Distinct Aggregation Mechanisms of Monoclonal Antibody Under Thermal and Freeze-Thaw Stresses Revealed by Hydrogen Exchange

Structural and Functional Characterization of a Hole-Hole Homodimer Variant in a "Knob-Into-Hole" Bispecific Antibody

Bispecific antibodies have great potential to be the next-generation biotherapeutics due to their ability to simultaneously recognize two different targets. Compared to conventional monoclonal antibodies, knob-into-hole bispecific antibodies face unique challenges in production and characterization due to the increase in variant possibilities, such as homodimerization in covalent and noncovalent forms. In this study, a storage- and pH-sensitive hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) profile change was observed for the hole-hole homodimer, and the multiple HIC peaks were explored and shown to be conformational isomers. We combined traditional analytical methods with hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX MS), native mass spectrometry, and negative-staining electron microscopy to comprehensively characterize the hole-hole homodimer. HDX MS revealed conformational changes at the resolution of a few amino acids overlapping the CH2-CH3 domain interface. Conformational heterogeneity was also assessed by HDX MS isotopic distribution. The hole-hole homodimer was demonstrated to adopt a more homogeneous conformational distribution during storage. This conformational change is likely caused by a lack of CH3 domain dimerization (due to the three "hole" point mutations), resulting in a unique storage- and pH-dependent conformational destabilization and refolding of the hole-hole homodimer Fc. Compared with the hole-hole homodimer under different storage conditions, the bispecific heterodimer, guided by the knob-into-hole assembly, proved to be a stable conformation with homogeneous distribution, confirming its high quality as a desired therapeutic. Functional studies by antigen binding and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) binding correlated very well with the structural characterization. Comprehensive interpretation of the results has provided a better understanding of both the homodimer variant and the bispecific molecule.

Rapid screening of IgG quality attributes - effects on Fc receptor binding

The interactions of therapeutic antibodies with fragment crystallizable γ (Fcγ) receptors and neonatal Fc receptors (FcRn) are measured in vitro as indicators of antibody functional performance. Antibodies are anchored to immune cells through the Fc tail, and these interactions are important for the efficacy and safety of therapeutic antibodies. High‐throughput binding studies on each of the human Fcγ receptor classes (FcγRI, FcγRIIa, FcγRIIb, FcγRIIIa, and FcγRIIIb) as well as FcRn have been developed and performed with human IgG after stress‐induced modifications to identify potential impact in vivo. Interestingly, we found that asparagine deamidation (D‐N) reduced the binding of IgG to the low‐affinity Fcγ receptors (FcγRIIa, FcγRIIb, FcγRIIIa, and FcγRIIIb), while FcγRI and FcRn binding was not impacted. Deglycosylation completely inhibited binding to all Fcγ receptors, but showed no impact on binding to FcRn. On the other hand, afucosylation only impacted binding to FcγRIIIa and FcγRIIIb. Methionine oxidation at levels below 7%, multiple freeze/thaw cycles and short‐term thermal/shake stress did not influence binding to any of the Fc receptors. The presence of high molecular weight species, or aggregates, disturbed measurements in these binding assays; up to 5% of aggregates in IgG samples changed the binding and kinetics to each of the Fc receptors. Overall, the screening assays described in this manuscript prove that rapid and multiplexed binding assays may be a valuable tool for lead optimization, process development, in‐process controls, and biosimilarity assessment of IgGs during development and manufacturing of therapeutic IgGs.

Forced degradation of recombinant monoclonal antibodies: A practical guide

Forced degradation studies have become integral to the development of recombinant monoclonal antibody therapeutics by serving a variety of objectives from early stage manufacturability evaluation to supporting comparability assessments both pre- and post- marketing approval. This review summarizes the regulatory guidance scattered throughout different documents to highlight the expectations from various agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. The various purposes for forced degradation studies, commonly used conditions and the major degradation pathways under each condition are also discussed.

Molecular and functional analysis of monoclonal antibodies in support of biologics development

Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based therapeutics are playing an increasingly important role in the treatment or prevention of many important diseases such as cancers, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Multi-domain mAbs are far more complex than small molecule drugs with intrinsic heterogeneities. The critical quality attributes of a given mAb, including structure, post-translational modifications, and functions at biomolecular and cellular levels, need to be defined and profiled in details during the developmental phases of a biologics. These critical quality attributes, outlined in this review, serve an important database for defining the drug properties during commercial production phase as well as post licensure life cycle management. Specially, the molecular characterization, functional assessment, and effector function analysis of mAbs, are reviewed with respect to the critical parameters and the methods used for obtaining them. The three groups of analytical methods are three essential and integral facets making up the whole analytical package for a mAb-based drug. Such a package is critically important for the licensure and the post-licensure life cycle management of a therapeutic or prophylactic biologics. In addition, the basic principles on the evaluation of biosimilar mAbs were discussed briefly based on the recommendations by the World Health Organization.

Characterization of Aggregation Propensity of a Human Fc-Fusion Protein Therapeutic by Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry

Aggregation of protein therapeutics has long been a concern across different stages of manufacturing processes in the biopharmaceutical industry. It is often indicative of aberrant protein therapeutic higher-order structure. In this study, the aggregation propensity of a human Fc-fusion protein therapeutic was characterized. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) was applied to examine the conformational dynamics of dimers collected from a bioreactor. HDX-MS data combined with spatial aggregation propensity calculations revealed a potential aggregation interface in the Fc domain. This study provides a general strategy for the characterization of the aggregation propensity of Fc-fusion proteins at the molecular level.Graphical Abstract.

Prediction and Reduction of the Aggregation of Monoclonal Antibodies

Protein aggregation remains a major area of focus in the production of monoclonal antibodies. Improving the intrinsic properties of antibodies can improve manufacturability, attrition rates, safety, formulation, titers, immunogenicity, and solubility. Here, we explore the potential of predicting and reducing the aggregation propensity of monoclonal antibodies, based on the identification of aggregation-prone regions and their contribution to the thermodynamic stability of the protein. Although aggregation-prone regions are thought to occur in the antigen binding region to drive hydrophobic binding with antigen, we were able to rationally design variants that display a marked decrease in aggregation propensity while retaining antigen binding through the introduction of artificial aggregation gatekeeper residues. The reduction in aggregation propensity was accompanied by an increase in expression titer, showing that reducing protein aggregation is beneficial throughout the development process. The data presented show that this approach can significantly reduce liabilities in novel therapeutic antibodies and proteins, leading to a more efficient path to clinical studies.

Dimethyl Labeling Coupled with Mass Spectrometry for Topographical Characterization of Primary Amines on Monoclonal Antibodies

Site-specific solvent accessibility of the primary amines (mainly lysine or the N-termini) on proteins is of great interest in many research areas because amines are an important functional group for protein conjugation. In this study, we coupled dimethyl labeling via reductive amination with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to fully characterize the solvent accessibility of lysine residues and the N-termini on human immunoglobulin G (IgG). Circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that dimethyl labeling did not alter the conformation of the native IgG molecule. Based on intact protein measurements, up to 28 (light chain) and 66 (heavy chain) dimethyl tags, covering all lysine residues and the N-termini, were sequentially incorporated into IgG molecules in 1000 s. All labeled sites were identified and quantified by a bottom-up proteomics approach. Some highly exposed hot-spots (for example, the N-termini of both the heavy and the light chains) and some buried sites (for example, K415 in the heavy chain and K39 in the light chain) were unambiguously revealed. This method was also used to characterize aggregation-induced structural changes in IgGs by increasing the temperature. Substantial changes in the labeling percentage of many lysine sites were observed, indicating a non-native aggregation triggered by thermal stress. Due to high labeling yields and the van der Waals surface of the labeling reagents being comparable to that of water, dimethyl labeling is a highly promising technique for probing the amine's surface topography of proteins. It can also be used as a complementary approach to other methods for resolving the higher-order structure of proteins by LC-MS.

The role of structural proteomics in vaccine development: recent advances and future prospects

Vaccines are the most effective way to fight infectious diseases saving countless lives since their introduction. Their evolution during the last century made use of the best technologies available to continuously increase their efficacy and safety. Mass spectrometry (MS) and proteomics are already playing a central role in the identification and characterization of novel antigens. Over the last years, we have been witnessing the emergence of structural proteomics in vaccinology, as a major tool for vaccine candidate discovery, antigen design and life cycle management of existing products. In this review, we describe the MS techniques associated to structural proteomics and we illustrate the contribution of structural proteomics to vaccinology discussing potential applications.

Rational design of therapeutic mAbs against aggregation through protein engineering and incorporation of glycosylation motifs applied to bevacizumab

The aggregation of biotherapeutics is a major hindrance to the development of successful drug candidates; however, the propensity to aggregate is often identified too late in the development phase to permit modification to the protein's sequence. Incorporating rational design for the stability of proteins in early discovery has numerous benefits. We engineered out aggregation-prone regions on the Fab domain of a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, bevacizumab, to rationally design a biobetter drug candidate. With the purpose of stabilizing bevacizumab with respect to aggregation, 2 strategies were undertaken: single point mutations of aggregation-prone residues and engineering a glycosylation site near aggregation-prone residues to mask these residues with a carbohydrate moiety. Both of these approaches lead to comparable decreases in aggregation, with an up to 4-fold reduction in monomer loss. These single mutations and the new glycosylation pattern of the Fab domain do not modify binding to the target. Biobetters with increased stability against aggregation can therefore be generated in a rational manner, by either removing or masking the aggregation-prone region or crowding out protein-protein interactions.

Label-free detection of 3-nitro-l-tyrosine with nickel-doped graphene localized surface plasmon resonance biosensor

3-nitro-l-tyrosine (3-NT) is believed to be a biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases and metal doped graphene possess exceptionally high binding energy of 3-NT with metal-nitro chemisorption. Here we report a novel label-free detection scheme of 3-NT via nickel-doped graphene (NDG) as the functionalized receptor on our phase detecting localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor. When compared with reported 3-NT immunoassay with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), our NDG-LSPR platform offers two advantages i.e. 1) label-free and 2) capture of 3-NT by direct chemisorption. Our limit of detection for 3-NT in PBS was found to be 0.13pg/ml and the linear dynamic range of response was from 0.5pg/ml to 1ng/ml, i.e. four orders of magnitude. The specificity of our NDG receptor to 3-NT was also verified with l-tyrosine of equivalent concentrations in PBS and diluted human serum, for which the NDG receptor shows negligible responses. In addition, the adsorption of 3-NT and l-tyrosine to the NDG receptor were also investigated by atomic force microscopy and further verified by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Therefore, our NDG-LSPR biosensor competes favorably against ELISA and we believe it should be an attractive and economical solution to early diagnostic of 3-NT related disorders for clinical applications.

Characterization of mAb dimers reveals predominant dimer forms common in therapeutic mAbs

The formation of undesired high molecular weight species such as dimers is an important quality attribute for therapeutic monoclonal antibody formulations. Therefore, the thorough understanding of mAb dimerization and the detailed characterization mAb dimers is of great interest for future pharmaceutical development of therapeutic antibodies. In this work, we focused on the analyses of different mAb dimers regarding size, surface properties, chemical identity, overall structure and localization of possible dimerization sites. Dimer fractions of different mAbs were isolated to a satisfactory purity from bulk material and revealed 2 predominant overall structures, namely elongated and compact dimer forms. The elongated dimers displayed one dimerization site involving the tip of the Fab domain. Depending on the stress applied, these elongated dimers are connected either covalently or non-covalently. In contrast, the compact dimers exhibited non-covalent association. Several interaction points were detected for the compact dimers involving the hinge region or the base of the Fab domain. These results indicate that mAb dimer fractions are rather complex and may contain more than one kind of dimer. Nevertheless, the overall appearance of mAb dimers suggests the existence of 2 predominant dimeric structures, elongated and compact, which are commonly present in preparations of therapeutic mAbs.

Structural hot spots for the solubility of globular proteins

Natural selection shapes protein solubility to physiological requirements and recombinant applications that require higher protein concentrations are often problematic. This raises the question whether the solubility of natural protein sequences can be improved. We here show an anti-correlation between the number of aggregation prone regions (APRs) in a protein sequence and its solubility, suggesting that mutational suppression of APRs provides a simple strategy to increase protein solubility. We show that mutations at specific positions within a protein structure can act as APR suppressors without affecting protein stability. These hot spots for protein solubility are both structure and sequence dependent but can be computationally predicted. We demonstrate this by reducing the aggregation of human α-galactosidase and protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis through mutation. Our results indicate that many proteins possess hot spots allowing to adapt protein solubility independently of structure and function.

Mutations in aggregation prone regions of recombinant proteins often improve their solubility, although they might cause negative effects on their structure and function. Here, the authors identify proteins hot spots that can be exploited to optimize solubility without compromising stability.

Covalent Labeling Denaturation Mass Spectrometry for Sensitive Localized Higher Order Structure Comparisons

Protein higher order structure (HOS) describes the three-dimensional folding arrangement of a given protein and plays critical roles in structure/function relationships. As such, it is a key product quality attribute that is monitored during biopharmaceutical development. Covalent labeling of surface residues, combined with mass spectrometry analysis, has increasingly played an important role in characterizing localized protein HOS. Since the label can potentially induce conformation changes, protocols generally use a small amount of label to ensure that the integrity of the protein HOS is not disturbed. The present study, however, describes a method that purposely uses high amounts of isobaric label (levels that induce denaturation) to enhance the sensitivity and resolution for detecting localized structural differences between two or more biological products. The method proved to be highly discriminative, detecting differences in HOS affecting as little as 2.5-5% of the molecular population, levels at which circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy fingerprinting, both gold standard HOS techniques, were unable to adequately differentiate. The methodology was shown to have comparable sensitivity to differential scanning calorimetry for detecting HOS differences. In addition, the workflow presented herein can also quantify other product attributes such as post-translational modifications and site-specific glycosylation, using a single liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) run with automated data analysis. We applied this technique to characterize a large (>90 kDa), multiply glycosylated therapeutic protein under different heat stress conditions and aggregation states.

Cutting-edge mass spectrometry methods for the multi-level structural characterization of antibody-drug conjugates

Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are highly cytotoxic drugs covalently attached via conditionally stable linkers to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and are among the most promising next-generation empowered biologics for cancer treatment. ADCs are more complex than naked mAbs, as the heterogeneity of the conjugates adds to the inherent microvariability of the biomolecules. The development and optimization of ADCs rely on improving their analytical and bioanalytical characterization by assessing several critical quality attributes, namely the distribution and position of the drug, the amount of naked antibody, the average drug to antibody ratio, and the residual drug-linker and related product proportions. Here brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) and trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla), the first and gold-standard hinge-cysteine and lysine drug conjugates, respectively, were chosen to develop new mass spectrometry (MS) methods and to improve multiple-level structural assessment protocols.

Comprehensive Characterization of Relationship Between Higher-Order Structure and FcRn Binding Affinity of Stress-Exposed Monoclonal Antibodies

PURPOSE

In biopharmaceutical development, information regarding higher-order structure (HOS) is important to verify quality and characterize protein derivatives. In this study, we aimed to characterize the association between HOS and pharmacokinetic property of a stress-exposed monoclonal antibody (mAb).

METHODS

Purity, primary structure, thermal stability, and HOS were evaluated for mAbs exposed to heat, photo-irradiation, and chemical oxidation. To investigate conformation of stress-exposed mAbs, hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) was utilized.

RESULTS

No distinct difference in secondary or tertiary structure between stress-exposed and non-stressed samples was found by conventional spectroscopic techniques. In binding activity with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), however, a marked decline was observed for force-oxidized mAb and a slight decline was observed for heat- and photodegraded mAbs. Using differential scanning calorimetry, a change in thermal stability was observed in the CH2 domain for all the stress-exposed samples. Using HDX-MS analyses, individual regions with altered conformation could be identified for heat-degraded and force-oxidized samples.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that comprehensive study is important for detecting conformational changes and helpful for predicting biophysical property, and that the evaluation of HOS using several analytical techniques is indispensable for confirming biopharmaceutical quality.

Correlations between changes in conformational dynamics and physical stability in a mutant IgG1 mAb engineered for extended serum half-life

This study compares the local conformational dynamics and physical stability of an IgG1 mAb (mAb-A) with its corresponding YTE (M255Y/S257T/T259E) mutant (mAb-E), which was engineered for extended half-life in vivo. Structural dynamics was measured using hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange mass spectrometry while protein stability was measured with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The YTE mutation induced differences in H/D exchange kinetics at both pH 6.0 and 7.4. Segments covering the YTE mutation sites and the FcRn binding epitopes showed either subtle or no observable differences in local flexibility. Surprisingly, several adjacent segments in the CH2 and distant segments in the VH, CH1, and VL domains had significantly increased flexibility in the YTE mutant. Most notable among the observed differences is increased flexibility of the 244-254 segment of the CH2 domain, where increased flexibility has been shown previously to correlate with decreased conformational stability and increased aggregation propensity in other IgG1 mAbs (e.g., presence of destabilizing additives as well as upon de-glycosylation or methionine oxidation). DSC analysis showed decreases in both thermal onset (Tonset) and unfolding (Tm1) temperatures of 7°C and 6.7°C, respectively, for the CH2 domain of the YTE mutant. In addition, mAb-E aggregated faster than mAb-A under accelerated stability conditions as measured by SEC analysis. Hence, the relatively lower physical stability of the YTE mutant correlates with increased local flexibility of the 244-254 segment, providing a site-directed mutant example that this segment of the CH2 domain is an aggregation hot spot in IgG1 mAbs.

Conformational analysis of large and highly disulfide-stabilized proteins by integrating online electrochemical reduction into an optimized H/D exchange mass spectrometry workflow

Analysis of disulfide-bonded proteins by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) requires effective and rapid reduction of disulfide bonds before enzymatic digestion in order to increase sequence coverage. In a conventional HDX-MS workflow, disulfide bonds are reduced chemically by addition of a reducing agent to the quench solution (e.g., tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP)). The chemical reduction, however, is severely limited under quenched conditions due to a narrow time window as well as low pH and temperature. Here, we demonstrate the real-world applicability of integrating electrochemical reduction into an online HDX-MS workflow. We have optimized the electrochemical reduction efficiency during HDX-MS analysis of two particularly challenging disulfide stabilized proteins: a therapeutic IgG1-antibody and nerve growth factor-β (NGF). Several different parameters (flow rate and applied square wave potential, as well as the type of labeling and quench buffer) were investigated, and the optimized workflow increased the sequence coverage of NGF from 46% with chemical reduction to 99%, when electrochemical reduction was applied. Additionally, the optimized workflow also enabled a similar high sequence coverage of 96% and 87% for the heavy and light chain of the IgG1-antibody, respectively. The presented results demonstrate the successful electrochemical reduction during HDX-MS analysis of both a small exceptional tightly disulfide-bonded protein (NGF) as well as the largest protein attempted to date (IgG1-antibody). We envision that online electrochemical reduction is poised to decrease the complexity of sample handling and increase the versatility of the HDX-MS technique.

Self-Interaction Chromatography of mAbs: Accurate Measurement of Dead Volumes

PURPOSE

Measurement of the second virial coefficient B22 for proteins using self-interaction chromatography (SIC) is becoming an increasingly important technique for studying their solution behaviour. In common with all physicochemical chromatographic methods, measuring the dead volume of the SIC packed column is crucial for accurate retention data; this paper examines best practise for dead volume determination.

METHOD

SIC type experiments using catalase, BSA, lysozyme and a mAb as model systems are reported, as well as a number of dead column measurements.

RESULTS

It was observed that lysozyme and mAb interacted specifically with Toyopearl AF-Formyl dead columns depending upon pH and [NaCl], invalidating their dead volume usage. Toyopearl AF-Amino packed dead columns showed no such problems and acted as suitable dead columns without any solution condition dependency. Dead volume determinations using dextran MW standards with protein immobilised SIC columns provided dead volume estimates close to those obtained using Toyopearl AF-Amino dead columns.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that specific interactions between proteins, including mAbs, and select SIC support phases can compromise the use of some standard approaches for estimating the dead volume of SIC columns. Two other methods were shown to provide good estimates for the dead volume.

Effect of protein aggregates on characterization of FcRn binding of Fc-fusion therapeutics

Recycling of antibodies and Fc containing therapeutic proteins by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) is known to prolong their persistence in the bloodstream. Fusion of Fc fragment of IgG1 to other proteins is one of the strategies to improve their pharmacokinetic properties. Accurate measurement of Fc-FcRn binding provides information about the strength of this interaction, which in most cases correlates with serum half-life of the protein. It can also offer insight into functional integrity of Fc region. We investigated FcRn binding activity of a large set of Fc-fusion samples after thermal stress by the method based on AlphaScreen technology. An unexpected significant increase in FcR binding was found to correlate with formation of aggregates in these samples. Monomer purified from a thermally-stressed sample had normal FcRn binding, confirming that its Fc portion was intact. Experiments with aggregates spiked into a sample with low initial aggregation level, demonstrated strong correlation between the level of aggregates and FcRn binding. This correlation varied significantly in different methods. By introducing modifications to the assay format we were able to minimize the effects of aggregated species on FcRn binding, which should prevent masking functional changes of Fc-fusion protein. Biolayer interferometry (BLI) was used as an alternative method to measure FcRn binding. Both optimized AlphaScreen- and BLI-based assays were sensitive to structural changes in Fc portion of the molecule, such as oxidation of methionines 252 and 428, and therefore suitable for characterization of FcRn binding.

Characterisation of Stress-Induced Aggregate Size Distributions and Morphological Changes of a Bi-Specific Antibody Using Orthogonal Techniques

A critical step in monoclonal antibody (mAb) screening and formulation selection is the ability of the mAb to resist aggregation following exposure to environmental stresses. Regulatory authorities welcome not only information on the presence of micron-sized particles, but often any information on sub-visible particles in the size range obtained by orthogonal sizing techniques. The present study demonstrates the power of combining established techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and micro-flow imaging (MFI), with novel analyses such as raster image correlation spectroscopy (RICS) that offer to bridge existent particle sizing gaps in this area. The influence of thermal and freeze-thaw stress treatments on particle size and morphology was assessed for a bi-specific antibody (mAb2). Aggregation of mAb2 was confirmed to be concentration- and treatment-dependent following thermal stress and freeze-thaw cycling. Particle size and count data show concentration- and treatment-dependent behaviour of aggregate counts, morphological descriptors and particle size distributions. Complementarity in particle size output was observed between all approaches utilised, where RICS bridged the analytical size gap (∼0.5-5 μm) between DLS and MFI. Overall, this study highlights the potential of orthogonal image analyses such as RICS (analytical size gap) and MFI (particle morphology) for formulation screening.

Fast Comparative Structural Characterization of Intact Therapeutic Antibodies Using Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange and Electron Transfer Dissociation

Higher-order structural characterization plays an important role in many stages of therapeutic antibody production. Herein, we report a new top-down mass spectrometry approach for characterizing the higher-order structure of intact antibodies, by combining hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX), subzero temperature chromatography, and electron transfer dissociation on the Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Individual IgG domain-level deuteration information was obtained for 6 IgG domains on Herceptin (HER), which included the antigen binding sites. This is the first time that top-down HDX has been applied to an intact protein as large as 150 kDa, which has never been done before on any instrument. Ligand-binding induced structural differences in HER were determined to be located only on the variable region of the light chain. Global glycosylation profile of antibodies and HDX property of the glycoforms were also determined by accurate intact mass measurements. Although the presence of disulfide bonds prevent the current approach from being able to obtain amino acid level structural information within the disulfide-linked regions, the advantages such as minimal sample manipulation, fast workflow, very low level of back exchange, and simple data analysis, make it well-suited for fast comparative structural evaluation of intact antibodies.

Protein freeze concentration and micro-segregation analysed in a temperature-controlled freeze container

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Freeze concentration of bovine serum albumin studied in a laboratory freeze container.

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Protein micro-segregation visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

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Freezing protocol affected protein freeze concentration.

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Spatial heterogeneities created by freeze concentration.

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Micro-segregation was affected by freezing parameters.

To examine effects of varied freezing conditions on the development of spatial heterogeneity in the frozen protein solution, macroscopic freeze concentration and micro-segregation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated in a temperature-controlled 200-ml freeze container. Freezing to −40 °C promoted formation of protein concentration gradients (69–114 μg ml⁻¹) in frozen samples taken from 12 different freezer positions, whereby slow freezing in 4 h or longer facilitated the evolution of strong spatial heterogeneities and caused local concentration increases by 1.15-fold relative to the initial protein concentration (100 μg ml⁻¹). To visualize protein micro-segregation during phase separation, BSA was conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy was used to localize and size the freeze-concentrated protein regions. Slow freezing resulted in distinctly fewer and larger protein domains in the frozen bulk than fast freezing. Surface stress on the protein during freezing would therefore be minimized at low cooling rates; microscopic freeze concentration would however be highest under these conditions, potentially favoring protein aggregation.

Getting to the core of protein pharmaceuticals--Comprehensive structure analysis by mass spectrometry

Protein pharmaceuticals are the fastest growing class of novel therapeutic agents, and have been a major research and development focus in the (bio)pharmaceutical industry. Due to their large size and structural diversity, biopharmaceuticals represent a formidable challenge regarding analysis and characterization compared to traditional small molecule drugs. Any changes to the primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary structure of a protein can potentially impact its function, efficacy and safety. The analysis and characterization of (structural) protein heterogeneity is therefore of utmost importance. Mass spectrometry has evolved as a powerful tool for the characterization of both primary and higher order structures of protein pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the chemical and physical stability of protein drugs, as well as their pharmacokinetics are nowadays routinely determined by mass spectrometry. Here we review current techniques in primary, secondary and tertiary structure analysis of proteins by mass spectrometry. An overview of established top-down and bottom-up protein analyses will be given, and in particular the use of advanced technologies such as hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) for higher-order structure analysis will be discussed. Modification and degradation pathways of protein drugs and their detection by mass spectrometry will be described, as well as the growing use of mass spectrometry to assist protein design and biopharmaceutical development.

Intraocular pharmacokinetics of intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor-Trap in a rabbit model

PURPOSE

To determine intraocular pharmacokinetic properties of intravitreally injected vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-Trap in a rabbit model.

METHODS

VEGF-Trap was intravitreally injected in 18 rabbit eyes. Eyes were enucleated 1 h and 1, 2, 5, 14, and 30 days after injections and immediately frozen at -80 °C. Concentration of VEGF-Trap in vitreous, aqueous humor, and retina/choroid was determined using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and analyzed to obtain pharmacokinetic properties.

RESULTS

Maximum concentration of VEGF-Trap was achieved at 1 h in all three tissues. A one-compartment model of distribution was selected as the final model for all tissues studied. Estimated half-life of VEGF-Trap in vitreous, aqueous humor, and retinal/choroid was 87.1, 36.8, and 35.0 h, respectively, and estimated mean residence time was 125.7, 53.1, and 50.5 h, respectively. Area under the curve from time 0 to the end point was 10009.8, 3945.1, and 1189.3, respectively. Total exposure of the aqueous humor and retina/choroid to VEGF-Trap was 39.4% and 11.9% of vitreous exposure, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The vitreous half-life of VEGF-Trap is 3.63 days. This is shorter than that of bevacizumab (6.99 days) and longer than that of ranibizumab (2.51 days), as shown in studies using the same experimental settings. The concentration of VEGF-Trap peaked at 1 h after injections in all eye tissues studied.

Approaches to Interchain Cysteine-Linked ADC Characterization by Mass Spectrometry

Therapeutic antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) harness the cell-killing potential of cytotoxic agents and the tumor targeting specificity of monoclonal antibodies to selectively kill tumor cells. Recent years have witnessed the development of several promising modalities that follow the same basic principles of ADC based therapies but which employ unique cytotoxic agents and conjugation strategies in order to realize therapeutic benefit. The complexity and heterogeneity of ADCs present a challenge to some of the conventional analytical methods that industry has relied upon for biologics characterization. This current review will highlight some of the more recent methodological approaches in mass spectrometry that have bridged the gap that is created when conventional analytical techniques provide an incomplete picture of ADC product quality. Specifically, we will discuss mass spectrometric approaches that preserve and/or capture information about the native structure of ADCs and provide unique insights into the higher order structure (HOS) of these therapeutic molecules.

A dimer interface mutation in glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase regulates its binding to AU-rich RNA

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an enzyme best known for its role in glycolysis. However, extra-glycolytic functions of GAPDH have been described, including regulation of protein expression via RNA binding. GAPDH binds to numerous adenine-uridine rich elements (AREs) from various mRNA 3'-untranslated regions in vitro and in vivo despite its lack of a canonical RNA binding motif. How GAPDH binds to these AREs is still unknown. Here we discovered that GAPDH binds with high affinity to the core ARE from tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA via a two-step binding mechanism. We demonstrate that a mutation at the GAPDH dimer interface impairs formation of the second RNA-GAPDH complex and leads to changes in the RNA structure. We investigated the effect of this interfacial mutation on GAPDH oligomerization by crystallography, small-angle x-ray scattering, nano-electrospray ionization native mass spectrometry, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. We show that the mutation does not significantly affect GAPDH tetramerization as previously proposed. Instead, the mutation promotes short-range and long-range dynamic changes in regions located at the dimer and tetramer interface and in the NAD(+) binding site. These dynamic changes are localized along the P axis of the GAPDH tetramer, suggesting that this region is important for RNA binding. Based on our results, we propose a model for sequential GAPDH binding to RNA via residues located at the dimer and tetramer interfaces.

Characterization of stress-exposed granulocyte colony stimulating factor using ELISA and hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

Information on the higher-order structure is important in the development of biopharmaceutical drugs. Recently, hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) has been widely used as a tool to evaluate protein conformation, and unique automated systems for HDX-MS are now commercially available. To investigate the potential of this technique for the prediction of the activity of biopharmaceuticals, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), which had been subjected to three different stress types, was analyzed using HDX-MS and through comparison with receptor-binding activity. It was found that HDX-MS, in combination with ion mobility separation, was able to identify conformational changes in G-CSF induced by stress, and a good correlation with the receptor-binding activity was demonstrated, which cannot be completely determined by conventional peptide mapping alone. The direct evaluation of biological activity using bioassay is absolutely imperative in biopharmaceutical development, but HDX-MS can provide the alternative information in a short time on the extent and location of the structural damage caused by stresses. Furthermore, the present study suggests the possibility of this system being a versatile evaluation method for the preservation stability of biopharmaceuticals.

Higher order structure characterization of protein therapeutics by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

Characterization of therapeutic drugs is a crucial step in drug development in the biopharmaceutical industry. Analysis of protein therapeutics is a challenging task because of the complexities associated with large molecular size and 3D structures. Recent advances in hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) have provided a means to assess higher-order structure of protein therapeutics in solution. In this review, the principles and procedures of HDX-MS for protein therapeutics characterization are presented, focusing on specific applications of epitope mapping for protein-protein interactions and higher-order structure comparison studies for conformational dynamics of protein therapeutics.

Freezing-induced perturbation of tertiary structure of a monoclonal antibody

We studied the effects of pH and solution additives on freezing-induced perturbations in the tertiary structure of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) by intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy. In general, freezing caused perturbations in the tertiary structure of the mAb, which were reversible or irreversible depending on the pH or excipients present in the formulation. Protein aggregation occurred in freeze-thawed samples in which perturbations of the tertiary structure were observed, but the levels of protein aggregates formed were not proportional to the degree of structural perturbation. Protein aggregation also occurred in freeze-thawed samples without obvious structural perturbations, most likely because of freeze concentration of protein and salts, and thus reduced protein colloidal stability. Therefore, freezing-induced protein aggregation may or may not first involve the perturbation of its native structure, followed by the assembly processes to form aggregates. Depending on the solution conditions, either step can be rate limiting. Finally, this study demonstrates the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy as a valuable tool for screening therapeutic protein formulations subjected to freeze-thaw stress.

Understanding the conformational impact of chemical modifications on monoclonal antibodies with diverse sequence variation using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and structural modeling

Chemical modifications can potentially induce conformational changes near the modification site and thereby impact the safety and efficacy of protein therapeutics. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique with high spatial resolution and sensitivity in detecting such local conformational changes. In this study, we utilized HDX-MS combined with structural modeling to examine the conformational impact on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) caused by common chemical modifications including methionine (Met) oxidation, aspartic acid (Asp) isomerization, and asparagine (Asn) deamidation. Four mAbs with diverse sequences and glycosylation states were selected. The data suggested that the impact of Met oxidation was highly dependent on its location and glycosylation state. For mAbs with normal glycosylation in the Fc region, oxidation of the two conserved Met252 and Met428 (Kabat numbering) disrupted the interface interactions between the CH2 and CH3 domains, thus leading to a significant decrease in CH2 domain thermal stability as well as a slight increase in aggregation propensity. In contrast, Met oxidation in the variable region and CH3 domain had no detectable impact on mAb conformation. For aglycosylated mAb, Met oxidation could cause a more global conformational change to the whole CH2 domain, coincident with the larger decrease in thermal stability and significant increase in aggregation rate. Unlike Met oxidation, Asn deamidation and Asp isomerization mostly had very limited effects on mAb conformation, with the exception of succiminide intermediate formation which induced a measurable local conformational change to be more solvent protected. Structural modeling suggested that the succinimide intermediate was stabilized by adjacent aromatic amino acids through ring-ring stacking interactions.

Conformation and dynamics of interchain cysteine-linked antibody-drug conjugates as revealed by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are protein therapeutics in which a target specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) is conjugated with drug molecules. The manufacturing of ADCs involves additional conjugation steps, which are carried out on the parent mAbs, and it is important to evaluate how the drug conjugation process impacts the conformation and dynamics of the mAb. Here, we present a comparative study of interchain cysteine linked IgG1 ADCs and the corresponding mAb by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). We found that ∼90% of the primary sequence of the ADC conjugated with either monomethyl auristatin E or F (vcMMAE/mcMMAF) displayed the same HDX kinetics as the mAb, indicating the ADCs and mAbs share very similar conformation and dynamics in solution. Minor increases in HDX kinetic rates were observed in two Fc regions in the ADCs relative to the mAb which indicated that both regions become more structurally dynamic and/or more solvent-accessible in the ADCs. The findings led to a subsequent inquiry into whether the local conformational changes were due to the presence of drugs on the interchain cysteine residues or the absence of intact interchain disulfides or both. To address this question, a side-by-side HDX comparison of ADCs, mAbs, reduced mAbs (containing 8 reduced interchain cysteine thiols), and partially reduced mAbs (conjugation process intermediate) was performed. Our results indicated that the slight increase in conformational dynamics detected at the two regions in the ADCs was due to the absence of intact interchain disulfide bonds and not the presence of vcMMAE or mcMMAF on the alkylated interchain cysteine residues. These results highlight the utility of HDX-MS for interrogating the higher-order structure of ADCs and other protein therapeutics.

Structural characterization of IgG1 mAb aggregates and particles generated under various stress conditions

IgG1 mAb solutions were prepared with and without sodium chloride and subjected to different environmental stresses. Formation of aggregates and particles of varying size was monitored by a combination of size-exclusion chromatography, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, Micro-flow Imaging (MFI), turbidity, and visual assessments. Stirring and heating induced the highest concentration of particles. In general, the presence of NaCl enhanced this effect. The morphology of the particles formed from mAb samples exposed to different stresses was analyzed from transmission electron microscopy and MFI images. Shaking samples without NaCl generated the most fibrillar particles, whereas stirring created largely spherical particles. The composition of the particles was evaluated for covalent cross-linking by SDS-PAGE, overall secondary structure by FTIR microscopy, and surface apolarity by extrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy. Freeze-thaw and shaking led to particles containing protein with native-like secondary structure. Heating and stirring produced IgG1-containing aggregates and particles with some non-native disulfide cross-links, varying levels of intermolecular beta sheet content, and increased surface hydrophobicity. These results highlight the importance of evaluating protein particle morphology and composition, in addition to particle number and size distributions, to better understand the effect of solution conditions and environmental stresses on the formation of protein particles in mAb solutions.

Mass spectrometry for the biophysical characterization of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are powerful therapeutics, and their characterization has drawn considerable attention and urgency. Unlike small-molecule drugs (150-600 Da) that have rigid structures, mAbs (∼150 kDa) are engineered proteins that undergo complicated folding and can exist in a number of low-energy structures, posing a challenge for traditional methods in structural biology. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based biophysical characterization approaches can provide structural information, bringing high sensitivity, fast turnaround, and small sample consumption. This review outlines various MS-based strategies for protein biophysical characterization and then reviews how these strategies provide structural information of mAbs at the protein level (intact or top-down approaches), peptide, and residue level (bottom-up approaches), affording information on higher order structure, aggregation, and the nature of antibody complexes.

Investigating monoclonal antibody aggregation using a combination of H/DX-MS and other biophysical measurements

To determine how structural changes in antibodies are connected with aggregation, the structural areas of an antibody prone to and/or impacted by aggregation must be identified. In this work, the higher-order structure and biophysical properties of two different monoclonal antibody (mAb) monomers were compared with their simplest aggregated form, that is, dimers that naturally occurred during normal production and storage conditions. A combination of hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and other biophysical measurements was used to make the comparison. The results show that the dimerization process for one of the mAb monomers (mAb1) displayed no differences in its deuterium uptake between monomer and dimer forms. However, the other mAb monomer (mAb2) showed subtle changes in hydrogen/deuterium exchange as compared with its dimer form. In this case, differences observed were located in specific functional regions of the CH 2 domain and the hinge region between CH 1 and CH 2 domains. The importance and the implications of these changes on the antibody structure and mechanism of aggregation are discussed.

Qualification of a homogeneous cell-based neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) binding assay and its application to studies on Fc functionality of IgG-based therapeutics

The Fc region of IgG-based molecules plays an important role in determining their in vivo pharmacokinetic profile by its pH-dependent binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) which is expressed on the endothelial cells lining blood vessels. By virtue of this pH-specific interaction with IgG-Fc, FcRn mediates IgG homeostasis in human adults by maintaining serum IgG levels, and also transfers maternal IgGs from mother to fetus via the placenta. The Fc-FcRn interaction is also critical for keeping IgG-based therapeutic molecules in circulation thereby enhancing their serum half life. A homogeneous cell-based flow cytometric FcRn binding assay was established to characterize the Fc-FcRn interaction of therapeutic IgG-based molecules. It is a competition-based assay, wherein the IgG-Fc containing test molecule competes with a fixed concentration of fluorescently-labeled IgG-Fc moiety in solution for binding to the cell-expressed FcRn. The cell-bound fluorescence is read on a flow cytometer. Response of the test sample is analyzed relative to the standard sample and the results are reported as % relative binding. The assay is robust and meets the qualification criteria for specificity, method linearity, accuracy and precision over the relative binding range of 60%-160%. This assay was shown to effectively characterize altered Fc-FcRn interactions for photo-stressed, heat-stressed, oxidized, and Fc mutant samples. It was observed that the relative binding of the IgG-Fc to the cell-surface-expressed FcRn in the assay varies across different molecules, even within the same IgG subclass. This indicates that the Fc-FcRn binding can be influenced by the antigen-binding region of the molecules in addition to the IgG subclass. Overall, this assay is reflective of the in vivo mechanism of immunoglobulin binding to membrane-bound FcRn, and can be used as an analytical tool for assessing lot-to-lot consistency and stability testing across different batches of the same molecule. Additionally, the assay can be used as an effective tool for elucidating the amino acids in the IgG-Fc domain that are critical for FcRn binding and also for comparing the binding of different IgG-Fc containing molecules to FcRn.