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Lin P, Qian J, Huang CC, Xu WM, Wang YY, Gao ZR, Zheng SQ, Wang P, Jia DQ, Feng Q, Yang JL. RGD-p21Ras-scFv expressed prokaryotically on a pilot scale inhibits ras-driven colorectal cancer growth by blocking p21Ras-GTP. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:71. [PMID: 38216883 PMCID: PMC10787443 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11686-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ras gene mutation and/or overexpression are drivers in the progression of cancers, including colorectal cancer. Blocking the Ras signaling has become a significant strategy for cancer therapy. Previously, we constructed a recombinant scFv, RGD-p21Ras-scFv by linking RGD membrane-penetrating peptide gene with the anti-p21Ras scFv gene. Here, we expressed prokaryotically RGD-p21Ras-scFv on a pilot scale, then investigated the anti-tumor effect and the mechanism of blocking Ras signaling. METHODS The E. coli bacteria which could highly express RGD-p21Ras-scFv was screened and grown in 100 L fermentation tank to produce RGD-p21Ras-scFv on optimized induced expression conditions. The scFv was purified from E. coli bacteria using His Ni-NTA column. ELISA was adopted to test the immunoreactivity of RGD-p21Ras-scFv against p21Ras proteins, and the IC50 of RGD-p21Ras-scFv was analyzed by CCK-8. Immunofluorescence colocalization and pull-down assays were used to determine the localization and binding between RGD-p21Ras-scFv and p21Ras. The interaction forces between RGD-p21Ras-scFv and p21Ras after binding were analyzed by molecular docking, and the stability after binding was determined by molecular dynamics simulations. p21Ras-GTP interaction was detected by Ras pull-down. Changes in the MEK-ERK /PI3K-AKT signaling paths downstream of Ras were detected by WB assays. The anti-tumor activity of RGD-p21Ras-scFv was investigated by nude mouse xenograft models. RESULTS The technique of RGD-p21Ras-scFv expression on a pilot scale was established. The wet weight of the harvested bacteria was 31.064 g/L, and 31.6 mg RGD-p21Ras-scFv was obtained from 1 L of bacterial medium. The purity of the recombinant antibody was above 85%, we found that the prepared on a pilot scale RGD-p21Ras-scFv could penetrate the cell membrane of colon cancer cells and bind to p21Ras, then led to reduce of p21Ras-GTP (active p21Ras). The phosphorylation of downstream effectors MEK-ERK /PI3K-AKT was downregulated. In vivo antitumor activity assays showed that the RGD-p21Ras-scFv inhibited the proliferation of colorectal cancer cell lines. CONCLUSION RGD-p21Ras-scFv prokaryotic expressed on pilot-scale could inhibited Ras-driven colorectal cancer growth by partially blocking p21Ras-GTP and might be able to be a hidden therapeutic antibody for treating RAS-driven tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lin
- Medical school, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Jing Qian
- Medical school, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
- Faculty of Life science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Huang
- Medical school, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Mang Xu
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Wang
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Zi-Ran Gao
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Shi-Qi Zheng
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
- The Graduate School, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
| | - Da-Qi Jia
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China
- The Graduate School, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Feng
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China.
| | - Ju-Lun Yang
- Department of Pathology, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, 212 Daguan Rd, Kunming, 650032, P.R. China.
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Sahagun DA, Lopuszynski JB, Feldman KS, Pogodzinski N, Zahid M. Toxicity Studies of Cardiac-Targeting Peptide Reveal a Robust Safety Profile. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:73. [PMID: 38258084 PMCID: PMC10818749 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010073] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of therapeutics specifically to cardiomyocytes would open up new frontiers for common conditions like heart failure. Our prior work using a phage display methodology identified a 12-amino-acid-long peptide that selectively targets cardiomyocytes after an intravenous injection in as little as 5 min and was hence termed a cardiac-targeting peptide (CTP: APHLSSQYSRT). CTP has been used to deliver imaging agents, small drug molecules, photosensitizing nanoparticles, exosomes, and even miRNA to cardiomyocytes. As a natural extension to the development of CTP as a clinically viable cardiac vector, we now present toxicity studies performed with the peptide. In vitro viability studies were performed in a human left ventricular myocyte cell line with 10 µM of Cyanine-5.5-labeled CTP (CTP-Cy5.5). In vitro ion channel profiles were completed for CTP followed by extensive studies in stably transfected cell lines for several GPCR-coupled receptors. Positive data for GPCR-coupled receptors were interrogated further with RT-qPCRs performed on mouse heart tissue. In vivo studies consisted of pre- and post-blood pressure monitoring acutely after a single CTP (10 mg/Kg) injection. Further in vivo toxicity studies consisted of injecting CTP (150 µg/Kg) in 60, 6-week-old, wild-type CD1, male/female mice (1:1), with cohorts of mice euthanized on days 0, 1, 2, 7, and 14 with inhalational CO2, followed by blood collection via cardiac puncture, complete blood count analysis, metabolic profiling, and finally, liver, renal, and thyroid studies. Lastly, mouse cardiac MRI was performed immediately before and after CTP (150 µg/Kg) injection to assess changes in cardiac size or function. Human left ventricular cardiomyocytes showed no decrease in viability after a 30 min incubation with CTP-Cy5.5. No significant activation or inhibition of any of seventy-eight protein channels was observed other than OPRM1 and COX2 at the highest tested concentration, neither of which were expressed in mouse heart tissue as assessed using RT-qPCR. CTP (10 mg/Kg) injections led to no change in blood pressure. Blood counts and chemistries showed no evidence of significant hematological, hepatic, or renal toxicities. Lastly, there was no difference in cardiac function, size, or mass acutely in response to CTP injections. Our studies with CTP showed no activation or inhibition of GPCR-associated receptors in vitro. We found no signals indicative of toxicity in vivo. Most importantly, cardiac functions remained unchanged acutely in response to CTP uptake. Further studies using good laboratory practices are needed with prolonged, chronic administration of CTP conjugated to a specific cargo of choice before human studies can be contemplated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella A. Sahagun
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.A.S.); (J.B.L.)
| | - Jack B. Lopuszynski
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.A.S.); (J.B.L.)
| | - Kyle S. Feldman
- Clinical Virology Laboratory, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT 06511, USA;
| | - Nicholas Pogodzinski
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA;
| | - Maliha Zahid
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.A.S.); (J.B.L.)
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Polinário G, Primo LMDG, Rosa MABC, Dett FHM, Barbugli PA, Roque-Borda CA, Pavan FR. Antimicrobial peptides as drugs with double response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfections in lung cancer. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1183247. [PMID: 37342560 PMCID: PMC10277934 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1183247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis and lung cancer are, in many cases, correlated diseases that can be confused because they have similar symptoms. Many meta-analyses have proven that there is a greater chance of developing lung cancer in patients who have active pulmonary tuberculosis. It is, therefore, important to monitor the patient for a long time after recovery and search for combined therapies that can treat both diseases, as well as face the great problem of drug resistance. Peptides are molecules derived from the breakdown of proteins, and the membranolytic class is already being studied. It has been proposed that these molecules destabilize cellular homeostasis, performing a dual antimicrobial and anticancer function and offering several possibilities of adaptation for adequate delivery and action. In this review, we focus on two important reason for the use of multifunctional peptides or peptides, namely the double activity and no harmful effects on humans. We review some of the main antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory bioactive peptides and highlight four that have anti-tuberculosis and anti-cancer activity, which may contribute to obtaining drugs with this dual functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Polinário
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Paula Aboud Barbugli
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Fernando Rogério Pavan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
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Rodríguez-Nava C, Ortuño-Pineda C, Illades-Aguiar B, Flores-Alfaro E, Leyva-Vázquez MA, Parra-Rojas I, Del Moral-Hernández O, Vences-Velázquez A, Cortés-Sarabia K, Alarcón-Romero LDC. Mechanisms of Action and Limitations of Monoclonal Antibodies and Single Chain Fragment Variable (scFv) in the Treatment of Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1610. [PMID: 37371712 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies are among the most effective tools for detecting tumor-associated antigens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved more than 36 therapeutic antibodies for developing novel alternative therapies that have significant success rates in fighting cancer. However, some functional limitations have been described, such as their access to solid tumors and low interaction with the immune system. Single-chain variable fragments (scFv) are versatile and easy to produce, and being an attractive tool for use in immunotherapy models. The small size of scFv can be advantageous for treatment due to its short half-life and other characteristics related to the structural and functional aspects of the antibodies. Therefore, the main objective of this review was to describe the current situation regarding the mechanisms of action, applications, and limitations of monoclonal antibodies and scFv in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Rodríguez-Nava
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Citopatología e Histoquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunobiología y Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Carlos Ortuño-Pineda
- Laboratorio de Proteínas y Ácidos Nucleicos, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Berenice Illades-Aguiar
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Biomedicina Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Eugenia Flores-Alfaro
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica y Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Marco Antonio Leyva-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Biomedicina Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Isela Parra-Rojas
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Obesidad y Diabetes, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | | | - Amalia Vences-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunobiología y Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Karen Cortés-Sarabia
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunobiología y Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
| | - Luz Del Carmen Alarcón-Romero
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Citopatología e Histoquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo de los Bravo 39070, Mexico
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Zhang R, Pei P, Wang Y, Guo Q, Luo SZ, Chen L. A single-chain variable fragment-anticancer lytic peptide (scFv-ACLP) fusion protein for targeted cancer treatment. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 101:1406-1415. [PMID: 36862057 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14223] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-directed drugs for targeted cancer treatment have become a hot topic in new anticancer drug development; however, antibody-fused therapeutic peptides were rarely documented. Herein, we designed a fusion protein with a cetuximab-derived single-chain variable fragment targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR scFv) and the anticancer lytic peptide (ACLP) ZXR2, connected by a linker (G4 S)3 and MMP2 cleavage site. The anti-EGFR scFv-ZXR2 recombinant protein showed specific anticancer activity on EGFR-overexpressed cancer cell lines in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, as it can bind to EGFR on cancer cell surfaces. This fusion protein caused cell membrane lysis as ZXR2, and showed improved stability in serum compared with ZXR2. These results suggest that scFv-ACLP fusion proteins may be potential anticancer drug candidates for targeted cancer treatment, which also provide a feasible idea for targeted drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Pengfei Pei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Quanqiang Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shi-Zhong Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Long Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
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Jia D, Li L, Wang P, Feng Q, Pan X, Lin P, Song S, Yang L, Yang J. ZNF24 regulates the progression of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma by promoting SLC7A5 translation. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1043177. [PMID: 36505791 PMCID: PMC9727282 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1043177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Clinical treatment of RAS mutant cancers is challenging because of the complexity of the Ras signaling pathway. SLC7A5 is a newly discovered downstream gene of the Ras signaling pathway, but the regulatory mechanism is unclear. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism and role in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma progression. Methods Key gene that regulated SLC7A5 in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma was screened by RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The effect of this gene on the expression of SLC7A5 was studied by RNAi. The regulatory mechanism between the two genes was investigated by immunofluorescence, CoIP, pulldown and yeast two-hybrid assays. The location of the two genes was determined by inhibiting Ras and the downstream pathways PI3K-AKT and MEK-ERK. By in vivo and in vitro experiments, the effects of the key gene on the biological functions of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma were explored. Results We found a novel gene, ZNF24, which upregulated SLC7A5 protein expression rather than mRNA expression in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Endogenous protein interactions occurred between ZNF24 and SLC7A5. Ras inhibition reduced the expression of ZNF24 and SLC7A5. ZNF24 and SLC7A5 are located downstream of the MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT pathways. In vivo and in vitro functional experiments confirmed that the ZNF24-SLC7A5 signaling axis promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusions ZNF24 promoted the growth of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma by upregulating SLC7A5 protein expression, which suggested that ZNF24 is a new biomarker of KRAS mutant tumors and could be a new potential therapeutic target for Ras-driven tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daqi Jia
- Department of Pathology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China,Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Leilei Li
- Department of Pathology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China,Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiang Feng
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xinyan Pan
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Peng Lin
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shuling Song
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lilin Yang
- Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Julun Yang
- Department of Pathology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China,Department of Pathology, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Kunming, Yunnan, China,*Correspondence: Julun Yang,
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Lou H, Cao X. Antibody variable region engineering for improving cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2022; 42:804-827. [PMID: 35822503 PMCID: PMC9456695 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy and specificity of conventional monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs in the clinic require further improvement. Currently, the development and application of novel antibody formats for improving cancer immunotherapy have attracted much attention. Variable region-retaining antibody fragments, such as antigen-binding fragment (Fab), single-chain variable fragment (scFv), bispecific antibody, and bi/trispecific cell engagers, are engineered with humanization, multivalent antibody construction, affinity optimization and antibody masking for targeting tumor cells and killer cells to improve antibody-based therapy potency, efficacy and specificity. In this review, we summarize the application of antibody variable region engineering and discuss the future direction of antibody engineering for improving cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hantao Lou
- Ludwig Institute of Cancer ResearchUniversity of OxfordOxfordOX3 7DRUK
- Chinese Academy for Medical Sciences Oxford InstituteNuffield Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordOX3 7FZUK
| | - Xuetao Cao
- Chinese Academy for Medical Sciences Oxford InstituteNuffield Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordOX3 7FZUK
- Department of ImmunologyCentre for Immunotherapy, Institute of Basic Medical SciencesChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijing100005P. R. China
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