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Top O, Parsons J, Bohlender LL, Michelfelder S, Kopp P, Busch-Steenberg C, Hoernstein SNW, Zipfel PF, Häffner K, Reski R, Decker EL. Recombinant Production of MFHR1, A Novel Synthetic Multitarget Complement Inhibitor, in Moss Bioreactors. Front Plant Sci 2019; 10:260. [PMID: 30949184 PMCID: PMC6436476 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The human complement system is an important part of the immune system responsible for lysis and elimination of invading microorganisms and apoptotic body cells. Improper activation of the system due to deficiency, mutations, or autoantibodies of complement regulators, mainly factor H (FH) and FH-related proteins (FHRs), causes severe kidney and eye diseases. However, there is no recombinant FH therapeutic available on the market. The first successful recombinant production of FH was accomplished with the moss bioreactor, Physcomitrella patens. Recently, a synthetic regulator, MFHR1, was designed to generate a multitarget complement inhibitor that combines the activities of FH and the FH-related protein 1 (FHR1). The potential of MFHR1 was demonstrated in a proof-of-concept study with transiently transfected insect cells. Here, we present the stable production of recombinant glyco-engineered MFHR1 in the moss bioreactor. The key features of this system are precise genome engineering via homologous recombination, Good Manufacturing Practice-compliant production in photobioreactors, high batch-to-batch reproducibility, and product stability. Several potential biopharmaceuticals are being produced in this system. In some cases, these are even biobetters, i.e., the recombinant proteins produced in moss have a superior quality compared to their counterparts from mammalian systems as for example moss-made aGal, which successfully passed phase I clinical trials. Via mass spectrometry-based analysis of moss-produced MFHR1, we now prove the correct synthesis and modification of this glycoprotein with predominantly complex-type N-glycan attachment. Moss-produced MFHR1 exhibits cofactor and decay acceleration activities comparable to FH, and its mechanism of action on multiple levels within the alternative pathway of complement activation led to a strong inhibitory activity on the whole alternative pathway, which was higher than with the physiological regulator FH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oguz Top
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Juliana Parsons
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lennard L. Bohlender
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Michelfelder
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine and Neonatology, Medical Center - University Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Phillipp Kopp
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter F. Zipfel
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Karsten Häffner
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine and Neonatology, Medical Center - University Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eva L. Decker
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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