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Harmsen MM, Ackerschott B, de Smit H. Serum immunoglobulin or albumin binding single-domain antibodies that enable tailored half-life extension of biologics in multiple animal species. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1346328. [PMID: 38352869 PMCID: PMC10862077 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1346328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-domain antibody fragments (sdAbs) can be isolated from heavy-chain-only antibodies that occur in camelids or the heavy chain of conventional antibodies, that also occur in camelids. Therapeutic application of sdAbs is often complicated by their low serum half-life. Fusion to sdAb that bind to long-lived serum proteins albumin or IgG can prolong serum half-life of fusion partners. Such studies mostly focused on human application. For half-life prolongation in multiple animal species novel species cross-reacting sdAb are needed. We here describe the isolation from immunized llamas of sdAbs G6 and G13 that bound IgG of 9-10 species analysed, including horse, dog, cat, and swine, as well as sdAb A12 that bound horse, dog, swine and cat albumin. A12 bound albumin with 13 to 271 nM affinity dependent on the species. G13 affinity was difficult to determine by biolayer interferometry due to low and heterogeneous signals. G13 and G6 compete for the same binding domain on Fab fragments. Furthermore, they both lack the hallmark residues typical of camelid sdAbs derived from heavy-chain antibodies and had sequence characteristics typical of human sdAbs with high solubility and stability. This suggests they are derived from conventional llama antibodies. They most likely bind IgG through pairing with VL domains at the VH-VL interface rather than a paratope involving complementarity determining regions. None of the isolated sdAb interfered with FcRn binding to albumin or IgG, and thus do not prevent endosomal albumin/IgG-sdAb complex recycling. Fusions of albumin-binding sdAb A12 to several tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) binding sdAbs prolonged the terminal serum half-life in piglets to about 4 days, comparable to authentic swine albumin. However, G13 conferred a much lower half-life of 0.84 days. Similarly, in horse, G13 prolonged half-life to only 1.2 days whereas A12 fused to two TeNT binding domains (T6T16A12) had a half-life of 21 days. The high half-life of T6T16A12, which earlier proved to be a highly potent TeNT antitoxin, further supports its therapeutic value. Furthermore, we have identified several additional sdAbs that enable tailored half-life extension of biologicals in multiple animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel M. Harmsen
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | | | - Hans de Smit
- Research and Development, Smivet B.V., Wijchen, Netherlands
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2
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Smith FD, Pierce RH, Thisted T, van der Horst EH. Conditionally Active, pH-Sensitive Immunoregulatory Antibodies Targeting VISTA and CTLA-4 Lead an Emerging Class of Cancer Therapeutics. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:55. [PMID: 37753969 PMCID: PMC10525963 DOI: 10.3390/antib12030055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints and other immunoregulatory targets can be difficult to precisely target due to expression on non-tumor immune cells critical to maintaining immune homeostasis in healthy tissues. On-target/off-tumor binding of therapeutics results in significant pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic problems. Target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) significantly limits effective intratumoral drug levels and adversely affects anti-tumor efficacy. Target engagement outside the tumor environment may lead to severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs), resulting in a narrowing of the therapeutic window, sub-optimal dosing, or cessation of drug development altogether. Overcoming these challenges has become tractable through recent advances in antibody engineering and screening approaches. Here, we review the discovery and development of conditionally active antibodies with minimal binding to target at physiologic pH but high-affinity target binding at the low pH of the tumor microenvironment by focusing on the discovery and improved properties of pH-dependent mAbs targeting two T cell checkpoints, VISTA and CTLA-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Donelson Smith
- Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc., 1405 Research Blvd., Suite 125, Rockville, MD 20850, USA;
| | | | - Thomas Thisted
- Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc., 1405 Research Blvd., Suite 125, Rockville, MD 20850, USA;
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3
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Benedetti F, Stadlmayr G, Stadlbauer K, Rüker F, Wozniak-Knopp G. Selection of High-Affinity Heterodimeric Antigen-Binding Fc Fragments from a Large Yeast Display Library. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2681:131-159. [PMID: 37405647 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3279-6_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Antigen-binding Fc (Fcab™) fragments, where a novel antigen binding site is introduced by the mutagenesis of the C-terminal loops of the CH3 domain, function as parts of bispecific IgG-like symmetrical antibodies when they replace their wild-type Fc. Their homodimeric structure typically leads to bivalent antigen binding. In particular, biological situations monovalent engagement, however, would be preferred, either for avoiding agonistic effects leading to safety issues, or the attractive option of combining a single chain (i.e., one half) of an Fcab fragment reactive with different antigens in one antibody. We present the strategies for construction and selection of yeast libraries displaying heterodimeric Fcab fragments and discuss the effects of altered thermostability of the basic Fc scaffold and novel library designs that lead to isolation of highly affine antigen binding clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Benedetti
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Stadlmayr
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Stadlbauer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Rüker
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gordana Wozniak-Knopp
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.
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4
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Kakuzaki T, Koga H, Takizawa S, Metsugi S, Shiraiwa H, Sampei Z, Yoshida K, Tsunoda H, Teramoto R. Monte Carlo Thompson sampling-guided design for antibody engineering. MAbs 2023; 15:2244214. [PMID: 37605371 PMCID: PMC10446805 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2244214] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are one of the predominant treatment modalities for various diseases. To improve the characteristics of a lead antibody, such as antigen-binding affinity and stability, we conducted comprehensive substitutions and exhaustively explored their sequence space. However, it is practically unfeasible to evaluate all possible combinations of mutations owing to combinatorial explosion when multiple amino acid residues are incorporated. It was recently reported that a machine-learning guided protein engineering approach such as Thompson sampling (TS) has been used to efficiently explore sequence space in the framework of Bayesian optimization. For TS, over-exploration occurs when the initial data are biasedly distributed in the vicinity of the lead antibody. We handle a large-scale virtual library that includes numerous mutations. When the number of experiments is limited, this over-exploration causes a serious issue. Thus, we conducted Monte Carlo Thompson sampling (MTS) to balance the exploration-exploitation trade-off by defining the posterior distribution via the Monte Carlo method and compared its performance with TS in antibody engineering. Our results demonstrated that MTS largely outperforms TS in discovering desirable candidates at an earlier round when over-exploration occurs on TS. Thus, the MTS method is a powerful technique for efficiently discovering antibodies with desired characteristics when the number of rounds is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Kakuzaki
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hikaru Koga
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shuuki Takizawa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shoichi Metsugi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Zenjiro Sampei
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kenji Yoshida
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tsunoda
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Reiji Teramoto
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
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5
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Aptamer versus antibody as probes for the impedimetric biosensor for human epidermal growth factor receptor. J Inorg Biochem 2022; 230:111764. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.111764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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6
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Abstract
pH-dependent antigen binding has proven useful in engineering next-generation therapeutics specifically via antibody recycling technology. This technology allows for half-life extension, thereby lowering the amount and frequency of dosing of therapeutics. Cell sorting, coupled with display techniques, has been used extensively for the selection of high-affinity binders. Herein, we describe a cell sorting methodology utilizing yeast surface display for selection of binding proteins with strong binding at physiological pH and weak to no binding at acidic pH. This methodology can be readily applied to engineer proteins and/or antibodies that do not have pH-dependent binding or for selection of de novo pH-dependent binders using library-based methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna N Meanor
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Albert J Keung
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Balaji M Rao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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7
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Zou W, Huang C, Sun Q, Zhao K, Gao H, Su R, Li Y. A stepwise mutagenesis approach using histidine and acidic amino acid to engineer highly pH-dependent protein switches. 3 Biotech 2022; 12:21. [PMID: 34956814 PMCID: PMC8686790 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-03079-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-based drugs can be highly toxic, because they target normal tissue as well as tumor tissue. The pH value of the extracellular microenvironments around tumor tissues is lower than that of normal tissues. Therefore, antibodies that engage in pH-dependent binding at slightly acidic pH are crucial for improving the safety of antibody-based drugs. Thus, we implemented a stepwise mutagenesis approach to engineering pH-dependent antibodies capable of selective binding in the acidic microenvironment in this study. The first step involved single-residue histidine scanning mutagenesis of the antibody's complementarity-determining regions to prescreen for pH-dependent mutants and identify ionizable sensitive hot-spot residues that could be substituted by acidic amino acids to obtain pH-dependent antibodies. The second step involved single-acidic amino acid residue substitutions of the identified residues and the assessment of pH-dependent binding. We identified six ionizable sensitive hot-spot residues using single-histidine scanning mutagenesis. Nine pH-dependent antibodies were isolated using single-acidic amino acid residue mutagenesis at the six hot-spot residue positions. Relative to wild-type anti-CEA chimera antibody, the binding selectivity of the best performing mutant was improved by approximately 32-fold according to ELISA and by tenfold according to FACS assay. The mutant had a high affinity in the pH range of 5.5-6.0. This study supports the development of pH-dependent protein switches and increases our understanding of the role of ionizable residues in protein interfaces. The stepwise mutagenesis approach is rapid, general, and robust and is expected to produce pH-sensitive protein affinity reagents for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Zou
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Chuncui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Qing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Keli Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Huanyu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Rong Su
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, 528000 Guangdong China
| | - Yan Li
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
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8
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Lucchi R, Bentanachs J, Oller-Salvia B. The Masking Game: Design of Activatable Antibodies and Mimetics for Selective Therapeutics and Cell Control. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:724-738. [PMID: 34079893 PMCID: PMC8161478 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c01448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The high selectivity and affinity of antibody binding have made antibodies all-pervasive tools in therapy, diagnosis, and basic science. A plethora of chemogenetic approaches has been devised to make antibodies responsive to stimuli ranging from light to enzymatic activity, temperature, pH, ions, and effector molecules. Within a single decade, the field of activatable antibodies has yielded marketed therapeutics capable of engaging antigens that could not be targeted with traditional antibodies, as well as new tools to control intracellular protein location and investigate biological processes. Many opportunities remain untapped, waiting for more efficient and generally applicable masking strategies to be developed at the interface between chemistry and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lucchi
- Grup d’Enginyeria
de Materials, Institut Químic de
Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Bentanachs
- Grup d’Enginyeria
de Materials, Institut Químic de
Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benjamí Oller-Salvia
- Grup d’Enginyeria
de Materials, Institut Químic de
Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Sulea T, Rohani N, Baardsnes J, Corbeil CR, Deprez C, Cepero-Donates Y, Robert A, Schrag JD, Parat M, Duchesne M, Jaramillo ML, Purisima EO, Zwaagstra JC. Structure-based engineering of pH-dependent antibody binding for selective targeting of solid-tumor microenvironment. MAbs 2021; 12:1682866. [PMID: 31777319 PMCID: PMC6927761 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1682866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent development of monoclonal antibodies as mainstream anticancer agents demands further optimization of their safety for use in humans. Potent targeting and/or effector activities on normal tissues is an obvious toxicity concern. Optimization of specific tumor targeting could be achieved by taking advantage of the extracellular acidity of solid tumors relative to normal tissues. Here, we applied a structure-based computational approach to engineer anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) antibodies with selective binding in the acidic tumor microenvironment. We used an affinity maturation platform in which dual-pH histidine-scanning mutagenesis was implemented for pH selectivity optimization. Testing of a small set of designs for binding to the recombinant Her2 ectodomain led to the identification of antigen-binding fragment (Fab) variants with the desired pH-dependent binding behavior. Binding selectivity toward acidic pH was improved by as much as 25-fold relative to the parental bH1-Fab. In vitro experiments on cells expressing intact Her2 confirmed that designed variants formatted as IgG1/k full-size antibodies have high affinity and inhibit the growth of tumor spheroids at a level comparable to that of the benchmark anti-Her2 antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin®) at acidic pH, whereas these effects were significantly reduced at physiological pH. In contrast, both Herceptin and the parental bH1 antibody exhibited strong cell binding and growth inhibition irrespective of pH. This work demonstrates the feasibility of computational optimization of antibodies for selective targeting of the acidic environment such as that found in many solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Traian Sulea
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nazanin Rohani
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jason Baardsnes
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher R Corbeil
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christophe Deprez
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yuneivy Cepero-Donates
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alma Robert
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Joseph D Schrag
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie Parat
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mélanie Duchesne
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maria L Jaramillo
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Enrico O Purisima
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - John C Zwaagstra
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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10
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Watanabe H, Yoshida C, Ooishi A, Nakai Y, Ueda M, Isobe Y, Honda S. Histidine-Mediated Intramolecular Electrostatic Repulsion for Controlling pH-Dependent Protein-Protein Interaction. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2729-2736. [PMID: 31596562 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions that can be controlled by environmental triggers have immense potential in various biological and industrial applications. In the current study, we aimed to engineer a pH-dependent protein-protein interaction that employs intramolecular electrostatic repulsion through a structure-guided histidine substitution approach. We implemented this strategy on Streptococcal protein G, an affinity ligand for immunoglobulin G, and showed that even a single point mutation effectively improved the pH sensitivity of the binding interactions without adversely affecting its structural stability or its innate binding function. Depending on the pH of the environment, the protein-protein interaction was disrupted by the electrostatic repulsion between the substituted histidine and its neighboring positively charged residues. Structurally, the substituted histidine residue was located adjacent to a lysine residue that could form hydrogen bonds with immunoglobulin G. Thermodynamically, the introduced electrostatic repulsion was reflected in the significant loss of the exothermic heat of the binding under acidic conditions, whereas accompanying enthalpy-entropy compensation partly suppressed the improvement of the pH sensitivity. Thus, the engineered pH-sensitive protein G could enable antibody purification under mildly acidic conditions. This intramolecular design can be combined with conventional protein-protein interface design. Moreover, the method proposed here provides us with additional design criteria for optimization of pH-dependent molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Watanabe
- The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Chuya Yoshida
- The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Ayako Ooishi
- The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Yasuto Nakai
- Daicel Corporation, Innovation Park, 1239, Shinzaike, Aboshi, Himeji, Hyogo 671-1283, Japan
| | - Momoko Ueda
- Daicel Corporation, Innovation Park, 1239, Shinzaike, Aboshi, Himeji, Hyogo 671-1283, Japan
| | - Yutaka Isobe
- Daicel Corporation, Innovation Park, 1239, Shinzaike, Aboshi, Himeji, Hyogo 671-1283, Japan
| | - Shinya Honda
- The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
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11
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Yeast Surface Display and Cell Sorting of Antigen-Binding Fc Fragments. Methods Mol Biol 2019. [PMID: 30737746 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9024-5_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Since the introduction of the yeast display platform, this method has increasingly gained popularity for the discovery and affinity maturation of antibodies and other protein scaffolds intended for antigen recognition. Yeast display is particularly well suited for the selection of antigen-binding Fc fragments (Fcabs) as it allows rapid combinatorial library construction via gap repair-driven homologous recombination and an efficient display of a glycosylated Fc able to interact with Fcγ receptors. Apart from expression-related normalization, isolation of properly folded Fcabs can be guided efficiently by simultaneous staining with ligands such as protein A, FcγRI, or the conformation-sensitive anti-FigCH2 antibody, whose binding is critically dependent on the integrity of the Fc structure. The particular properties of the Fcab scaffold, such as its homodimeric state which can promote binding to multiple antigen molecules, require modifications of traditional affinity maturation strategies. Preferred to equilibrium selections are kinetically driven antigen selections, designed to specifically influence the binding off-rate, which in many cases augments the desired biological effect. A simple design of a yeast-displayed heterodimeric Fc fragment is described and can be used as a general guideline for affinity selection of Fcabs with an asymmetric binding site. Overall, this chapter underlines the importance of the versatile yeast display technique for the optimization of the novel Fcab scaffold for antigen recognition.
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12
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Improvement of pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic antibodies by antibody engineering. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2018; 34:25-41. [PMID: 30472066 DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become an important therapeutic option for several diseases. Since several mAbs have shown promising efficacy in clinic, the competition to develop mAbs has become severe. In efforts to gain a competitive advantage over other mAbs and provide significant benefits to patients, innovations in antibody engineering have aimed at improving the pharmacokinetic properties of mAbs. Because engineering can provide therapeutics that are more convenient, safer, and more efficacious for patients in several disease areas, it is an attractive approach to provide significant benefits to patients. Further advances in engineering mAbs to modulate their pharmacokinetics were driven by the increase of total soluble target antigen concentration that is often observed after injecting a mAb, which then requires a high dosage to antagonize. To decrease the required dosage, several antibody engineering techniques have been invented that reduce the total concentration of soluble target antigen. Here, we review the various ways that antibody engineering can improve the pharmacokinetic properties of mAbs.
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13
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Isolation of pH-Sensitive Antibody Fragments by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting and Yeast Surface Display. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1685:311-331. [PMID: 29086318 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7366-8_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) in combination with yeast surface display (YSD) has proven to be a valuable tool for the engineering of antibodies. It enables the fast and robust identification and isolation of candidates with prescribed characteristics from combinatorial libraries. A novel application for FACS and YSD that has recently evolved addresses the engineering of antibodies toward pH-switchable antigen binding, aiming at reduced binding at acidic pH, compared to neutral pH. Therefore, we give guidance for the incorporation of such pH switches into antibody variable domains using combinatorial histidine scanning libraries. The protocol describes a flow cytometric sorting technique for the enrichment of antigen-specific molecules. Moreover, we provide information on how to screen the obtained antibody pools from initial sorting to isolate and characterize pH-sensitive variants.
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14
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Könning D, Kolmar H. Beyond antibody engineering: directed evolution of alternative binding scaffolds and enzymes using yeast surface display. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:32. [PMID: 29482656 PMCID: PMC6389260 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-0881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pioneered exactly 20 years ago, yeast surface display (YSD) continues to take a major role in protein engineering among the high-throughput display methodologies that have been developed to date. The classical yeast display technology relies on tethering an engineered protein to the cell wall by genetic fusion to one subunit of a dimeric yeast-mating agglutination receptor complex. This method enables an efficient genotype-phenotype linkage while exploiting the benefits of a eukaryotic expression machinery. Over the past two decades, a plethora of protein engineering efforts encompassing conventional antibody Fab and scFv fragments have been reported. In this review, we will focus on the versatility of YSD beyond conventional antibody engineering and, instead, place the focus on alternative scaffold proteins and enzymes which have successfully been tailored for purpose with regard to improving binding, activity or specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Könning
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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15
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Rosowski S, Becker S, Toleikis L, Valldorf B, Grzeschik J, Demir D, Willenbücher I, Gaa R, Kolmar H, Zielonka S, Krah S. A novel one-step approach for the construction of yeast surface display Fab antibody libraries. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:3. [PMID: 29316915 PMCID: PMC5759264 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-017-0853-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Yeast surface display (YSD) has proven to be a versatile platform technology for antibody discovery. However, the construction of antibody Fab libraries typically is a tedious three-step process that involves the generation of heavy chain as well as light chain display plasmids in different haploid yeast strains followed by yeast mating. RESULTS Within this study, we aimed at implementing a focused Golden Gate Cloning approach for the generation of YSD libraries. For this, antibodies heavy and light chains were encoded on one single plasmid. Fab display on yeast cells was either mediated by a two-directional promoter system (2dir) or by ribosomal skipping (bicis). The general applicability of this methodology was proven by the functional display of a therapeutic antibody. Subsequently, we constructed large antibody libraries with heavy chain diversities derived from CEACAM5 immunized animals in combination with a common light chain. Target-specific antibodies from both display systems were readily obtained after three rounds of fluorescence activated cell sorting. Isolated variants exhibited high affinities in the nanomolar and subnanomolar range as well as appropriate biophysical properties. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that Golden Gate Cloning appears to be a valid tool for the generation of large yeast surface display antibody Fab libraries. This procedure simplifies the hit discovery process of antibodies from immune repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Rosowski
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julius Grzeschik
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Deniz Demir
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Iris Willenbücher
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ramona Gaa
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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16
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Könning D, Hinz S, Grzeschik J, Schröter C, Krah S, Zielonka S, Kolmar H. Construction of Histidine-Enriched Shark IgNAR Variable Domain Antibody Libraries for the Isolation of pH-Sensitive vNAR Fragments. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1827:109-127. [PMID: 30196494 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8648-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The adaptive immune system of sharks comprises a heavy chain-only antibody isotype, referred to as immunoglobulin new antigen receptor (IgNAR). Antigen binding in case of IgNAR antibodies is mediated by a single variable domain (vNAR). Due to their inherent beneficial biophysical properties, such as small size and high thermal stability combined with a high specificity and affinity to their target antigens, vNAR domains emerged as promising tools for biotechnological and biomedical applications. Herein, we present detailed protocols for the engineering of pH-sensitivity into IgNAR V domains by constructing histidine-enriched and CDR3-diversified semisynthetic antibody libraries which can then be screened upon using yeast surface display. Protonation or deprotonation of incorporated histidine residues at different pH values results in structural transitions caused by altered electrostatic interactions. These interactions account for an altered binding behavior toward the target antigen. In the following protocol, we describe the generation of a semisynthetic vNAR master library that comprises two histidine residues on average in the 12-residue CDR3 loop. Moreover, once a pH-dependent vNAR population toward the target antigen is identified, this population can further be optimized in terms of affinity and pH sensitivity upon conducting a CDR1-mediated affinity maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Könning
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Steffen Hinz
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julius Grzeschik
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Targeted NBE Therapeutics, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
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Wozniak-Knopp G, Stadlmayr G, Perthold JW, Stadlbauer K, Woisetschläger M, Sun H, Rüker F. Designing Fcabs: well-expressed and stable high affinity antigen-binding Fc fragments. Protein Eng Des Sel 2017; 30:657-671. [DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzx042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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18
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Lobner E, Humm AS, Mlynek G, Kubinger K, Kitzmüller M, Traxlmayr MW, Djinović-Carugo K, Obinger C. Two-faced Fcab prevents polymerization with VEGF and reveals thermodynamics and the 2.15 Å crystal structure of the complex. MAbs 2017; 9:1088-1104. [PMID: 28816592 PMCID: PMC5627596 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2017.1364825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fcabs (Fc domain with antigen-binding sites) are promising novel therapeutics. By engineering of the C-terminal loops of the CH3 domains, 2 antigen binding sites can be inserted in close proximity. To elucidate the binding mode(s) between homodimeric Fcabs and small homodimeric antigens, the interaction between the Fcabs 448 and CT6 (having the AB, CD and EF loops and the C-termini engineered) with homodimeric VEGF was investigated. The crystal structures of these Fcabs, which form polymers with the antigen VEGF in solution, were determined. However, construction of heterodimeric Fcabs (JanusFcabs: one chain Fc-wt, one chain VEGF-binding) results in formation of distinct JanusFcab–VEGF complexes (2:1), which allowed elucidation of the crystal structure of the JanusCT6–VEGF complex at 2.15 Å resolution. VEGF binding to Janus448 and JanusCT6 is shown to be entropically unfavorable, but enthalpically favorable. Structure-function relationships are discussed with respect to Fcab design and engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Lobner
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,b Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria
| | - Anne-Sophie Humm
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,c Department for Structural and Computational Biology , Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna , Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, Vienna , Austria
| | - Georg Mlynek
- c Department for Structural and Computational Biology , Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna , Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, Vienna , Austria
| | - Konstantin Kubinger
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,b Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria
| | - Michael Kitzmüller
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,b Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria
| | - Michael W Traxlmayr
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,b Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria
| | - Kristina Djinović-Carugo
- c Department for Structural and Computational Biology , Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna , Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, Vienna , Austria.,d Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology , University of Ljubljana , Večna pot 113, Ljubljana , Slovenia
| | - Christian Obinger
- a Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria.,b Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry , BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences , Muthgasse 18, Vienna , Austria
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19
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Abstract
Listeriolysin O (LLO) is a cytolysin capable of forming pores in cholesterol-rich lipid membranes of host cells. It is conveniently suited for engineering a pH-governed responsiveness, due to a pH sensor identified in its structure that was shown before to affect its stability. Here we introduced a new level of control of its hemolytic activity by making a variant with hemolytic activity that was pH-dependent. Based on detailed structural analysis coupled with molecular dynamics and mutational analysis, we found that the bulky side chain of Tyr406 allosterically affects the pH sensor. Molecular dynamics simulation further suggested which other amino acid residues may also allosterically influence the pH-sensor. LLO was engineered to the point where it can, in a pH-regulated manner, perforate artificial and cellular membranes. The single mutant Tyr406Ala bound to membranes and oligomerized similarly to the wild-type LLO, however, the final membrane insertion step was pH-affected by the introduced mutation. We show that the mutant toxin can be activated at the surface of artificial membranes or living cells by a single wash with slightly acidic pH buffer. Y406A mutant has a high potential in development of novel nanobiotechnological applications such as controlled release of substances or as a sensor of environmental pH.
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20
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Liu H, Saxena A, Sidhu SS, Wu D. Fc Engineering for Developing Therapeutic Bispecific Antibodies and Novel Scaffolds. Front Immunol 2017; 8:38. [PMID: 28184223 PMCID: PMC5266686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have become molecules of choice to treat autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Moreover, bispecific/multispecific antibodies that target more than one antigen or epitope on a target cell or recruit effector cells (T cell, natural killer cell, or macrophage cell) toward target cells have shown great potential to maximize the benefits of antibody therapy. In the past decade, many novel concepts to generate bispecific and multispecific antibodies have evolved successfully into a range of formats from full bispecific immunoglobulin gammas to antibody fragments. Impressively, antibody fragments such as bispecific T-cell engager, bispecific killer cell engager, trispecific killer cell engager, tandem diabody, and dual-affinity-retargeting are showing exciting results in terms of recruiting and activating self-immune effector cells to target and lyse tumor cells. Promisingly, crystallizable fragment (Fc) antigen-binding fragment and monomeric antibody or half antibody may be particularly advantageous to target solid tumors owing to their small size and thus good tissue penetration potential while, on the other hand, keeping Fc-related effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis, and extended serum half-life via interaction with neonatal Fc receptor. This review, therefore, focuses on the progress of Fc engineering in generating bispecific molecules and on the use of small antibody fragment as scaffolds for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Liu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
| | - Abhishek Saxena
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
| | - Sachdev S Sidhu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China; Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donghui Wu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
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21
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Abstract
The crystallizable fragment (Fc) of the immunoglobulin class G (IgG) is a very attractive scaffold for the design of novel therapeutics due to its quality of uniting all essential antibody functions. This article reviews the functionalization of this homodimeric glycoprotein by diversification of structural loops of CH3 domains for the design of Fcabs, i.e. antigen-binding Fc proteins. It reports the design of libraries for the selection of nanomolar binders with wildtype-like in vivo half-life and correlation of Fc receptor binding and ADCC. The in vitro and preclinical biological activity of selected Fcabs is compared with that of clinically approved antibodies. Recently, the great potential of the scaffold for the development of therapeutics for clinical use has been shown when the HER2-binding Fcab FS102 entered clinical phase I. Furthermore, methods for the engineering of biophysical properties of Fcabs applicable to proteins in general are presented as well as the different approaches in the design of heterodimeric Fc-based scaffolds used in the generation of bispecific monoclonal antibodies. Finally, this work critically analyzes and compares the various efforts in the design of highly diverse and functional libraries that have been made in the engineering of IgG1-Fc and structurally similar scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Lobner
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Vienna Institute of BioTechnology, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael W Traxlmayr
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Vienna Institute of BioTechnology, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Obinger
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Vienna Institute of BioTechnology, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Hasenhindl
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Vienna Institute of BioTechnology, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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22
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Könning D, Zielonka S, Sellmann C, Schröter C, Grzeschik J, Becker S, Kolmar H. Isolation of a pH-Sensitive IgNAR Variable Domain from a Yeast-Displayed, Histidine-Doped Master Library. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 18:161-167. [PMID: 26838965 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-016-9690-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, engineering of pH-sensitivity into antibodies as well as antibody-derived fragments has become more and more attractive for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Herein, we report the isolation of the first pH-sensitive IgNAR variable domain (vNAR), which was isolated from a yeast-displayed, semi-synthetic master library. This strategy enables the direct identification of pH-dependent binders from a histidine-enriched CDR3 library. Displayed vNAR variants contained two histidine substitutions on average at random positions in their 12-residue CDR3 loop. Upon screening of seven rounds against the proof-of-concept target EpCAM (selection for binding at pH 7.4 and decreased binding at pH 6.0), a single clone was obtained that showed specific and pH-dependent binding as characterized by yeast surface display and biolayer interferometry. Potential applications for such pH-dependent vNAR domains include their employment in tailored affinity chromatography, enabling mild elution protocols. Moreover, utilizing a master library for the isolation of pH-sensitive vNAR variants may be a generic strategy to obtain binding entities with prescribed characteristics for applications in biotechnology, diagnostics, and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Könning
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carolin Sellmann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julius Grzeschik
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck-Serono, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, D-64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
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23
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Haraya K, Tachibana T, Iwayanagi Y, Maeda A, Ozeki K, Nezu J, Ishigai M, Igawa T. PK/PD analysis of a novel pH-dependent antigen-binding antibody using a dynamic antibody-antigen binding model. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2016; 31:123-32. [PMID: 26944099 DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2015.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we have reported novel engineered antibody with pH-dependent antigen-binding (recycling antibody), and with both pH-dependent antigen-binding and increased FcRn-binding at neutral pH (sweeping antibody). The purpose of this study is to perform PK/PD predictions to better understand the potential applications of the antibodies as therapeutics. To demonstrate the applicability of recycling and sweeping antibodies over conventional antibodies, PK/PD analyses were performed. PK/PD parameters for antibody and antigen dynamics were estimated from the results of a pharmacokinetic study in human FcRn transgenic mice. A simulation study was performed using the estimated PK/PD parameters with various target antigen profiles. In comparison to conventional antibody, recycling antibody enhanced antibody-antigen complex clearance by 3 folds, while sweeping antibody accelerated antigen clearance by 10 folds in a pharmacokinetic study. Simulation results showed that recycling and sweeping antibodies can improve dosage frequency and reduce the required dose for target antigens with various clearances, plasma concentrations or binding kinetics. Moreover, importance of the association rate constant to enhance the beneficial effect of antibodies was shown. These results support the conclusion that recycling and sweeping antibodies can be applied to various target antigens with different profiles, and expand the number of antigens that antibodies can target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Haraya
- Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte. Ltd., 3 Biopolis Drive, #04-11 to 17 Synapse, 138623, Singapore.
| | - Tatsuhiko Tachibana
- Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte. Ltd., 3 Biopolis Drive, #04-11 to 17 Synapse, 138623, Singapore
| | - Yuki Iwayanagi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Atsuhiko Maeda
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Ozeki
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Junichi Nezu
- Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte. Ltd., 3 Biopolis Drive, #04-11 to 17 Synapse, 138623, Singapore
| | - Masaki Ishigai
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Igawa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
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24
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Tillotson BJ, Goulatis LI, Parenti I, Duxbury E, Shusta EV. Engineering an Anti-Transferrin Receptor ScFv for pH-Sensitive Binding Leads to Increased Intracellular Accumulation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145820. [PMID: 26713870 PMCID: PMC4694649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The equilibrium binding affinity of receptor-ligand or antibody-antigen pairs may be modulated by protonation of histidine side-chains, and such pH-dependent mechanisms play important roles in biological systems, affecting molecular uptake and trafficking. Here, we aimed to manipulate cellular transport of single-chain antibodies (scFvs) against the transferrin receptor (TfR) by engineering pH-dependent antigen binding. An anti-TfR scFv was subjected to histidine saturation mutagenesis of a single CDR. By employing yeast surface display with a pH-dependent screening pressure, scFvs having markedly increased dissociation from TfR at pH 5.5 were identified. The pH-sensitivity generally resulted from a central cluster of histidine residues in CDRH1. When soluble, pH-sensitive, scFv clone M16 was dosed onto live cells, the internalized fraction was 2.6-fold greater than scFvs that lacked pH-sensitive binding and the increase was dependent on endosomal acidification. Differences in the intracellular distribution of M16 were also observed consistent with an intracellular decoupling of the scFv M16-TfR complex. Engineered pH-sensitive TfR binding could prove important for increasing the effectiveness of TfR-targeted antibodies seeking to exploit endocytosis or transcytosis for drug delivery purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Tillotson
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Loukas I. Goulatis
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Isabelle Parenti
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Duxbury
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Eric V. Shusta
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Madison, WI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Schröter C, Günther R, Rhiel L, Becker S, Toleikis L, Doerner A, Becker J, Schönemann A, Nasu D, Neuteboom B, Kolmar H, Hock B. A generic approach to engineer antibody pH-switches using combinatorial histidine scanning libraries and yeast display. MAbs 2015; 7:138-51. [PMID: 25523975 PMCID: PMC4622719 DOI: 10.4161/19420862.2014.985993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in the fast and robust engineering of protein pH-sensitivity that aims to reduce binding at acidic pH, compared to neutral pH. Here, we describe a novel strategy for the incorporation of pH-sensitive antigen binding functions into antibody variable domains using combinatorial histidine scanning libraries and yeast surface display. The strategy allows simultaneous screening for both, high affinity binding at pH 7.4 and pH-sensitivity, and excludes conventional negative selection steps. As proof of concept, we applied this strategy to incorporate pH-dependent antigen binding into the complementary-determining regions of adalimumab. After 3 consecutive rounds of separate heavy and light chain library screening, pH-sensitive variants could be isolated. Heavy and light chain mutations were combined, resulting in 3 full-length antibody variants that revealed sharp, reversible pH-dependent binding profiles. Dissociation rate constants at pH 6.0 increased 230- to 780-fold, while high affinity binding at pH 7.4 in the sub-nanomolar range was retained. Furthermore, binding to huFcRn and thermal stability were not affected by histidine substitutions. Overall, this study emphasizes a generalizable strategy for engineering pH-switch functions potentially applicable to a variety of antibodies and further proteins-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schröter
- a Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry ; Technische Universität Darmstadt ; Darmstadt , Germany
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26
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Lee SY, Jungbauer A. Editorial: Biotechnology as an enabling technology and much more. Biotechnol J 2014; 9:991-2. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201400451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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