TAMRs) play a significant role in the clearance of apoptotic cells. In this work, the spotlight was set on MerTK, as it is one of the prominent TAMRs expressed on the surface of macrophages and dendritic cells. MerTK-specific antibodies were previously isolated from a transgenic rat-derived immune library with suitable biophysical properties. Further characterisation resulted in an agonistic MerTK antibody that led to phospho AKT activation in a dose-dependent manner. In this proof-of-concept study, a MerTK-specific antibody, MerK28, was combined with tandem, biparatopic EGFR-binding VHH camelid antibody domains (7D9G) in different architectures to generate bispecific antibodies with the capacity to bind EGFR and MerTK simultaneously. The bispecific molecules exhibited appropriate binding properties with regard to both targets in their soluble forms as well as to cells, which resulted in the engagement of macrophage-like THP-1 cells with epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. Furthermore, targeted phagocytosis in co-culture experiments was observed only with the bispecific variants and not the parental MerTK-binding antibody. This work paves the way for the generation of bispecific macrophage-engaging antibodies for targeted phagocytosis harnessing the immune-modulating roles of MerTK in immunotherapy.
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6
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Shan MJ, Meng LB, Guo P, Zhang YM, Kong D, Liu YB. Screening and Identification of Key Biomarkers of Gastric Cancer: Three Genes Jointly Predict Gastric Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:591893. [PMID: 34485109 PMCID: PMC8416116 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.591893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers all over the world, causing high mortality. Gastric cancer screening is one of the effective strategies used to reduce mortality. We expect that good biomarkers can be discovered to diagnose and treat gastric cancer as early as possible. Methods We download four gene expression profiling datasets of gastric cancer (GSE118916, GSE54129, GSE103236, GSE112369), which were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissues were detected to explore biomarkers that may play an important role in gastric cancer. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of overlap genes were conducted by the Metascape online database; the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by the STRING online database, and we screened the hub genes of the PPI network using the Cytoscape software. The survival curve analysis was conducted by km-plotter and the stage plots of hub genes were created by the GEPIA online database. PCR, WB, and immunohistochemistry were used to verify the expression of hub genes. A neural network model was established to quantify the predictors of gastric cancer. Results The relative expression level of cadherin-3 (CDH3), lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), and matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7) were significantly higher in gastric samples, compared with the normal groups (p<0.05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the effect of the three genes’ expression on gastric cancer, and the AUC was used to determine the degree of confidence: CDH3 (AUC = 0.800, P<0.05, 95% CI =0.857-0.895), LEF1 (AUC=0.620, P<0.05, 95%CI=0.632-0.714), and MMP7 (AUC=0.914, P<0.05, 95%CI=0.714-0.947). The high-risk warning indicator of gastric cancer contained 8<CDH3<15 and 10<expression of LEF1<16. Conclusions CDH3, LEF1, and MMP7 can be used as candidate biomarkers to construct a neural network model from hub genes, which may be helpful for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Jie Shan
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Bing Meng
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Cardiology Department, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Guo
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuan-Meng Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dexian Kong
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ya-Bin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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7
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Khirehgesh MR, Sharifi J, Safari F, Akbari B. Immunotoxins and nanobody-based immunotoxins: review and update. J Drug Target 2021; 29:848-862. [PMID: 33615933 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2021.1894435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immunotoxins (ITs) are protein-based drugs that compose of targeting and cytotoxic moieties. After binding the IT to the specific cell-surface antigen, the IT internalises into the target cell and kills it. Targeting and cytotoxic moieties usually include monoclonal antibodies and protein toxins with bacterial or plant origin, respectively. ITs have been successful in haematologic malignancies treatment. However, ITs penetrate poorly into solid tumours because of their large size. Use of camelid antibody fragments known as nanobodies (Nbs) as a targeting moiety may overcome this problem. Nbs are the smallest fragment of antibodies with excellent tumour tissue penetration. The ability to recognise cryptic (immuno-evasive) target antigens, low immunogenicity, and high-affinity are other fundamental characteristics of Nbs that make them suitable candidates in targeted therapy. Here, we reviewed and discussed the structure and function of ITs, Nbs, and nanobody-based ITs. To gain sound insight into the issue at hand, we focussed on nanobody-based ITs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Khirehgesh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Jafar Sharifi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Safari
- Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Bahman Akbari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Medical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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8
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von Witting E, Hober S, Kanje S. Affinity-Based Methods for Site-Specific Conjugation of Antibodies. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:1515-1524. [PMID: 34369763 PMCID: PMC8377709 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conjugation of various reagents to antibodies has long been an elegant way to combine the superior binding features of the antibody with other desired but non-natural functions. Applications range from labels for detection in different analytical assays to the creation of new drugs by conjugation to molecules which improves the pharmaceutical effect. In many of these applications, it has been proven advantageous to control both the site and the stoichiometry of the conjugation to achieve a homogeneous product with predictable, and often also improved, characteristics. For this purpose, many research groups have, during the latest decade, reported novel methods and techniques, based on small molecules, peptides, and proteins with inherent affinity for the antibody, for site-specific conjugation of antibodies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of these methods and their applications and also describes a historical perspective of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma von Witting
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Kanje
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-114 19, Stockholm, Sweden
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9
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Wu T, Zhu J. Recent development and optimization of pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin immunotoxins in cancer therapeutic applications. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 96:107759. [PMID: 34162138 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant immunotoxins are fusion proteins composed of a peptide toxin and a specific targeting domain through genetic recombination. They are engineered to recognize disease-specific target receptors and kill the cell upon internalization. Full-sized monoclonal antibodies, smaller antibody fragments and ligands, such as a cytokine or a growth factor, have been commonly used as the targeting domain, while bacterial Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin (PE) is the usual toxin fusion partner, due to its natural cytotoxicity and other unique advantages. PE-based recombinant immunotoxins have shown remarkable efficacy in the treatment of tumors and autoimmune diseases. At the same time, efforts are underway to address major challenges, including immunogenicity, nonspecific cytotoxicity and poor penetration, which limit their clinical applications. Recent strategies for structural optimization of PE-based immunotoxins, combined with mutagenesis approaches, have reduced the immunogenicity and non-specific cytotoxicity, thus increasing both their safety and efficacy. This review highlights novel insights and design concepts that were used to advance immunotoxins for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors and also presents future development prospect of PE-based recombinant immunotoxins that are expected to play an important role in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, MOE, China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD 21704, USA.
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10
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Lu Z, Truex NL, Melo MB, Cheng Y, Li N, Irvine DJ, Pentelute BL. IgG-Engineered Protective Antigen for Cytosolic Delivery of Proteins into Cancer Cells. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:365-378. [PMID: 33655074 PMCID: PMC7908032 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c01670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic immunotoxins composed of antibodies and bacterial toxins provide potent activity against malignant cells, but joining them with a defined covalent bond while maintaining the desired function is challenging. Here, we develop novel immunotoxins by dovetailing full-length immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and nontoxic anthrax proteins, in which the C terminus of the IgG heavy chain is connected to the side chain of anthrax toxin protective antigen. This strategy enabled efficient conjugation of protective antigen variants to trastuzumab (Tmab) and cetuximab (Cmab) antibodies. The conjugates effectively perform intracellular delivery of edema factor and N terminus of lethal factor (LFN) fused with diphtheria toxin and Ras/Rap1-specific endopeptidase. Each conjugate shows high specificity for cells expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), respectively, and potent activity across six Tmab- and Cmab-resistant cell lines. The conjugates also exhibit increased pharmacokinetics and pronounced in vivo safety, which shows promise for further therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Lu
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Nicholas L. Truex
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mariane B. Melo
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Ragon
Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yiran Cheng
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Na Li
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Darrell J. Irvine
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Ragon
Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Howard Hughes
Medical Institute, 4000
Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, United
States
| | - Bradley L. Pentelute
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Center
for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Broad
Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- E-mail:
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11
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Walsh SJ, Bargh JD, Dannheim FM, Hanby AR, Seki H, Counsell AJ, Ou X, Fowler E, Ashman N, Takada Y, Isidro-Llobet A, Parker JS, Carroll JS, Spring DR. Site-selective modification strategies in antibody-drug conjugates. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:1305-1353. [PMID: 33290462 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00310g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) harness the highly specific targeting capabilities of an antibody to deliver a cytotoxic payload to specific cell types. They have garnered widespread interest in drug discovery, particularly in oncology, as discrimination between healthy and malignant tissues or cells can be achieved. Nine ADCs have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and more than 80 others are currently undergoing clinical investigations for a range of solid tumours and haematological malignancies. Extensive research over the past decade has highlighted the critical nature of the linkage strategy adopted to attach the payload to the antibody. Whilst early generation ADCs were primarily synthesised as heterogeneous mixtures, these were found to have sub-optimal pharmacokinetics, stability, tolerability and/or efficacy. Efforts have now shifted towards generating homogeneous constructs with precise drug loading and predetermined, controlled sites of attachment. Homogeneous ADCs have repeatedly demonstrated superior overall pharmacological profiles compared to their heterogeneous counterparts. A wide range of methods have been developed in the pursuit of homogeneity, comprising chemical or enzymatic methods or a combination thereof to afford precise modification of specific amino acid or sugar residues. In this review, we discuss advances in chemical and enzymatic methods for site-specific antibody modification that result in the generation of homogeneous ADCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Walsh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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12
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Park J, Lee S, Kim Y, Yoo TH. Methods to generate site-specific conjugates of antibody and protein. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 30:115946. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Matsuda Y, Mendelsohn BA. An overview of process development for antibody-drug conjugates produced by chemical conjugation technology. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 21:963-975. [PMID: 33141625 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1846714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: We discuss chemical conjugation strategies for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) from an industrial perspective and compare three promising chemical conjugation technologies to produce site-specific ADCs.Areas covered: Currently, nine ADCs are commercially approved and all are produced by chemical conjugation technology. However, seven of these ADCs contain a relatively broad drug distribution, potentially limiting their therapeutic indices. In 2019, the first site-specific ADC was launched on the market by Daiichi-Sankyo. This achievement, and an analysis of clinical trials over the last decade, indicates that current industrial interest in the ADC field is shifting toward site-specific conjugation technologies. From an industrial point of view, we aim to provide guidance regarding established conjugation methodologies that have already been applied to scale-up stages. With an emphasis on highly productive, scalable, and synthetic process robustness, conjugation methodologies for ADC production is discussed herein.Expert opinion: All three chemical conjugation technologies described in this review have various advantages and disadvantages, therefore drug developers can utilize these depending on their biological and/or protein targets. The future landscape of the ADC field is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Matsuda
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co Inc., 1-1 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-8681, Japan
| | - Brian A Mendelsohn
- Process Development & Tech Transfer, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, 11040 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
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14
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Kawase M, Fujioka M, Takahashi T. Activation of Protease and Luciferase Using Engineered Nostoc punctiforme PCC73102 DnaE Intein with Altered Split Position. Chembiochem 2020; 22:577-584. [PMID: 32969142 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Inteins, self-catalytic enzymes, have been widely used in the field of protein engineering and chemical biology. Here, Nostoc punctiforme PCC73102 (Npu) DnaE intein was engineered to have an altered split position. An 11-residue N-intein of DnaE in which Gly and Asp were substituted for Tyr4 and Glu5, respectively, was designed, and the active C-intein variants were acquired by a GFP fluorescence-based screening. The designed N-intein and the obtained active C-intein variants were used to construct a turn-on system for enzyme activities such as human immunodeficiency 1 protease and NanoLuc luciferase. Based on the NanoLuc-intein fusion, we developed two intein pairs, each of which is capable of reacting preferentially, by interchanging the charged amino acids on N- and C-inteins. The specific splicing reactions were easily monitored and discriminated by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET).
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Affiliation(s)
- Misaki Kawase
- Faculty of Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
| | - Meiko Fujioka
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Takahashi
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
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15
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Stoessel A, Groysbeck N, Guyot L, Barret L, Nominé Y, Nguekeu-Zebaze L, Bender A, Voilquin L, Lutz T, Pallaoro N, Blocat M, Deville C, Masson M, Zuber G, Chatton B, Donzeau M. Modular Conjugation of a Potent Anti-HER2 Immunotoxin Using Coassociating Peptides. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:2421-2430. [PMID: 32996763 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxins are emerging candidates for cancer therapeutics. These biomolecules consist of a cell-targeting protein combined to a polypeptide toxin. Associations of both entities can be achieved either chemically by covalent bonds or genetically creating fusion proteins. However, chemical agents can affect the activity and/or stability of the conjugate proteins, and additional purification steps are often required to isolate the final conjugate from unwanted byproducts. As for fusion proteins, they often suffer from low solubility and yield. In this report, we describe a straightforward conjugation process to generate an immunotoxin using coassociating peptides (named K3 and E3), originating from the tetramerization domain of p53. To that end, a nanobody targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (nano-HER2) and a protein toxin fragment from Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (TOX) were genetically fused to the E3 and K3 peptides. Entities were produced separately in Escherichia coli in soluble forms and at high yields. The nano-HER2 fused to the E3 or K3 helixes (nano-HER2-E3 and nano-HER2-K3) and the coassembled immunotoxins (nano-HER2-K3E3-TOX and nano-HER2-E3K3-TOX) presented binding specificity on HER2-overexpressing cells with relative binding constants in the low nanomolar to picomolar range. Both toxin modules (E3-TOX and K3-TOX) and the combined immunotoxins exhibited similar cytotoxicity levels compared to the toxin alone (TOX). Finally, nano-HER2-K3E3-TOX and nano-HER2-E3K3-TOX evaluated on various breast cancer cells were highly potent and specific to killing HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells with IC50 values in the picomolar range. Altogether, we demonstrate that this noncovalent conjugation method using two coassembling peptides can be easily implemented for the modular engineering of immunotoxins targeting different types of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Stoessel
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Nadja Groysbeck
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Lucile Guyot
- IMPReSs Facility, Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS-University of Strasbourg, Illkirch, F-67412 Illkirch, France
- NovAliX, Bioparc, F-67405 Illkirch, France
| | - Lina Barret
- IMPReSs Facility, Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS-University of Strasbourg, Illkirch, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Yves Nominé
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, F-67400 Illkirch, France
| | - Leonel Nguekeu-Zebaze
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Ambre Bender
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Laetitia Voilquin
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, F-67400 Illkirch, France
| | - Thomas Lutz
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Nikita Pallaoro
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Marie Blocat
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Celia Deville
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, F-67400 Illkirch, France
| | - Murielle Masson
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Guy Zuber
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Bruno Chatton
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Mariel Donzeau
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242 Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie Strasbourg, F-67412 Illkirch, France
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Hofmann T, Krah S, Sellmann C, Zielonka S, Doerner A. Greatest Hits-Innovative Technologies for High Throughput Identification of Bispecific Antibodies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6551. [PMID: 32911608 PMCID: PMC7554978 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have shown a tremendous increase and diversification in antibody-based therapeutics with advances in production techniques and formats. The plethora of currently investigated bi- to multi-specific antibody architectures can be harnessed to elicit a broad variety of specific modes of actions in oncology and immunology, spanning from enhanced selectivity to effector cell recruitment, all of which cannot be addressed by monospecific antibodies. Despite continuously growing efforts and methodologies, the identification of an optimal bispecific antibody as the best possible combination of two parental monospecific binders, however, remains challenging, due to tedious cloning and production, often resulting in undesired extended development times and increased expenses. Although automated high throughput screening approaches have matured for pharmaceutical small molecule development, it was only recently that protein bioconjugation technologies have been developed for the facile generation of bispecific antibodies in a 'plug and play' manner. In this review, we provide an overview of the most relevant methodologies for bispecific screening purposes-the DuoBody concept, paired light chain single cell production approaches, Sortase A and Transglutaminase, the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system, and inteins-and elaborate on the benefits as well as drawbacks of the different technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Hofmann
- Advanced Cell Culture Technologies, Merck Life Sciences KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.K.); (C.S.); (S.Z.)
| | - Carolin Sellmann
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.K.); (C.S.); (S.Z.)
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.K.); (C.S.); (S.Z.)
| | - Achim Doerner
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (S.K.); (C.S.); (S.Z.)
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Baalmann M, Neises L, Bitsch S, Schneider H, Deweid L, Werther P, Ilkenhans N, Wolfring M, Ziegler MJ, Wilhelm J, Kolmar H, Wombacher R. A Bioorthogonal Click Chemistry Toolbox for Targeted Synthesis of Branched and Well-Defined Protein-Protein Conjugates. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:12885-12893. [PMID: 32342666 PMCID: PMC7496671 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201915079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Bioorthogonal chemistry holds great potential to generate difficult-to-access protein-protein conjugate architectures. Current applications are hampered by challenging protein expression systems, slow conjugation chemistry, use of undesirable catalysts, or often do not result in quantitative product formation. Here we present a highly efficient technology for protein functionalization with commonly used bioorthogonal motifs for Diels-Alder cycloaddition with inverse electron demand (DAinv ). With the aim of precisely generating branched protein chimeras, we systematically assessed the reactivity, stability and side product formation of various bioorthogonal chemistries directly at the protein level. We demonstrate the efficiency and versatility of our conjugation platform using different functional proteins and the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab. This technology enables fast and routine access to tailored and hitherto inaccessible protein chimeras useful for a variety of scientific disciplines. We expect our work to substantially enhance antibody applications such as immunodetection and protein toxin-based targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathis Baalmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Laura Neises
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Sebastian Bitsch
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and BiochemistryTechnische Universität DarmstadtAlarich-Weiss-Straße 464287DarmstadtGermany
| | - Hendrik Schneider
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and BiochemistryTechnische Universität DarmstadtAlarich-Weiss-Straße 464287DarmstadtGermany
| | - Lukas Deweid
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and BiochemistryTechnische Universität DarmstadtAlarich-Weiss-Straße 464287DarmstadtGermany
| | - Philipp Werther
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Nadja Ilkenhans
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Martin Wolfring
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Michael J. Ziegler
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Jonas Wilhelm
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and BiochemistryTechnische Universität DarmstadtAlarich-Weiss-Straße 464287DarmstadtGermany
| | - Richard Wombacher
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular BiotechnologyHeidelberg UniversityIm Neuenheimer Feld 36469120HeidelbergGermany
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18
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Baalmann M, Neises L, Bitsch S, Schneider H, Deweid L, Werther P, Ilkenhans N, Wolfring M, Ziegler MJ, Wilhelm J, Kolmar H, Wombacher R. A Bioorthogonal Click Chemistry Toolbox for Targeted Synthesis of Branched and Well‐Defined Protein–Protein Conjugates. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201915079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathis Baalmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Laura Neises
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Sebastian Bitsch
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Technische Universität Darmstadt Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Hendrik Schneider
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Technische Universität Darmstadt Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Lukas Deweid
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Technische Universität Darmstadt Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Philipp Werther
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Nadja Ilkenhans
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Martin Wolfring
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Michael J. Ziegler
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jonas Wilhelm
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Technische Universität Darmstadt Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Richard Wombacher
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology Heidelberg University Im Neuenheimer Feld 364 69120 Heidelberg Germany
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19
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de Marco A. Recombinant expression of nanobodies and nanobody-derived immunoreagents. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 172:105645. [PMID: 32289357 PMCID: PMC7151424 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antibody fragments for which the sequence is available are suitable for straightforward engineering and expression in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. When produced as fusions with convenient tags, they become reagents which pair their selective binding capacity to an orthogonal function. Several kinds of immunoreagents composed by nanobodies and either large proteins or short sequences have been designed for providing inexpensive ready-to-use biological tools. The possibility to choose among alternative expression strategies is critical because the fusion moieties might require specific conditions for correct folding or post-translational modifications. In the case of nanobody production, the trend is towards simpler but reliable (bacterial) methods that can substitute for more cumbersome processes requiring the use of eukaryotic systems. The use of these will not disappear, but will be restricted to those cases in which the final immunoconstructs must have features that cannot be obtained in prokaryotic cells. At the same time, bacterial expression has evolved from the conventional procedure which considered exclusively the nanobody and nanobody-fusion accumulation in the periplasm. Several reports show the advantage of cytoplasmic expression, surface-display and secretion for at least some applications. Finally, there is an increasing interest to use as a model the short nanobody sequence for the development of in silico methodologies aimed at optimizing the yields, stability and affinity of recombinant antibodies. There is an increasing request for immunoreagents based on nanobodies. The multiplicity of their applications requires constructs with different structural complexity. Alternative expression methods are necessary to achieve such structural requirements. In silico optimization of nanobody biophysical characteristics becomes more and more reliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ario de Marco
- Laboratory for Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, S-5000, Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
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20
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Berckman EA, Hartzell EJ, Mitkas AA, Sun Q, Chen W. Biological Assembly of Modular Protein Building Blocks as Sensing, Delivery, and Therapeutic Agents. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2020; 11:35-62. [PMID: 32155350 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-101519-121526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nature has evolved a wide range of strategies to create self-assembled protein nanostructures with structurally defined architectures that serve a myriad of highly specialized biological functions. With the advent of biological tools for site-specific protein modifications and de novo protein design, a wide range of customized protein nanocarriers have been created using both natural and synthetic biological building blocks to mimic these native designs for targeted biomedical applications. In this review, different design frameworks and synthetic decoration strategies for achieving these functional protein nanostructures are summarized. Key attributes of these designer protein nanostructures, their unique functions, and their impact on biosensing and therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Berckman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA; .,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - Emily J Hartzell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA;
| | - Alexander A Mitkas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA;
| | - Qing Sun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Wilfred Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA;
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21
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Zhang M, Zhang Y, Wu B, Peng Y, Simair AA, Siegel GW, Lu C, Chen T. Intein-mediated recombinant expression of monomeric B22Asp desB30 insulin. BMC Biotechnol 2020; 20:3. [PMID: 31918694 PMCID: PMC6953245 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-020-0598-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insulin controls hyperglycemia caused by diabetes, and virtually all treatments require exogenous insulin. However, the product's extensive post-translational modifications have hindered the manufacture of recombinant insulin. RESULT Here we report a novel production method for a monomeric B22Asp desB30 insulin analog (B22D desB30 insulin). Its precursor, DPIP, is fused to an N-terminal chitin-binding domain and intein self-cleavage tag. The fusion protein is expressed and purified from E. coli and immobilized on chitin resins. DPIP is then released using an optimized pH shift and converted to mature insulin via trypsin digest. The resulting product appears monomeric, > 90% pure and devoid of any exogenous enzyme. CONCLUSION Thus, biologically active insulin analog can be efficiently produced in bacteria and potentially applicable in the treatment of human diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Bingnan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Yanhao Peng
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Altaf Ahmed Simair
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Geoffery W Siegel
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Musculoskeletal Oncology Division, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 10, USA
| | - Changrui Lu
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China.
| | - Ting Chen
- Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Ren Min Rd, Shanghai, 201620, China.
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Hong H, Zhou Z, Zhou K, Liu S, Guo Z, Wu Z. Site-specific C-terminal dinitrophenylation to reconstitute the antibody Fc functions for nanobodies. Chem Sci 2019; 10:9331-9338. [PMID: 32110296 PMCID: PMC7006623 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc03840j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanobodies are a class of camelid-derived single-domain antibodies that have many potential advantages over conventional antibodies and have been utilized to develop new therapeutic strategies for cancer and other diseases. However, nanobodies lack the Fc region of a conventional antibody, which possesses many functions, e.g., eliciting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), essential for effective immunotherapy. The small molecular size of nanobodies also leads to poor pharmacokinetics, such as short in vivo half-life. To address these deficiencies, an endogenous antibody-based strategy to reconstitute the Fc functions for nanobodies was developed. As a proof-of-principle, an anti-human EGFR nanobody, 7D12, was selected to conduct C-terminal modification with the dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten through Sortase A-mediated site-specific ligation. It was expected that the DNP motif would recruit endogenous human anti-DNP antibodies to indirectly reinstate the Fc functions. The resultant nanobody-DNP conjugates were shown to exhibit specific and high affinity binding to human EGFR expressed on target cancer cells. It was further proved that in the presence of anti-DNP antibody, these conjugates could mediate potent ADCC and CDC in vitro and exhibit significantly elongated half-life in vivo. Ultimately, it was proven in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice that treatment with the nanobody 7D12-DNP conjugate and anti-DNP mouse serum could inhibit xenograft tumor growth efficiently. In view of the abundance of anti-DNP and other endogenous antibodies in the human blood system, this could be a generally applicable approach employed to reconstitute the Fc functions for nanobodies and develop nanobody-based cancer immunotherapy and other therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haofei Hong
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology , Ministry of Education , School of Biotechnology , Jiangnan University , Wuxi , 214122 , China .
| | - Zhifang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology , Ministry of Education , School of Biotechnology , Jiangnan University , Wuxi , 214122 , China .
| | - Kun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology , Ministry of Education , School of Biotechnology , Jiangnan University , Wuxi , 214122 , China .
| | - Shaozhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology , Ministry of Education , School of Biotechnology , Jiangnan University , Wuxi , 214122 , China .
| | - Zhongwu Guo
- Department of Chemistry , University of Florida , 214 Leigh Hall , Gainesville , Florida 32611 , USA .
| | - Zhimeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology , Ministry of Education , School of Biotechnology , Jiangnan University , Wuxi , 214122 , China .
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23
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Critical Issues in the Development of Immunotoxins for Anticancer Therapy. J Pharm Sci 2019; 109:104-115. [PMID: 31669121 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2019.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxins (ITs) are attractive anticancer modalities aimed at cancer-specific delivery of highly potent cytotoxic protein toxins. An IT consists of a targeting domain (an antibody, cytokine, or another cell-binding protein) chemically conjugated or recombinantly fused to a highly cytotoxic payload (a bacterial and plant toxin or human cytotoxic protein). The mode of action of ITs is killing designated cancer cells through the effector function of toxins in the cytosol after cellular internalization via the targeted cell-specific receptor-mediated endocytosis. Although numerous ITs of diverse structures have been tested in the past decades, only 3 ITs-denileukin diftitox, tagraxofusp, and moxetumomab pasudotox-have been clinically approved for treating hematological cancers. No ITs against solid tumors have been approved for clinical use. In this review, we discuss critical research and development issues associated with ITs that limit their clinical success as well as strategies to overcome these obstacles. The issues include off-target and on-target toxicities, immunogenicity, human cytotoxic proteins, antigen target selection, cytosolic delivery efficacy, solid-tumor targeting, and developability. To realize the therapeutic promise of ITs, novel strategies for safe and effective cytosolic delivery into designated tumors, including solid tumors, are urgently needed.
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Amiri Tehranizadeh Z, Sankian M, Fazly Bazzaz BS, Chamani J, Mehri S, Baratian A, Saberi MR. The immunotoxin activity of exotoxin A is sensitive to domain modifications. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 134:1120-1131. [PMID: 31129209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.05.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxins are a class of recombinant proteins which consist of an antibody and a part of a bacterial or herbal toxin. Immunotoxins containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PEA) have been found to be very applicable in clinical trials. Many obstacles such as solubility and absorbency reduce their usability in solid tumors. The current study aims to overcome the mentioned barriers by addition and removal of functional and non-functional domains with a structural approach. In the experimental section, we took advantage of molecular dynamics simulations to predict the functionality of candidate immunotoxins which target human HER2 receptors and confirmed our findings with in vitro experiments. We found out when no changes were made to domain II of PEA, addition of solubilizing domains to immunotoxins would not reduce their targeting and anti-tumor activity, while increasing the yield of expression and stability. On the other side, when we replaced domain II with eleven amino acids of furin cleavage site (FCS), the activity of the immunotoxin was mainly affected by the FCS neighboring domains and linkers. A combination of seven beneficial point mutations in domain III was also assessed and reconfirmed that the toxicity of the immunotoxin would be reduced dramatically. The obtained results indicate that the addition or removal of domains cannot depict the activity of immunotoxins and the matter should be assessed structurally in advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Amiri Tehranizadeh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Mojtaba Sankian
- Immunobiochemistry Lab, Immunology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Bibi Sedigheh Fazly Bazzaz
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Pharmaceutical Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Jamshidkhan Chamani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Soghra Mehri
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Ali Baratian
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Saberi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Bioinformatics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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25
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Lee BS, Lee Y, Park J, Jeong BS, Jo M, Jung ST, Yoo TH. Construction of an immunotoxin via site-specific conjugation of anti-Her2 IgG and engineered Pseudomonas exotoxin A. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:56. [PMID: 31285754 PMCID: PMC6588878 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0188-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotoxins consisting of a toxin from bacteria or plants and a targeting module have been developed as potent anti-cancer therapeutics. The majority of them, especially those in preclinical or clinical testing stages, are fusion proteins of a toxin and antibody fragment. Immunotoxins based on full-length antibodies are less studied, even though the fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain plays an important role in regulating the concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the serum and in antibody-mediated immune responses against pathogens. RESULTS We devised a method to site-specifically conjugate IgG and another protein using a cysteine residue introduced into the IgG and a bio-orthogonally reactive unnatural amino acid incorporated into the other protein. The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2)-targeting IgG, trastuzumab, was engineered to have an unpaired cysteine in the heavy chain, and an unnatural amino acid with the azido group was incorporated into an engineered Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE24). The two protein molecules were conjugated site-specifically using a bifunctional linker having dibenzocyclooctyne and maleimide groups. Binding to Her2 and interaction with various Fc receptors of trastuzumab were not affected by the conjugation with PE24. The trastuzumab-PE24 conjugate was cytotoxic to Her2-overexpressing cell lines, which involved the inhibition of cellular protein synthesis due to the modification of elongation factor-2. CONCLUSIONS We constructed the site-specifically conjugated immunotoxin based on IgG and PE24, which induced target-specific cytotoxicity. To evaluate the molecule as a cancer therapeutic, animal studies are planned to assess tumor regression, half-life in blood, and in vivo immunogenicity. In addition, we expect that the site-specific conjugation method can be used to develop other antibody-protein conjugates for applications in therapeutics and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeong Sung Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
| | - Yumi Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
| | - Jisoo Park
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
| | - Bo Seok Jeong
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
| | - Migyeong Jo
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02707 South Korea
| | - Sang Taek Jung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841 South Korea
| | - Tae Hyeon Yoo
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499 South Korea
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Park J, Lee Y, Ko BJ, Yoo TH. Peptide-Directed Photo-Cross-Linking for Site-Specific Conjugation of IgG. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:3240-3244. [PMID: 30179444 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.8b00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conjugation of antibody has expanded its applications in therapeutics and diagnostics, and various methods have been developed based on chemical or enzymatic reactions. However, the majority of them have focused on synthetic molecules such as small molecules, nucleic acids, or synthetic materials, but site-specific conjugation of antibody with protein cargo has rarely been demonstrated. In this Communication, we report a PEptide-DIrected Photo-cross-linking (PEDIP) reaction for site-specific conjugation of IgG with protein using an Fc-binding peptide and a photoreactive amino acid analogue, and demonstrate this method by developing an immunotoxin composed of a Her2-targeting IgG (trastuzumab) and an engineered Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE24). The ADP-ribosylation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 by the bacterial toxin inhibits the ribosomal translation of protein, and the trastuzumab-PE24 conjugate exhibited the cytotoxicity toward Her2-overexpressing cell lines. The PEDIP reaction can also be applied for many other types of cargo with slight modifications of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Byoung Joon Ko
- New Drug Development Center , Osong Medical Innovative Foundation , 123 Osongsaengmyeong-ro , Osong-eup, Cheongju , 28160 , Korea
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