1
|
Ge S, Dias ACP, Zhang X. Chimerism of avian IgY-scFv and truncated IgG-Fc: A novel strategy in cross-species antibody generation and enhancement. Immunology 2024; 172:46-60. [PMID: 38247105 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13752] [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: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Chicken single-chain fragment variable (IgY-scFv) is a functional fragment and an emerging development in genetically engineered antibodies with a wide range of biomedical applications. However, scFvs have considerably shorter serum half-life due to the absence of antibody Fc region compared with the full-length antibody, and usually requires continuous intravenous administration for efficacy. A promising approach to overcome this limitation is to fuse scFv with immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc region, for better recognition and mediation by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in the host. In this study, engineered mammalian ΔFc domains (CH2, CH3, and intact Fc region) were fused with anti-canine parvovirus-like particles avian IgY-scFv to produce chimeric antibodies and expressed in the HEK293 cell expression system. The obtained scFv-CH2, scFv-CH3, and scFv-Fc can bind with antigen specifically and dose-dependently. Surface plasmon resonance investigation confirmed that scFv-CH2, scFv-CH3, and scFv-Fc had different degrees of binding to FcRn, with scFv-Fc showing the highest affinity. scFv-Fc had a significantly longer half-life in mice compared with the unfused scFv. The identified ΔFcs are promising for the development of engineered Fc-based therapeutic antibodies and proteins with longer half-lives. The avian IgY-scFv-mammalian IgG Fc region opens up new avenues for antibody engineering, and it is a novel strategy to enhance the rapid development and screening of functional antibodies in veterinary and human medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shikun Ge
- Department of Biology, Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, China
| | - Alberto Carlos Pires Dias
- Department of Biology, Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- Department of Biology, Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Meng P, Wei Y, Liang M, Yuan W, Zhu L, Sun J, Huang J, Zhu J. Fusion with CTP increases the stability of recombinant neuritin. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 212:106344. [PMID: 37567400 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Neuritin is a vital neurotrophin that plays an essential role in recovery from nerve injury and neurodegenerative diseases and may become a new target for treating these conditions. However, improving neuritin protein stability is an urgent problem. In this study, to obtain active and stable neuritin proteins, we added a carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) sequence containing four O-linked glycosylation sites to the C-terminus of neuritin and cloned it into the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) expression system. The neuritin-CTP protein was purified using a His-Tag purification strategy after G418 screening of stable high-expression cell lines. Ultimately, we obtained neuritin-CTP protein with a purity >90%. Functional analyses showed that the purified neuritin-CTP protein promoted the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells, and stability experiments showed that neuritin stability was increased by adding CTP. These results indicate that neuritin protein-CTP fusion effectively increases stability without affecting secretion and activity. This study offers a sound strategy for improving the stability of neuritin protein and provides material conditions for further study of the function of neuritin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Meng
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Yu Wei
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Mengjie Liang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hospital of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps/Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Shihezi University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 832000, China
| | - Wumei Yuan
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Liyan Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Jiawei Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Jin Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China.
| | - Jingling Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic & Ethnic Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sudo R, Kawakami Y, Nomura K, Tanaka H, Kazeto Y. Production of recombinant Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) growth hormones and their effects on early-stage larvae. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 317:113977. [PMID: 35065055 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.113977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone (Gh) regulates somatic growth in fishes, particularly through the Gh - insulin-like growth factor-I (Igf-I) axis. In this study, recombinant Japanese eel Ghs with or without C-terminal peptides of human chorionic gonadotropin (CTP), which are known to prolong the half-life, were produced using the HEK 293 and CHO expression system. The effect of recombinant Gh administration to eel larvae on their somatic growth was investigated in short-term feeding experiments, and it was found that three types of recombinant Ghs with CTP (CTP-reGh, reGh-CTP and reGh-CTP × 2) were more effective in promoting somatic growth in eel larvae than recombinant Ghs without CTP. Among the three recombinant Ghs with CTP, reGh-CTP × 2 had the highest growth-promoting effects, however only when provided in the short term. After long-term administration of reGh-CTP × 2, there was no difference in growth between the Gh administrated group and the control group. The survival rate of eel larvae were not affected by recombinant Ghs. In addition, the mRNA expression of gh, Gh receptors, Igf-I and IGF-II were measured by quantitative real-time PCR, and significant reductions in the expression of gh, Gh receptors and Igf-I were observed. These findings provide useful tools to study the mechanisms of somatic growth and increase understanding of Gh regulation in anguillid eel larvae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryusuke Sudo
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Minamiizu Field Station, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minamiizu, Kamo, Shizuoka 415-0156, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kawakami
- Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories Ltd, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima 891-1394, Japan; Fisheries Technology Institute, Nansei Field Station, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minamiise, Mie 516-0193, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Nomura
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Nansei Field Station, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minamiise, Mie 516-0193, Japan
| | - Hideki Tanaka
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Nansei Field Station, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minamiise, Mie 516-0193, Japan; Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University, Uragami, Wakayama 649-5145, Japan
| | - Yukinori Kazeto
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Minamiizu Field Station, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minamiizu, Kamo, Shizuoka 415-0156, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Long-Lasting Growth Hormone Regulated by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126268. [PMID: 34200910 PMCID: PMC8230561 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To increase the half-life of growth hormones, we proposed its long-lasting regulation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). We identified lysine residues (K67, K141, and K166) that are involved in the ubiquitination of human growth hormone (hGH) using ubiquitination site prediction programs to validate the ubiquitination sites, and then substituted these lysine residues with arginine residues. We identified the most effective substituent (K141R) to prevent ubiquitination and named it AUT-hGH. hGH was expressed and purified in the form of hGH-His, and ubiquitination was first verified at sites containing K141 in the blood stream. Through the study, we propose that AUT-hGH with an increased half-life could be used as a long-lasting hGH in the blood stream.
Collapse
|
5
|
McMahon LM, Stewart WW, Cuthill L. Human chorionic gonadotrophin assays to monitor GTD. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2021; 74:109-121. [PMID: 34074603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Hydatidiform mole (HM) occurs in 1:500-1000 pregnancies and are generally characterised as a benign proliferative disorder of chorionic villous trophoblast. HM belongs to the group of disorders, collectively known as gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), which include invasive mole, choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumour and epitheloid trophoblastic tumour. Patients with HM are at increased risk of developing these malignant forms and hence accurate diagnosis is very important for monitoring persistent diseases and informing correct patient management. In this review, we describe the current model for HM follow-up in the UK, with special emphasis on the in-house human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) radioimmunoassay (RIA) currently employed for monitoring women in our programme. We briefly discuss the structure, function and significance of hCG monitoring in GTD and the limitations and benefits of the current assays used for measuring oncology hCG. In particular, we describe the preliminary work evaluating a replacement antibody for the current gold-standard UK-RIA method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley M McMahon
- Hydatidiform Mole Follow-Up Service (HMFUS), Ninewells Hospital and Medical Teaching School, Dundee, Scotland, DD1 9SY, UK.
| | - Wilson W Stewart
- Hydatidiform Mole Follow-Up Service (HMFUS), Ninewells Hospital and Medical Teaching School, Dundee, Scotland, DD1 9SY, UK
| | - Lyndsey Cuthill
- Hydatidiform Mole Follow-Up Service (HMFUS), Ninewells Hospital and Medical Teaching School, Dundee, Scotland, DD1 9SY, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ottolenghi A, Bolel P, Sarkar R, Greenshpan Y, Iraqi M, Ghosh S, Bhattacharya B, Taylor ZV, Kundu K, Radinsky O, Gazit R, Stepensky D, Apte RN, Voronov E, Porgador A. Life-extended glycosylated IL-2 promotes Treg induction and suppression of autoimmunity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7676. [PMID: 33828163 PMCID: PMC8027413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87102-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IL-2 is the master-regulator cytokine for T cell dependent responses and is crucial for proliferation and survival of T cells. However, IL-2-based treatments remained marginal, in part due to short half-life. Thus, we aimed to extend IL-2 half-life by flanking the IL-2 core with sequences derived from the extensively glycosylated hinge region of the NCR2 receptor. We termed this modified IL-2: "S2A". Importantly, S2A blood half-life was extended 14-fold compared to the clinical grade IL-2, Proleukin. Low doses inoculation of S2A significantly enhanced induction of Tregs (CD4+ Regulatory T cells) in vivo, as compared to Proleukin, while both S2A and Proleukin induced low levels of CD8+ T cells. In a B16 metastatic melanoma model, S2A treatment was unable to reduce the metastatic capacity of B16 melanoma, while enhancing induction and recruitment of Tregs, compared to Proleukin. Conversely, in two autoimmune models, rheumatoid arthritis and DSS-induced colitis, S2A treatment significantly reduced the progression of disease compared to Proleukin. Our results suggest new avenues for generating long-acting IL-2 for long-standing treatment and a new technique for manipulating short-life proteins for clinical and research uses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aner Ottolenghi
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Priyanka Bolel
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Rhitajit Sarkar
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Yariv Greenshpan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Muhammed Iraqi
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Susmita Ghosh
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Baisali Bhattacharya
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Zoe V Taylor
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Kiran Kundu
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Olga Radinsky
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Roi Gazit
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - David Stepensky
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ron N Apte
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Elena Voronov
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Angel Porgador
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sales MDLM, Kratje R, Oggero M, Ceaglio N. Bifunctional GM-CSF-derived peptides as tools for O-glycoengineering and protein tagging. J Biotechnol 2020; 327:18-27. [PMID: 33387593 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Rapid development of effective biotherapeutics has been a concern during the last couple decades. In our work we designed two novel peptide tags, GMOP and mGMOP, derived from the N-terminal region of human granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF), which contain four and six potential O-glycosylation sites, respectively. These peptide tags were fused to the N-terminus of human interferon-α2b (hIFN-α2b), a therapeutic antiviral and antiproliferative protein rapidly cleared from circulation. Two new molecules were obtained which, consistently with the presence of O-glycans, showed higher molecular masses, more negatively charged isoforms, and higher sialic acid content compared to wild-type IFN. In vitro bioactivity of purified chimeras revealed a similar antiviral specific biological activity (SBA) compared to unmodified IFN. A reduction of antiproliferative SBA was only observed for mGMOP-IFN. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed a notable improvement in terminal half-life (t1/2elim) (3.3 and 2.8 times-longer) and a marked reduction of the apparent clearance (CLapp, 3.7 and 4.1-fold lower for GMOP-IFN and mGMOP-IFN in comparison with native IFN, respectively). Furthermore, the in vitro thermal and plasma stability of both proteins was improved. Finally, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes an N-terminal GM-CSF epitope was able to bind both chimeras in western blots and ELISAs. This demonstrates the potential of both peptides to behave as bifunctional tags to create novel long-acting biotherapeutics and to facilitate detection and purification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María de Los Milagros Sales
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168, Km 472.4, C.C. 242, S3000ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Kratje
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168, Km 472.4, C.C. 242, S3000ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marcos Oggero
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168, Km 472.4, C.C. 242, S3000ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Natalia Ceaglio
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168, Km 472.4, C.C. 242, S3000ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tan H, Su W, Zhang W, Wang P, Sattler M, Zou P. Recent Advances in Half-life Extension Strategies for Therapeutic Peptides and Proteins. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 24:4932-4946. [PMID: 30727869 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190206105232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Peptides and proteins are two classes of molecules with attractive possibilities for therapeutic applications. However, the bottleneck for the therapeutic application of many peptides and proteins is their short halflives in vivo, typically just a few minutes to hours. Half-life extension strategies have been extensively studied and many of them have been proven to be effective in the generation of long-acting therapeutics with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in half-life extension strategies, illustrate their potential applications and give some examples, highlighting the strategies that have been used in approved drugs and for drugs in clinical trials. Meanwhile, several novel strategies that are still in the process of discovery or at a preclinical stage are also introduced. In these strategies, the two most frequently used half-life extension methods are the reduction in the rate of renal clearance or the exploitation of the recycling mechanism of FcRn by binding to the albumin or IgG-Fc. Here, we discuss half-life extension strategies of recombinant therapeutic protein via genetic fusion, rather than chemical conjugation such as PEGylation. With the rapid development of genetic engineering and protein engineering, novel strategies for half-life extension have been emerged consistently. Some of these will be evaluated in clinical trials and may become viable alternatives to current strategies for making next-generation biodrugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huanbo Tan
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Wencheng Su
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Pengju Wang
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Michael Sattler
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Peijian Zou
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gugliotta A, Ceaglio N, Kratje R, Oggero M. Effect of ANITVNITV peptide fusion on the bioactivity and pharmacokinetics of human IFN-α2b and a hyper-N-glycosylated variant. J Biotechnol 2019; 303:46-52. [PMID: 31336133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Different strategies have been developed and successfully applied to biotherapeutics in order to improve their in vivo efficacy. The genetic fusion to natural or synthetic glycosylated peptides constitutes a promising strategy since it conserves the protein sequence and results in the improvement of the pharmacokinetic properties. The ANITVNITV peptide described by Perlmann and coworkers presents 9 amino acids and 2 potential N-glycosylation sites. Its fusion to FSH resulted in the increase of the molecular mass and negative charge of the protein. Consequently, the pharmacokinetics was considerably improved. The aim of the present study was to compare the influence of ANITVNITV peptide fusion on the physicochemical, biological and pharmacokinetic properties of native hIFN-α2b (IFNwt), which contains a single O-glycosylation site, and a hyperglycosylated variant (IFN4N), that bears, in addition, 4 N-linked glycans. The resulting molecules, IFNwtNter and IFN4NNter, evidenced a higher molecular mass and negative charge compared to IFNwt and IFN4N, respectively. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic properties of the new molecules were significantly improved. The molecules obtained by the synthetic peptide fusion strategy evidenced a decrease in their in vitro antiviral specific biological activities (SBA). However, in vitro antiproliferative SBA was differentially modified for IFNwtNter and IFN4NNter in comparison with the parental molecules. For IFNwtNter, a reduction in the antiproliferative SBA was also observed. Remarkably, the addition of the ANITVNITV peptide to the N-terminus of IFN4N had a positive impact on its growth-inhibitory activity. This feature together with its improved pharmacokinetics encourages the development of IFN4NNter as an IFN-α based biobetter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Gugliotta
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168 - Km 472.4 - C.C. 242 - (S3000ZAA) Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Natalia Ceaglio
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168 - Km 472.4 - C.C. 242 - (S3000ZAA) Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Kratje
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168 - Km 472.4 - C.C. 242 - (S3000ZAA) Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marcos Oggero
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB (School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences), CBL (Biotechnological Center of Litoral), Ciudad Universitaria, Ruta Nacional 168 - Km 472.4 - C.C. 242 - (S3000ZAA) Santa Fe, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Iyengar ARS, Gupta S, Jawalekar S, Pande AH. Protein Chimerization: A New Frontier for Engineering Protein Therapeutics with Improved Pharmacokinetics. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2019; 370:703-714. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.257063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
|
11
|
Yuan WM, Zhang R, Zhang Q, Ma FL, Wang C, Wang YZ, Zeng Y, Zheng LS. The generation and biological activity of a long-lasting recombinant human interferon-λ1. Protein Eng Des Sel 2019; 31:355-360. [PMID: 30496575 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzy029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The previously generated recombinant human (rh) interferon (IFN)-λ1 protein has a short half-life, and this feature makes it challenging to conduct studies on potential clinical applications for rhIFN-λ1. In an attempt to overcome this difficulty, we constructed a 'long-life' version of rhIFN-λ1. This modified rhIFN-λ1, named rhIFN-λ1-CTPON, has a human chorionic gonadotropin β subunit carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) and an N-glycosylation sequence linked to its C-terminus. We confirmed the sequence of rhIFN-λ1-CTPON by mass spectrometry and then measured its biological activities. The results show that rhIFN-λ1-CTPON had antiviral activity and anti-proliferation activity in vitro that were similar to those of rhIFN-λ1 and that it similarly promoted natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Notably, the in vivo half-life of rhIFN-λ1-CTPON was determined to be 3-fold higher than that of rhIFN-λ1. We also assessed the anti-hepatitis B virus activity of rhIFN-λ1-CTPON; it was able to inhibit the production of the antigens HBs-Ag and HBe-Ag and induce antiviral gene expression. In conclusion, rhIFN-λ1-CTPON has a longer half-life than rhIFN-λ1 and has similar biological activities, so rhIFN-λ1-CTPON is an appropriate substitute for rhIFN-λ1 in the further study of potential clinical applications for rhIFN- λ1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Mei Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory for Medical Virology, National Health Commission, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Medical Teaching Experiment Center, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Medical Virology, National Health Commission, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
| | - Fen-Lian Ma
- Key Laboratory for Medical Virology, National Health Commission, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Key Laboratory for Medical Virology, National Health Commission, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Zi Wang
- Medical Teaching Experiment Center, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Li-Shu Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Medical Virology, National Health Commission, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fares F, Azzam N. Development of long-acting recombinant glycoprotein hormones by increasing the carbohydrate content. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:1017-1022. [PMID: 30711574 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic recombinant glycoproteins are important for both the biotechnological industry and clinical purposes. Given the rapid clearance of these proteins from the circulation, they have to be injected frequently to obtain optimal therapy. Several strategies have been developed to overcome this limitation, aiming to increase the half-life of such proteins in the circulation. These strategies included chemical attachment of polyethylene glycol, nanocapsulation, fusion to immunoglobulins or to albumin as protein carriers, or enrichment of the carbohydrate content. Here, we describe a strategy for increasing the half-life of recombinant proteins using gene fusion to increase the carbohydrate content of the protein backbone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuad Fares
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
| | - Naiel Azzam
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; Migal-Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Dubeykovskaya ZA, Duddempudi PK, Deng H, Valenti G, Cuti KL, Nagar K, Tailor Y, Guha C, Kitajewski J, Wang TC. Therapeutic potential of adenovirus-mediated TFF2-CTP-Flag peptide for treatment of colorectal cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 2018; 26:48-57. [PMID: 30042499 PMCID: PMC6760534 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-018-0036-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
TFF2 is a small, secreted protein with anti-inflammatory properties. We previously have shown that TFF2 gene delivery via adenovirus (Ad-Tff2) suppresses colon tumor growth in colitis associated cancer. Therefore, systemic administration of TFF2 peptide could potentially provide a similar benefit. Because TFF2 shows a poor pharmacokinetic, we sought to modify the TFF2 peptide in a manner that would lower its clearance rate but retain bioactivity. Given the absence of a sequence-based prediction of TFF2 functionality, we chose to genetically fuse the C-terminus of TFF2 with the carboxyl-terminal peptide of human chorionic gonadotropin β subunit, and inserted into adenoviral vector that expresses Flag. The resulting Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag construct translates into a TFF2 fused with two CTP and three Flag motifs. Administered Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag decreased tumorigenesis and suppressed the expansion of myeloid cells in vivo. The fusion peptide TFF2-CTP-Flag delivered by adenovirus Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag as well purified recombinant fusion TFF2-CTP-Flag was retained in the blood longer compared with wild-type TFF2 delivered by Ad-Tff2 or recombinant TFF2. Consistently, purified recombinant fusion TFF2-CTP-Flag suppressed expansion of myeloid cells by down-regulating cyclin D1 mRNA in vitro. Here, we demonstrate for the very first time the retained bioactivity and possible pharmacokinetic advantages of TFF2 with a modified C-terminus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zinaida A Dubeykovskaya
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Phaneendra Kumar Duddempudi
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461-1602, USA
| | - Huan Deng
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giovanni Valenti
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Krystle L Cuti
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karan Nagar
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yagnesh Tailor
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chandan Guha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jan Kitajewski
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 835S. Wolcott Ave. E-202, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Timothy C Wang
- Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ben-Menahem D. Preparation, characterization and application of long-acting FSH analogs for assisted reproduction. Theriogenology 2018; 112:11-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
15
|
Gugliotta A, Ceaglio N, Etcheverrigaray M, Kratje R, Oggero M. Strategies to Develop Therapeutic N- and O-Hyperglycosylated Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1674:163-181. [PMID: 28921436 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7312-5_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Glycoengineering by N- and/or O-hyperglycosylation represents a procedure to introduce potential sites for adding N- and/or O-glycosyl structures to proteins with the aim of producing biotherapeutics with improved pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. In this chapter, a detailed description of the steps routinely performed to generate new proteins having high content of N- and/or O-glycosyl moieties is carried out. The rational strategy involves the initial stage of designing N- and/or O-hyperglycosylated muteins to be expressed by mammalian cells and includes the upstream and downstream processing stages necessary to develop hyperglycosylated versions of the proteins of interest with the purpose of beginning the long road toward producing biobetters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Gugliotta
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Cell Culture Laboratory, Ciudad Universitaria UNL-C.C. 242, (S3000ZAA), Santa Fe, Pcia. de Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Natalia Ceaglio
- CONICET, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marina Etcheverrigaray
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Cell Culture Laboratory, Ciudad Universitaria UNL-C.C. 242, (S3000ZAA), Santa Fe, Pcia. de Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Kratje
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Cell Culture Laboratory, Ciudad Universitaria UNL-C.C. 242, (S3000ZAA), Santa Fe, Pcia. de Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marcos Oggero
- UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Cell Culture Laboratory, Ciudad Universitaria UNL-C.C. 242, (S3000ZAA), Santa Fe, Pcia. de Santa Fe, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Peyvandi F, Garagiola I, Biguzzi E. Advances in the treatment of bleeding disorders. J Thromb Haemost 2016; 14:2095-2106. [PMID: 27590165 DOI: 10.1111/jth.13491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the bleeding episodes in subjects with coagulation disorders were treated with substitution therapy, initially with whole blood and fresh frozen plasma, and more recently with specific factor concentrate. Currently, patients with hemophilia have the possibility of choosing different effective and safe treatments, including novel extended half-life and alternative hemostatic drugs. The availability of novel extended half-life products could probably overcome current prophylaxis limitations, particularly in hemophilia B patients, by reducing the frequency of injections, achieving a higher trough level, and improving the quality of life of the patients. In addition, subcutaneous administration of alternative therapeutics would simplify prophylaxis in patients with hemophilia A and B with and without inhibitors. Regarding von Willebrand disease, a recombinant von Willebrand factor was recently developed to control bleeding episodes in patients with this disease, in addition to available von Willebrand factor/factor VIII concentrates. The management of patients affected by rare bleeding disorders (RBDs) is still a challenge, owing to the limited number of specific products, which are mainly available only in countries with high resources. Some improvements have recently been achieved by the production of new recombinant factor (F) XIII A subunit-derived and FX plasma-derived products for the treatment of patients affected by FXIII and FX deficiency. In addition, the development of novel alternative therapeutics, such as anti-tissue factor pathway inhibitor, ALN-AT3, and ACE910, for patients with hemophilia might also have a role in the treatment of patients affected by RBDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Peyvandi
- Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Luigi Villa Foundation, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - I Garagiola
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - E Biguzzi
- Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Luigi Villa Foundation, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Many of the biotherapeutics approved or under development suffer from a short half-life necessitating frequent applications in order to maintain a therapeutic concentration over an extended period of time. The implementation of half-life extension strategies allows the generation of long-lasting therapeutics with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. AREAS COVERED This review gives an overview of the different half-life extension strategies developed over the past years and their application to generate next-generation biotherapeutics. It focuses on srategies already used in approved drugs and drugs that are in clinical development. These strategies include those aimed at increasing the hydrodynamic radius of the biotherapeutic and strategies which further implement recycling by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). EXPERT OPINION Half-life extension strategies have become an integral part of development for many biotherapeutics. A diverse set of these strategies is available for the fine-tuning of half-life and adaption to the intended treatment modality and disease. Currently, half-life extension is dominated by strategies utilizing albumin binding or fusion, fusion to an immunoglobulin Fc region and PEGylation. However, a variety of alternative strategies, such as fusion of flexible polypeptide chains as PEG mimetic substitute, have reached advanced stages and offer further alternatives for half-life extension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roland E Kontermann
- a Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology , University of Stuttgart , Stuttgart , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Production of a therapeutic protein by fusing it with two fragments of the carboxyl-terminal peptide of human chorionic gonadotropin β-subunit in Pichia pastoris. Biotechnol Lett 2016; 38:801-7. [PMID: 26830094 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-016-2038-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To produce a therapeutic protein (endostatin) by fusion with two fragments of the carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) of the human chorionic gonadotropin β-subunit in Pichia pastoris. RESULTS Two CTP sequences were fused to the C-terminal of human endostatin, and the fusion protein (endo-CTP) was expressed by P. pastoris. Endo-CTP inhibited proliferation of endothelial cells with an IC50 of 7 μg ml(-1), and 30 % of cells were annexin V-positive after treatment with 20 μg endo-CTP ml(-1) for 48 h. Migration of endothelial cells was inhibited by endo-CTP in a concentration-dependent manner. The half-life of endo-CTP in Sprague-Dawley rats was much longer than that of its commercial counterpart (Endostar). CONCLUSION A long-acting endostatin can be produced using CTP technology.
Collapse
|
19
|
Ceaglio N, Gugliotta A, Tardivo MB, Cravero D, Etcheverrigaray M, Kratje R, Oggero M. Improvement of in vitro stability and pharmacokinetics of hIFN-α by fusing the carboxyl-terminal peptide of hCG β-subunit. J Biotechnol 2016; 221:13-24. [PMID: 26806490 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Improving in vivo half-life and in vitro stability of protein-based therapeutics is a current challenge for the biopharmaceutical industry. In particular, recombinant human interferon alpha-2b (rhIFN-α2b), which belongs to a group of cytokines extensively used for the treatment of viral diseases and cancers, shows a poor stability in solution and an extremely short plasma half-life which determines a strict therapeutic regimen comprising high and repeated doses. In this work, we have used a strategy based on the fusion of the carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) β-subunit, bearing four O-linked oligosaccharide recognition sites, to each or both N- and C-terminal ends of rhIFN-α2b. Molecules containing from 5 (CTP-IFN and IFN-CTP) to 9 (CTP-IFN-CTP) O-glycosylation sites were efficiently expressed and secreted to CHO cells supernatants, and exhibited antiviral and antiproliferative bioactivities in vitro. Significant improvements in pharmacokinetics in rats were achieved through this approach, since the doubly CTP-modified IFN variant showed a 10-fold longer elimination half-life and a 19-fold decreased plasma apparent clearance compared to the wild-type cytokine. Moreover, CTP-IFN-CTP demonstrated a significant increase in in vitro thermal resistance and a higher stability against plasma protease inactivation, both features attributed to the stabilizing effects of the O-glycans provided by the CTP moiety. These results constitute the first report that postulates CTP as a tag for improving both the in vitro and in vivo stability of rhIFN-α2b which, in turn, would positively influence its in vivo bioactivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ceaglio
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Agustina Gugliotta
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | | - Dianela Cravero
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marina Etcheverrigaray
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Kratje
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marcos Oggero
- Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje "El Pozo", C.C. 242, S3000ZAA Santa Fe, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hershkovitz O, Bar-Ilan A, Guy R, Felikman Y, Moschcovich L, Hwa V, Rosenfeld RG, Fima E, Hart G. In Vitro and in Vivo Characterization of MOD-4023, a Long-Acting Carboxy-Terminal Peptide (CTP)-Modified Human Growth Hormone. Mol Pharm 2016; 13:631-9. [PMID: 26713839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.5b00868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
MOD-4023 is a novel long-acting version of human growth hormone (hGH), containing the carboxy-terminal peptide (CTP) of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). MOD-4023 is being developed as a treatment for adults and children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), which would require fewer injections than currently available GH formulations and thus reduce patient discomfort and increase compliance. This study characterizes MOD-4023's binding affinities for the growth hormone receptor, as well as the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics, toxicology, and safety profiles of repeated dosing of MOD-4023 in Sprague-Dawley rats and Rhesus monkeys. Although MOD-4023 exhibited reduced in vitro potency and lower affinity to the GH receptor than recombinant hGH (rhGH), administration of MOD-4023 every 5 days in rats and monkeys resulted in exposure comparable to daily rhGH, and the serum half-life of MOD-4023 was significantly longer. Repeated administration of MOD-4023 led to elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and twice-weekly injections of MOD-4023 resulted in larger increase in weight gain with fewer injections and a lower accumulative hGH dose. Thus, the increased half-life of MOD-4023 in comparison to hGH may increase the frequency of protein-receptor interactions and compensate for its decreased in vitro potency. MOD-4023 was found to be well-tolerated in rats and monkeys, with minimal adverse events, suggesting an acceptable safety profile. These results provide a basis for the continued clinical development of MOD-4023 as a novel treatment of GHD in children and adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rachel Guy
- OPKO Biologics , Nes Ziona 7414002, Israel
| | | | | | - Vivian Hwa
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Center for Growth Disorders, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Ron G Rosenfeld
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University , Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Eyal Fima
- OPKO Biologics , Nes Ziona 7414002, Israel
| | - Gili Hart
- OPKO Biologics , Nes Ziona 7414002, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Høybye C, Cohen P, Hoffman AR, Ross R, Biller BMK, Christiansen JS. Status of long-acting-growth hormone preparations--2015. Growth Horm IGF Res 2015; 25:201-206. [PMID: 26187188 DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2015.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) treatment has been an established therapy for GH deficiency (GHD) in children and adults for more than three decades. Numerous studies have shown that GH treatment improves height, body composition, bone density, cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness and quality of life and that the treatment has few side effects. Initially GH was given as intramuscular injections three times per week, but daily subcutaneous injections were shown to be more effective and less inconvenient and the daily administration has been used since its introduction in the 1980s. However, despite ongoing improvements in injection device design, daily subcutaneous injections remain inconvenient, painful and distressing for many patients, leading to noncompliance, reduced efficacy and increased health care costs. To address these issues a variety of long-acting formulations of GH have been developed. In this review we present the current status of long-acting GH preparations and discuss the specific issues related to their development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Høybye
- Department of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of molecular medicine and surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Pinchas Cohen
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, CA, USA
| | - Andrew R Hoffman
- Department of Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System and Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Richard Ross
- Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
The purpose of making a "biobetter" biologic is to improve on the salient characteristics of a known biologic for which there is, minimally, clinical proof of concept or, maximally, marketed product data. There already are several examples in which second-generation or biobetter biologics have been generated by improving the pharmacokinetic properties of an innovative drug, including Neulasta(®) [a PEGylated, longer-half-life version of Neupogen(®) (filgrastim)] and Aranesp(®) [a longer-half-life version of Epogen(®) (epoetin-α)]. This review describes the use of protein fusion technologies such as Fc fusion proteins, fusion to human serum albumin, fusion to carboxy-terminal peptide, and other polypeptide fusion approaches to make biobetter drugs with more desirable pharmacokinetic profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William R Strohl
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, LLC, Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, SH31-21757, 1400 Welsh and McKean Roads, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Asraf H, Amsterdam A, Ben-Menahem D. Modulation of the steroidogenic related activity according to the design of single-chain bovine FSH analogs. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 216:171-81. [PMID: 25863346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Single-chain (SC) gonadotropins have been genetically engineered to increase the repertoire of analogs for potential use in humans and domestic animals. The major aim of the current study was to examine the steroidogenic related activity of SC FSH analogs carrying structural differences. To address this issue, we designed and expressed three SC bovine FSH analogs in CHO cells: (i) FSHβα in which the tethered subunit domains are linked in tandem; (ii) FSHβCTPα that contains the carboxy terminal peptide (CTP) of the human choriogonadotropin (hCG) β subunit as a spacer, and (iii) FSHβboCTPα in which the linker is derived from a CTP-like sequence (boCTP) decoded from the bovine LHβ DNA. The data suggested that the secretion efficiency of these variants from the transfected cells was unaffected by the presence or absence of the CTP linker, N-glycans were attached to the analogs and the hCGβ-CTP domain in the FSHβCTPα variant was O-glycosylated. In a rat immortalized granulosa cell bioassay the potency of the three variants towards progesterone secretion varied. In immature mice, the analogs increased the ovary weight and induced StAR, Cyp11a (P450scc), Cyp17 (P450c17) and Cyp19 (P450aromatase) transcripts. However, the dose dependence and amplitude of these transcript levels differed in response to FSHβα, FSHβboCTPα and FSHβCTPα. Collectively, these data suggest that the design of the FSH analog can modulate the bioactivity in vitro and in vivo. A systematic analysis of receptor activation with ligands carrying structural differences may identify new regulatory factor/s involved in the pleiotropic FSH activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hila Asraf
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Abraham Amsterdam
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - David Ben-Menahem
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Höybye C, Christiansen JS. Growth hormone replacement in adults - current standards and new perspectives. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2015; 29:115-23. [PMID: 25617177 DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in adults is an established clinical syndrome characterised by adverse body composition with more body fat than lean body mass, unfavourable blood lipids, decreased physical fitness and poor quality of life. No specific biomarker for GHD exists and the sometimes difficult diagnosis should be made in accordance with, established guidelines. Measurements of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is often not sufficient for the diagnosis and stimulation tests of the GH reserve are required. After diagnosis of GHD, treatment with GH should be initiated with a low dose, and gradually increased aiming at obtaining an IGF-I level within the upper part of the normal range for age matched healthy controls. Most side effects are mild and transient and attenuated by gradual dose increments. Numerous studies have shown that GH treatment can improve body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, physical capacity and quality of life. However, studies on effects beyond 5 years are few and despite encouraging preliminary reports the ultimate endpoint demonstrating that GH treatment has beneficial effects on mortality, cardiovascular events and fractures without an increase in cancer incidence remain to be solidly demonstrated and studies to resolve these issues are awaited. Trials with long acting GH formulations are ongoing and available data indicate similar effects on outcome measures compared to the effects of daily injections. This review will give an overview of clinically relevant issues of GHD including advice for management of these patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Höybye
- Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
|
27
|
Schwendeman SP, Shah RB, Bailey BA, Schwendeman AS. Injectable controlled release depots for large molecules. J Control Release 2014; 190:240-53. [PMID: 24929039 PMCID: PMC4261190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Biodegradable, injectable depot formulations for long-term controlled drug release have improved therapy for a number of drug molecules and led to over a dozen highly successful pharmaceutical products. Until now, success has been limited to several small molecules and peptides, although remarkable improvements have been accomplished in some of these cases. For example, twice-a-year depot injections with leuprolide are available compared to the once-a-day injection of the solution dosage form. Injectable depots are typically prepared by encapsulation of the drug in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), a polymer that is used in children every day as a resorbable suture material, and therefore, highly biocompatible. PLGAs remain today as one of the few "real world" biodegradable synthetic biomaterials used in US FDA-approved parenteral long-acting-release (LAR) products. Despite their success, there remain critical barriers to the more widespread use of PLGA LARproducts, particularly for delivery of more peptides and other large molecular drugs, namely proteins. In this review, we describe key concepts in the development of injectable PLGA controlled-release depots for peptides and proteins, and then use this information to identify key issues impeding greater widespread use of PLGA depots for this class of drugs. Finally, we examine important approaches, particularly those developed in our research laboratory, toward overcoming these barriers to advance commercial LAR development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven P Schwendeman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Biointerfaces Institute, North Campus Research Complex, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Biointerfaces Institute, North Campus Research Complex, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ronak B Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Biointerfaces Institute, North Campus Research Complex, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brittany A Bailey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Biointerfaces Institute, North Campus Research Complex, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Anna S Schwendeman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Biointerfaces Institute, North Campus Research Complex, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gabay R, Rozen S, Samokovlisky A, Amor Y, Rosenfeld R, Kohen F, Amsterdam A, Berger P, Ben-Menahem D. The role of the 3' region of mammalian gonadotropin β subunit gene in the luteinizing hormone to chorionic gonadotropin evolution. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2014; 382:781-90. [PMID: 24239648 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
CGβ subunits comprise a unique carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) that has multiple O-linked glycans and extends serum half-life of the protein. It has evolved by incorporating a previously untranslated region of the LHβ gene into the reading frame. Although CTP-like sequences are encrypted in the LHβ genes of several mammals, the CGβ subunit developed only in primates and equids. To study this restriction in evolution, we examined whether the cryptic CTP decoded from the bovine LHβ gene (boCTP) possesses key characteristics of the human (h) CGβ-CTP. The boCTP does not impede several crucial aspects of hormone biosynthesis, but compared to the hCGβ-CTP, the stretch lacks O-glycans and determinants for circulatory survival. O-glycan deficiency and the associated incapacity to extend serum half-life is a major drawback of the boCTP. This may explain why LH did not evolve into CG in ruminants and consequently alternative mechanisms evolved to delay luteolysis early in gestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reut Gabay
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Shelly Rozen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Fortune Kohen
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Abraham Amsterdam
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Peter Berger
- Endocrinology Unit, Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Ben-Menahem
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Höybye
- Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Yuen KCJ, Conway GS, Popovic V, Merriam GR, Bailey T, Hamrahian AH, Biller BMK, Kipnes M, Moore JA, Humphriss E, Bright GM, Cleland JL. A long-acting human growth hormone with delayed clearance (VRS-317): results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose study in growth hormone-deficient adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013; 98:2595-603. [PMID: 23585663 PMCID: PMC3667252 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2013-1437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Administration of daily recombinant human GH (rhGH) poses a considerable challenge to patient compliance. Reduced dosing frequency may improve treatment adherence and potentially overall treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVES This study assessed the safety and tolerability and the potential for achieving IGF-I levels within the target range in adults with GH deficiency after a single dose of the long-acting rhGH analog, VRS-317. DESIGN This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose study. PATIENTS Fifty adults with growth hormone deficiency (mean age, 45 years) were studied in 5 treatment groups of 10 subjects each (8 active drug and 2 placebo). SETTING The study was conducted in 17 adult endocrinology centers in North America and Europe. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Adverse events, laboratory safety assessments, and VRS-317 pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (IGF-I and IGF binding protein-3) were analyzed. RESULTS At 0.80 mg/kg, VRS-317 had a mean terminal elimination half-life of 131 hours. Single VRS-317 doses of 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, and 0.80 mg/kg (approximately equivalent to daily rhGH doses of 0.3-5.0 μg/kg over 30 d) safely increased the amplitude and duration of IGF-I responses in a dose-dependent manner. After a single 0.80 mg/kg dose, serum IGF-I was maintained in the normal range between -1.5 and 1.5 SD values for a mean of 3 weeks. No unexpected or serious adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS The elimination half-life for VRS-317 is 30- to 60-fold longer and stimulates more durable IGF-I responses than previously studied rhGH products. Prolonged IGF-I responses do not come at the expense of overexposure to high IGF-I levels. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics combined with the observed safety profile indicate the potential for safe and effective monthly dosing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C J Yuen
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Kim ES, Jang DS, Yang SY, Lee MN, Jin KS, Cha HJ, Kim JK, Sung YC, Choi KY. Controlled release of human growth hormone fused with a human hybrid Fc fragment through a nanoporous polymer membrane. NANOSCALE 2013; 5:4262-4269. [PMID: 23546513 DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00474k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Nanotechnology has been applied to the development of more effective and compatible drug delivery systems for therapeutic proteins. Human growth hormone (hGH) was fused with a hybrid Fc fragment containing partial Fc domains of human IgD and IgG4 to produce a long-acting fusion protein. The fusion protein, hGH-hyFc, resulted in the increase of the hydrodynamic diameter (ca. 11 nm) compared with the diameter (ca. 5 nm) of the recombinant hGH. A diblock copolymer membrane with nanopores (average diameter of 14.3 nm) exhibited a constant release rate of hGH-hyFc. The hGH-hyFc protein released in a controlled manner for one month was found to trigger the phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) in human B lymphocyte and to exhibit an almost identical circular dichroism spectrum to that of the original hGH-hyFc, suggesting that the released fusion protein should maintain the functional and structural integrity of hGH. Thus, the nanoporous release device could be a potential delivery system for the long-term controlled release of therapeutic proteins fused with the hybrid Fc fragment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eung-Sam Kim
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Korea
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Biological Insights into Therapeutic Protein Modifications throughout Trafficking and Their Biopharmaceutical Applications. Int J Cell Biol 2013; 2013:273086. [PMID: 23690780 PMCID: PMC3652174 DOI: 10.1155/2013/273086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the lifespan of therapeutic proteins, from the point of biosynthesis to the complete clearance from tested subjects, they undergo various biological modifications. Therapeutic influences and molecular mechanisms of these modifications have been well appreciated for some while remained less understood for many. This paper has classified these modifications into multiple categories, according to their processing locations and enzymatic involvement during the trafficking events. It also focuses on the underlying mechanisms and structural-functional relationship between modifications and therapeutic properties. In addition, recent advances in protein engineering, cell line engineering, and process engineering, by exploring these complex cellular processes, are discussed and summarized, for improving functional characteristics and attributes of protein-based biopharmaceutical products.
Collapse
|
33
|
Azzam N, Bar-Shalom R, Fares F. Conversion of TSH heterodimer to a single polypeptide chain increases bioactivity and longevity. Endocrinology 2012; 153:954-60. [PMID: 22234466 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-1856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
TSH is a dimeric glycoprotein hormone composed of a common α-subunit noncovalently linked to a hormone-specific β-subunit. Previously, the TSH heterodimer was successfully converted to an active single-chain hormone by genetically fusing α and β genes with [TSHβ- carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP)-α] or without (TSHβ-α) the CTP of human chorionic gonadotropin β-subunit as a linker. In the present study, TSH variants were expressed in Chinese hamster ovarian cells. The results indicated that TSHβ-α single chain has the highest binding affinity to TSH receptor and the highest in vitro bioactivity. With regard to the in vivo bioactivity, all TSH variants increased the levels of T(4) in circulation after 2 and 4 h of treatment. However, the level of T(4) after treatment with TSH-wild type was significantly decreased after 6 and 8 h, compared with the levels after treatment with the other TSH variants. TSHβ-α and TSHβ-CTP-α single chains exhibited almost the same bioactivity after 8 h of treatment. Evaluating the half-life of TSH variants, TSHβ-CTP-α single chain revealed the longest half-life in circulation, whereas TSH-wild type exhibited the shortest serum half-life. These findings indicate that TSH single-chain variants with or without CTP as a linker may display conformational structures that increase binding affinity and serum half-life, thereby, suggesting novel attitudes for engineering and constructing superagonists of TSH, which may be used for treating different conditions of defected thyroid gland activity. Other prominent potential clinical use of these variants is in a diagnostic test for metastasis and recurrence of thyroid cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naiel Azzam
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31095, Israel
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Bielohuby M, Schaab M, Kummann M, Sawitzky M, Gebhardt R, Binder G, Frystyk J, Bjerre M, Hoeflich A, Kratzsch J, Bidlingmaier M. Serum IGF-I is not a reliable pharmacodynamic marker of exogenous growth hormone activity in mice. Endocrinology 2011; 152:4764-76. [PMID: 21971154 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-1432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Serum IGF-I is a well-established pharmacodynamic marker of GH administration in humans and has been used for this purpose in animal studies. However, its general suitability in wild-type laboratory mice has not been demonstrated. Here we show that treatment with recombinant human GH (rhGH) in four different strains of laboratory mice increases body weight, lean body mass, and liver weight but does not increase hepatic expression and release of IGF-I. In contrast and as expected, hypophysectomized rats show a rapid increase in serum IGF-I after rhGH administration. The lack of IGF-I up-regulation in mice occurs despite hepatic activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway and is not explained by GH dose, route of administration, origin of GH (i.e. recombinant human, bovine, and murine GH), treatment duration, genetic background, sex, or formation of neutralizing antibodies. Effects on other components of the GH/IGF pathway were highly influenced by genetic background and sex but not consistently affected by rhGH treatment. We conclude that IGF-I is not a reliable indicator of the biological effects of exogenous GH treatment in genetically and pharmacologically unmodified mice. We speculate that IGF-I release is already maximal in these animals and cannot be further increased by exogenous GH treatment. This is also suggested by the observation of restored IGF-I up-regulation in isolated murine hepatocytes after rhGH treatment. Total body weight, lean body mass, and liver weight may be more reliable phenotypic indicators in these models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Bielohuby
- Endocrine Research Unit, Medizinische Klinik-Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians University, D-80336 Munich, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Designing a Long Acting Erythropoietin by Fusing Three Carboxyl-Terminal Peptides of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin β Subunit to the N-Terminal and C-Terminal Coding Sequence. Int J Cell Biol 2011; 2011:275063. [PMID: 21869890 PMCID: PMC3159989 DOI: 10.1155/2011/275063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2011] [Accepted: 06/26/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A new analog of EPO was designed by fusing one and two CTPs to the N-terminal and C-terminal ends of EPO (EPO-(CTP)3), respectively. This analog was expressed and secreted efficiently in CHO cells. The in vitro test shows that the activity of EPO-(CTP)3 in TFI-1 cell proliferation assay is similar to that of EPO-WT and commercial rHEPO. However, in vivo studies indicated that treatment once a week with EPO-(CTP)3 (15 μg/kg) dramatically increased (~8 folds) haematocrit as it was compared to rHuEPO. Moreover, it was found that EPO-(CTP)3 is more effective than rHuEPO and Aranesp in increasing reticulocyte number in mice blood. The detected circulatory half-lives of rHuEPO, Aranesp, and EPO-(CTP)3 following IV injection of 20 IU were 4.4, 10.8, and 13.1 h, respectively. These data established the rational for using this chimera as a long-acting EPO analog in clinics. The therapeutic efficacy of EPO-CTP analog needs to be established in higher animals and in human clinical trials.
Collapse
|
36
|
Kontermann RE. Strategies for extended serum half-life of protein therapeutics. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2011; 22:868-76. [PMID: 21862310 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2011.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 407] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Revised: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 06/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
With a growing number of protein therapeutics being developed, many of them exhibiting a short plasma half-life, half-life extension strategies find increasing attention by the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Extension of the half-life can help to reduce the number of applications and to lower doses, thus are beneficial for therapeutic but also economic reasons. Here, a comprehensive overview of currently developed half-life extension strategies is provided including those aiming at increasing the hydrodynamic volume of a protein drug but also those implementing recycling processes mediated by the neonatal Fc receptor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roland E Kontermann
- Institut für Zellbiologie und Immunologie, Universität Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|