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Groza Y, Lacina L, Kuchař M, Rašková Kafková L, Zachová K, Janoušková O, Osička R, Černý J, Petroková H, Mierzwicka JM, Panova N, Kosztyu P, Sloupenská K, Malý J, Škarda J, Raška M, Smetana K, Malý P. Small protein blockers of human IL-6 receptor alpha inhibit proliferation and migration of cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:261. [PMID: 38715108 PMCID: PMC11075285 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01630-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that controls the immune response, and its role has been described in the development of autoimmune diseases. Signaling via its cognate IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) complex is critical in tumor progression and, therefore, IL-6R represents an important therapeutic target. METHODS An albumin-binding domain-derived highly complex combinatorial library was used to select IL-6R alpha (IL-6Rα)-targeted small protein binders using ribosome display. Large-scale screening of bacterial lysates of individual clones was performed using ELISA, and their IL-6Rα blocking potential was verified by competition ELISA. The binding of proteins to cells was monitored by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy on HEK293T-transfected cells, and inhibition of signaling function was examined using HEK-Blue IL-6 reporter cells. Protein binding kinetics to living cells was measured by LigandTracer, cell proliferation and toxicity by iCELLigence and Incucyte, cell migration by the scratch wound healing assay, and prediction of binding poses using molecular modeling by docking. RESULTS We demonstrated a collection of protein variants called NEF ligands, selected from an albumin-binding domain scaffold-derived combinatorial library, and showed their binding specificity to human IL-6Rα and antagonistic effect in HEK-Blue IL-6 reporter cells. The three most promising NEF108, NEF163, and NEF172 variants inhibited cell proliferation of malignant melanoma (G361 and A2058) and pancreatic (PaTu and MiaPaCa) cancer cells, and suppressed migration of malignant melanoma (A2058), pancreatic carcinoma (PaTu), and glioblastoma (GAMG) cells in vitro. The NEF binders also recognized maturation-induced IL-6Rα expression and interfered with IL-6-induced differentiation in primary human B cells. CONCLUSION We report on the generation of small protein blockers of human IL-6Rα using directed evolution. NEF proteins represent a promising class of non-toxic anti-tumor agents with migrastatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaroslava Groza
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Lacina
- Institute of Anatomy, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 3, Prague 2, 12800, Czech Republic.
- Department of Dermatovenerology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 2, Prague 2, 12000, Czech Republic.
| | - Milan Kuchař
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Leona Rašková Kafková
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Zachová
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Janoušková
- Centre of Nanomaterials and Biotechnologies, University of J. E. Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632/15, Ústí nad Labem, 400 96, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Osička
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, Prague, 14220, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Černý
- Laboratory of Structural Bioinformatics of Proteins, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Petroková
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Joanna Maria Mierzwicka
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Natalya Panova
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kosztyu
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Sloupenská
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Malý
- Centre of Nanomaterials and Biotechnologies, University of J. E. Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632/15, Ústí nad Labem, 400 96, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Škarda
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Raška
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc, 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Smetana
- Institute of Anatomy, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 3, Prague 2, 12800, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Malý
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV Research Center, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic.
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Tanwar N, Ojha R, Aggarwal S, Prajapati VK, Munde M. Design of inhibitor peptide sequences based on the interfacial knowledge of the protein G-IgG crystallographic complex and their binding studies with IgG. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2024; 53:159-170. [PMID: 38493432 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-024-01704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPI) have emerged as valuable targets in medicinal chemistry due to their key roles in important biological processes. The modulation of PPI by small peptides offers an excellent opportunity to develop drugs against human diseases. Here, we exploited the knowledge of the binding interface of the IgG-protein G complex (PDB:1FCC) for designing peptides that can inhibit these complexes. Herein, we have designed several closely related peptides, and the comparison of results from experiments and computational studies indicated that all the peptides bind close to the expected binding site on IgG and the complexes are stable. A minimal sequence consisting of 11 amino acids (P5) with binding constants in the range of 100 nM was identified. We propose that the main affinity differences across the series of peptides arose from the presence of polar amino acid residues. Further, the molecular dynamic studies helped to understand the dynamic properties of complexes in terms of flexibility of residues and structural stability at the interface. The ability of P5 to compete with the protein G in recognizing IgG can help in the detection and purification of antibodies. Further, it can serve as a versatile tool for a better understanding of protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Tanwar
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Rupal Ojha
- Department of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Soumya Aggarwal
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | | | - Manoj Munde
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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3
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Ullah A, Shin G, Lim SI. Human serum albumin binders: A piggyback ride for long-acting therapeutics. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103738. [PMID: 37591409 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in the blood and has desirable properties as a drug carrier. One of the most promising ways to exploit HSA as a carrier is to append an albumin-binding moiety (ABM) to a drug for in situ HSA binding upon administration. Nature- and library-derived ABMs vary in size, affinity, and epitope, differentially improving the pharmacokinetics of an appended drug. In this review, we evaluate the current state of knowledge regarding various aspects of ABMs and the unique advantages of ABM-mediated drug delivery. Furthermore, we discuss how ABMs can be specifically modulated to maximize potential benefits in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Ullah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Gomal Centre of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Goeun Shin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Nbios Inc, 7, Jukheon-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung In Lim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Marine BioResource Co., Ltd., 365, Sinseon-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48548, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Contreras MA, Serrano-Rivero Y, González-Pose A, Salazar-Uribe J, Rubio-Carrasquilla M, Soares-Alves M, Parra NC, Camacho-Casanova F, Sánchez-Ramos O, Moreno E. Design and Construction of a Synthetic Nanobody Library: Testing Its Potential with a Single Selection Round Strategy. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093708. [PMID: 37175117 PMCID: PMC10180287 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093708] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanobodies (Nbs) are single domain antibody fragments derived from heavy-chain antibodies found in members of the Camelidae family. They have become a relevant class of biomolecules for many different applications because of several important advantages such as their small size, high solubility and stability, and low production costs. On the other hand, synthetic Nb libraries are emerging as an attractive alternative to animal immunization for the selection of antigen-specific Nbs. Here, we present the design and construction of a new synthetic nanobody library using the phage display technology, following a structure-based approach in which the three hypervariable loops were subjected to position-specific randomization schemes. The constructed library has a clonal diversity of 108 and an amino acid variability that matches the codon distribution set by design at each randomized position. We have explored the capabilities of the new library by selecting nanobodies specific for three antigens: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the glycoprotein complex (GnGc) of Andes virus. To test the potential of the library to yield a variety of antigen-specific Nbs, we introduced a biopanning strategy consisting of a single selection round using stringent conditions. Using this approach, we obtained several binders for each of the target antigens. The constructed library represents a promising nanobody source for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Angélica Contreras
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | | | - Alaín González-Pose
- Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Medellin, Medellin 050026, Colombia
| | | | | | - Matheus Soares-Alves
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Natalie C Parra
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Frank Camacho-Casanova
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Oliberto Sánchez-Ramos
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Ernesto Moreno
- Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Medellin, Medellin 050026, Colombia
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5
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Li H, Yin D, Liao J, Wang Y, Gou R, Tang C, Li W, Liu Y, Fu J, Shi S, Zou L. Regulation of protein corona on liposomes using albumin-binding peptide for targeted tumor therapy. J Control Release 2023; 355:593-603. [PMID: 36773961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Nanocarriers entering the body are usually coated by plasma protein, leading to a protein "corona" easily recognized by tissues and cells. Adjusting the composition of protein coronas may be an efficient way to change the properties and behavior of nanoparticles in vivo. In this study, we modified doxorubicin-loaded liposomes (Lip/DOX) with an albumin-binding domain (ABD) to prepare nanoparticles (ABD-Lip/DOX) that can specifically bind to albumin and form albumin-based protein coronas in vivo for targeted tumor therapy. The prepared liposomes were spherical with a particle size of about 100 nm. After incubating the liposomes with rat serum, the albumin content was eight times higher on ABD-Lip than on control liposomes. ABD-Lip significantly inhibited adsorption of IgG and complement activation in rat serum in vitro, while corona-coated ABD-Lip was internalized to a significantly greater extent than corona-coated control liposomes. In addition, ABD-Lip showed longer blood circulation time, higher tumor accumulation and greater antitumor efficacy than control liposomes in mice bearing 4 T1 tumors, while both liposome formulations showed similar biocompatibility. These results confirm that adjusting the component of protein coronas around nanoparticles can improve their therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanmei Li
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Dan Yin
- Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Jiaying Liao
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Rui Gou
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Chuane Tang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Preclinical Medicine, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Key Disciplines of Clinical Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital and Clinical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu 610081, China
| | - Jiao Fu
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Sanjun Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Liang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China.
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6
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Xu D, Wu H, Zhou C. Fusion of parathyroid hormone (1–34) to an albumin-binding domain improves osteogenesis. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.104019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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7
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Computation-Aided Design of Albumin Affibody-Inserted Antibody Fragment for the Prolonged Serum Half-Life. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091769. [PMID: 36145517 PMCID: PMC9500697 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) have been recognized as promising agents in cancer therapy. However, short serum half-life of scFvs often limits clinical application. Fusion to albumin affibody (ABD) is an effective and convenient half-life extension strategy. Although one terminus of scFv is available for fusion of ABD, it is also frequently used for fusion of useful moieties such as small functional proteins, cytokines, or antibodies. Herein, we investigated the internal linker region for ABD fusion instead of terminal region, which was rarely explored before. We constructed two internally ABD-inserted anti-HER2 4D5scFv (4D5-ABD) variants, which have short (4D5-S-ABD) and long (4D5-L-ABD) linker length respectively. The model structures of these 4D5scFv and 4D5-ABD variants predicted using the deep learning-based protein structure prediction program (AlphaFold2) revealed high similarity to either the original 4D5scFv or the ABD structure, implying that the functionality would be retained. Designed 4D5-ABD variants were expressed in the bacterial expression system and characterized. Both 4D5-ABD variants showed anti-HER2 binding affinity comparable with 4D5scFv. Binding affinity of both 4D5-ABD variants against albumin was also comparable. In a pharmacokinetic study in mice, the 4D5-ABD variants showed a significantly prolonged half-life of 34 h, 114 times longer than that of 4D5scFv. In conclusion, we have developed a versatile scFv platform with enhanced pharmacokinetic profiles with an aid of deep learning-based structure prediction.
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8
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Park SG, Kim H, Jun H, Choi SY, Kim E, Kang S. Directing ricin-based immunotoxins with targeting affibodies and KDEL signal peptide to cancer cells effectively induces apoptosis and tumor suppression. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:387. [PMID: 35999603 PMCID: PMC9400252 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant toxin ricin, especially its cytotoxic A chain (RTA), can be genetically engineered with targeting ligands to develop specific anti-cancer recombinant immunotoxins (RITs). Here, we used affibody molecules targeting two cancer biomarkers, the receptors HER2 and EGFR, along with the KDEL signal peptide to construct two cancer-specific ricin-based RITs, HER2Afb-RTA-KDEL and EGFRAfb-RTA-KDEL. The affibodies successfully provided target-specificity and subsequent receptor-mediated endocytosis and the KDEL signal peptide routed the RITs through the retrograde transport pathway, effectively delivering RTA to the cytosol as well as avoiding the alternate recycling pathway that typical cancer cells frequently have. The in vivo efficacy of RITs was enhanced by introducing the albumin binding domain (AlBD) to construct AlBD/HER2Afb/RTA-KDEL. Systemic administration of AlBD-containing RITs to tumor-bearing mice significantly suppressed tumor growth without any noticeable side-effects. Collectively, combining target-selective affibody molecules, a cytotoxic RTA, and an intracellularly designating peptide, we successfully developed cancer-specific and efficacious ricin-based RITs. This approach can be applied to develop novel protein-based “magic bullets” to effectively suppress tumors that are resistant to conventional anti-cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Guk Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Korea
| | - Heeyeon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Korea
| | - Heejin Jun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Korea
| | - Sun Young Choi
- Department of Medicine, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Eunhee Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Korea.
| | - Sebyung Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Korea.
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Ren Z, Zhao J, Cao X, Wang F. Tandem fusion of albumin-binding domains promoted soluble expression and stability of recombinant trichosanthin in vitro and in vivo. Protein Expr Purif 2022; 200:106147. [PMID: 35917982 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2022.106147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Trichosanthin (TCS), as a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein, has a very high cytoplasmic activity in vitro and can quickly kill cancer cells. However, it is easily filtered and cleared by the kidney, which results in the short half-life and severely limits its application. In this study, we constructed several recombinant proteins by fusing the albumin binding domain mutant ABD035(abbreviated as ABD) to the N- or C-terminus of TCS to endow the recombinant TCS fusion protein with a longer half-life property binding with endogenous human serum albumin (HSA) via ABD to effectively exert its anti-tumor activity in vivo. Pull down, Dynamic light scattering and ELISA assays all showed that TCS fused with two ABD sequences at the C-terminus of TCS, has stronger binding capacity to HSA in vitro than TCS with one ABD. In vivo studies in BALB/C mice were performed and the elimination half-life of TCS-ABD-ABD is about 15-fold longer compared to TCS and anti-tumor activity is about 30% higher than that of TCS alone in BALB/C mouse experiments. Moreover, we found that TCS with two ABDs in tandem have the highest soluble expression level, more than 5 times higher than that of TCS, and the yield of purified protein of TCS-ABD-ABD was as high as 68.9 mg/L culture solution, which was about 7-fold higher than that of TCS. Furthermore, MTT assay showed that the anti-tumor activity of TCS-ABD-ABD was significantly higher than TCS fused with only one ABD sequence, indicating that the repeated ABD sequences facilitated the biological activity of TCS. In this paper, the fusion of the albumin-binding domain in tandem with TCS can effectively improve its stability in vivo and also significantly increase its soluble expression, expanding the application of the albumin-binding domain in the high soluble expression and stability of protein drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZeFeng Ren
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - XueWei Cao
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - FuJun Wang
- New Drug R&D Center, Zhejiang Fonow Medicine Co., Ltd. 209 West Hulian Road, Dongyang, 322100, Zhejiang, China; Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Liang X, Niu Z, Galli V, Howe N, Zhao Y, Wiklander OPB, Zheng W, Wiklander RJ, Corso G, Davies C, Hean J, Kyriakopoulou E, Mamand DR, Amin R, Nordin JZ, Gupta D, Andaloussi SE. Extracellular vesicles engineered to bind albumin demonstrate extended circulation time and lymph node accumulation in mouse models. J Extracell Vesicles 2022; 11:e12248. [PMID: 35879268 PMCID: PMC9314316 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promise as potential therapeutics for the treatment of various diseases. However, their rapid clearance after administration could be a limitation in certain therapeutic settings. To solve this, an engineering strategy is employed to decorate albumin onto the surface of the EVs through surface display of albumin binding domains (ABDs). ABDs were either included in the extracellular loops of select EV‐enriched tetraspanins (CD63, CD9 and CD81) or directly fused to the extracellular terminal of single transmembrane EV‐sorting domains, such as Lamp2B. These engineered EVs exert robust binding capacity to human serum albumins (HSA) in vitro and mouse serum albumins (MSA) after injection in mice. By binding to MSA, circulating time of EVs dramatically increases after different routes of injection in different strains of mice. Moreover, these engineered EVs show considerable lymph node (LN) and solid tumour accumulation, which can be utilized when using EVs for immunomodulation, cancer‐ and/or immunotherapy. The increased circulation time of EVs may also be important when combined with tissue‐specific targeting ligands and could provide significant benefit for their therapeutic use in a variety of disease indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuming Liang
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Cancer Research Laboratory, Shandong University-Karolinska Institutet collaborative Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Science, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zheyu Niu
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | | | | | - Ying Zhao
- Experimental Cancer Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oscar P B Wiklander
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wenyi Zheng
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rim Jawad Wiklander
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giulia Corso
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Doste R Mamand
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Risul Amin
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joel Z Nordin
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dhanu Gupta
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Samir El Andaloussi
- Biomolecular Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Evox Therapeutics Limited, Oxford, UK
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Nikravesh FY, Shirkhani S, Bayat E, Talebkhan Y, Mirabzadeh E, Sabzalinejad M, Aliabadi HAM, Nematollahi L, Ardakani YH, Sardari S. Extension of human GCSF serum half-life by the fusion of albumin binding domain. Sci Rep 2022; 12:667. [PMID: 35027593 PMCID: PMC8758692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) can decrease mortality of patients undergo chemotherapy through increasing neutrophil counts. Many strategies have been developed to improve its blood circulating time. Albumin binding domain (ABD) was genetically fused to N-terminal end of GCSF encoding sequence and expressed as cytoplasmic inclusion bodies within Escherichia coli. Biological activity of ABD-GCSF protein was assessed by proliferation assay on NFS-60 cells. Physicochemical properties were analyzed through size exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic properties were also investigated in a neutropenic rat model. CD and IFS spectra revealed that ABD fusion to GCSF did not significantly affect the secondary and tertiary structures of the molecule. DLS and SEC results indicated the absence of aggregation formation. EC50 value of the ABD-GCSF in proliferation of NFS-60 cells was 75.76 pg/ml after 72 h in comparison with control GCSF molecules (Filgrastim: 73.1 pg/ml and PEG-Filgrastim: 44.6 pg/ml). Animal studies of ABD-GCSF represented improved serum half-life (9.3 ± 0.7 h) and consequently reduced renal clearance (16.1 ± 1.4 ml/h.kg) in comparison with Filgrastim (1.7 ± 0.1 h). Enhanced neutrophils count following administration of ABD-GCSF was comparable with Filgrastim and weaker than PEG-Filgrastim treated rats. In vitro and in vivo results suggested the ABD fusion as a potential approach for improving GCSF properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samira Shirkhani
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Bayat
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yeganeh Talebkhan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Esmat Mirabzadeh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Leila Nematollahi
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yalda Hosseinzadeh Ardakani
- Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetic Division, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Soroush Sardari
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Gao Y, Yue Y, Xiong S. An Albumin-Binding Domain Peptide Confers Enhanced Immunoprotection Against Viral Myocarditis by CVB3 VP1 Vaccine. Front Immunol 2021; 12:666594. [PMID: 34630378 PMCID: PMC8492941 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.666594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced viral myocarditis is a common clinical cardiovascular disease without effective available vaccine. In this study, we tried to potentiate the immunoprotection efficacy of our previous CVB3-specific VP1 protein vaccine by introducing a streptococcal protein G-derived, draining lymph nodes (dLNs)-targeting albumin-binding domain (ABD) peptide. We found that compared with the original VP1 vaccine, ABD-fused VP1 (ABD-VP1) vaccine gained the new ability to efficiently bind murine albumin both in vitro and in vivo, possessed a much longer serum half-life in serum and exhibited more abundance in the dLNs after immunization. Accordingly, ABD-VP1 immunization not only significantly facilitated the enrichment and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), induced higher percentages of IFN-γ+ CD8 + cells in the dLNs, but also robustly promoted VP1-induced T cell proliferation and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses in the spleens. More importantly, ABD-VP1 also elicited higher percentages of protective CD44hi CD62Lhi memory T cells in dLNs and spleens. Consequently, obvious protective effect against viral myocarditis was conferred by ABD-VP1 vaccine compared to the VP1 vaccine, reflected by the less body weight loss, improved cardiac function, alleviated cardiac histomorphological changes and an increased 28-day survival rate. Our results indicated that the ABD might be a promising immune-enhancing regime for vaccine design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Yue
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Sidong Xiong
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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13
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Zhang Q, Qian M, Wu Y, Wang Y, Shangguan W, Lu J, Zhao W, Feng J. Design and biological evaluation of novel long-acting adalimumab Fab conjugated with the albumin binding domain. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 904:174152. [PMID: 33964292 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) are preferred alternatives to antibodies for medical application, whereas their short half-lives limit therapeutic effectiveness. Albumin binding domain (ABD) with high affinity for albumin possesses a great potential in enhancing in vivo performance of biotherapeutics. In this study, to mitigate the poor pharmacokinetics of adalimumab Fab targeting tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), an ABD fusion strategy was applied innovatively using GA3, ABD035, ABD094 and ABDCon with high affinities for albumin. The prokaryotic expression, bioactivities and half-lives of those novel Fab-ABD fusions were investigated in vitro and in vivo. All Fab-ABD fusions were successfully purified, and they retained similar TNFα-binding activities with the unmodified Fab control, also presented high affinities for human/mouse serum albumin (HSA/MSA). Additionally, the simultaneous binding of the difunctional Fab-ABD fusions to TNFα and albumin was verified, and ABD fused to Fab neither interfered with Fab-TNFα binding nor impaired the association between Fc fragment of IgG receptor and transporter (FcRn) and albumin. Based on the highest binding affinity for HSA and maximal yield, Fab-ABDCon was selected for further evaluation. Fab-ABDCon showed similar thermostability with the Fab control and robust stability in human and mouse plasma. Most notably, the pharmacokinetics of Fab-ABDCon in mice was significantly improved with a 22-fold longer plasma half-life (28.2 h) compared with that of Fab control (1.31 h), which have contributed to its satisfactory therapeutic efficacy in murine TNFα-induced hepatonecrosis model. Thus, Fab-ABDCon could be a promising long-acting candidate suitable for drug development targeting TNFα-mediated inflammatory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Mengxin Qian
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China; Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yapeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | | | - Jianguang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China; Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wenjie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China; Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jun Feng
- State Key Laboratory of New Drug and Pharmaceutical Process, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai, 201203, China; Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China.
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14
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Comparative Preclinical Evaluation of HER2-Targeting ABD-Fused Affibody ® Molecules 177Lu-ABY-271 and 177Lu-ABY-027: Impact of DOTA Position on ABD Domain. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13060839. [PMID: 34200197 PMCID: PMC8226825 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13060839] [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: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiolabeled Affibody-based targeting agent 177Lu-ABY-027, a fusion of an anti-HER2 Affibody molecule with albumin binding domain (ABD) site-specifically labeled at the C-terminus, has demonstrated a promising biodistribution profile in mice; binding of the construct to albumin prevents glomerular filtration and significantly reduces renal uptake. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that site-specific positioning of the chelator at helix 1 of ABD, at a maximum distance from the albumin binding site, would further increase the strength of binding to albumin and decrease the renal uptake. The new construct, ABY-271 with DOTA conjugated at the back of ABD, has been labelled with 177Lu. Targeting properties of 177Lu-ABY-271 and 177Lu-ABY-027 were compared directly. 177Lu-ABY-271 specifically accumulated in SKOV-3 xenografts in mice. The tumor uptake of 177Lu-ABY-271 exceeded uptake in any other organ 24 h and later after injection. However, the renal uptake of 177Lu-ABY-271 was two-fold higher than the uptake of 177Lu-ABY-027. Thus, the placement of chelator on helix 1 of ABD does not provide desirable reduction of renal uptake. To conclude, minimal modification of the design of Affibody molecules has a strong effect on biodistribution, which cannot be predicted a priori. This necessitates extensive structure-properties relationship studies to find an optimal design of Affibody-based targeting agents for therapy.
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15
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Xenaki KT, Dorresteijn B, Muns JA, Adamzek K, Doulkeridou S, Houthoff H, Oliveira S, van Bergen en Henegouwen PMP. Homogeneous tumor targeting with a single dose of HER2-targeted albumin-binding domain-fused nanobody-drug conjugates results in long-lasting tumor remission in mice. Theranostics 2021; 11:5525-5538. [PMID: 33859761 PMCID: PMC8039960 DOI: 10.7150/thno.57510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The non-homogenous distribution of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) within solid tumors is a major limiting factor for their wide clinical application. Nanobodies have been shown to rapidly penetrate into xenografts, achieving more homogeneous tumor targeting. However, their rapid renal clearance can hamper their application as nanobody drug conjugates (NDCs). Here, we evaluate whether half-life extension via non-covalent interaction with albumin can benefit the efficacy of a HER2-targeted NDC. Methods: HER2-targeted nanobody 11A4 and the irrelevant nanobody R2 were genetically fused to an albumin-binding domain (ABD) at their C-terminus. Binding to both albumin and tumor cells was determined by ELISA-based assays. The internalization potential as well as the in vitro efficacy of NDCs were tested on HER2 expressing cells. Serum half-life of iodinated R2 and R2-ABD was studied in tumor-free mice. The distribution of fluorescently labelled 11A4 and 11A4-ABD was assessed in vitro in 3D spheroids. Subsequently, the in vivo distribution was evaluated by optical molecular imaging and ex vivo by tissue biodistribution and tumor immunohistochemical analysis after intravenous injection of IRDye800-conjugated nanobodies in mice bearing HER2-positive subcutaneous xenografts. Finally, efficacy studies were performed in HER2-positive NCI-N87 xenograft-bearing mice intravenously injected with a single dose (250 nmol/kg) of nanobodies conjugated to auristatin F (AF) either via a maleimide or the organic Pt(II)‑based linker, coined Lx®. Results: 11A4-ABD was able to bind albumin and HER2 and was internalized by HER2 expressing cells, irrespective of albumin presence. Interaction with albumin did not alter its distribution through 3D spheroids. Fusion to ABD resulted in a 14.8-fold increase in the serum half-life, as illustrated with the irrelevant nanobody. Furthermore, ABD fusion prolonged the accumulation of 11A4-ABD in HER2-expressing xenografts without affecting the expected homogenous intratumoral distribution. Next to that, reduced kidney retention of ABD-fused nanobodies was observed. Finally, a single dose administration of either 11A4-ABD-maleimide-AF or 11A4-ABD-Lx-AF led to long-lasting tumor remission in HER2-positive NCI-N87 xenograft-bearing mice. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that genetic fusion of a nanobody to ABD can significantly extend serum half-life, resulting in prolonged and homogenous tumor accumulation. Most importantly, as supported by the impressive anti-tumor efficacy observed after a single dose administration of 11A4-ABD-AF, our data reveal that monovalent internalizing ABD-fused nanobodies have potential for the development of highly effective NDCs.
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16
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Mester S, Evers M, Meyer S, Nilsen J, Greiff V, Sandlie I, Leusen J, Andersen JT. Extended plasma half-life of albumin-binding domain fused human IgA upon pH-dependent albumin engagement of human FcRn in vitro and in vivo. MAbs 2021; 13:1893888. [PMID: 33691596 PMCID: PMC7954421 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.1893888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Albumin has a serum half-life of 3 weeks in humans. This feature can be used to improve the pharmacokinetics of shorter-lived biologics. For instance, an albumin-binding domain (ABD) can be used to recruit albumin. A prerequisite for such design is that the ABD-albumin interaction does not interfere with pH-dependent binding of albumin to the human neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), as FcRn acts as the principal regulator of the half-life of albumin. Thus, there is a need to know how ABDs act in the context of fusion partners and human FcRn. Here, we studied the binding and transport properties of human immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1), fused to a Streptococcus protein G-derived engineered ABD, in in vitro and in vivo systems harboring human FcRn. IgA has great potential as a therapeutic protein, but its short half-life is a major drawback. We demonstrate that ABD-fused IgA1 binds human FcRn pH-dependently and is rescued from cellular degradation in a receptor-specific manner in the presence of albumin. This occurs when ABD is fused to either the light or the heavy chain. In human FcRn transgenic mice, IgA1-ABD in complex with human albumin, gave 4-6-fold extended half-life compared to unmodified IgA1, where the light chain fusion showed the longest half-life. When the heavy chain-fused protein was pre-incubated with an engineered human albumin with improved FcRn binding, cellular rescue and half-life was further enhanced. Our study reveals how an ABD, which does not interfere with albumin binding to human FcRn, may be used to extend the half-life of IgA. Abbreviations: ABD - Albumin binding domain, ADA – anti-drug-antibodies, ADCC - Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, ELISA - Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay, FcαRI - Fcα receptor, FcγR - Fcγ receptor, FcRn - The neonatal Fc receptor, GST - Glutathione S-transferase, HC - Heavy chain, HERA - Human endothelial cell-based recycling assay, Her2 - Human epidermal growth factor 2, HMEC - Human microvascular endothelial cells, IgG - Immunoglobulin G, IgA - Immunoglobulin A, LC - Light chain, QMP - E505Q/T527M/K573P, WT - Wild type
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Mester
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mitchell Evers
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Meyer
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jeannette Nilsen
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Victor Greiff
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger Sandlie
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jeanette Leusen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Terje Andersen
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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17
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von Witting E, Lindbo S, Lundqvist M, Möller M, Wisniewski A, Kanje S, Rockberg J, Tegel H, Åstrand M, Uhlén M, Hober S. Small Bispecific Affinity Proteins for Simultaneous Target Binding and Albumin-Associated Half-Life Extension. Mol Pharm 2020; 18:328-337. [PMID: 33259222 PMCID: PMC9490751 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Albumin-binding fusion partners are
frequently used as a means
for the in vivo half-life extension of small therapeutic
molecules that would normally be cleared very rapidly from circulation.
However, in applications where small size is key, fusion to an additional
molecule can be disadvantageous. Albumin-derived affinity proteins
(ADAPTs) are a new type of scaffold proteins based on one of the albumin-binding
domains of streptococcal protein G, with engineered binding specificities
against numerous targets. Here, we engineered this scaffold further
and showed that this domain, as small as 6 kDa, can harbor two distinct
binding surfaces and utilize them to interact with two targets simultaneously.
These novel ADAPTs were developed to possess affinity toward both
serum albumin as well as another clinically relevant target, thus
circumventing the need for an albumin-binding fusion partner. To accomplish
this, we designed a phage display library and used it to successfully
select for single-domain bispecific binders toward a panel of targets:
TNFα, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), C-reactive protein (CRP),
renin, angiogenin, myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF), and insulin.
Apart from successfully identifying bispecific binders for all targets,
we also demonstrated the formation of the ternary complex consisting
of the ADAPT together with albumin and each of the five targets, TNFα,
PSA, angiogenin, MYDGF, and insulin. This simultaneous binding of
albumin and other targets presents an opportunity to combine the advantages
of small molecules with those of larger ones allowing for lower cost
of goods and noninvasive administration routes while still maintaining
a sufficient in vivo half-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma von Witting
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Sarah Lindbo
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Magnus Lundqvist
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Marit Möller
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Andreas Wisniewski
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Sara Kanje
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Johan Rockberg
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Hanna Tegel
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Mikael Åstrand
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Mathias Uhlén
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
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18
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Abstract
The concept of engineering robust protein scaffolds for novel binding functions emerged 20 years ago, one decade after the advent of recombinant antibody technology. Early examples were the Affibody, Monobody (Adnectin), and Anticalin proteins, which were derived from fragments of streptococcal protein A, from the tenth type III domain of human fibronectin, and from natural lipocalin proteins, respectively. Since then, this concept has expanded considerably, including many other protein templates. In fact, engineered protein scaffolds with useful binding specificities, mostly directed against targets of biomedical relevance, constitute an area of active research today, which has yielded versatile reagents as laboratory tools. However, despite strong interest from basic science, only a handful of those protein scaffolds have undergone biopharmaceutical development up to the clinical stage. This includes the abovementioned pioneering examples as well as designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins). Here we review the current state and clinical validation of these next-generation therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany;
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19
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Taniguchi T, Ohki M, Urata A, Ohshiro S, Tarigan E, Kiatsomphob S, Vetchapitak T, Sato H, Misawa N. Detection and identification of adhesins involved in adhesion of Campylobacter jejuni to chicken skin. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 337:108929. [PMID: 33157488 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning worldwide. Chickens are considered to be one of the major reservoirs of Campylobacter infection in humans due to colonization of their intestinal tract. When the chickens are slaughtered and processed, the entire skin of the carcass becomes contaminated with campylobacters. We observed that the number of C. jejuni attached to chicken skin was reduced significantly after treatment of the skin with sodium hydroxide followed by washing with PBS, implying that adhesion factors involved in binding to C. jejuni may exist on skin. Such potential binding-related proteins present in alkaline extracts of the skin surface were detected by a two-dimensional overlay assay and identified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Chicken serum albumin (CSA) was identified as a major protein in these alkaline extracts and confirmed by ELISA to bind specifically to C. jejuni. Moreover, using the same approach, flagellar hook protein E (FlgE) and major outer membrane protein (MOMP) in C. jejuni were identified as bacterial adhesins that bound to the CSA. The ability to bind CSA was also confirmed using recombinant FlgE and MOMP of C. jejuni expressed in Escherichia coli. The present findings suggest that adhesins expressed on C. jejuni cells may bind specifically via proteins present on the skin, as well as by physical attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takako Taniguchi
- Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Mayuko Ohki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Ayaka Urata
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Shoutaro Ohshiro
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Elpita Tarigan
- Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Savek Kiatsomphob
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Torrung Vetchapitak
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sato
- Laboratory of Veterinary Clinical radiology, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Naoaki Misawa
- Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
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20
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Abouzayed A, Tano H, Nagy Á, Rinne SS, Wadeea F, Kumar S, Westerlund K, Tolmachev V, Eriksson Karlström A, Orlova A. Preclinical Evaluation of the GRPR-Targeting Antagonist RM26 Conjugated to the Albumin-Binding Domain for GRPR-Targeting Therapy of Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:E977. [PMID: 33081166 PMCID: PMC7594083 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The targeting of gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPR) was recently proposed for targeted therapy, e.g., radiotherapy. Multiple and frequent injections of peptide-based therapeutic agents would be required due to rapid blood clearance. By conjugation of the GRPR antagonist RM26 (D-Phe-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Sta-Leu-NH2) to an ABD (albumin-binding domain), we aimed to extend the blood circulation of peptides. The synthesized conjugate DOTA-ABD-RM26 was labelled with indium-111 and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The labelled conjugate was stable in PBS and retained specificity and its antagonistic function against GRPR. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of natIn-DOTA-ABD-RM26 in the presence of human serum albumin was 49 ± 5 nM. [111In]In-DOTA-ABD-RM26 had a significantly longer residence time in blood and in tumors (without a significant decrease of up to 144 h pi) than the parental RM26 peptide. We conclude that the ABD-RM26 conjugate can be used for GRPR-targeted therapy and delivery of cytotoxic drugs. However, the undesirable elevated activity uptake in kidneys abolishes its use for radionuclide therapy. This proof-of-principle study justified further optimization of the molecular design of the ABD-RM26 conjugate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Abouzayed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden; (A.A.); (S.S.R.); (F.W.)
| | - Hanna Tano
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (H.T.); (Á.N.); (S.K.); (K.W.); (A.E.K.)
| | - Ábel Nagy
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (H.T.); (Á.N.); (S.K.); (K.W.); (A.E.K.)
| | - Sara S. Rinne
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden; (A.A.); (S.S.R.); (F.W.)
| | - Fadya Wadeea
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden; (A.A.); (S.S.R.); (F.W.)
| | - Sharmishtaa Kumar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (H.T.); (Á.N.); (S.K.); (K.W.); (A.E.K.)
| | - Kristina Westerlund
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (H.T.); (Á.N.); (S.K.); (K.W.); (A.E.K.)
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden;
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Amelie Eriksson Karlström
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (H.T.); (Á.N.); (S.K.); (K.W.); (A.E.K.)
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden; (A.A.); (S.S.R.); (F.W.)
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, Research School of Chemistry and Applied Biomedical Sciences, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia
- Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
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21
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Jussing E, Lu L, Grafström J, Tegnebratt T, Arnberg F, Rosik HW, Wennborg A, Holmin S, Feldwisch J, Stone-Elander S. [ 68Ga]ABY-028: an albumin-binding domain (ABD) protein-based imaging tracer for positron emission tomography (PET) studies of altered vascular permeability and predictions of albumin-drug conjugate transport. EJNMMI Res 2020; 10:106. [PMID: 32960353 PMCID: PMC7509035 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-020-00694-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Albumin is commonly used as a carrier platform for drugs to extend their circulatory half-lives and influence their uptake into tissues that have altered permeability to the plasma protein. The albumin-binding domain (ABD) protein, which binds in vivo to serum albumin with high affinity, has proven to be a versatile scaffold for engineering biopharmaceuticals with a range of binding capabilities. In this study, the ABD protein equipped with a mal-DOTA chelator (denoted ABY-028) was radiolabeled with gallium-68 (68Ga). This novel radiotracer was then used together with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to examine variations in the uptake of the ABD-albumin conjugate with variations in endothelial permeability. Results ABY-028, produced by peptide synthesis in excellent purity and stored at − 20 °C, was stable for 24 months (end of study). [68Ga]ABY-028 could be obtained with labeling yields of > 80% and approximately 95% radiochemical purity. [68Ga]ABY-028 distributed in vivo with the plasma pool, with highest radioactivity in the heart ventricles and major vessels of the body, a gradual transport over time from the circulatory system into tissues and elimination via the kidneys. Early [68Ga]ABY-028 uptake differed in xenografts with different vascular properties: mean standard uptake values (SUVmean) were initially 5 times larger in FaDu than in A431 xenografts, but the difference decreased to 3 after 1 h. Cutaneously administered, vasoactive nitroglycerin increased radioactivity in the A431 xenografts. Heterogeneity in the levels and rates of increases of radioactivity uptake was observed in sub-regions of individual MMTV-PyMT mammary tumors and in FaDu xenografts. Higher uptake early after tracer administration could be observed in lower metabolic regions. Fluctuations in the increased permeability for the tracer across the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) direct after experimentally induced stroke were monitored by PET and the increased uptake was confirmed by ex vivo phosphorimaging. Conclusions [68Ga]ABY-028 is a promising new tracer for visualization of changes in albumin uptake due to disease- and pharmacologically altered vascular permeability and their potential effects on the passive uptake of targeting therapeutics based on the ABD protein technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Jussing
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Li Lu
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Comparative Medicine (KERIC), Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Grafström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tetyana Tegnebratt
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fabian Arnberg
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Wållberg Rosik
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Affibody AB, SE17165, Solna, Sweden
| | | | - Staffan Holmin
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Sharon Stone-Elander
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE17177, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital, SE17176, Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Park SG, Choi B, Bae Y, Lee YG, Park SA, Chae YC, Kang S. Selective and Effective Cancer Treatments using Target‐Switchable Intracellular Bacterial Toxin Delivery Systems. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202000043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seong Guk Park
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
| | - Bongseo Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
- Department of Radiology Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Chicago IL 60611 USA
| | - Yoonji Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
| | - Yu Geon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
| | - Soo Ah Park
- In Vivo Research Center UNIST Central Research Facilities Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
| | - Young Chan Chae
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
| | - Sebyung Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) Ulsan 44919 South Korea
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23
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Barozzi A, Lavoie RA, Day KN, Prodromou R, Menegatti S. Affibody-Binding Ligands. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113769. [PMID: 32471034 PMCID: PMC7312911 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
While antibodies remain established therapeutic and diagnostic tools, other protein scaffolds are emerging as effective and safer alternatives. Affibodies in particular are a new class of small proteins marketed as bio-analytic reagents. They feature tailorable binding affinity, low immunogenicity, high tissue permeation, and high expression titer in bacterial hosts. This work presents the development of affibody-binding peptides to be utilized as ligands for their purification from bacterial lysates. Affibody-binding candidates were identified by screening a peptide library simultaneously against two model affibodies (anti-immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-albumin) with the aim of selecting peptides targeting the conserved domain of affibodies. An ensemble of homologous sequences identified from screening was synthesized on Toyopearl® resin and evaluated via binding studies to select sequences that afford high product binding and recovery. The affibody-peptide interaction was also evaluated by in silico docking, which corroborated the targeting of the conserved domain. Ligand IGKQRI was validated through purification of an anti-ErbB2 affibody from an Escherichia coli lysate. The values of binding capacity (~5 mg affibody per mL of resin), affinity (KD ~1 μM), recovery and purity (64-71% and 86-91%), and resin lifetime (100 cycles) demonstrate that IGKQRI can be employed as ligand in affibody purification processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Barozzi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA; (A.B.); (R.A.L.); (K.N.D.); (R.P.)
| | - R. Ashton Lavoie
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA; (A.B.); (R.A.L.); (K.N.D.); (R.P.)
| | - Kevin N. Day
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA; (A.B.); (R.A.L.); (K.N.D.); (R.P.)
| | - Raphael Prodromou
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA; (A.B.); (R.A.L.); (K.N.D.); (R.P.)
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA; (A.B.); (R.A.L.); (K.N.D.); (R.P.)
- Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-919-753-3276
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24
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Meister SW, Hjelm LC, Dannemeyer M, Tegel H, Lindberg H, Ståhl S, Löfblom J. An Affibody Molecule Is Actively Transported into the Cerebrospinal Fluid via Binding to the Transferrin Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E2999. [PMID: 32340383 PMCID: PMC7215652 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of biotherapeutics for the treatment of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) is typically impeded by insufficient transport across the blood-brain barrier. Here, we investigate a strategy to potentially increase the uptake into the CNS of an affibody molecule (ZSYM73) via binding to the transferrin receptor (TfR). ZSYM73 binds monomeric amyloid beta, a peptide involved in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, with subnanomolar affinity. We generated a tri-specific fusion protein by genetically linking a single-chain variable fragment of the TfR-binding antibody 8D3 and an albumin-binding domain to the affibody molecule ZSYM73. Simultaneous tri-specific target engagement was confirmed in a biosensor experiment and the affinity for murine TfR was determined to 5 nM. Blockable binding to TfR on endothelial cells was demonstrated using flow cytometry and in a preclinical study we observed increased uptake of the tri-specific fusion protein into the cerebrospinal fluid 24 h after injection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - John Löfblom
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.W.M.); (L.C.H.); (M.D.); (H.T.); (H.L.); (S.S.)
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25
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Proteins mimicking epitope of HIV-1 virus neutralizing antibody induce virus-neutralizing sera in mice. EBioMedicine 2020; 47:247-256. [PMID: 31544770 PMCID: PMC6796546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The development of an effective vaccine preventing HIV-1 infection is hindered by the enormous antigenic variability and unique biochemical and immunological properties of HIV-1 Env glycoprotein, the most promising target for HIV-1 neutralizing antibody. Functional studies of rare elite neutralizers led to the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Methods We employed a highly complex combinatorial protein library derived from a 5 kDa albumin-binding domain scaffold, fused with support protein of total 38 kDa, to screen for binders of broadly neutralizing antibody VRC01 paratope. The most specific binders were used for immunization of experimental mice to elicit Env-specific antibodies and to test their neutralization activity using a panel of HIV-1 clade C and B pseudoviruses. Findings Three most specific binders designated as VRA017, VRA019, and VRA177 exhibited high specificity to VRC01 antibody. Immunized mice produced Env-binding antibodies which neutralize eight of twelve HIV-1 Tier 2 pseudoviruses. Molecular modelling revealed a shape complementarity between VRA proteins and a part of VRC01 gp120 interacting surface. Interpretation This strategy based on the identification of protein replicas of broadly neutralizing antibody paratope represents a novel approach in HIV-1 vaccine development. This approach is not affected by low immunogenicity of neutralization-sensitive epitopes, variability, and unique biochemical properties of HIV-1 Env used as a crucial antigen in the majority of contemporary tested vaccines. Fund Czech Health Research Council 15-32198A, Ministry of Health, Czech Republic.
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26
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Fusion of Lysostaphin to an Albumin Binding Domain Prolongs Its Half-Life and Bactericidal Activity in the Systemic Circulation. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24162892. [PMID: 31395814 PMCID: PMC6719061 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24162892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibacterial lysins are promising proteins that are active against both antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. However, a major limitation of antibacterial lysins is their fast elimination from systemic circulation. PEGylation increases the plasma half-life of lysins but renders them inactive. Here we report the construction of a fusion protein of lysostaphin, a potent anti-staphylococcal lysin, and an albumin-binding domain from streptococcal protein G. The resulting fusion protein was less active than the parent enzyme lysostaphin, but it still retained significant antibacterial activity even when bound to serum albumin. The terminal half-life of the fusion protein in rats was five-fold greater than that of lysostaphin (7.4 vs. 1.5 h), and the area under the curve increased more than 115 times. Most importantly, this increase in systemic circulation time compensated for the decrease in activity. The plasma from rats that received an injection of the fusion protein retained bactericidal activity for up to 7 h, while plasma from rats that received plain lysostaphin lacked any detectable activity after 4 h. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an antibacterial lysin with both improved pharmacokinetic parameters and prolonged bactericidal activity in the systemic circulation.
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27
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Gapizov SS, Petrovskaya LE, Shingarova LN, Kryukova EA, Boldyreva EF, Lukashev EP, Yakimov SA, Svirshchevskaya EV, Dolgikh DA, Kirpichnikov MP. Fusion with an albumin-binding domain improves pharmacokinetics of an αvβ3-integrin binding fibronectin scaffold protein. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2019; 66:617-625. [PMID: 31140614 DOI: 10.1002/bab.1762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Fusion with an albumin-binding domain (ABD) of streptococcal protein G represents a popular approach for half-life extension of small protein therapeutics in the organism. To increase the circulation time of engineered αvβ3-integrin-binding protein (JCL) based on the 10th human fibronectin type III domain (10 Fn3), we have constructed several fusions with ABD with different orientations of the partner proteins and linker length. The recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli cells and purified by nickel-affinity chromatography. All fusion proteins bound human serum albumin (HSA) in ELISA assay; however, fusions with longer linkers demonstrated better performance. Interaction of ABD-L15 -JCL and JCL-L14 -ABD with HSA was confirmed by analytical size exclusion chromatography and pull-down assays. Surprisingly, the thermal stability of ABD-L15 -JCL was dramatically decreased in comparison with JCL and JCL-L14 -ABD proteins. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that JCL-L14 -ABD circulated in murine blood about 10 times longer than ABD-L15 -JCL and 960 times longer than JCL. Biodistribution studies of JCL-L14 -ABD in mice revealed its increased level in blood and a decreased accumulation in liver and kidneys in comparison with JCL. Obtained results demonstrate the utility of the fusion with ABD for half-life extension of the binding proteins based on 10 Fn3.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sh Gapizov
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation.,Department of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - L E Petrovskaya
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - L N Shingarova
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E A Kryukova
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E F Boldyreva
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E P Lukashev
- Department of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - S A Yakimov
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E V Svirshchevskaya
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - D A Dolgikh
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation.,Department of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - M P Kirpichnikov
- Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russian Federation.,Department of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russian Federation
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28
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Engineered Lactococcus lactis Secreting IL-23 Receptor-Targeted REX Protein Blockers for Modulation of IL-23/Th17-Mediated Inflammation. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7050152. [PMID: 31137908 PMCID: PMC6560508 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7050152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lactococcus lactis, a probiotic bacterium of food origin, has recently been demonstrated as a suitable strain for the production and in vivo delivery of therapeutically important proteins into the gut. We aimed to engineer recombinant L. lactis cells producing/secreting REX binding proteins that have been described as IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) blockers and IL-23R antagonists suppressing the secretion of cytokine IL-17A, a pivotal step in the T-helper Th17-mediated pro-inflammatory cascade, as well as in the development of autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To reach this goal, we introduced cDNA sequences coding for REX009, REX115, and REX125 proteins into plasmid vectors carrying a Usp45 secretion signal, a FLAG tag sequence consensus, and a LysM-containing cA surface anchor (AcmA), thus allowing cell-surface peptidoglycan anchoring. These plasmids, or their non-FLAG/non-AcmA versions, were introduced into L. lactis host cells, thus generating unique recombinant L. lactis-REX strains. We demonstrate that all three REX proteins are expressed in L. lactis cells and are efficiently displayed on the bacterial surface, as tested by flow cytometry using an anti-FLAG antibody conjugate. Upon 10-fold concentration of the conditioned media, a REX125 secretory variant can be detected by Western blotting. To confirm that the FLAG/non-FLAG REX proteins displayed by L. lactis retain their binding specificity, cell-surface interactions of REX proteins with an IL-23R-IgG chimera were demonstrated by flow cytometry. In addition, statistically significant binding of secreted REX009 and REX115 proteins to bacterially produced, soluble human IL-23R was confirmed by ELISA. We conclude that REX-secreting L. lactis strains were engineered that might serve as IL-23/IL-23R blockers in an experimentally induced mouse model of colitis.
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29
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Yu S, Alkharusi A, Norstedt G, Gräslund T. An in vivo half-life extended prolactin receptor antagonist can prevent STAT5 phosphorylation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215831. [PMID: 31063493 PMCID: PMC6504076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that signaling through the prolactin/prolactin receptor axis is important for stimulation the growth of many cancers including glioblastoma multiforme, breast and ovarian carcinoma. Efficient inhibitors of signaling have previously been developed but their applicability as cancer drugs is limited by the short in vivo half-life. In this study, we show that a fusion protein, consisting of the prolactin receptor antagonist PrlRA and an albumin binding domain for half-life extension can be expressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli and efficiently refolded and purified to homogeneity. The fusion protein was found to have strong affinity for the two intended targets: the prolactin receptor (KD = 2.3±0.2 nM) and mouse serum albumin (KD = 0.38±0.01 nM). Further investigation showed that it could efficiently prevent prolactin mediated phosphorylation of STAT5 at 100 nM concentration and above, similar to the PrlRA itself, suggesting a potential as drug for cancer therapy in the future. Complexion with HSA weakened the affinity for the receptor to 21±3 nM, however the ability to prevent phosphorylation of STAT5 was still prominent. Injection into rats showed a 100-fold higher concentration in blood after 24 h compared to PrlRA itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengze Yu
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amira Alkharusi
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Gunnar Norstedt
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Torbjörn Gräslund
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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30
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The Antistaphylococcal Lysin, CF-301, Activates Key Host Factors in Human Blood To Potentiate Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteriolysis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.02291-18. [PMID: 30670427 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02291-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage-derived lysins are cell-wall-hydrolytic enzymes that represent a potential new class of antibacterial therapeutics in development to address burgeoning antimicrobial resistance. CF-301, the lead compound in this class, is in clinical development as an adjunctive treatment to potentially improve clinical cure rates of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE) when used in addition to antibiotics. In order to profile the activity of CF-301 in a clinically relevant milieu, we assessed its in vitro activity in human blood versus in a conventional testing medium (cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth [caMHB]). CF-301 exhibited substantially greater potency (32 to ≥100-fold) in human blood versus caMHB in three standard microbiologic testing formats (e.g., broth dilution MICs, checkerboard synergy, and time-kill assays). We demonstrated that CF-301 acted synergistically with two key human blood factors, human serum lysozyme (HuLYZ) and human serum albumin (HSA), which normally have no nascent antistaphylococcal activity, against a prototypic methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain (MW2). Similar in vitro enhancement of CF-301 activity was also observed in rabbit, horse, and dog (but not rat or mouse) blood. Two well-established MRSA IE models in rabbit and rat were used to validate these findings in vivo by demonstrating comparable synergistic efficacy with standard-of-care anti-MRSA antibiotics at >100-fold lower lysin doses in the rabbit than in the rat model. The unique properties of CF-301 that enable bactericidal potentiation of antimicrobial activity via activation of "latent" host factors in human blood may have important therapeutic implications for durable improvements in clinical outcomes of serious antibiotic-resistant staphylococcal infections.
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31
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Yousefpour P, Ahn L, Tewksbury J, Saha S, Costa SA, Bellucci JJ, Li X, Chilkoti A. Conjugate of Doxorubicin to Albumin-Binding Peptide Outperforms Aldoxorubicin. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1804452. [PMID: 30756483 PMCID: PMC8114561 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201804452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Short circulation time and off-target toxicity are the main challenges faced by small-molecule chemotherapeutics. To overcome these shortcomings, an albumin-binding peptide conjugate of chemotherapeutics is developed that binds specifically to endogenous albumin and harnesses its favorable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for drug delivery to tumors. A protein-G-derived albumin-binding domain (ABD) is conjugated with doxorubicin (Dox) via a pH-sensitive linker. One to two Dox molecules are conjugated to ABD without loss of aqueous solubility. The albumin-binding ABD-Dox conjugate exhibits nanomolar affinity for human and mouse albumin, and upon administration in mice, shows a plasma half-life of 29.4 h, which is close to that of mouse albumin. Additionally, 2 h after administration, ABD-Dox exhibits an approximately 4-fold higher concentration in the tumor than free Dox. Free Dox clears quickly from the tumor, while ABD-Dox maintains a steady concentration in the tumor for at least 72 h, so that its relative accumulation at 72 h is ≈120-fold greater than that of free Dox. The improved pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of ABD-Dox result in enhanced therapeutic efficacy in syngeneic C26 colon carcinoma and MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic tumor xenografts, compared with free Dox and aldoxorubicin, an albumin-reactive Dox prodrug currently in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Yousefpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Lucie Ahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Joel Tewksbury
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Soumen Saha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Simone A Costa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Joseph J Bellucci
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Yousefpour P, McDaniel JR, Prasad V, Ahn L, Li X, Subrahmanyan R, Weitzhandler I, Suter S, Chilkoti A. Genetically Encoding Albumin Binding into Chemotherapeutic-loaded Polypeptide Nanoparticles Enhances Their Antitumor Efficacy. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:7784-7793. [PMID: 30461287 PMCID: PMC10387222 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b03558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We report the development of drug-encapsulating nanoparticles that bind endogenous albumin upon intravenous injection and evaluate their in vivo performance in a murine as well as canine animal model. The gene encoding a protein-G derived albumin binding domain (ABD) was fused to that of a chimeric polypeptide (CP), and the ABD-CP fusion was recombinantly synthesized by bacterial expression of the gene. Doxorubicin (DOX) was conjugated to the C-terminus of the ABD-CP fusion, and conjugation of multiple copies of the drug to one end of the ABD-CP triggered its self-assembly into ∼100 nm diameter spherical micelles. ABD-decorated micelles exhibited submicromolar binding affinity for albumin and also preserved their spherical morphology in the presence of albumin. In a murine model, albumin-binding micelles exhibited dose-independent pharmacokinetics, whereas naked micelles exhibited dose-dependent pharmacokinetics. In addition, in a canine model, albumin binding micelles resulted in a 3-fold increase in plasma half-life and 6-fold increase in plasma exposure as defined by the area under the curve (AUC) of the drug, compared with naked micelles. Furthermore, in a murine colon carcinoma model, albumin-binding nanoparticles demonstrated lower uptake by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) system organs, the liver and spleen, that are the main target organs of toxicity for nanoparticulate delivery systems and higher uptake by the tumor than naked micelles. The increased uptake by s.c. C26 colon carcinoma tumors in mice translated to a wider therapeutic window of doses ranging from 20 to 60 mg equivalent of DOX per kg body weight (mg DOX equiv·kg-1 BW) for albumin-binding ABD-CP-DOX micelles, as compared to naked micelles that were only effective at their maximum tolerated dose of 40 mg DOX equiv·kg-1 BW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Yousefpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Jonathan R. McDaniel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Varun Prasad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Lucie Ahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Rishi Subrahmanyan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Isaac Weitzhandler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Steven Suter
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
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Seijsing J, Sobieraj AM, Keller N, Shen Y, Zinkernagel AS, Loessner MJ, Schmelcher M. Improved Biodistribution and Extended Serum Half-Life of a Bacteriophage Endolysin by Albumin Binding Domain Fusion. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2927. [PMID: 30538696 PMCID: PMC6277698 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria intensifies the need to develop new antimicrobial agents. Endolysins are bacteriophage-derived enzymes that degrade the bacterial cell wall and hold promise as a new class of highly specific and versatile antimicrobials. One major limitation to the therapeutic use of endolysins is their often short serum circulation half-life, mostly due to kidney excretion and lysosomal degradation. One strategy to increase the half-life of protein drugs is fusion to the albumin-binding domain (ABD). By high-affinity binding to serum albumin, ABD creates a complex with large hydrodynamic volume, reducing kidney excretion and lysosomal degradation. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity and in vivo biodistribution and half-life of an engineered variant of the Staphylococcus aureus phage endolysin LysK. The ABD sequence was introduced at different positions within the enzyme, and lytic activity of each variant was determined in vitro and ex vivo in human serum. Half-life and biodistribution were assessed in vivo by intravenous injection of europium-labeled proteins into C57BL/6 wild-type mice. Our data demonstrates that fusion of the endolysin to ABD improves its serum circulation half-life and reduces its deposition in the kidneys in vivo. The most active construct reduced S. aureus counts in human serum ex vivo by 3 logs within 60 min. We conclude that ABD fusions provide an effective strategy to extend the half-life of antibacterial enzymes, supporting their therapeutic potential for treatment of systemic bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Seijsing
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna M Sobieraj
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Keller
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zürich - University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Annelies S Zinkernagel
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zürich - University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Schmelcher
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Zhang Y, Guo Z, Cao Z, Zhou W, Zhang Y, Chen Q, Lu Y, Chen X, Guo Q, Li C, Liang D, Sun T, Jiang C. Endogenous albumin-mediated delivery of redox-responsive paclitaxel-loaded micelles for targeted cancer therapy. Biomaterials 2018; 183:243-257. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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ABD-Derived Protein Blockers of Human IL-17 Receptor A as Non-IgG Alternatives for Modulation of IL-17-Dependent Pro-Inflammatory Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103089. [PMID: 30304852 PMCID: PMC6213189 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin 17 (IL-17) and its cognate receptor A (IL-17RA) play a crucial role in Th17 cells-mediated pro-inflammatory pathway and pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders including psoriasis. IL-17 is mainly produced by activated Th-17 helper cells upon stimulation by IL-23 and, via binding to its receptors, mediates IL-17-driven cell signaling in keratinocytes. Hyper-proliferation of keratinocytes belongs to major clinical manifestations in psoriasis. To modulate IL-17-mediated inflammatory cascade, we generated a unique collection of IL-17RA-targeting protein binders that prevent from binding of human IL-17A cytokine to its cell-surface receptor. To this goal, we used a highly complex combinatorial library derived from scaffold of albumin-binding domain (ABD) of streptococcal protein G, and ribosome display selection, to yield a collection of ABD-derived high-affinity ligands of human IL-17RA, called ARS binders. From 67 analyzed ABD variants, 7 different sequence families were identified. Representatives of these groups competed with human IL-17A for binding to recombinant IL-17RA receptor as well as to IL-17RA-Immunoglobulin G chimera, as tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Five ARS variants bound to IL-17RA-expressing THP-1 cells and blocked binding of human IL-17 cytokine to the cell surface, as tested by flow cytometry. Three variants exhibited high-affinity binding with a nanomolar Kd value to human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, as measured using Ligand Tracer Green Line. Upon IL-17-stimulated activation, ARS variants inhibited secretion of Gro-α (CXCL1) by normal human skin fibroblasts in vitro. Thus, we identified a novel class of inhibitory ligands that might serve as immunosuppressive IL-17RA-targeted non-IgG protein antagonists.
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Garaulet G, Lazcano JJ, Alarcón H, de Frutos S, Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Rodríguez A. Display of the Albumin-Binding Domain in the Envelope Improves Lentiviral Vector Bioavailability. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2018; 28:340-351. [PMID: 29160106 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2017.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSVg) is extensively used for retroviral and lentiviral vector (LV) pseudotyping. However, VSVg pseudotyped vectors are serum inactivated, blocking the in vivo gene delivery. Several strategies have been employed to prevent complement inactivation, including chemical and genetic envelope modifications. This study employed the streptococcal albumin-binding domain (ABD) to generate a construct to express ABD as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein. LV particles bearing ABD are able to bind bovine and human serum albumin in vitro. Neither the lentiviral vector production titer nor the in vitro transduction was affected by the ABD display. The study demonstrated that ABD-bearing LVs are protected from human complement inactivation. More importantly, intravenous administration demonstrated that the presence of ABD significantly reduces lentivector sequestration in liver and bone-marrow cells. Therefore, the use of ABD represents an improvement for in vivo gene therapy applications. The results strongly point to ABD display as a universal strategy to increase the in vivo efficacy of different viral vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Garaulet
- 1 Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid, E-28049 Spain
| | - Juan José Lazcano
- 2 Signaling and Inflammation Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) , Madrid, E-28029 Spain
| | - Hernán Alarcón
- 1 Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid, E-28049 Spain
| | - Sergio de Frutos
- 1 Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid, E-28049 Spain
| | | | - Antonio Rodríguez
- 1 Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid, E-28049 Spain
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p19-Targeting ILP Protein Blockers of IL-23/Th-17 Pro-Inflammatory Axis Displayed on Engineered Bacteria of Food Origin. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19071933. [PMID: 29966384 PMCID: PMC6073689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
IL-23-mediated Th-17 cell activation and stimulation of IL-17-driven pro-inflammatory axis has been associated with autoimmunity disorders such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or Crohn’s Disease (CD). Recently we developed a unique class of IL-23-specific protein blockers, called ILP binding proteins that inhibit binding of IL-23 to its cognate cell-surface receptor (IL-23R) and exhibit immunosuppressive effect on human primary blood leukocytes ex vivo. In this study, we aimed to generate a recombinant Lactococcus lactis strain which could serve as in vivo producer/secretor of IL-23 protein blockers into the gut. To achieve this goal, we introduced ILP030, ILP317 and ILP323 cDNA sequences into expression plasmid vector containing USP45 secretion signal, FLAG sequence consensus and LysM-containing cA surface anchor (AcmA) ensuring cell-surface peptidoglycan anchoring. We demonstrate that all ILP variants are expressed in L. lactis cells, efficiently transported and secreted from the cell and displayed on the bacterial surface. The binding function of AcmA-immobilized ILP proteins is documented by interaction with a recombinant p19 protein, alpha subunit of human IL-23, which was assembled in the form of a fusion with Thioredoxin A. ILP317 variant exhibits the best binding to the human IL-23 cytokine, as demonstrated for particular L.lactis-ILP recombinant variants by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). We conclude that novel recombinant ILP-secreting L. lactis strains were developed that might be useful for further in vivo studies of IL-23-mediated inflammation on animal model of experimentally-induced colitis.
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38
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Im H, Son S, Mitchell RJ, Ghim CM. Serum albumin and osmolality inhibit Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus predation in human serum. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5896. [PMID: 28725056 PMCID: PMC5517470 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the bactericidal activity of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, strain HD100, within blood sera against bacterial strains commonly associated with bacteremic infections, including E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella enterica. Tests show that B. bacteriovorus HD100 is not susceptible to serum complement or its bactericidal activity. After a two hour exposure to human sera, the prey populations decreased 15- to 7,300-fold due to the serum complement activity while, in contrast, the B. bacteriovorus HD100 population showed a loss of only 33%. Dot blot analyses showed that this is not due to the absence of antibodies against this predator. Predation in human serum was inhibited, though, by both the osmolality and serum albumin. The activity of B. bacteriovorus HD100 showed a sharp transition between 200 and 250 mOsm/kg, and was progressively reduced as the osmolality increased. Serum albumin also acted to inhibit predation by binding to and coating the predatory cells. This was confirmed via dot blot analyses and confocal microscopy. The results from both the osmolality and serum albumin tests were incorporated into a numerical model describing bacterial predation of pathogens. In conclusion, both of these factors inhibit predation and, as such, they limit its effectiveness against pathogenic prey located within sera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansol Im
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, 50 UNIST-gil Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmo Son
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, 50 UNIST-gil Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Robert J Mitchell
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, 50 UNIST-gil Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
| | - Cheol-Min Ghim
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, 50 UNIST-gil Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, 50 UNIST-gil Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
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39
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Cantante C, Lourenço S, Morais M, Leandro J, Gano L, Silva N, Leandro P, Serrano M, Henriques AO, Andre A, Cunha-Santos C, Fontes C, Correia JDG, Aires-da-Silva F, Goncalves J. Albumin-binding domain from Streptococcus zooepidemicus protein Zag as a novel strategy to improve the half-life of therapeutic proteins. J Biotechnol 2017; 253:23-33. [PMID: 28549690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant antibody fragments belong to the promising class of biopharmaceuticals with high potential for future therapeutic applications. However, due to their small size they are rapidly cleared from circulation. Binding to serum proteins can be an effective approach to improve pharmacokinetic properties of short half-life molecules. Herein, we have investigated the Zag albumin-binding domain (ABD) derived from Streptococcus zooepidemicus as a novel strategy to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic molecules. To validate our approach, the Zag ABD was fused with an anti-TNFα single-domain antibody (sdAb). Our results demonstrated that the sdAb-Zag fusion protein was highly expressed and specifically recognizes human, rat and mouse serum albumins with affinities in the nanomolar range. Moreover, data also demonstrated that the sdAb activity against the therapeutic target (TNFα) was not affected when fused with Zag ABD. Importantly, the Zag ABD increased the sdAb half-life ∼39-fold (47min for sdAb versus 31h for sdAb-Zag). These findings demonstrate that the Zag ABD fusion is a promising approach to increase the half-life of small recombinant antibodies molecules without affecting their therapeutic efficacy. Moreover, the present study strongly suggests that the Zag ABD fusion strategy can be potentially used as a universal method to improve the pharmokinetics properties of many others therapeutics proteins and peptides in order to improve their dosing schedule and clinical effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátia Cantante
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Maurício Morais
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - João Leandro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lurdes Gano
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - Nuno Silva
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paula Leandro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (ITQB), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Adriano O Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (ITQB), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Andre
- CIISA-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa,1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina Cunha-Santos
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos Fontes
- CIISA-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa,1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João D G Correia
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - Frederico Aires-da-Silva
- Technophage, SA, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; CIISA-Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa,1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Joao Goncalves
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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40
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Rojas LA, Condezo GN, Moreno R, Fajardo CA, Arias-Badia M, San Martín C, Alemany R. Albumin-binding adenoviruses circumvent pre-existing neutralizing antibodies upon systemic delivery. J Control Release 2016; 237:78-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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41
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Song C, Wang Q, Xue T, Wang Y, Chen G. Molecular dynamics simulations on the conformational transitions from the G A 98 (G A 88) to G B 98 (G B 88) proteins. J Mol Recognit 2016; 29:580-595. [PMID: 27480925 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We performed conventional and targeted molecular dynamics simulations to address the dynamic transition mechanisms of the conformational transitions from the GA 98 protein with only 1 mutation of Leu45Tyr to GB 98 and from the GA 88 protein with 7 mutations of Gly24Ala, Ile25Thr, Ile30Phe, Ile33Tyr, Leu45Tyr, Ile49Thr, and Leu50Lys to GB 88. The results show that the conformational transition mechanism from the mutated 3α GA 98 (GA 88) state to the α+4β GB 98 (GB 88) state via several intermediate conformations involves the bending of loops at the N and C termini firstly, the unfolding of αA and αC, then the traversing of αB, and the formation of the 4β layer with the conversion of the hydrophobic core. The bending of loops at the N and C termini and the formation of the crucial transition conformation with the full unfolded structure are key factors in their transition processes. The communication of the interaction network, the bending directions of loops, and the traversing site of αB in the transition of GA 98 to GB 98 are markedly different from those in GA 88 to GB 88 because of the different mutated residues. The analysis of the correlations and the calculated mass center distances between some segments further supported their conformational transition mechanisms. These results could help people to better understand the Paracelsus challenge. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunnian Song
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Wang
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tuo Xue
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Guangju Chen
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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42
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Maly J, Stanek O, Frolik J, Maly M, Ennen F, Appelhans D, Semeradtova A, Wrobel D, Stofik M, Knapova T, Kuchar M, Stastna LC, Cermak J, Sebo P, Maly P. Biocompatible Size-Defined Dendrimer-Albumin Binding Protein Hybrid Materials as a Versatile Platform for Biomedical Applications. Macromol Biosci 2016; 16:553-66. [PMID: 26748571 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201500332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
For the design of a biohybrid structure as a ligand-tailored drug delivery system (DDS), it is highly sophisticated to fabricate a DDS based on smoothly controllable conjugation steps. This article reports on the synthesis and the characterization of biohybrid conjugates based on noncovalent conjugation between a multivalent biotinylated and PEGylated poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimer and a tetrameric streptavidin-small protein binding scaffold. This protein binding scaffold (SA-ABDwt) possesses nM affinity toward human serum albumin (HSA). Thus, well-defined biohybrid structures, finalized by binding of one or two HSA molecules, are available at each conjugation step in a controlled molar ratio. Overall, these biohybrid assemblies can be used for (i) a controlled modification of dendrimers with the HSA molecules to increase their blood-circulation half-life and passive accumulation in tumor; (ii) rendering dendrimers a specific affinity to various ligands based on mutated ABD domain, thus replacing tedious dendrimer-antibody covalent coupling and purification procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Maly
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Stanek
- Institute of Biotechnology CAS, v. v. i, Pru˚myslová 595, Vestec, ,252 42, Jesenice u Prahy, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Frolik
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Maly
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Franka Ennen
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Straße 6, D-01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dietmar Appelhans
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Straße 6, D-01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alena Semeradtova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Dominika Wrobel
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Marcel Stofik
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Knapova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J.E. Purkinje, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Kuchar
- Institute of Biotechnology CAS, v. v. i, Pru˚myslová 595, Vestec, ,252 42, Jesenice u Prahy, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Cervenkova Stastna
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals CAS, v. v. i, Rozvojová 135, 165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Cermak
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals CAS, v. v. i, Rozvojová 135, 165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Sebo
- Institute of Microbiology CAS, v. v. i, Vídeˇnská 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Maly
- Institute of Biotechnology CAS, v. v. i, Pru˚myslová 595, Vestec, ,252 42, Jesenice u Prahy, Czech Republic
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43
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Jacobs SA, Gibbs AC, Conk M, Yi F, Maguire D, Kane C, O'Neil KT. Fusion to a highly stable consensus albumin binding domain allows for tunable pharmacokinetics. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:385-93. [PMID: 26275855 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of classes of proteins have been engineered for high stability using consensus sequence design methods. Here we describe the engineering of a novel albumin binding domain (ABD) three-helix bundle protein. The resulting engineered ABD molecule, called ABDCon, is expressed at high levels in the soluble fraction of Escherichia coli and is highly stable, with a melting temperature of 81.5°C. ABDCon binds human, monkey and mouse serum albumins with affinity as high as 61 pM. The solution structure of ABDCon is consistent with the three-helix bundle design and epitope mapping studies enabled a precise definition of the albumin binding interface. Fusion of a 10 kDa scaffold protein to ABDCon results in a long terminal half-life of 60 h in mice and 182 h in cynomolgus monkeys. To explore the link between albumin affinity and in vivo exposure, mutations were designed at the albumin binding interface of ABDCon yielding variants that span an 11 000-fold range in affinity. The PK properties of five such variants were determined in mice in order to demonstrate the tunable nature of serum half-life, exposure and clearance with variations in albumin binding affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Jacobs
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Alan C Gibbs
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Michelle Conk
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Fang Yi
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Diane Maguire
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Colleen Kane
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Karyn T O'Neil
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
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44
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Lindgren J, Eriksson Karlström A. Intramolecular thioether crosslinking of therapeutic proteins to increase proteolytic stability. Chembiochem 2014; 15:2132-8. [PMID: 25204725 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201400002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Protein-based pharmaceuticals typically display high selectivity and low toxicity, but are also characterized by low oral availability, mainly because of enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and poor permeability across the intestinal wall. One way to increase the proteolytic stability of peptides and proteins is by intramolecular crosslinking, such as the introduction of disulfide bridges. However, disulfide bridges are at risk of thiol-disulfide exchange or reduction during production, purification, and/or therapeutic use, whereas thioether bridges are expected to be stable under the same conditions. In this study, thioether crosslinking was investigated for a 46 aa albumin-binding domain (ABD) derived from streptococcal protein G. ABD binds with high affinity to human serum albumin (HSA) and has been proposed as a fusion partner to increase the in vivo half-lives of therapeutic proteins. In the study, five ABD variants with single or double intramolecular thioether bridges were designed and synthesized. The binding affinity, secondary structure, and thermal stability of each protein was investigated by SPR-based biosensor analysis and CD spectroscopy. The proteolytic stability in the presence of the major intestinal proteases pepsin (found in the stomach) and trypsin in combination with chymotrypsin (found in pancreatin secreted to the duodenum by the pancreas) was also investigated. The most promising crosslinked variant, ABD_CL1, showed high thermal stability, retained high affinity in binding to HSA, and showed dramatically increased stability in the presence of pepsin and trypsin/chymotrypsin, compared to the ABD reference protein. This suggests that the intramolecular thioether crosslinking strategy can be used to increase the stability towards gastrointestinal enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Lindgren
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Division of Protein Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm (Sweden)
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45
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Levy OE, Jodka CM, Ren SS, Mamedova L, Sharma A, Samant M, D’Souza LJ, Soares CJ, Yuskin DR, Jin LJ, Parkes DG, Tatarkiewicz K, Ghosh SS. Novel exenatide analogs with peptidic albumin binding domains: potent anti-diabetic agents with extended duration of action. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87704. [PMID: 24503632 PMCID: PMC3913652 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The design, synthesis and pharmacology of novel long-acting exenatide analogs for the treatment of metabolic diseases are described. These molecules display enhanced pharmacokinetic profile and potent glucoregulatory and weight lowering actions compared to native exenatide. [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABD is an 88 residue peptide amide incorporating an Albumin Binding Domain (ABD) scaffold. [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABP is a 53 residue peptide incorporating a short Albumin Binding Peptide (ABP). [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABD and [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABP exhibited nanomolar functional GLP-1 receptor potency and were metabolically stable in vitro in human plasma and in a pancreatic digestive enzyme mixture. Both molecules displayed picomolar and nanomolar binding association with albumin across multiple species and circulating half lives of 16 and 11 hours, respectively, post a single IV dose in rats. Unlike exenatide, both molecules elicited robust glucose lowering when injected 1 day prior to an oral glucose tolerance test, indicative of their extended duration of action. [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABD was compared to exenatide in a Lep (ob/ob) mouse model of diabetes. Twice-weekly subcutaneously dosed [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABD displayed superior glucose lowering and weight loss in diabetic mice when compared to continuously infused exenatide at the same total weekly dose. A single oral administration of each molecule via an enteric coated capsule to cynomolgus monkeys showed superior pharmacokinetics for [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABD as compared to [Leu(14)]exenatide-ABP with detectable exposure longer than 14 days. These studies support the potential use of these novel long acting exenatide analogs with different routes of administration for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odile E. Levy
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Carolyn M. Jodka
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Shijun Steven Ren
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Lala Mamedova
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Abhinandini Sharma
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Manoj Samant
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | | | - Diane R. Yuskin
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Li Jenny Jin
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - David G. Parkes
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Soumitra S. Ghosh
- Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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46
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Nilvebrant J, Astrand M, Hober S. An orthogonal fusion tag for efficient protein purification. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1129:205-210. [PMID: 24648079 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-977-2_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Protein fusion tags are important tools in research when robust methods for protein purification and detection are required. In this chapter we present an efficient method for stringent protein purification. A small domain, denoted ABDz1, with affinity for both human serum albumin and Protein A has been developed. The purification tag is based on an albumin-binding domain from Streptococcal Protein G that was engineered to bind Protein A. The ABDz1-tag can be fused to any protein of choice and the purification can be performed using standard laboratory equipment. In this chapter a method for purification of ABDz1-tagged proteins using two successive affinity purification steps is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Nilvebrant
- Division of Proteomics, School of Biotechnology, KTH/AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden
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47
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Kuchař M, Vaňková L, Petroková H, Cerný J, Osička R, Pelák O, Sípová H, Schneider B, Homola J, Sebo P, Kalina T, Malý P. Human interleukin-23 receptor antagonists derived from an albumin-binding domain scaffold inhibit IL-23-dependent ex vivo expansion of IL-17-producing T-cells. Proteins 2013; 82:975-89. [PMID: 24549990 PMCID: PMC4285857 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Revised: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Engineered combinatorial libraries derived from small protein scaffolds represent a powerful tool for generating novel binders with high affinity, required specificity and designed inhibitory function. This work was aimed to generate a collection of recombinant binders of human interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R), which is a key element of proinflammatory IL-23-mediated signaling. A library of variants derived from the three-helix bundle scaffold of the albumin-binding domain (ABD) of streptococcal protein G and ribosome display were used to select for high-affinity binders of recombinant extracellular IL-23R. A collection of 34 IL-23R-binding proteins (called REX binders), corresponding to 18 different sequence variants, was used to identify a group of ligands that inhibited binding of the recombinant p19 subunit of IL-23, or the biologically active human IL-23 cytokine, to the recombinant IL-23R or soluble IL-23R-IgG chimera. The strongest competitors for IL-23R binding in ELISA were confirmed to recognize human IL-23R-IgG in surface plasmon resonance experiments, estimating the binding affinity in the sub- to nanomolar range. We further demonstrated that several REX variants bind to human leukemic cell lines K-562, THP-1 and Jurkat, and this binding correlated with IL-23R cell-surface expression. The REX125, REX009 and REX128 variants competed with the p19 protein for binding to THP-1 cells. Moreover, the presence of REX125, REX009 and REX115 variants significantly inhibited the IL-23-driven expansion of IL-17-producing primary human CD4+ T-cells. Thus, we conclude that unique IL-23R antagonists derived from the ABD scaffold were generated that might be useful in designing novel anti-inflammatory biologicals. Proteins 2014; 82:975–989.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Kuchař
- Laboratory of Ligand Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
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Mikulecký P, Černý J, Biedermannová L, Petroková H, Kuchař M, Vondrášek J, Malý P, Šebo P, Schneider B. Increasing affinity of interferon-γ receptor 1 to interferon-γ by computer-aided design. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:752514. [PMID: 24199198 PMCID: PMC3807708 DOI: 10.1155/2013/752514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We describe a computer-based protocol to design protein mutations increasing binding affinity between ligand and its receptor. The method was applied to mutate interferon-γ receptor 1 (IFN-γ-Rx) to increase its affinity to natural ligand IFN-γ, protein important for innate immunity. We analyzed all four available crystal structures of the IFN-γ-Rx/IFN-γ complex to identify 40 receptor residues forming the interface with IFN-γ. For these 40 residues, we performed computational mutation analysis by substituting each of the interface receptor residues by the remaining standard amino acids. The corresponding changes of the free energy were calculated by a protocol consisting of FoldX and molecular dynamics calculations. Based on the computed changes of the free energy and on sequence conservation criteria obtained by the analysis of 32 receptor sequences from 19 different species, we selected 14 receptor variants predicted to increase the receptor affinity to IFN-γ. These variants were expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, and their affinities to IFN-γ were determined experimentally by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The SPR measurements showed that the simple computational protocol succeeded in finding two receptor variants with affinity to IFN-γ increased about fivefold compared to the wild-type receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Mikulecký
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Černý
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lada Biedermannová
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Petroková
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Kuchař
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Vondrášek
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Malý
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Šebo
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Bohdan Schneider
- Institute of Biotechnology AS CR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
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49
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Nilvebrant J, Åstrand M, Löfblom J, Hober S. Development and characterization of small bispecific albumin-binding domains with high affinity for ErbB3. Cell Mol Life Sci 2013; 70:3973-85. [PMID: 23728098 PMCID: PMC11113916 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Affinity proteins based on small scaffolds are currently emerging as alternatives to antibodies for therapy. Similarly to antibodies, they can be engineered to have high affinity for specific proteins. A potential problem with small proteins and peptides is their short in vivo circulation time, which might limit the therapeutic efficacy. To circumvent this issue, we have engineered bispecificity into an albumin-binding domain (ABD) derived from streptococcal Protein G. The inherent albumin binding was preserved while the opposite side of the molecule was randomized for selection of high-affinity binders. Here we present novel ABD variants with the ability to bind to the epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (ErbB3). Isolated candidates were shown to have an extraordinary thermal stability and affinity for ErbB3 in the nanomolar range. Importantly, they were also shown to retain their affinity to albumin, hence demonstrating that the intended strategy to engineer bispecific single-domain proteins against a tumor-associated receptor was successful. Moreover, competition assays revealed that the new binders could block the natural ligand Neuregulin-1 from binding to ErbB3, indicating a potential anti-proliferative effect. These new binders thus represent promising candidates for further development into ErbB3-signaling inhibitors, where the albumin interaction could result in prolonged in vivo half-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Nilvebrant
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikael Åstrand
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Löfblom
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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50
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Nilvebrant J, Hober S. The albumin-binding domain as a scaffold for protein engineering. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2013; 6:e201303009. [PMID: 24688717 PMCID: PMC3962080 DOI: 10.5936/csbj.201303009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The albumin-binding domain is a small, three-helical protein domain found in various surface proteins expressed by gram-positive bacteria. Albumin binding is important in bacterial pathogenesis and several homologous domains have been identified. Such albumin-binding regions have been used for protein purification or immobilization. Moreover, improvement of the pharmacokinetics, through the non-covalent association to albumin, by fusing such domains to therapeutic proteins has been shown to be successful. Domains derived from streptococcal protein G and protein PAB from Finegoldia magna, which share a common origin and therefore represent an interesting evolutionary system, have been thoroughly studied structurally and functionally. Their albumin-binding sites have been mapped and these domains form the basis for a wide range of protein engineering approaches. By substitution-mutagenesis they have been engineered to achieve a broader specificity, an increased stability or an improved binding affinity, respectively. Furthermore, novel binding sites have been incorporated either by replacing the original albumin-binding surface, or by complementing it with a novel interaction interface. Combinatorial protein libraries, where several residues have been randomized simultaneously, have generated a large number of new variants with desired binding characteristics. The albumin-binding domain has also been utilized to explore the relationship between three-dimensional structure and amino acid sequence. Proteins with latent structural information built into their sequence, where a single amino acid substitution shifts the equilibrium in favor of a different fold with a new function, have been designed. Altogether, these examples illustrate the versatility of the albumin-binding domain as a scaffold for protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Nilvebrant
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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