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Zhang J, Xiong Y. PackPPI: An integrated framework for protein-protein complex side-chain packing and ΔΔG prediction based on diffusion model. Protein Sci 2025; 34:e70110. [PMID: 40260988 PMCID: PMC12012842 DOI: 10.1002/pro.70110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2025] [Accepted: 03/17/2025] [Indexed: 04/24/2025]
Abstract
Deep learning methods have played an increasingly pivotal role in advancing side-chain packing and mutation effect prediction (ΔΔG) for protein complexes. Although these two tasks are inherently closely related, they are typically treated separately in practice. Furthermore, the lack of effective post-processing in most approaches results in sub-optimal refinement of generated conformations, limiting the plausibility of the predicted conformations. In this study, we introduce an integrated framework, PackPPI, which employs a diffusion model and a proximal optimization algorithm to improve side-chain prediction for protein complexes while using learned representations to predict ΔΔG. The results demonstrate that PackPPI achieved the lowest atom RMSD (0.9822) on the CASP15 dataset. The proximal optimization algorithm effectively reduces spatial clashes between side-chain atoms while maintaining a low-energy landscape. Furthermore, PackPPI achieves state-of-the-art performance in predicting binding affinity changes induced by multi-point mutations on the SKEMPI v2.0 dataset. These findings underscore the potential of PackPPI as a robust and versatile computational tool for protein design and engineering. The implementation of PackPPI is available at https://github.com/Jackz915/PackPPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingkai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolSchool of Life Sciences, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yuanyan Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolSchool of Life Sciences, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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2
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Dewaker V, Morya VK, Kim YH, Park ST, Kim HS, Koh YH. Revolutionizing oncology: the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an antibody design, and optimization tools. Biomark Res 2025; 13:52. [PMID: 40155973 PMCID: PMC11954232 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-025-00764-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2025] [Accepted: 03/13/2025] [Indexed: 04/01/2025] Open
Abstract
Antibodies play a crucial role in defending the human body against diseases, including life-threatening conditions like cancer. They mediate immune responses against foreign antigens and, in some cases, self-antigens. Over time, antibody-based technologies have evolved from monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells), significantly impacting biotechnology, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Although these advancements have enhanced therapeutic interventions, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing antibody design and optimization. This review explores recent AI advancements, including large language models (LLMs), diffusion models, and generative AI-based applications, which have transformed antibody discovery by accelerating de novo generation, enhancing immune response precision, and optimizing therapeutic efficacy. Through advanced data analysis, AI enables the prediction and design of antibody sequences, 3D structures, complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), paratopes, epitopes, and antigen-antibody interactions. These AI-powered innovations address longstanding challenges in antibody development, significantly improving speed, specificity, and accuracy in therapeutic design. By integrating computational advancements with biomedical applications, AI is driving next-generation cancer therapies, transforming precision medicine, and enhancing patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Dewaker
- Institute of New Frontier Research Team, Hallym University, Chuncheon-Si, Gangwon-Do, 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Vivek Kumar Morya
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Hospital, Hwaseong-Si, 18450, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Hee Kim
- Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Seoul, 07247, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Taek Park
- Institute of New Frontier Research Team, Hallym University, Chuncheon-Si, Gangwon-Do, 24252, Republic of Korea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangnam Sacred-Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, 07441, Republic of Korea
- EIONCELL Inc, Chuncheon-Si, 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeong Su Kim
- Institute of New Frontier Research Team, Hallym University, Chuncheon-Si, Gangwon-Do, 24252, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Kangnam Sacred-Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, 07441, Republic of Korea.
- EIONCELL Inc, Chuncheon-Si, 24252, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young Ho Koh
- Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Seoul, 07247, Republic of Korea.
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3
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D’Orsi L, Capasso B, Lamacchia G, Pizzichini P, Ferranti S, Liverani A, Fontana C, Panunzi S, De Gaetano A, Lo Presti E. Recent Advances in Artificial Intelligence to Improve Immunotherapy and the Use of Digital Twins to Identify Prognosis of Patients with Solid Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:11588. [PMID: 39519142 PMCID: PMC11546512 DOI: 10.3390/ijms252111588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2024] [Revised: 10/21/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024] Open
Abstract
To date, the public health system has been impacted by the increasing costs of many diagnostic and therapeutic pathways due to limited resources. At the same time, we are constantly seeking to improve these paths through approaches aimed at personalized medicine. To achieve the required levels of diagnostic and therapeutic precision, it is necessary to integrate data from different sources and simulation platforms. Today, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and predictive computer models are more efficient at guiding decisions regarding better therapies and medical procedures. The evolution of these multiparametric and multimodal systems has led to the creation of digital twins (DTs). The goal of our review is to summarize AI applications in discovering new immunotherapies and developing predictive models for more precise immunotherapeutic decision-making. The findings from this literature review highlight that DTs, particularly predictive mathematical models, will be pivotal in advancing healthcare outcomes. Over time, DTs will indeed bring the benefits of diagnostic precision and personalized treatment to a broader spectrum of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D’Orsi
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “A. Ruberti”, BioMatLab, Via dei Taurini, 19, 00185 Rome, RM, Italy; (L.D.); (S.P.); (A.D.G.)
| | - Biagio Capasso
- Department of General Surgery, Policlinico Militare di Roma “Celio”, Piazza Celimontana, 50, 00184 Rome, RM, Italy; (B.C.); (S.F.)
| | - Giuseppe Lamacchia
- General Surgery Unit, Regina Apostolorum Hospital, Via S. Francesco d’Assisi, 50, 00041 Albano Laziale, RM, Italy; (G.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Paolo Pizzichini
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Policlinico Militare di Roma “Celio”, Piazza Celimontana, 50, 00184 Rome, RM, Italy; (P.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Sergio Ferranti
- Department of General Surgery, Policlinico Militare di Roma “Celio”, Piazza Celimontana, 50, 00184 Rome, RM, Italy; (B.C.); (S.F.)
| | - Andrea Liverani
- General Surgery Unit, Regina Apostolorum Hospital, Via S. Francesco d’Assisi, 50, 00041 Albano Laziale, RM, Italy; (G.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Costantino Fontana
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Policlinico Militare di Roma “Celio”, Piazza Celimontana, 50, 00184 Rome, RM, Italy; (P.P.); (C.F.)
| | - Simona Panunzi
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “A. Ruberti”, BioMatLab, Via dei Taurini, 19, 00185 Rome, RM, Italy; (L.D.); (S.P.); (A.D.G.)
| | - Andrea De Gaetano
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “A. Ruberti”, BioMatLab, Via dei Taurini, 19, 00185 Rome, RM, Italy; (L.D.); (S.P.); (A.D.G.)
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (CNR-IRIB), Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, PA, Italy
- Department of Biomatics, Óbuda University, Bécsi Road 96/B, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Elena Lo Presti
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (CNR-IRIB), Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, PA, Italy
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Cheng J, Liang T, Xie XQ, Feng Z, Meng L. A new era of antibody discovery: an in-depth review of AI-driven approaches. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103984. [PMID: 38642702 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103984] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Given their high affinity and specificity for a range of macromolecules, antibodies are widely used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancers, inflammatory diseases, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Traditional experimental methods are time-consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provide complementary methods that can reduce the time and costs required for antibody design by minimizing failures and increasing the success rate of experimental tests. In this review, we scrutinize the plethora of AI-driven methodologies that have been deployed over the past 4 years for modeling antibody structures, predicting antibody-antigen interactions, optimizing antibody affinity, and generating novel antibody candidates. We also briefly address the challenges faced in integrating AI-based models with traditional antibody discovery pipelines and highlight the potential future directions in this burgeoning field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, 224005, China
| | - Tianjian Liang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Department of Computational Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - Li Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, 224005, China.
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5
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Chungyoun M, Gray JJ. AI Models for Protein Design are Driving Antibody Engineering. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2023; 28:100473. [PMID: 37484815 PMCID: PMC10361400 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2023.100473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic antibody engineering seeks to identify antibody sequences with specific binding to a target and optimized drug-like properties. When guided by deep learning, antibody generation methods can draw on prior knowledge and experimental efforts to improve this process. By leveraging the increasing quantity and quality of predicted structures of antibodies and target antigens, powerful structure-based generative models are emerging. In this review, we tie the advancements in deep learning-based protein structure prediction and design to the study of antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Chungyoun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Gray
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, institute for Nanobiotechnology, and Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
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6
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Bai G, Sun C, Guo Z, Wang Y, Zeng X, Su Y, Zhao Q, Ma B. Accelerating antibody discovery and design with artificial intelligence: Recent advances and prospects. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 95:13-24. [PMID: 37355214 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic antibodies are the largest class of biotherapeutics and have been successful in treating human diseases. However, the design and discovery of antibody drugs remains challenging and time-consuming. Recently, artificial intelligence technology has had an incredible impact on antibody design and discovery, resulting in significant advances in antibody discovery, optimization, and developability. This review summarizes major machine learning (ML) methods and their applications for computational predictors of antibody structure and antigen interface/interaction, as well as the evaluation of antibody developability. Additionally, this review addresses the current status of ML-based therapeutic antibodies under preclinical and clinical phases. While many challenges remain, ML may offer a new therapeutic option for the future direction of fully computational antibody design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganggang Bai
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chuance Sun
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ziang Guo
- Cancer Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Yangjing Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xincheng Zeng
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuhong Su
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Cancer Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao Special Administrative Region of China; MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Buyong Ma
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Shanghai Digiwiser BioTechnolgy, Limited, Shanghai 201203, China.
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7
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Jaszczyszyn I, Bielska W, Gawlowski T, Dudzic P, Satława T, Kończak J, Wilman W, Janusz B, Wróbel S, Chomicz D, Galson JD, Leem J, Kelm S, Krawczyk K. Structural modeling of antibody variable regions using deep learning-progress and perspectives on drug discovery. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1214424. [PMID: 37484529 PMCID: PMC10361724 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1214424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
AlphaFold2 has hallmarked a generational improvement in protein structure prediction. In particular, advances in antibody structure prediction have provided a highly translatable impact on drug discovery. Though AlphaFold2 laid the groundwork for all proteins, antibody-specific applications require adjustments tailored to these molecules, which has resulted in a handful of deep learning antibody structure predictors. Herein, we review the recent advances in antibody structure prediction and relate them to their role in advancing biologics discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Jaszczyszyn
- NaturalAntibody, Kraków, Poland
- Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Weronika Bielska
- NaturalAntibody, Kraków, Poland
- Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jinwoo Leem
- Alchemab Therapeutics Ltd., London, United Kingdom
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Ruffolo JA, Chu LS, Mahajan SP, Gray JJ. Fast, accurate antibody structure prediction from deep learning on massive set of natural antibodies. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2389. [PMID: 37185622 PMCID: PMC10129313 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies have the capacity to bind a diverse set of antigens, and they have become critical therapeutics and diagnostic molecules. The binding of antibodies is facilitated by a set of six hypervariable loops that are diversified through genetic recombination and mutation. Even with recent advances, accurate structural prediction of these loops remains a challenge. Here, we present IgFold, a fast deep learning method for antibody structure prediction. IgFold consists of a pre-trained language model trained on 558 million natural antibody sequences followed by graph networks that directly predict backbone atom coordinates. IgFold predicts structures of similar or better quality than alternative methods (including AlphaFold) in significantly less time (under 25 s). Accurate structure prediction on this timescale makes possible avenues of investigation that were previously infeasible. As a demonstration of IgFold's capabilities, we predicted structures for 1.4 million paired antibody sequences, providing structural insights to 500-fold more antibodies than have experimentally determined structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Ruffolo
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Lee-Shin Chu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Sai Pooja Mahajan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Gray
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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9
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Li T, Li Y, Zhu X, He Y, Wu Y, Ying T, Xie Z. Artificial intelligence in cancer immunotherapy: Applications in neoantigen recognition, antibody design and immunotherapy response prediction. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 91:50-69. [PMID: 36870459 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a method of controlling and eliminating tumors by reactivating the body's cancer-immunity cycle and restoring its antitumor immune response. The increased availability of data, combined with advancements in high-performance computing and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has resulted in a rise in the use of AI in oncology research. State-of-the-art AI models for functional classification and prediction in immunotherapy research are increasingly used to support laboratory-based experiments. This review offers a glimpse of the current AI applications in immunotherapy, including neoantigen recognition, antibody design, and prediction of immunotherapy response. Advancing in this direction will result in more robust predictive models for developing better targets, drugs, and treatments, and these advancements will eventually make their way into the clinical setting, pushing AI forward in the field of precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yupeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyi Zhu
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhi Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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