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Engel N, Dirauf M, Czaplewska JA, Nischang I, Gottschaldt M, Schubert US. Determination of ω-end functionalities in tailored poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)s by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231008. [PMID: 38328565 PMCID: PMC10846952 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The in-depth analytical characterization of polymers, in particular regarding intended biomedical applications, is becoming increasingly important to elucidate their structure-property relationships. Specifically, end group analysis of e.g. polymers featuring a 'stealth effect' towards the immune system is of particular importance because of their use in coupling reactions to bioactive compounds. Herein, we established a liquid chromatography (LC) protocol to analyse bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne-functionalized poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)s (POx)s as promising functional polymers that can be applied in strain-promoted click reactions. This work involved the synthesis of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMeOx) and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) by living cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) with different molar masses ranging from 2 up to 17.5 kDa and, to our knowledge, the first liquid chromatographic analysis of PMeOx. The developed analytical protocol enables the quantitative determination of post-polymerization reaction sequences with respect to the conversion of the ω-end groups. All synthesized polymers were straightforwardly analysed on a C18-derivatized silica monolithic column under reversed-phase chromatographic conditions with a binary mobile phase gradient comprising a mixture of acetonitrile and water. Subsequent mass spectrometry of collected elution fractions enabled the confirmation of the desired ω-end group functionalities and the identification of synthetic by-products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Engel
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Dirauf
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
- NGP Polymers GmbH, Philosophenweg 7a, 07743 Jena
| | - Justyna A. Czaplewska
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Ivo Nischang
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB), Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications Jena (HIPOLE Jena), Lessingstraße 12–14, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Gottschaldt
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich S. Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
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Garg A, González-Foutel NS, Gielnik MB, Kjaergaard M. Design of functional intrinsically disordered proteins. Protein Eng Des Sel 2024; 37:gzae004. [PMID: 38431892 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Many proteins do not fold into a fixed three-dimensional structure, but rather function in a highly disordered state. These intrinsically disordered proteins pose a unique challenge to protein engineering and design: How can proteins be designed de novo if not by tailoring their structure? Here, we will review the nascent field of design of intrinsically disordered proteins with focus on applications in biotechnology and medicine. The design goals should not necessarily be the same as for de novo design of folded proteins as disordered proteins have unique functional strengths and limitations. We focus on functions where intrinsically disordered proteins are uniquely suited including disordered linkers, desiccation chaperones, sensors of the chemical environment, delivery of pharmaceuticals, and constituents of biomolecular condensates. Design of functional intrinsically disordered proteins relies on a combination of computational tools and heuristics gleaned from sequence-function studies. There are few cases where intrinsically disordered proteins have made it into industrial applications. However, we argue that disordered proteins can perform many roles currently performed by organic polymers, and that these proteins might be more designable due to their modularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankush Garg
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Maciej B Gielnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Magnus Kjaergaard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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Chen H, Zhang Q. Polypeptides as alternatives to PEGylation of therapeutic agents. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2024; 21:1-12. [PMID: 38116624 DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2023.2297937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Due to the concerns raised by the extensive application of PEGylation, polypeptides have stood out as excellent candidates with adequate biocompatibility and biodegradability with tunable hydrophilicity. AREAS COVERED In this review, polypeptides with the potential to replace PEGylation have been summarized and their application has been reviewed, including XTEN, PASylation, polysarcosine, zwitterion polypeptides, ELPylation, etc. Besides their strengths, the remaining challenges have also been discussed and the future perspectives have been provided. EXPERT OPINION Polypeptides have been applied in the designing of peptide/protein drugs as well as nanomedicines, and some of the pharmaceutics have made it into the clinical trials and got approved. These polypeptides showed similar hydrophilic properties to PEGylation, which increased the hydrodynamic volumes of protein drugs, reduced kidney elimination, decreased protein-polymer interaction and potentially improved the drug delivery efficiency due to the extended circulation time in the system. Moreover, they demonstrated superior biodegradability and biocompatibility, compensating for the deficiencies for polymers such as PEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huali Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qianyu Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Zhu H, Hua H, Dong Y, Zhang J, Xu H, Ge X, Lu Q, Feng J. Long-Term Strategies for Poorly Water-Soluble Peptides: Combining Fatty Acid Modification with PAS Fusion. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:2366-2374. [PMID: 38037956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Bulevirtide, an entry inhibitor for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV), is currently available on the European market. However, its clinical application is constrained by its short half-life and poor water solubility, rendering it unsuitable for fatty acid modification, aimed at achieving long-term effects. To address this limitation, we integrated a polypeptide chain consisting of Pro, Ala, and Ser at the C-terminus, which increased its hydrophilicity. To obtain the fusion sequence of A1 and A2, encompassing amino acids 1-47 of Bulevirtide and PAS, we used Escherichia coli fermentation expression. Subsequently, the N-terminal myristoyl groups of A1 and A2 were modified to yield Myr-A1 and Myr-A2, respectively. Five fatty acid moieties with the same hydrophilic spacers and different fatty acids were conjugated to analogs, generating 10 bioconjugations. The bioconjugates were then evaluated for their anti-HBV activity. Among them, HB-10 was selected for pharmacokinetic analysis and demonstrated a significantly prolonged half-life, with 5.88- and 13.18-fold increases in beagle dogs and rats, respectively. Additionally, higher drug doses resulted in substantially elevated liver concentrations. In conclusion, via fatty acid incorporation and PASylation, we successfully developed a novel Bulevirtide bioconjugate, HB-10, that exhibits an extended action duration. This compound holds substantial promise as a prospective long-acting entry inhibitor, warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxiang Zhu
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Haoju Hua
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yanzhen Dong
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shanghai Duomirui Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jinhua Zhang
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongjiang Xu
- Chia tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Nanjing 211100, China
| | - Xingfeng Ge
- Chia tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Nanjing 211100, China
| | - Qin Lu
- Chia tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Nanjing 211100, China
| | - Jun Feng
- China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
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Nguyen TTK, Pham KY, Yook S. Engineered therapeutic proteins for sustained-release drug delivery systems. Acta Biomater 2023; 171:131-154. [PMID: 37717712 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.09.018] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Proteins play a vital role in diverse biological processes in the human body, and protein therapeutics have been applied to treat different diseases such as cancers, genetic disorders, autoimmunity, and inflammation. Protein therapeutics have demonstrated their advantages, such as specific pharmaceutical effects, low toxicity, and strong solubility. However, several disadvantages arise in clinical applications, including short half-life, immunogenicity, and low permeation, leading to reduced drug effectiveness. The structure of protein therapeutics can be modified to increase molecular size, leading to prolonged stability and increased plasma half-life. Notably, the controlled-release delivery systems for the sustained release of protein drugs and preserving the stability of cargo proteins are envisioned as a potential approach to overcome these challenges. In this review, we summarize recent research progress related to structural modifications (PEGylation, glycosylation, poly amino acid modification, and molecular biology-based strategies) and promising long-term delivery systems, such as polymer-based systems (injectable gel/implants, microparticles, nanoparticles, micro/nanogels, functional polymers), lipid-based systems (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers), and inorganic nanoparticles exploited for protein therapeutics. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this review, we highlight recent advances concerning modifying proteins directly to enhance their stability and functionality and discuss state-of-the-art methods for the delivery and controlled long-term release of active protein therapeutics to their target site. In terms of drug modifications, four widely used strategies, including PEGylation, poly amino acid modification, glycosylation, and genetic, are discussed. As for drug delivery systems, we emphasize recent progress relating to polymer-based systems, lipid-based systems developed, and inorganic nanoparticles for protein sustained-release delivery. This review points out the areas requiring focused research attention before the full potential of protein therapeutics for human health and disease can be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thoa Thi Kim Nguyen
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea
| | - Khang-Yen Pham
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
| | - Simmyung Yook
- College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea; School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea; Department of Biopharmaceutical Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
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Koren G, Meir S, Holschuh L, Mertens HDT, Ehm T, Yahalom N, Golombek A, Schwartz T, Svergun DI, Saleh OA, Dzubiella J, Beck R. Intramolecular structural heterogeneity altered by long-range contacts in an intrinsically disordered protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220180120. [PMID: 37459524 PMCID: PMC10372579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220180120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Short-range interactions and long-range contacts drive the 3D folding of structured proteins. The proteins' structure has a direct impact on their biological function. However, nearly 40% of the eukaryotes proteome is composed of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and protein regions that fluctuate between ensembles of numerous conformations. Therefore, to understand their biological function, it is critical to depict how the structural ensemble statistics correlate to the IDPs' amino acid sequence. Here, using small-angle X-ray scattering and time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (trFRET), we study the intramolecular structural heterogeneity of the neurofilament low intrinsically disordered tail domain (NFLt). Using theoretical results of polymer physics, we find that the Flory scaling exponent of NFLt subsegments correlates linearly with their net charge, ranging from statistics of ideal to self-avoiding chains. Surprisingly, measuring the same segments in the context of the whole NFLt protein, we find that regardless of the peptide sequence, the segments' structural statistics are more expanded than when measured independently. Our findings show that while polymer physics can, to some level, relate the IDP's sequence to its ensemble conformations, long-range contacts between distant amino acids play a crucial role in determining intramolecular structures. This emphasizes the necessity of advanced polymer theories to fully describe IDPs ensembles with the hope that it will allow us to model their biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Koren
- The School of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Condensed Matter, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Sagi Meir
- The School of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Condensed Matter, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Lennard Holschuh
- Applied Theoretical Physics-Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universit Freiburg, FreiburgD-79104, Germany
| | | | - Tamara Ehm
- The School of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Condensed Matter, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, MünchenD-80539, Germany
| | - Nadav Yahalom
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and Tel Aviv University Center for Light–Matter Interaction, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv6997801, Israel
| | - Adina Golombek
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and Tel Aviv University Center for Light–Matter Interaction, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv6997801, Israel
| | - Tal Schwartz
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and Tel Aviv University Center for Light–Matter Interaction, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv6997801, Israel
| | - Dmitri I. Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg22607, Germany
| | - Omar A. Saleh
- BMSE Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA93110
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA93110
| | - Joachim Dzubiella
- Applied Theoretical Physics-Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universit Freiburg, FreiburgD-79104, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT–Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, Albert-Ludwigs-Universit Freiburg, FreiburgD-79104, Germany
| | - Roy Beck
- The School of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Condensed Matter, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
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Jerschke E, Barkovsky M, Jung N, Neuberger H, Stenzel J, Eyer F, Skerra A, Geith S. In vivo Neutralization of Colchicine Toxicity by a PASylated Anticalin in a Rat Model. Toxicology 2023; 492:153526. [PMID: 37116682 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153526] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
We have investigated the pharmacokinetics (PK) and in vivo activity of an Anticalin exhibiting picomolar affinity towards colchicine, a plant toxin with low tolerable dose in humans. PK analysis of the 20-kDa "Colchicalin" protein in male Sprague Dawley rats (n=3) revealed a very short plasma half-life (3.5min), which was prolonged 21-fold via genetic fusion with a 200-residue Pro/Ala sequence (PASylation). The scavenging activity of the PASylated Colchicalin was investigated over 3.5h via stoichiometric application following a sub-toxic i.v. dose of colchicine on anesthetized rats (n=2) leading to a rapid rise in total plasma colchicine concentration. We then established a 14-day intoxication model in rats (n=3) at a 30mg/kg p.o. colchicine dose which was characterized by severe weight loss, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and shortened survival. Colchicalin administration at 4.2% of the neutralizing dose (125mg/kg/day daily for 12 consecutive days) resulted in faster relief of the symptoms in 2/3 of animals (n=6) compared to the control group without Colchicalin treatment (n=5). Nevertheless, 1/3 of the rats died suddenly after the first Colchicalin injection, probably due to a steep rise in the total colchicine plasma concentration, which suggests further improvement of the dosing scheme prior to potential application in acute human colchicine poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Jerschke
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Mikhail Barkovsky
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Nicole Jung
- Division of Clinical Toxicology and Poison Control Centre Munich, Department of Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Heidi Neuberger
- Division of Clinical Toxicology and Poison Control Centre Munich, Department of Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jochen Stenzel
- Division of Clinical Toxicology and Poison Control Centre Munich, Department of Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Eyer
- Division of Clinical Toxicology and Poison Control Centre Munich, Department of Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Geith
- Division of Clinical Toxicology and Poison Control Centre Munich, Department of Internal Medicine II, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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Ji Y, Liu D, Zhu H, Bao L, Chang R, Gao X, Yin J. Unstructured Polypeptides as a Versatile Drug Delivery Technology. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:74-93. [PMID: 37075961 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Although polyethylene glycol (PEG), or "PEGylation" has become a widely applied approach for improving the efficiency of drug delivery, the immunogenicity and non-biodegradability of this synthetic polymer have prompted an evident need for alternatives. To overcome these caveats and to mimic PEG -or other natural or synthetic polymers- for the purpose of drug half-life extension, unstructured polypeptides are designed. Due to their tunable length, biodegradability, low immunogenicity and easy production, unstructured polypeptides have the potential to replace PEG as the preferred technology for therapeutic protein/peptide delivery. This review provides an overview of the evolution of unstructured polypeptides, starting from natural polypeptides to engineered polypeptides and discusses their characteristics. Then, it is described that unstructured polypeptides have been successfully applied to numerous drugs, including peptides, proteins, antibody fragments, and nanocarriers, for half-life extension. Innovative applications of unstructured peptides as releasable masks, multimolecular adaptors and intracellular delivery carriers are also discussed. Finally, challenges and future perspectives of this promising field are briefly presented. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Polypeptide fusion technology simulating PEGylation has become an important topic for the development of long-circulating peptide or protein drugs without reduced activity, complex processes, and kidney injury caused by PEG modification. Here we provide a detailed and in-depth review of the recent advances in unstructured polypeptides. In addition to the application of enhanced pharmacokinetic performance, emphasis is placed on polypeptides as scaffolders for the delivery of multiple drugs, and on the preparation of reasonably designed polypeptides to manipulate the performance of proteins and peptides. This review will provide insight into future application of polypeptides in peptide or protein drug development and the design of novel functional polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dingkang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haichao Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lichen Bao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ruilong Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Zhang Y, Sultonova RD, You SH, Choi Y, Kim SY, Lee WS, Seong J, Min JJ, Hong Y. The anticancer effect of PASylated calreticulin-targeting L-ASNase in solid tumor bearing mice with immunogenic cell death-inducing chemotherapy. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115473. [PMID: 36863616 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
L-Asparaginase (L-ASNase), a bacterial enzyme that degrades asparagine, has been commonly used in combination with several chemical drugs to treat malignant hematopoietic cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In contrast, the enzyme was known to inhibit the growth of solid tumor cells in vitro, but not to be effective in vivo. We previously reported that two novel monobodies (CRT3 and CRT4) bound specifically with calreticulin (CRT) exposed on tumor cells and tissues during immunogenic cell death (ICD). Here, we engineered L-ASNases conjugated with monobodies at the N-termini and PAS200 tags at the C-termini (CRT3LP and CRT4LP). These proteins were expected to possess four monobody and PAS200 tag moieties, which did not disrupt the L-ASNase conformation. These proteins were expressed 3.8-fold more highly in E. coli than those without PASylation. The purified proteins were highly soluble, with much greater apparent molecular weights than expected ones. Their affinity (Kd) against CRT was about 2 nM, 4-fold higher than that of monobodies. Their enzyme activity (∼6.5 IU/nmol) was similar to that of L-ASNase (∼7.2 IU/nmol), and their thermal stability was significantly increased at 55 °C. Their half-life times were > 9 h in mouse sera, about 5-fold longer than that of L-ASNase (∼1.8 h). Moreover, CRT3LP and CRT4LP bound specifically with CRT exposed on tumor cells in vitro, and additively suppressed the tumor growth in CT-26 and MC-38 tumor-bearing mice treated with ICD-inducing drugs (doxorubicin and mitoxantrone) but not with a non-ICD-inducing drug (gemcitabine). All data indicated that PASylated CRT-targeted L-ASNases enhanced the anticancer efficacy of ICD-inducing chemotherapy. Taken together, L-ASNase would be a potential anticancer drug for treating solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Rukhsora D Sultonova
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hwan You
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonjoo Choi
- Combinatorial Tumor Immunotherapy MRC, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Young Kim
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Wan-Sik Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyoun Seong
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Joon Min
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yeongjin Hong
- Institute for Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.
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10
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PASylation improves pharmacokinetic of liposomes and attenuates anti-PEG IgM production: An alternative to PEGylation. NANOMEDICINE: NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2023; 47:102622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2022.102622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Najjari A, Shahbazmohammadi H, Nojoumi SA, Omidinia E. PASylated Urate Oxidase Enzyme: Enhancing Biocatalytic Activity, Physicochemical Properties, and Plasma Half-Life. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:46118-46130. [PMID: 36570261 PMCID: PMC9773812 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant urate oxidase (UOX, E.C.1.7.3.3) is an important therapeutic enzyme used in preventing and treating chemotherapy-induced hyperuricemia and severe gout. However, UOX use is limited due to the poor stability and short plasma half-life. To solve this problem, we designed three PASylated variants of Aspergillus flavus UOX with different PAS sequences at the C- or N-terminus. The genes of native and PASylated variants (UOX-PAS20, PAS24-UOX, and UOX-PAS100) were designed and produced in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). The expressed recombinant native and PASylated enzymes were compared in terms of biophysical properties, kinetics parameters, and pharmacokinetics behavior using standard methods. PASylation of UOX with PAS100 polymer caused a 1.24-fold reduction in K m to 52.61 μM, and a 3.87-fold increase in K cat/K m for uric acid compared to the native variant. UOX-PAS100 retained its activity in different temperatures (20-55 °C); however, other variants lost nearly 50% of their original activity at 55 °C. UOX-PAS100 exhibited a 1.78-fold increase in hydrodynamic radius and a 1.64-fold larger apparent molecular size in comparison to the native UOX. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy demonstrated that the addition of the PAS tag does not change the secondary structure of the fusion enzyme. The tryptophan fluorescence emission spectra for PASylated enzymes showed a significant modification in the conformational state of UOX by the PAS polymer presence. UOX-PAS100 retained 89.0% of the original activity following 72 h incubation in the presence of plasma at 37 °C. However, only about 61.0%, 57.0%, 50.0%, and 52.0% of activity from PAS24-UOX, UOX-PAS20, native UOX, and rasburicase (Fasturtec, Italy) remained, respectively, at the identical time. UOX-PAS100 had an increased biological half-life (8.21 h) when compared with the rasburicase (3.12 h) and native UOX (2.87 h) after being injected into a rat. Having considering everything, our results suggest that the UOX-PAS100, an A. flavus UOX fused with a C-terminally 100 amino acid PAS-residue, is a proper candidate with enhanced biological activity and extended plasma half-life for clinical therapy in patients suffering from hyperuricemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Najjari
- Enzyme
Technology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetic and Metabolism
Research Group, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 1316943551, Iran
| | - Hamid Shahbazmohammadi
- Cellular
and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of
Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University
of Medical Sciences, Qazvin 15315-34199, Iran
- Emails
for H.S.: ;
| | - Seyed Ali Nojoumi
- Microbiology
Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 1316943551, Iran
| | - Eskandar Omidinia
- Enzyme
Technology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetic and Metabolism
Research Group, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 1316943551, Iran
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12
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Goncalves AG, Hartzell EJ, Sullivan MO, Chen W. Recombinant protein polymer-antibody conjugates for applications in nanotechnology and biomedicine. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 191:114570. [PMID: 36228897 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there are over 100 antibody-based therapeutics on the market for the treatment of various diseases. The increasing importance of antibody treatment is further highlighted by the recent FDA emergency use authorization of certain antibody therapies for COVID-19 treatment. Protein-based materials have gained momentum for antibody delivery due to their biocompatibility, tunable chemistry, monodispersity, and straightforward synthesis and purification. In this review, we discuss progress in engineering the molecular features of protein-based biomaterials, in particular recombinant protein polymers, for introducing novel functionalities and enhancing the delivery properties of antibodies and related binding protein domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio G Goncalves
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Emily J Hartzell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Millicent O Sullivan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
| | - Wilfred Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
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13
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Friedrich L, Kikuchi Y, Matsuda Y, Binder U, Skerra A. Efficient secretory production of proline/alanine/serine (PAS) biopolymers in Corynebacterium glutamicum yielding a monodisperse biological alternative to polyethylene glycol (PEG). Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:227. [PMID: 36307781 PMCID: PMC9616612 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01948-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background PAS biopolymers are recombinant polypeptides comprising the small uncharged l-amino acids Pro, Ala and/or Ser which resemble the widely used poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) in terms of pronounced hydrophilicity. Likewise, their random chain behaviour in physiological solution results in a strongly expanded hydrodynamic volume. Thus, apart from their use as fusion partner for biopharmaceuticals to achieve prolonged half-life in vivo, PAS biopolymers appear attractive as substitute for PEG—or other poorly degradable chemical polymers—in many areas. As a prerequisite for the wide application of PAS biopolymers at affordable cost, we have established their highly efficient biotechnological production in Corynebacterium glutamicum serving as a well characterized bacterial host organism. Results Using the CspA signal sequence, we have secreted two representative PAS biopolymers as polypeptides with ~ 600 and ~ 1200 amino acid residues, respectively. Both PAS biopolymers were purified from the culture supernatant by means of a simple downstream process in a truly monodisperse state as evidenced by ESI–MS. Yields after purification were up to ≥ 4 g per liter culture, with potential for further increase by strain optimization as well as fermentation and bioprocess development. Beyond direct application as hydrocolloids or to exploit their rheological properties, such PAS biopolymers are suitable for site-specific chemical conjugation with pharmacologically active molecules via their unique terminal amino or carboxyl groups. To enable the specific activation of the carboxylate, without interference by the free amino group, we generated a blocked N-terminus for the PAS(1200) polypeptide simply by introducing an N-terminal Gln residue which, after processing of the signal peptide, was cyclised to a chemically inert pyroglutamyl group upon acid treatment. The fact that PAS biopolymers are genetically encoded offers further conjugation strategies via incorporation of amino acids with reactive side chains (e.g., Cys, Lys, Glu/Asp) at defined positions. Conclusions Our new PAS expression platform using Corynex® technology opens the way to applications of PASylation® technology in multiple areas such as the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics and food technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Friedrich
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Y Kikuchi
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Y Matsuda
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 1-1 Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-8681, Japan
| | - U Binder
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - A Skerra
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354, Freising, Germany. .,Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354, Freising, Germany.
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14
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Yang B, Dong Y, Xu Z, Li X, Wang F, Zhang Y. Improved stability and pharmacokinetics of wogonin through loading into PASylated ferritin. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 216:112515. [PMID: 35512464 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Wogonin (Wog) plays an important role in human diseases, especially cancer and inflammatory diseases, but its poor solubility, unstable metabolism and low bioavailability greatly limit its application in biomedical fields. Therefore, we developed a temperature-dependent method to encapsulate wogonin into a novel ferritin-based nanocarrier. To improve the loading capacity and stability, the human H chain ferritin (HFtn) was functionalized with a repetitive polypeptide sequence composed of proline (Pro), alanine (Ala), and serine (Ser) in different residues lengths (PAS10 and PAS30). Wogonin loading and release studies demonstrated that the encapsulation efficiency and stability of the PASylated nanocarriers were significantly higher than those of the wild type. PAS-HFtn-Wog exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells and HepG2 liver cancer cells. Notably, the PASylated HFtn, especially PAS30-HFtn greatly prolonged the pharmacokinetics of wogonin in the mice bloodstream. Therefore, wogonin-loaded PAS-HFtn may be a promising drug candidate for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Yang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Yixin Dong
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Zicheng Xu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xun Li
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Fei Wang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China.
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15
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McMullen P, Fang L, Qiao Q, Shao Q, Jiang S. Impacts of a Zwitterionic Peptide on its Fusion Protein. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:1485-1493. [PMID: 35852436 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic proteins frequently need to be modified with high-molecular-weight molecules to improve their pharmacokinetic properties. The genetic linkage of therapeutic proteins to a high-molecular-weight zwitterionic peptide, termed EKP, offers a promising approach. As with any protein modification, EKP could impact the structural behavior and receptor binding properties of the linked therapeutic protein, thereby altering its bioactivity. To evaluate the effects of EKP on therapeutic proteins, we study the receptor binding properties of high-molecular-weight EKP linked to the growth colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) using the genetically based yeast display platform. We find that yeast-displayed EKP-GCSF and GCSF exhibits similar binding to its receptor GCSF-R, suggesting that EKP does not hinder receptor binding. Furthermore, yeast-displayed EKP-GCSF demonstrates protection against thermal denaturation compared to GCSF. Similarly, to study the structural effects of EKP on GCSF, we employ in silico modeling using alphaFold2 in conjunction with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Likewise, in silico modeling reveals that EKP does not alter the structural behavior of GCSF. Finally, we demonstrate the functional benefits of EKP, by which the EKP-GCSF fusion protein produced in Escherichia coli exhibits improved pharmacokinetics and prolonged bioactivity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick McMullen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Liang Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Qi Qiao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United States
| | - Qing Shao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United States
| | - Shaoyi Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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16
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Allen BP, Wright ZM, Taylor HF, Oweida TJ, Kader-Pinky S, Patteson EF, Bucci KM, Cox CA, Senthilvel AS, Yingling YG, Knight AS. Mapping the Morphological Landscape of Oligomeric Di-block Peptide-Polymer Amphiphiles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202115547. [PMID: 35037351 PMCID: PMC8957712 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202115547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-polymer amphiphiles (PPAs) are tunable hybrid materials that achieve complex assembly landscapes by combining the sequence-dependent properties of peptides with the structural diversity of polymers. Despite their promise as biomimetic materials, determining how polymer and peptide properties simultaneously affect PPA self-assembly remains challenging. We herein present a systematic study of PPA structure-assembly relationships. PPAs containing oligo(ethyl acrylate) and random-coil peptides were used to determine the role of oligomer molecular weight, dispersity, peptide length, and charge density on self-assembly. We observed that PPAs predominantly formed spheres rather than anisotropic particles. Oligomer molecular weight and peptide hydrophilicity dictated morphology, while dispersity and peptide charge affected particle size. These key benchmarks will facilitate the rational design of PPAs that expand the scope of biomimetic functionality within assembled soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Allen
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zoe M Wright
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hailey F Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Thomas J Oweida
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sabila Kader-Pinky
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Emily F Patteson
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kara M Bucci
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Caleb A Cox
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Abishec Sundar Senthilvel
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Yaroslava G Yingling
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Abigail S Knight
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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17
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Thomas OS, Rebmann B, Tonn M, Schirmeister IC, Wehrle S, Becker J, Zea Jimenez GJ, Hook S, Jäger S, Klenzendorf M, Laskowski M, Kaier A, Pütz G, Zurbriggen MD, Weber W, Hörner M, Wagner HJ. Reversible Shielding and Immobilization of Liposomes and Viral Vectors by Tailored Antibody-Ligand Interactions. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2105157. [PMID: 34859962 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the time and dose of nanoparticulate drug delivery by administration of small molecule drugs holds promise for efficient and safer therapies. This study describes a versatile approach of exploiting antibody-ligand interactions for the design of small molecule-responsive nanocarrier and nanocomposite systems. For this purpose, antibody fragments (scFvs) specific for two distinct small molecule ligands are designed. Subsequently, the surface of nanoparticles (liposomes or adeno-associated viral vectors, AAVs) is modified with these ligands, serving as anchor points for scFv binding. By modifying the scFvs with polymer tails, they can act as a non-covalently bound shielding layer, which is recruited to the anchor points on the nanoparticle surface and prevents interactions with cultured mammalian cells. Administration of an excess of the respective ligand triggers competitive displacement of the shielding layer from the nanoparticle surface and restores nanoparticle-cell interactions. The same principle is applied for developing hydrogel depots that can release integrated AAVs or liposomes in response to small molecule ligands. The liberated nanoparticles subsequently deliver their cargoes to cells. In summary, the utilization of different antibody-ligand interactions, different nanoparticles, and different release systems validates the versatility of the design concept described herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver S Thomas
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Balder Rebmann
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Tonn
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ivo C Schirmeister
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Wehrle
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Becker
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gabriel J Zea Jimenez
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hook
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Jäger
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melissa Klenzendorf
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mateo Laskowski
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Kaier
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Pütz
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Hörner
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hanna J Wagner
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering - D-BSSE, ETH Zurich, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
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18
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Allen BP, Wright ZM, Taylor HF, Oweida TJ, Kader-Pinky S, Patteson EF, Bucci KM, Cox CA, Senthilvel AS, Yingling YG, Knight AS. Mapping the Morphological Landscape of Oligomeric Di‐block Peptide‐Polymer Amphiphiles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202115547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P. Allen
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Zoe M. Wright
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Hailey F. Taylor
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Thomas J. Oweida
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Sabila Kader-Pinky
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Emily F. Patteson
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan Science Library: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Kara M. Bucci
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Caleb A. Cox
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Abishec Sundar Senthilvel
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | | | - Abigail S. Knight
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chemistry 319 CaudillUNC-Chapel Hill 27599 Chapel Hill UNITED STATES
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19
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McMullen P, Qiao Q, Luozhong S, Cai L, Fang L, Shao Q, Jiang S. Motif-based zwitterionic peptides impact their structure and immunogenicity. Chem Sci 2022; 13:10961-10970. [PMID: 36320710 PMCID: PMC9491220 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc03519g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The linkage of zwitterionic peptides containing alternating glutamic acid (E) and lysine (K) amino acids exhibits protective effects on protein drugs due to their high hydration capacity. Previously, short EK peptides covering the surface of a protein drug showed significant protective effects and low immunogenicity. However, for high-molecular-weight single-chain (HMWSC) zwitterionic peptides, the incorporation of structure-disrupting amino acids such as proline (P), serine (S), and glycine (G) is necessary to improve their protective ability. Herein, we first probe the immunogenicity of eight EK-containing motif-based peptides, six of which incorporate structure-disrupting amino acids P, S, and G, linked to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). These studies uncover two sequence motifs, EKS and EKG, which show uniquely higher immunogenicity, while the other motifs, especially those containing P, exhibit lower immunogenicity. Additionally, the structure and dynamics of these sequence motifs are computationally modeled by Rosetta protein predictions and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to predict properties of higher and lower immunogenicity peptides. These simulations revealed peptides with higher immunogenicity, namely EKS and EKG, exhibit regions of charge imbalance. Then, HMWSC zwitterionic sequences were linked to a typical protein drug, interferon-alpha 2a (IFN), which showed consistent immunogenic behaviors. Finally, epitope mapping and alanine scanning experiments using the serum collected from mice injected with HMWSC sequences also implicated a link between charge imbalance and peptide immunogenicity. Structure breaking amino acids, P, S, and G, are incorporated into low immunogenic unstructured zwitterionic peptide fusion proteins. We find unique sequence motifs that exhibit charge balanced conformations and low immunogenicity.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick McMullen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Qi Qiao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Sijin Luozhong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lirong Cai
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Liang Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Qing Shao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Shaoyi Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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20
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Molecular recognition of structurally disordered Pro/Ala-rich sequences (PAS) by antibodies involves an Ala residue at the hot spot of the epitope. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167113. [PMID: 34161780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pro/Ala-rich sequences (PAS) are polypeptides that were developed as a biological alternative to poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) to generate biopharmaceuticals with extended plasma half-life. Like PEG, PAS polypeptides are conformationally disordered and show high solubility in water. Devoid of any charged or prominent hydrophobic side chains, these biosynthetic polymers represent an extreme case of intrinsically disordered proteins. Despite lack of immunogenicity of PAS tags in numerous animal studies we now succeeded in generating monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against three different PAS versions. To this end, mice were immunized with a PAS#1, P/A#1 or APSA 40mer peptide conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin as highly immunogenic carrier protein. In each case, one MAb with high binding activity and specificity towards a particular PAS motif was obtained. The apparent affinity was strongly dependent on the avidity effect and most pronounced for the bivalent MAb when interacting with a long PAS repeat. X-ray structural analysis of four representative anti-PAS Fab fragments in complex with their cognate PAS epitope peptides revealed interactions dominated by hydrogen bond networks involving the peptide backbone as well as multiple Van der Waals contacts arising from intimate shape complementarity. Surprisingly, Ala, the L-amino acid with the smallest side chain, emerged as a crucial feature for epitope recognition, contributing specific contacts at the center of the paratope in several anti-PAS complexes. Apart from these insights into how antibodies can recognize feature-less peptides without secondary structure, the MAbs characterized in this study offer valuable reagents for the preclinical and clinical development of PASylated biologics.
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21
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Liu X, Gao W. Precision Conjugation: An Emerging Tool for Generating Protein–Polymer Conjugates. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202003708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
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22
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Tully M, Wedepohl S, Kutifa D, Weise C, Licha K, Schirner M, Haag R. Prolonged activity of exenatide: Detailed comparison of Site-specific linear polyglycerol- and poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugates. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 164:105-113. [PMID: 33957224 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Exenatide is a small therapeutic peptide being currently used in clinic for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type II, however, displaying a short blood circulation time which makes two daily injections necessary. Covalent polymer modification of a protein is a well-known approach to overcome this limitation, resulting in steric shielding, an increased size and therefore a longer circulation half-life. In this study, we employed site-selective C-terminal polymer ligation of exenatide via copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne-cycloaddition (CuAAC) to yield 1:1-conjugates of either poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or linear polyglycerol (LPG) of different molecular weights. Our goal was to compare the impact of the two polymers on size, structure and activity of exenatide on the in vitro and in vivo level. Both polymers did not alter the secondary structure of exenatide and expectedly increased its hydrodynamic size, where the LPG-versions of exenatide showed slightly smaller values than their PEG-analogs of same molecular weight. Upon conjugation, GLP-1 receptor activation was diminished, however, still enabled maximum receptor response at slightly higher concentrations. Exenatide modified with a 40 kDa LPG (Ex-40-LPG) showed significant reduction of the blood glucose level in diabetic mice for up to 72 h, which was comparable to its PEG-analog, but 9-fold longer than native exenatide (8 h).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tully
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Wedepohl
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Kutifa
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Weise
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Licha
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Schirner
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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23
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Ai X, Wang S, Duan Y, Zhang Q, Chen M, Gao W, Zhang L. Emerging Approaches to Functionalizing Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles. Biochemistry 2021; 60:941-955. [PMID: 32452667 PMCID: PMC8507422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
There has been significant interest in developing cell membrane-coated nanoparticles due to their unique abilities of biomimicry and biointerfacing. As the technology progresses, it becomes clear that the application of these nanoparticles can be drastically broadened if additional functions beyond those derived from the natural cell membranes can be integrated. Herein, we summarize the most recent advances in the functionalization of cell membrane-coated nanoparticles. In particular, we focus on emerging methods, including (1) lipid insertion, (2) membrane hybridization, (3) metabolic engineering, and (4) genetic modification. These approaches contribute diverse functions in a nondisruptive fashion while preserving the natural function of the cell membranes. They also improve on the multifunctional and multitasking ability of cell membrane-coated nanoparticles, making them more adaptive to the complexity of biological systems. We hope that these approaches will serve as inspiration for more strategies and innovations to advance cell membrane coating technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangzhao Ai
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Shuyan Wang
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Yaou Duan
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Qiangzhe Zhang
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Maggie Chen
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Weiwei Gao
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Liangfang Zhang
- Departments of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
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24
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Tully M, Dimde M, Weise C, Pouyan P, Licha K, Schirner M, Haag R. Polyglycerol for Half-Life Extension of Proteins-Alternative to PEGylation? Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:1406-1416. [PMID: 33792290 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Since several decades, PEGylation is known to be the clinical standard to enhance pharmacokinetics of biotherapeutics. In this study, we introduce polyglycerol (PG) of different lengths and architectures (linear and hyperbranched) as an alternative polymer platform to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) for half-life extension (HLE). We designed site-selective N-terminally modified PG-protein conjugates of the therapeutic protein anakinra (IL-1ra, Kineret) and compared them systematically with PEG analogues of similar molecular weights. Linear PG and PEG conjugates showed comparable hydrodynamic sizes and retained their secondary structure, whereas binding affinity to IL-1 receptor 1 decreased with increasing polymer length, yet remained in the low nanomolar range for all conjugates. The terminal half-life of a 40 kDa linear PG-modified anakinra was extended 4-fold compared to the unmodified protein, close to its PEG analogue. Our results demonstrate similar performances of PEG- and PG-anakinra conjugates and therefore highlight the outstanding potential of polyglycerol as a PEG alternative for half-life extension of biotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tully
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mathias Dimde
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Weise
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paria Pouyan
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Licha
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Schirner
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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25
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Lown PS, Cai JJ, Ritter SC, Otolski JJ, Wong R, Hackel BJ. Extended yeast surface display linkers enhance the enrichment of ligands in direct mammalian cell selections. Protein Eng Des Sel 2021; 34:gzab004. [PMID: 33880560 PMCID: PMC8058008 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Selections of yeast-displayed ligands on mammalian cell monolayers benefit from high target expression and nanomolar affinity, which are not always available. Prior work extending the yeast-protein linker from 40 to 80 amino acids improved yield and enrichment but is hypothesized to be below the optimal length, prompting evaluation of an extended amino acid linker. A 641-residue linker provided enhanced enrichment with a 2-nM affinity fibronectin ligand and 105 epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) per cell (14 ± 2 vs. 8 ± 1, P = 0.008) and a >600-nM affinity ligand, 106 EGFR per cell system (23 ± 7 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2, P = 0.004). Enhanced enrichment was also observed with a 310-nM affinity affibody ligand and 104 CD276 per cell, suggesting a generalizable benefit to other scaffolds and targets. Spatial modeling of the linker suggests that improved extracellular accessibility of ligand enables the observed enrichment under conditions not previously possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S Lown
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jessy J Cai
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Seth C Ritter
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jacob J Otolski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ryan Wong
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hackel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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26
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Cao SJ, Lv ZQ, Guo S, Jiang GP, Liu HL. An update - Prolonging the action of protein and peptide drugs. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2020.102124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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27
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Khodabakhsh F, Salimian M, Hedayati MH, Ahangari Cohan R, Norouzian D. Challenges and advancements in the pharmacokinetic enhancement of therapeutic proteins. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2021; 51:519-529. [PMID: 33459157 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2020.1839907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, proteins are frequently administered as therapeutic agents in human diseases. However, the main challenge regarding the clinical application of therapeutic proteins is short circulating plasma half-life that leads to more frequent injections for maintaining therapeutic plasma levels, increased therapy costs, immunogenic reactions, and low patient compliance. So, the development of novel strategies to enhance the pharmacokinetic profile of therapeutic proteins has attracted great attention in pharmaceuticals. So far, several techniques, each with their pros and cons, have been developed including chemical bonding to polymers, hyper glycosylation, Fc fusion, human serum albumin fusion, and recombinant PEG mimetics. These techniques mainly classify into three strategies; (i) the endosomal recycling of neonatal Fc receptor which is observed for immunoglobulins and albumin, (ii) decrease in receptor-mediated clearance, and (iii) increase in hydrodynamic radius through chemical and genetic modifications. Recently, novel PEG mimetic peptides like proline/alanine/serine repeat sequences are designed to overcome pitfalls associated with the previous technologies. Biodegradability, lack of or low immunogenicity, product homogeneity, and a simple production process, currently make these polypeptides as the preferred technology for plasma half-life extension of therapeutic proteins. In this review, challenges and pitfalls in the pharmacokinetic enhancement of therapeutic proteins using PEG-mimetic peptides will be discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Khodabakhsh
- Department of Genetics and Advanced Medical Technology, Medical Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Salimian
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Hedayati
- Department of Quality Control, Research and Production Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Ahangari Cohan
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, New Technologies Research Group, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dariush Norouzian
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, New Technologies Research Group, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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28
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Liu X, Gao W. Precision Conjugation: An Emerging Tool for Generating Protein–Polymer Conjugates. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:11024-11035. [PMID: 32437042 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202003708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
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29
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Structural Analysis of the Partially Disordered Protein EspK from Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. CRYSTALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst11010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, tuberculosis has been a worldwide burden for human health, and gaps in our understanding of its pathogenesis have hampered the development of new treatments. ESX-1 is a complex machinery responsible for the secretion of virulence factors that manipulate the host response. Despite the importance of these secreted proteins for pathogenicity, only a few of them have been structurally and functionally characterised. Here, we describe a structural study of the ESX-secretion associated protein K (EspK), a 74 kDa protein known to be essential for the secretion of other substrates and the cytolytic effects of ESX-1. Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) data show that EspK is a long molecule with a maximal dimension of 228 Å. It consists of two independent folded regions at each end of the protein connected by a flexible unstructured region driving the protein to coexist as an ensemble of conformations. Limited proteolysis identified a 26 kDa globular domain at the C-terminus of the protein consisting of a mixture of α-helices and β-strands, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) and SAXS. In contrast, the N-terminal portion is mainly helical with an elongated shape. Sequence conservation suggests that this architecture is preserved amongst the different mycobacteria species, proposing specific roles for the N- and C-terminal domains assisted by the middle flexible linker.
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30
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Binder U, Skerra A. PASylated Thymosin α1: A Long-Acting Immunostimulatory Peptide for Applications in Oncology and Virology. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010124. [PMID: 33374407 PMCID: PMC7795856 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is an immunostimulatory peptide for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and used as an immune enhancer, which also offers prospects in the context of COVID-19 infections and cancer. Manufacturing of this N-terminally acetylated 28-residue peptide is demanding, and its short plasma half-life limits in vivo efficacy and requires frequent dosing. Here, we combined the PASylation technology with enzymatic in situ N-acetylation by RimJ to produce a long-acting version of Tα1 in Escherichia coli at high yield. ESI-MS analysis of the purified fusion protein indicated the expected composition without any signs of proteolysis. SEC analysis revealed a 10-fold expanded hydrodynamic volume resulting from the fusion with a conformationally disordered Pro/Ala/Ser (PAS) polypeptide of 600 residues. This size effect led to a plasma half-life in rats extended by more than a factor 8 compared to the original synthetic peptide due to retarded kidney filtration. Our study provides the basis for therapeutic development of a next generation thymosin α1 with prolonged circulation. Generally, the strategy of producing an N-terminally protected PASylated peptide solves three major problems of peptide drugs: (i) instability in the expression host, (ii) rapid degradation by serum exopeptidases, and (iii) low bioactivity because of fast renal clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uli Binder
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Str. 30, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Correspondence: (U.B.); (A.S.)
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Correspondence: (U.B.); (A.S.)
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31
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Escher B, Köhler A, Job L, Worek F, Skerra A. Translating the Concept of Bispecific Antibodies to Engineering Heterodimeric Phosphotriesterases with Broad Organophosphate Substrate Recognition. Biochemistry 2020; 59:4395-4406. [PMID: 33146522 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
We have adopted the concept of bispecific antibodies, which can simultaneously block or cross-link two different biomolecular targets, to create bispecific enzymes by exploiting the homodimeric quaternary structure of bacterial phosphotriesterases (PTEs). The PTEs from Brevundimonas diminuta and Agrobacterium radiobacter, whose engineered variants can efficiently hydrolyze organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents and pesticides, respectively, have attracted considerable interest for the treatment of the corresponding intoxications. OP nerve agents and pesticides still pose a severe toxicological threat in military conflicts, including acts of terrorism, as well as in agriculture, leading to >100000 deaths per year. In principle, engineered conventional homodimeric PTEs may provoke hydrolytic inactivation of individual OPs in vivo, and their application as catalytic bioscavengers via administration into the bloodstream has been proposed. However, their narrow substrate specificity would necessitate therapeutic application of a set or mixture of different enzymes, which complicates biopharmaceutical development. We succeeded in combining subunits from both enzymes and to stabilize their heterodimerization by rationally designing electrostatic steering mutations, thus breaking the natural C2 symmetry. The resulting bispecific enzyme from two PTEs with different bacterial origin exhibits an ultrabroad OP substrate profile and allows the efficient detoxification of both nerve agents and pesticides. Our approach of combining two active sites with distinct substrate specificities within one artificial dimeric biocatalyst-retaining the size and general properties of the original enzyme without utilizing protein mixtures or much larger fusion proteins-not only should facilitate biological drug development but also may be applicable to oligomeric enzymes with other catalytic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Escher
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Anja Köhler
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany.,Bundeswehr Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 München, Germany
| | - Laura Job
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Franz Worek
- Bundeswehr Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 München, Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
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32
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Schiefner A, Walser R, Gebauer M, Skerra A. Proline/alanine-rich sequence (PAS) polypeptides as an alternative to PEG precipitants for protein crystallization. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2020; 76:320-325. [PMID: 32627748 PMCID: PMC7336357 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x20008328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Proline/alanine-rich sequence (PAS) polypeptides represent a novel class of biosynthetic polymers comprising repetitive sequences of the small proteinogenic amino acids L-proline, L-alanine and/or L-serine. PAS polymers are strongly hydrophilic and highly soluble in water, where they exhibit a natively disordered conformation without any detectable secondary or tertiary structure, similar to polyethylene glycol (PEG), which constitutes the most widely applied precipitant for protein crystallization to date. To investigate the potential of PAS polymers for structural studies by X-ray crystallography, two proteins that were successfully crystallized using PEG in the past, hen egg-white lysozyme and the Fragaria × ananassa O-methyltransferase, were subjected to crystallization screens with a 200-residue PAS polypeptide. The PAS polymer was applied as a precipitant using a vapor-diffusion setup that allowed individual optimization of the precipitant concentration in the droplet in the reservoir. As a result, crystals of both proteins showing high diffraction quality were obtained using the PAS precipitant. The genetic definition and precise macromolecular composition of PAS polymers, both in sequence and in length, distinguish them from all natural and synthetic polymers that have been utilized for protein crystallization so far, including PEG, and facilitate their adaptation for future applications. Thus, PAS polymers offer potential as novel precipitants for biomolecular crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Schiefner
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Rebecca Walser
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Michaela Gebauer
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany
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33
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Shamloo A, Rostami P, Mahmoudi A. PASylation Enhances the Stability, Potency, and Plasma Half-Life of Interferon α-2a: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900385. [PMID: 32277577 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the effectiveness of PASylation in enhancing the potency and plasma half-life of pharmaceutical proteins has been accredited as an alternative technique to the conventional methods such as PEGylation. Proline, alanine, and serine (PAS) chain has shown some advantages including biodegradability improvement and plasma half-life enhancement while lacking immunogenicity or toxicity. Although some experimental studies have been performed to find the mechanism behind PASylation, the detailed mechanism of PAS effects on the pharmaceutical proteins has remained obscure, especially at the molecular level. In this study, the interaction of interferon α-2a (IFN) and PAS chain is investigated using molecular dynamics simulation method. Several important parameters including secondary structure, root-mean-square distance, and solvent accessible surface area to investigate the stability, bioavailability, and bioactivity of the PASylated protein are studied. The results demonstrate that IFN conformation is not affected critically through PASylation while it results in improvement of the protein stability and bioactivity. Therefore, PASylation can be considered as a proper biological alternative technique to increase the plasma half-life of the biopharmaceutical proteins through enlarging apparent volume. The proposed simulation represents a computational approach that would provide a basis for the study of PASylated pharmaceutical proteins for different future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Shamloo
- Department of mechanical engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave. 11155-9567, Tehran, Iran
| | - Peyman Rostami
- Department of mechanical engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave. 11155-9567, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ashkan Mahmoudi
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave. 11365-11155, Tehran, Iran
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34
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Powers NE, Swartzwelter B, Marchetti C, de Graaf DM, Lerchner A, Schlapschy M, Datar R, Binder U, Edwards CK, Skerra A, Dinarello CA. PASylation of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) retains IL-1 blockade and extends its duration in mouse urate crystal-induced peritonitis. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:868-882. [PMID: 31819009 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key mediator of inflammation and immunity. Naturally-occurring IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) binds and blocks the IL-1 receptor-1 (IL-1R1), preventing signaling. Anakinra, a recombinant form of IL-1Ra, is used to treat a spectrum of inflammatory diseases. However, anakinra is rapidly cleared from the body and requires daily administration. To create a longer-lasting alternative, PASylated IL-1Ra (PAS-IL-1Ra) has been generated by in-frame fusion of a long, defined-length, N-terminal Pro/Ala/Ser (PAS) random-coil polypeptide with IL-1Ra. Here, we compared the efficacy of two PAS-IL-1Ra molecules, PAS600-IL-1Ra and PAS800-IL-1Ra (carrying 600 and 800 PAS residues, respectively), with that of anakinra in mice. PAS600-IL-1Ra displayed markedly extended blood plasma levels 3 days post-administration, whereas anakinra was undetectable after 24 h. We also studied PAS600-IL-1Ra and PAS800-IL-1Ra for efficacy in monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced peritonitis. 5 days post-administration, PAS800-IL-1Ra significantly reduced leukocyte influx and inflammatory markers in MSU-induced peritonitis, whereas equimolar anakinra administered 24 h before MSU challenge was ineffective. The 6-h pretreatment with equimolar anakinra or PAS800-IL-1Ra before MSU challenge similarly reduced inflammatory markers. In cultured A549 lung carcinoma cells, anakinra, PAS600-IL-1Ra, and PAS800-IL-Ra reduced IL-1α-induced IL-6 and IL-8 levels with comparable potency. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, these molecules suppressed Candida albicans-induced production of the cancer-promoting cytokine IL-22. Surface plasmon resonance analyses revealed significant binding between PAS-IL-1Ra and IL-1R1, although with a slightly lower affinity than anakinra. These results validate PAS-IL-1Ra as an active IL-1 antagonist with marked in vivo potency and a significantly extended half-life compared with anakinra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Powers
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | | | - Carlo Marchetti
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Dennis M de Graaf
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045.,Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martin Schlapschy
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Rajiv Datar
- DNX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, California 92121
| | - Uli Binder
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Strasse 30, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Carl K Edwards
- DNX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, California 92121
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Charles A Dinarello
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045.,Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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35
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Powers NE, Swartzwelter B, Marchetti C, de Graaf DM, Lerchner A, Schlapschy M, Datar R, Binder U, Edwards CK, Skerra A, Dinarello CA. PASylation of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) retains IL-1 blockade and extends its duration in mouse urate crystal-induced peritonitis. J Biol Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9258(17)49941-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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36
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Eggenstein E, Richter A, Skerra A. FluoroCalins: engineered lipocalins with novel binding functions fused to a fluorescent protein for applications in biomolecular imaging and detection. Protein Eng Des Sel 2019; 32:289-296. [PMID: 31927584 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzz047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
FluoroCalins represent novel bifunctional protein reagents derived from engineered lipocalins fused to a fluorescent reporter protein, here the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). We demonstrate the construction, facile bacterial production and broad applicability of FluoroCalins using two Anticalin® molecules directed against the tumor vasculature-associated extra domain B of fibronectin (ED-B) and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3, a marker of tumor and lymphangiogenesis. FluoroCalins were prepared with two different spacers: (i) a short Ser3Ala linker and (ii) a long hydrophilic and conformationally unstructured PASylation® polypeptide comprising 200 Pro, Ala and Ser residues. These FluoroCalins were applied for direct target quantification in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as well as target detection by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy of live and fixed cells, respectively, demonstrating high specificity and signal-to-noise ratio. Hence, FluoroCalins offer a promising alternative to antibody-based reagents for state of the art fluorescent in vitro detection and biomolecular imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Eggenstein
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Antonia Richter
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
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Thomas OS, Weber W. Overcoming Physiological Barriers to Nanoparticle Delivery-Are We There Yet? Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:415. [PMID: 31921819 PMCID: PMC6928054 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The exploitation of nanosized materials for the delivery of therapeutic agents is already a clinical reality and still holds unrealized potential for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This review discusses physiological barriers a nanocarrier must overcome in order to reach its target, with an emphasis on cancer nanomedicine. Stages of delivery include residence in the blood stream, passive accumulation by virtue of the enhanced permeability and retention effect, diffusion within the tumor lesion, cellular uptake, and arrival at the site of action. We also briefly outline strategies for engineering nanoparticles to more efficiently overcome these challenges: Increasing circulation half-life by shielding with hydrophilic polymers, such as PEG, the limitations of PEG and potential alternatives, targeting and controlled activation approaches. Future developments in these areas will allow us to harness the full potential of nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver S. Thomas
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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38
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Smith J, McMullen P, Yuan Z, Pfaendtner J, Jiang S. Elucidating Molecular Design Principles for Charge-Alternating Peptides. Biomacromolecules 2019; 21:435-443. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Josh Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, United States
| | - Patrick McMullen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, United States
| | - Zhefan Yuan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, United States
| | - Jim Pfaendtner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, United States
| | - Shaoyi Jiang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, United States
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39
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Heumüller SE, Talantikite M, Napoli M, Armengaud J, Mörgelin M, Hartmann U, Sengle G, Paulsson M, Moali C, Wagener R. C-terminal proteolysis of the collagen VI α3 chain by BMP-1 and proprotein convertase(s) releases endotrophin in fragments of different sizes. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:13769-13780. [PMID: 31346034 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.008641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of collagen VI microfibrils is a multistep process in which proteolytic processing within the C-terminal globular region of the collagen VI α3 chain plays a major role. However, the mechanisms involved remain elusive. Moreover, C5, the short and most C-terminal domain of the α3 chain, recently has been proposed to be released as an adipokine that enhances tumor progression, fibrosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance and has been named "endotrophin." Serum endotrophin could be a useful biomarker to monitor the progression of such disorders as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, systemic sclerosis, and kidney diseases. Here, using biochemical and isotopic MS-based analyses, we found that the extracellular metalloproteinase bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP-1) is involved in endotrophin release and determined the exact BMP-1 cleavage site. Moreover, we provide evidence that several endotrophin-containing fragments are present in various tissues and body fluids. Among these, a large C2-C5 fragment, which contained endotrophin, was released by furin-like proprotein convertase cleavage. By using immunofluorescence microscopy and EM, we also demonstrate that these proteolytic maturations occur after secretion of collagen VI tetramers and during microfibril assembly. Differential localization of N- and C-terminal regions of the collagen VI α3 chain revealed that cleavage products are deposited in tissue and cell cultures. The detailed information on the processing of the collagen VI α3 chain reported here provides a basis for unraveling the function of endotrophin (C5) and larger endotrophin-containing fragments and for refining their use as biomarkers of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maya Talantikite
- Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering Laboratory, UMR5305 CNRS/University of Lyon, 69367 Lyon, France
| | - Manon Napoli
- Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering Laboratory, UMR5305 CNRS/University of Lyon, 69367 Lyon, France
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA)-Marcoule, DRF/JOLIOT/DMTS/SPI/Li2D, Innovative Technologies for Detection and Diagnostics Laboratory, 30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | | | - Ursula Hartmann
- Center for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Gerhard Sengle
- Center for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (CCMB), 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Experimental Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Mats Paulsson
- Center for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (CCMB), 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Catherine Moali
- Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering Laboratory, UMR5305 CNRS/University of Lyon, 69367 Lyon, France
| | - Raimund Wagener
- Center for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany .,Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (CCMB), 50931 Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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40
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Iyengar ARS, Gupta S, Jawalekar S, Pande AH. Protein Chimerization: A New Frontier for Engineering Protein Therapeutics with Improved Pharmacokinetics. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2019; 370:703-714. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.257063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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41
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Gebauer M, Skerra A. Prospects of PASylation® for the design of protein and peptide therapeutics with extended half-life and enhanced action. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:2882-2887. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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42
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Breibeck J, Skerra A. The polypeptide biophysics of proline/alanine-rich sequences (PAS): Recombinant biopolymers with PEG-like properties. Biopolymers 2017; 109. [PMID: 29076532 PMCID: PMC5813227 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PAS polypeptides comprise long repetitive sequences of the small L‐amino acids proline, alanine and/or serine that were developed to expand the hydrodynamic volume of conjugated pharmaceuticals and prolong their plasma half‐life by retarding kidney filtration. Here, we have characterized the polymer properties both of the free polypeptides and in fusion with the biopharmaceutical IL‐1Ra. Data from size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, circular dichroism spectroscopy and quantification of hydrodynamic and polar properties demonstrate that the biosynthetic PAS polypeptides exhibit random coil behavior in aqueous solution astonishingly similar to the chemical polymer poly‐ethylene glycol (PEG). The solvent‐exposed PAS peptide groups, in the absence of secondary structure, account for strong hydrophilicity, with negligible contribution by the Ser side chains. Notably, PAS polypeptides exceed PEG of comparable molecular mass in hydrophilicity and hydrodynamic volume while exhibiting lower viscosity. Their uniform monodisperse composition as genetically encoded polymers and their biological nature, offering biodegradability, render PAS polypeptides a promising PEG mimetic for biopharmaceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joscha Breibeck
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354, Freising (Weihenstephan), Germany
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354, Freising (Weihenstephan), Germany.,XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Str. 30, 85354, Freising, Germany
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