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Hammel A, Cucos LM, Caras I, Ionescu I, Tucureanu C, Tofan V, Costache A, Onu A, Hoepfner L, Hippler M, Neupert J, Popescu CI, Stavaru C, Branza-Nichita N, Bock R. The red alga Porphyridium as a host for molecular farming: Efficient production of immunologically active hepatitis C virus glycoprotein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400145121. [PMID: 38833465 PMCID: PMC11181018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400145121] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are promising production platforms for the cost-effective production of recombinant proteins. We have recently established that the red alga Porphyridium purpureum provides superior transgene expression properties, due to the episomal maintenance of transformation vectors as multicopy plasmids in the nucleus. Here, we have explored the potential of Porphyridium to synthesize complex pharmaceutical proteins to high levels. Testing expression constructs for a candidate subunit vaccine against the hepatitis C virus (HCV), we show that the soluble HCV E2 glycoprotein can be produced in transgenic algal cultures to high levels. The antigen undergoes faithful posttranslational modification by N-glycosylation and is recognized by conformationally selective antibodies, suggesting that it adopts a proper antigenic conformation in the endoplasmic reticulum of red algal cells. We also report the experimental determination of the structure of the N-glycan moiety that is attached to glycosylated proteins in Porphyridium. Finally, we demonstrate the immunogenicity of the HCV antigen produced in red algae when administered by injection as pure protein or by feeding of algal biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hammel
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department of Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, D-14476Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Lia-Maria Cucos
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Department of Viral Glycoproteins, 060031Bucharest, Romania
| | - Iuliana Caras
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Ionescu
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalin Tucureanu
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Vlad Tofan
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Costache
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adrian Onu
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Lara Hoepfner
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, D-48143Münster, Germany
| | - Michael Hippler
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, D-48143Münster, Germany
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Kurashiki710-0046, Japan
| | - Juliane Neupert
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department of Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, D-14476Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Costin-Ioan Popescu
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Department of Viral Glycoproteins, 060031Bucharest, Romania
| | - Crina Stavaru
- ”Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, 050096Bucharest, Romania
| | - Norica Branza-Nichita
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Department of Viral Glycoproteins, 060031Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department of Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, D-14476Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- NIBIO, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NO-1431 Ås, Norway
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Bulaon CJI, Khorattanakulchai N, Rattanapisit K, Sun H, Pisuttinusart N, Phoolcharoen W. Development of Plant-Derived Bispecific Monoclonal Antibody Targeting PD-L1 and CTLA-4 against Mouse Colorectal Cancer. PLANTA MEDICA 2024; 90:305-315. [PMID: 38373705 DOI: 10.1055/a-2240-7534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, with monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoints, yielding promising clinical benefits. However, with the advent of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in clinical trials, developing next-generation antibodies with potentially increased efficacy is critical. Here, we aimed to generate a recombinant bispecific monoclonal antibody for dual inhibition of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 axes. The plant system was used as an alternative platform for bispecific monoclonal antibody production. Dual variable domain immunoglobulin atezolizumab × 2C8 is a plant-derived bispecific monoclonal antibody that combines both programmed cell death ligand 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 blockade into a single molecule. Dual variable domain immunoglobulin atezolizumab × 2C8 was transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and the expression level was determined to be the highest after 4 days of infiltration. The size and assembly of the purified bispecific monoclonal antibody were determined, and its function was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The molecular structures of plant-produced dual variable domain immunoglobulin atezolizumab × 2C8 are as expected, and it was mostly present as a monomer. The plant-produced dual variable domain immunoglobulin atezolizumab × 2C8 showed in vitro binding to programmed cell death ligand 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 proteins. The antitumor activity of plant-produced bispecific monoclonal antibody was tested in vivo by treating humanized Balb/c mice bearing a CT26 colorectal tumor. Plant-produced dual variable domain immunoglobulin atezolizumab × 2C8 significantly inhibited tumor growth by reducing tumor volume and weight. Body weight changes indicated that the plant-produced bispecific monoclonal antibody was safe and tolerable. Overall, this proof of concept study demonstrated the viability of plants to produce functional plant-based bispecific immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Joy I Bulaon
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Nuttapat Pisuttinusart
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Rattanapisit K, Bulaon CJI, Strasser R, Sun H, Phoolcharoen W. In vitro and in vivo studies of plant-produced Atezolizumab as a potential immunotherapeutic antibody. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14146. [PMID: 37644118 PMCID: PMC10465495 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41510-w] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a well-known class of immunotherapeutic drugs that have been used for effective treatment of several cancers. Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) was the first antibody to target immune checkpoint PD-L1 and is now among the most commonly used anticancer therapies. However, this anti-PD-L1 antibody is produced in mammalian cells with high manufacturing costs, limiting cancer patients' access to the antibody treatment. Plant expression system is another platform that can be utilized, as they can synthesize complex glycoproteins, are rapidly scalable, and relatively cost-efficient. Herein, Atezolizumab was transiently produced in Nicotiana benthamiana and demonstrated high expression level within 4-6 days post-infiltration. After purification by affinity chromatography, the purified plant-produced Atezolizumab was compared to Tecentriq and showed the absence of glycosylation. Furthermore, the plant-produced Atezolizumab could bind to PD-L1 with comparable affinity to Tecentriq in ELISA. The tumor growth inhibitory activity of plant-produced Atezolizumab in mice was also found to be similar to that of Tecentriq. These findings confirm the plant's capability to serve as an efficient production platform for immunotherapeutic antibodies and suggest that it could be used to alleviate the cost of existing anticancer products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Joy I Bulaon
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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Ridgley LA, Falci Finardi N, Gengenbach BB, Opdensteinen P, Croxford Z, Ma JKC, Bodman-Smith M, Buyel JF, Teh AYH. Killer to cure: Expression and production costs calculation of tobacco plant-made cancer-immune checkpoint inhibitors. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1254-1269. [PMID: 36811226 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved huge clinical success. However, many still have limited response rates, and are prohibitively costly. There is a need for effective and affordable ICIs, as well as local manufacturing capacity to improve accessibility, especially to low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). Here, we have successfully expressed three key ICIs (anti-PD-1 Nivolumab, anti-NKG2A Monalizumab, and anti-LAG-3 Relatimab) transiently in Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum plants. The ICIs were expressed with a combination of different Fc regions and glycosylation profiles. They were characterized in terms of protein accumulation levels, target cell binding, binding to human neonatal Fc receptors (hFcRn), human complement component C1q (hC1q) and various Fcγ receptors, as well as protein recovery during purification at 100 mg- and kg-scale. It was found that all ICIs bound to the expected target cells. Furthermore, the recovery during purification, as well as Fcγ receptor binding, can be altered depending on the Fc region used and the glycosylation profiles. This opens the possibility of using these two parameters to fine-tune the ICIs for desired effector functions. A scenario-based production cost model was also generated based on two production scenarios in hypothetical high- and low-income countries. We have shown that the product accumulation and recovery of plant production platforms were as competitive as mammalian cell-based platforms. This highlights the potential of plants to deliver ICIs that are more affordable and accessible to a widespread market, including LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Ridgley
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
- Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, London, UK
| | - Nicole Falci Finardi
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Patrick Opdensteinen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
| | - Zack Croxford
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Julian K-C Ma
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Mark Bodman-Smith
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
- Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, London, UK
| | - Johannes F Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Audrey Y-H Teh
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
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Design of a Diagnostic Immunoassay for Aflatoxin M1 Based on a Plant-Produced Antibody. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120851. [PMID: 36548748 PMCID: PMC9781297 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A new green competitive ELISA for aflatoxin M1 quantification in raw milk was developed. This diagnostic tool is based on an anti AFM1 mAb produced by plant molecular farming in alternative to classical systems. Our assay, showing an IC50 below 25 ng/L, fits with the requirements of EU legislation limits for AFM1 (50 ng/L). Optimal accuracy was achieved in correspondence of the decision levels (25 and 50 ng/L), and the assay enabled AFM1 quantification in the range 5-110 ng/L, with limit of detection 3 ng/L. Moreover, to evaluate a real applicability in diagnostics, raw milk-spiked samples were analysed, achieving satisfactory recovery rates of AFM1. In conclusion, an efficient and ready-to-use diagnostic assay for the quantification of aflatoxin M1 in milk, based on a plant-produced recombinant mAb, has been successfully developed.
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Current Strategies to Improve Yield of Recombinant Protein Production in Rice Suspension Cells. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10061120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A plant cell-based recombinant glucocerebrosidase was approved by the FDA in 2012 for the treatment of human inherited Gaucher disease, indicating that plant suspension cells have advantages in biosafety and a low production cost as a commercial pharmaceutical recombinant protein expression system. A low allergenic rice suspension cell-based recombinant protein expression system controlled by the αAmy3/RAmy3D promoter has been shown to result in relatively high protein yields in plant cell-based systems. Although several recombinant proteins have been produced in rice suspension cell-based systems, yields must be improved to compete with the current commercial protein expression systems. Different strategies were performed and showed successful improvements in recombinant protein yields in this rice system. The review updates and highlights strategies for potential improvements of the αAmy3-based rice suspension cell-based system.
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Armario-Najera V, Blanco-Perera A, Shenoy SR, Sun Y, Marfil S, Muñoz-Basagoiti J, Perez-Zsolt D, Blanco J, Izquierdo-Useros N, Capell T, O'Keefe BR, Christou P. Physicochemical characterization of the recombinant lectin scytovirin and microbicidal activity of the SD1 domain produced in rice against HIV-1. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2022; 41:1013-1023. [PMID: 35178612 PMCID: PMC9034974 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02834-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Rice-produced SD1 retains its physicochemical properties and provides efficient pre-exposure HIV-1 prophylaxis against infection in vitro. Scytovirin (SVN) is an HIV-neutralizing lectin that features two structural domains (SD1 and SD2) that bind to HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins. We expressed SD1 in rice seeds as a potential large-scale production platform and confirmed that rice-derived SD1 binds the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 in vitro. We analyzed the thermodynamic properties of SD1 compared to full-size SVN (produced in E. coli) by isothermal titration and differential scanning calorimetry to characterize the specific interactions between SVN/SD1 and gp120 as well as to high-mannose oligosaccharides. SVN bound with moderate affinity (Kd = 1.5 µM) to recombinant gp120, with 2.5-fold weaker affinity to nonamannoside (Kd of 3.9 µM), and with tenfold weaker affinity to tetramannoside (13.8 µM). The melting temperature (Tm) of full-size SVN was 59.1 °C and the enthalpy of unfolding (ΔHunf) was 16.4 kcal/mol, but the Tm fell when SVN bound to nonamannoside (56.5 °C) and twice as much energy was required for unfolding (ΔHunf = 33.5 kcal/mol). Interestingly, binding to tetramannoside destabilized the structure of SD1 (ΔTm ~ 11.5 °C) and doubled the enthalpy of unfolding, suggesting a dimerization event. The similar melting phenomenon shared by SVN and SD1 in the presence of oligomannose confirmed their conserved oligosaccharide-binding mechanisms. SD1 expressed in transgenic rice was able to neutralize HIV-1 in vitro. SD1 expressed in rice, therefore, is suitable as a microbicide component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Armario-Najera
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Amaya Blanco-Perera
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Shilpa R Shenoy
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Silvia Marfil
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | | | | | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, 08916, Badalona, Spain
- Chair of AIDS and Related Diseases, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | - Barry R O'Keefe
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA.
- Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio CERCA Center, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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8
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Fearon SH, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Meyers AE. Plant expression systems as an economical alternative for the production of iELISA coating antigen AHSV VP7. N Biotechnol 2022; 68:48-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2022.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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9
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Recent advances in molecular farming using monocot plants. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 58:107913. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Lobato Gómez M, Huang X, Alvarez D, He W, Baysal C, Zhu C, Armario‐Najera V, Blanco Perera A, Cerda Bennasser P, Saba‐Mayoral A, Sobrino‐Mengual G, Vargheese A, Abranches R, Abreu IA, Balamurugan S, Bock R, Buyel J, da Cunha NB, Daniell H, Faller R, Folgado A, Gowtham I, Häkkinen ST, Kumar S, Ramalingam SK, Lacorte C, Lomonossoff GP, Luís IM, Ma JK, McDonald KA, Murad A, Nandi S, O’Keefe B, Oksman‐Caldentey K, Parthiban S, Paul MJ, Ponndorf D, Rech E, Rodrigues JCM, Ruf S, Schillberg S, Schwestka J, Shah PS, Singh R, Stoger E, Twyman RM, Varghese IP, Vianna GR, Webster G, Wilbers RHP, Capell T, Christou P. Contributions of the international plant science community to the fight against human infectious diseases - part 1: epidemic and pandemic diseases. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1901-1920. [PMID: 34182608 PMCID: PMC8486245 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases, also known as transmissible or communicable diseases, are caused by pathogens or parasites that spread in communities by direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials, through droplets and aerosols, or via vectors such as insects. Such diseases cause ˜17% of all human deaths and their management and control places an immense burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Traditional approaches for the prevention and control of infectious diseases include vaccination programmes, hygiene measures and drugs that suppress the pathogen, treat the disease symptoms or attenuate aggressive reactions of the host immune system. The provision of vaccines and biologic drugs such as antibodies is hampered by the high cost and limited scalability of traditional manufacturing platforms based on microbial and animal cells, particularly in developing countries where infectious diseases are prevalent and poorly controlled. Molecular farming, which uses plants for protein expression, is a promising strategy to address the drawbacks of current manufacturing platforms. In this review article, we consider the potential of molecular farming to address healthcare demands for the most prevalent and important epidemic and pandemic diseases, focussing on recent outbreaks of high-mortality coronavirus infections and diseases that disproportionately affect the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lobato Gómez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Derry Alvarez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Wenshu He
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Can Baysal
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Victoria Armario‐Najera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Amaya Blanco Perera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Pedro Cerda Bennasser
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Andera Saba‐Mayoral
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | | | - Ashwin Vargheese
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Rita Abranches
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Isabel Alexandra Abreu
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Shanmugaraj Balamurugan
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Johannes.F. Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for Molecular BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Nicolau B. da Cunha
- Centro de Análise Proteômicas e Bioquímicas de BrasíliaUniversidade Católica de BrasíliaBrasíliaBrazil
| | - Henry Daniell
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - André Folgado
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Iyappan Gowtham
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Suvi T. Häkkinen
- Industrial Biotechnology and Food SolutionsVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LtdEspooFinland
| | - Shashi Kumar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyNew DelhiIndia
| | - Sathish Kumar Ramalingam
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Cristiano Lacorte
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | | | - Ines M. Luís
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Julian K.‐C. Ma
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Karen. A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Andre Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Barry O’Keefe
- Molecular Targets ProgramCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, and Natural Products BranchDevelopmental Therapeutics ProgramDivision of Cancer Treatment and DiagnosisNational Cancer Institute, NIHFrederickMDUSA
| | | | - Subramanian Parthiban
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Mathew J. Paul
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel Ponndorf
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwichUK
| | - Elibio Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Julio C. M. Rodrigues
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for PhytopathologyJustus‐Liebig‐University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Jennifer Schwestka
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Priya S. Shah
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Rahul Singh
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Eva Stoger
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Inchakalody P. Varghese
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Giovanni R. Vianna
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Gina Webster
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Ruud H. P. Wilbers
- Laboratory of NematologyPlant Sciences GroupWageningen University and ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
- ICREACatalan Institute for Research and Advanced StudiesBarcelonaSpain
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11
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Phakham T, Bulaon CJI, Khorattanakulchai N, Shanmugaraj B, Buranapraditkun S, Boonkrai C, Sooksai S, Hirankarn N, Abe Y, Strasser R, Rattanapisit K, Phoolcharoen W. Functional Characterization of Pembrolizumab Produced in Nicotiana benthamiana Using a Rapid Transient Expression System. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:736299. [PMID: 34567049 PMCID: PMC8459022 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.736299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The striking innovation and clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have undoubtedly contributed to a breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. Generally, ICIs produced in mammalian cells requires high investment, production costs, and involves time consuming procedures. Recently, the plants are considered as an emerging protein production platform due to its cost-effectiveness and rapidity for the production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals. This study explored the potential of plant-based system to produce an anti-human PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), Pembrolizumab, in Nicotiana benthamiana. The transient expression of this mAb in wild-type N. benthamiana accumulated up to 344.12 ± 98.23 μg/g fresh leaf weight after 4 days of agroinfiltration. The physicochemical and functional characteristics of plant-produced Pembrolizumab were compared to mammalian cell-produced commercial Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®). Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blot analysis results demonstrated that the plant-produced Pembrolizumab has the expected molecular weight and is comparable with the Keytruda®. Structural characterization also confirmed that both antibodies have no protein aggregation and similar secondary and tertiary structures. Furthermore, the plant-produced Pembrolizumab displayed no differences in its binding efficacy to PD-1 protein and inhibitory activity between programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) interaction with the Keytruda®. In vitro efficacy for T cell activation demonstrated that the plant-produced Pembrolizumab could induce IL-2 and IFN-γ production. Hence, this proof-of-concept study showed that the plant-production platform can be utilized for the rapid production of functional mAbs for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanapati Phakham
- Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Christine Joy I. Bulaon
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceutical Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narach Khorattanakulchai
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceutical Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Supranee Buranapraditkun
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center-Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chatikorn Boonkrai
- Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sarintip Sooksai
- The Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nattiya Hirankarn
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yoshito Abe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy at Fukuoka, International University of Health and Welfare, Okawa, Japan
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceutical Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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12
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Venkataraman S, Hefferon K, Makhzoum A, Abouhaidar M. Combating Human Viral Diseases: Will Plant-Based Vaccines Be the Answer? Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070761. [PMID: 34358177 PMCID: PMC8310141 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular pharming or the technology of application of plants and plant cell culture to manufacture high-value recombinant proteins has progressed a long way over the last three decades. Whether generated in transgenic plants by stable expression or in plant virus-based transient expression systems, biopharmaceuticals have been produced to combat several human viral diseases that have impacted the world in pandemic proportions. Plants have been variously employed in expressing a host of viral antigens as well as monoclonal antibodies. Many of these biopharmaceuticals have shown great promise in animal models and several of them have performed successfully in clinical trials. The current review elaborates the strategies and successes achieved in generating plant-derived vaccines to target several virus-induced health concerns including highly communicable infectious viral diseases. Importantly, plant-made biopharmaceuticals against hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), the cancer-causing virus human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus, zika virus, and the emerging respiratory virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been discussed. The use of plant virus-derived nanoparticles (VNPs) and virus-like particles (VLPs) in generating plant-based vaccines are extensively addressed. The review closes with a critical look at the caveats of plant-based molecular pharming and future prospects towards further advancements in this technology. The use of biopharmed viral vaccines in human medicine and as part of emergency response vaccines and therapeutics in humans looks promising for the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srividhya Venkataraman
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada; (K.H.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kathleen Hefferon
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada; (K.H.); (M.A.)
| | - Abdullah Makhzoum
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science & Technology, Palapye, Botswana;
| | - Mounir Abouhaidar
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada; (K.H.); (M.A.)
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13
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Kelada KD, Tusé D, Gleba Y, McDonald KA, Nandi S. Process Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of Large-Scale Bioproduction of Sweet Protein Thaumatin II. Foods 2021; 10:838. [PMID: 33921374 PMCID: PMC8069865 DOI: 10.3390/foods10040838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There are currently worldwide efforts to reduce sugar intake due to the various adverse health effects linked with the overconsumption of sugars. Artificial sweeteners have been used as an alternative to nutritive sugars in numerous applications; however, their long-term effects on human health remain controversial. This led to a shift in consumer preference towards non-caloric sweeteners from natural sources. Thaumatins are a class of intensely sweet proteins found in arils of the fruits of the West-African plant Thaumatococcus daniellii. Thaumatins' current production method through aqueous extraction from this plant and uncertainty of the harvest from tropical rainforests limits its supply while the demand is increasing. Despite successful recombinant expression of the protein in several organisms, no large-scale bioproduction facilities exist. We present preliminary process design, process simulation, and economic analysis for a large-scale (50 metric tons/year) production of a thaumatin II variant using several different molecular farming platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirolos D. Kelada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.D.K.); (K.A.M.)
| | - Daniel Tusé
- DT/Consulting Group, Sacramento, CA 95818, USA;
| | - Yuri Gleba
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, 06120 Halle, Germany;
| | - Karen A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.D.K.); (K.A.M.)
- Global HealthShare® Initiative, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.D.K.); (K.A.M.)
- Global HealthShare® Initiative, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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14
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McNulty MJ, Silberstein DZ, Kuhn BT, Padgett HS, Nandi S, McDonald KA, Cross CE. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and recombinant protein sources with focus on plant sources: Updates, challenges and perspectives. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 163:10-30. [PMID: 33279618 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by low plasma levels of A1AT, a serine protease inhibitor representing the most abundant circulating antiprotease normally present at plasma levels of 1-2 g/L. The dominant clinical manifestations include predispositions to early onset emphysema due to protease/antiprotease imbalance in distal lung parenchyma and liver disease largely due to unsecreted polymerized accumulations of misfolded mutant A1AT within the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. Since 1987, the only FDA licensed specific therapy for the emphysema component has been infusions of A1AT purified from pooled human plasma at the 2020 cost of up to US $200,000/year with the risk of intermittent shortages. In the past three decades various, potentially less expensive, recombinant forms of human A1AT have reached early stages of development, one of which is just reaching the stage of human clinical trials. The focus of this review is to update strategies for the treatment of the pulmonary component of A1ATD with some focus on perspectives for therapeutic production and regulatory approval of a recombinant product from plants. We review other competitive technologies for treating the lung disease manifestations of A1ATD, highlight strategies for the generation of data potentially helpful for securing FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) approval and present challenges in the selection of clinical trial strategies required for FDA licensing of a New Drug Approval (NDA) for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J McNulty
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David Z Silberstein
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brooks T Kuhn
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; University of California, Davis, Alpha-1 Deficiency Clinic, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Global HealthShare Initiative®, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Karen A McDonald
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Global HealthShare Initiative®, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Carroll E Cross
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; University of California, Davis, Alpha-1 Deficiency Clinic, Sacramento, CA, USA; Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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15
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Fearon SH, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Meyers AE. Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to plant-produced African horse sickness virus VP7 quasi-crystals. Virus Res 2021; 294:198284. [PMID: 33421520 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
African horse sickness (AHS) is a devastating viral disease affecting equines and has resulted in many disastrous epizootics. To date, no successful therapeutic treatment exists for AHS, and commercially used live-attenuated vaccines have various undesirable side effects. Previous studies have shown that mice inoculated with insoluble African horse sickness virus (AHSV) VP7 crystals are protected from live challenge with a lethal dose of AHSV. This study investigates the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in guinea-pigs to a safer monovalent vaccine alternative based on AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals produced in plants. Guinea-pigs received prime- and boost-inoculations of between 10 and 50 μg of purified plant-produced AHSV VP7. Western immunoblot analysis of the humoral response showed stimulation of high titres of anti-VP7 antibodies 28 days after the boost-inoculation in sera from three of the five experimental animals. In addition, RNA-seq transcriptome profiling of guinea-pig spleen-derived RNA highlighted thirty significantly (q ≤ 0.05) differentially expressed genes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. Differential expression of genes involved in Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation suggest a cell-mediated immune response to AHSV-5 VP7. Upregulation of several important cytokines and cytokine receptors were noted, including TNFSF14, CX3CR1, IFNLR1 and IL17RA. Upregulation of IL17RA suggests a Th17 response which has been reported as a key component in AHSV immunity. While further investigation is needed to validate these findings, these results suggest that AHSV-5 VP7 quasi-crystals produced in N. benthamiana are immunogenic and induce both humoral and cell-mediated responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley H Fearon
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Susan J Dennis
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Inga I Hitzeroth
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Edward P Rybicki
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa; Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Ann E Meyers
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
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16
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Alvisi N, van Noort K, Dwiani S, Geschiere N, Sukarta O, Varossieau K, Nguyen DL, Strasser R, Hokke CH, Schots A, Wilbers RHP. β-Hexosaminidases Along the Secretory Pathway of Nicotiana benthamiana Have Distinct Specificities Toward Engineered Helminth N-Glycans on Recombinant Glycoproteins. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:638454. [PMID: 33815445 PMCID: PMC8010188 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.638454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Secretions of parasitic worms (helminths) contain a wide collection of immunomodulatory glycoproteins with the potential to treat inflammatory disorders, like autoimmune diseases. Yet, the identification of single molecules that can be developed into novel biopharmaceuticals is hampered by the limited availability of native parasite-derived proteins. Recently, pioneering work has shown that helminth glycoproteins can be produced transiently in Nicotiana benthamiana plants while simultaneously mimicking their native helminth N-glycan composition by co-expression of desired glycosyltransferases. However, efficient "helminthization" of N-glycans in plants by glyco-engineering seems to be hampered by the undesired truncation of complex N-glycans by β-N-acetyl-hexosaminidases, in particular when aiming for the synthesis of N-glycans with antennary GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (LacdiNAc or LDN). In this study, we cloned novel β-hexosaminidase open reading frames from N. benthamiana and characterized the biochemical activity of these enzymes. We identified HEXO2 and HEXO3 as enzymes responsible for the cleavage of antennary GalNAc residues of N-glycans on the model helminth glycoprotein kappa-5. Furthermore, we reveal that each member of the HEXO family has a distinct specificity for N-glycan substrates, where HEXO2 has strict β-galactosaminidase activity, whereas HEXO3 cleaves both GlcNAc and GalNAc. The identification of HEXO2 and HEXO3 as major targets for LDN cleavage will enable a targeted genome editing approach to reduce undesired processing of these N-glycans. Effective knockout of these enzymes could allow the production of therapeutically relevant glycoproteins with tailor-made helminth N-glycans in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Alvisi
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Kim van Noort
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Sarlita Dwiani
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Nathan Geschiere
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Octavina Sukarta
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Koen Varossieau
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Dieu-Linh Nguyen
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cornelis H. Hokke
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Arjen Schots
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ruud H. P. Wilbers
- Laboratory of Nematology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Ruud H. P. Wilbers,
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17
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Corbin JM, McNulty MJ, Macharoen K, McDonald KA, Nandi S. Technoeconomic analysis of semicontinuous bioreactor production of biopharmaceuticals in transgenic rice cell suspension cultures. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3053-3065. [PMID: 32592492 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biopharmaceutical protein production using transgenic plant cell bioreactor processes offers advantages over microbial and mammalian cell culture platforms in its ability to produce complex biologics with simple chemically defined media and reduced biosafety concerns. A disadvantage of plant cells from a traditional batch bioprocessing perspective is their slow growth rate which has motivated us to develop semicontinuous and/or perfusion processes. Although the economic benefits of plant cell culture bioprocesses are often mentioned in the literature, to our knowledge no rigorous technoeconomic models or analyses have been published. Here we present technoeconomic models in SuperPro Designer® for the large-scale production of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a prophylactic/therapeutic bioscavenger against organophosphate nerve agent poisoning, in inducible transgenic rice cell suspension cultures. The base facility designed to produce 25 kg BChE per year utilizing two-stage semicontinuous bioreactor operation manufactures a single 400 mg dose of BChE for $263. Semicontinuous operation scenarios result in 4-11% reduction over traditional two-stage batch operation scenarios. In addition to providing a simulation tool that will be useful to the plant-made pharmaceutical community, the model also provides a computational framework that can be used for other semicontinuous or batch bioreactor-based processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine M Corbin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Matthew J McNulty
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California
| | | | - Karen A McDonald
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Global HealthShare Initiative, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Global HealthShare Initiative, University of California, Davis, California
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18
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Xu J, Rehmann MS, Xu M, Zheng S, Hill C, He Q, Borys MC, Li ZJ. Development of an intensified fed-batch production platform with doubled titers using N-1 perfusion seed for cell culture manufacturing. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s40643-020-00304-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe goal of cell culture process intensification is to increase volumetric productivity, generally by increasing viable cell density (VCD), cell specific productivity or production bioreactor utilization in manufacturing. In our previous study, process intensification in fed-batch production with higher titer or shorter duration was demonstrated by increasing the inoculation seeding density (SD) from ~ 0.6 (Process A) to 3–6 × 106 cells/mL (Process B) in combination with media enrichment. In this study, we further increased SD to 10–20 × 106 cells/mL (Process C) using perfusion N-1 seed cultures, which increased titers already at industrially relevant levels by 100% in 10–14 day bioreactor durations for four different mAb-expressing CHO cell lines. Redesigned basal and feed media were critical for maintaining higher VCD and cell specific productivity during the entire production duration, while medium enrichment, feeding strategies and temperature shift optimization to accommodate high VCDs were also important. The intensified Process C was successfully scaled up in 500-L bioreactors for 3 of the 4 mAbs, and quality attributes were similar to the corresponding Process A or Process B at 1000-L scale. The fed-batch process intensification strategies developed in this study could be applied for manufacturing of other mAbs using CHO and other host cells.
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19
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Diamos AG, Hunter JGL, Pardhe MD, Rosenthal SH, Sun H, Foster BC, DiPalma MP, Chen Q, Mason HS. High Level Production of Monoclonal Antibodies Using an Optimized Plant Expression System. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 7:472. [PMID: 32010680 PMCID: PMC6978629 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals are a large and fast-growing sector of the total pharmaceutical market with antibody-based therapeutics accounting for over 100 billion USD in sales yearly. Mammalian cells are traditionally used for monoclonal antibody production, however plant-based expression systems have significant advantages. In this work, we showcase recent advances made in plant transient expression systems using optimized geminiviral vectors that can efficiently produce heteromultimeric proteins. Two, three, or four fluorescent proteins were coexpressed simultaneously, reaching high yields of 3–5 g/kg leaf fresh weight or ~50% total soluble protein. As a proof-of-concept for this system, various antibodies were produced using the optimized vectors with special focus given to the creation and production of a chimeric broadly neutralizing anti-flavivirus antibody. The variable regions of this murine antibody, 2A10G6, were codon optimized and fused to a human IgG1. Analysis of the chimeric antibody showed that it was efficiently expressed in plants at 1.5 g of antibody/kilogram of leaf tissue, can be purified to near homogeneity by a simple one-step purification process, retains its ability to recognize the Zika virus envelope protein, and potently neutralizes Zika virus. Two other monoclonal antibodies were produced at similar levels (1.2–1.4 g/kg). This technology will be a versatile tool for the production of a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical multi-protein complexes in a fast, powerful, and cost-effective way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Diamos
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Joseph G L Hunter
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Mary D Pardhe
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Sun H Rosenthal
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Haiyan Sun
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Bonnie C Foster
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Michelle P DiPalma
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Qiang Chen
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Hugh S Mason
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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20
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Molecular farming - The slope of enlightenment. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107519. [PMID: 31954848 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Molecular farming can be defined as the use of plants to produce recombinant protein products. The technology is now >30 years old. The early promise of molecular farming was based on three perceived advantages: the low costs of growing plants, the immense scalability of agricultural production, and the inherent safety of plants as hosts for the production of pharmaceuticals. This resulted in a glut of research publications in which diverse proteins were expressed in equally diverse plant-based systems, and numerous companies were founded hoping to commercialize the new technology. There was a moderate degree of success for companies producing non-pharmaceutical proteins, but in the pharmaceutical sector the anticipation raised by promising early research was soon met by the cold hard reality of industrial pragmatism. Plants did not have a track record of success in pharmaceutical protein manufacturing, lacked a regulatory framework, and did not perform as well as established industry platforms. Negative attitudes towards genetically modified plants added to the mix. By the early 2000s, major industry players started to lose interest and pharmaceutical molecular farming fell from a peak of expectation into a trough of disillusionment, just as predicted by the Gartner hype cycle. But many of the pioneers of molecular farming have refocused their activities and have worked to address the limitations that hampered the first generation of technologies. The field has now consolidated around a smaller number of better-characterized platforms and has started to develop standardized methods and best practices, mirroring the evolution of more mature industry sectors. Likewise, attention has turned from proof-of-principle studies to realistic techno-economic modeling to capture significant niche markets, replicating the success of the industrial molecular farming sector. Here we argue that these recent developments signify that pharmaceutical molecular farming is now climbing the slope of enlightenment and will soon emerge as a mature technology.
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Tusé D, Nandi S, McDonald KA, Buyel JF. The Emergency Response Capacity of Plant-Based Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing-What It Is and What It Could Be. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:594019. [PMID: 33193552 PMCID: PMC7606873 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.594019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Several epidemic and pandemic diseases have emerged over the last 20 years with increasing reach and severity. The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected most of the world's population, causing millions of infections, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and economic disruption on a vast scale. The increasing number of casualties underlines an urgent need for the rapid delivery of therapeutics, prophylactics such as vaccines, and diagnostic reagents. Here, we review the potential of molecular farming in plants from a manufacturing perspective, focusing on the speed, capacity, safety, and potential costs of transient expression systems. We highlight current limitations in terms of the regulatory framework, as well as future opportunities to establish plant molecular farming as a global, de-centralized emergency response platform for the rapid production of biopharmaceuticals. The implications of public health emergencies on process design and costs, regulatory approval, and production speed and scale compared to conventional manufacturing platforms based on mammalian cell culture are discussed as a forward-looking strategy for future pandemic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tusé
- DT/Consulting Group and GROW Biomedicine, LLC, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Global HealthShare Initiative, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Karen A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Global HealthShare Initiative, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Johannes Felix Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Johannes Felix Buyel, ; orcid.org/0000-0003-2361-143X
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Tripathi NK, Shrivastava A. Recent Developments in Bioprocessing of Recombinant Proteins: Expression Hosts and Process Development. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:420. [PMID: 31921823 PMCID: PMC6932962 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases, along with cancers, are among the main causes of death among humans worldwide. The production of therapeutic proteins for treating diseases at large scale for millions of individuals is one of the essential needs of mankind. Recent progress in the area of recombinant DNA technologies has paved the way to producing recombinant proteins that can be used as therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostic reagents. Recombinant proteins for these applications are mainly produced using prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression host systems such as mammalian cells, bacteria, yeast, insect cells, and transgenic plants at laboratory scale as well as in large-scale settings. The development of efficient bioprocessing strategies is crucial for industrial production of recombinant proteins of therapeutic and prophylactic importance. Recently, advances have been made in the various areas of bioprocessing and are being utilized to develop effective processes for producing recombinant proteins. These include the use of high-throughput devices for effective bioprocess optimization and of disposable systems, continuous upstream processing, continuous chromatography, integrated continuous bioprocessing, Quality by Design, and process analytical technologies to achieve quality product with higher yield. This review summarizes recent developments in the bioprocessing of recombinant proteins, including in various expression systems, bioprocess development, and the upstream and downstream processing of recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh K. Tripathi
- Bioprocess Scale Up Facility, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, India
| | - Ambuj Shrivastava
- Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, India
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Rattanapisit K, Phakham T, Buranapraditkun S, Siriwattananon K, Boonkrai C, Pisitkun T, Hirankarn N, Strasser R, Abe Y, Phoolcharoen W. Structural and In Vitro Functional Analyses of Novel Plant-Produced Anti-Human PD1 Antibody. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15205. [PMID: 31645587 PMCID: PMC6811542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51656-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising and effective treatment for cancer. The frequently used immunotherapy agents are immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as antibodies specific to PD1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4. However, these drugs are highly expensive, and most people in the world cannot access the treatment. The development of recombinant protein production platforms that are cost-effective, scalable, and safe is needed. Plant platforms are attractive because of their low production cost, speed, scalability, lack of human and animal pathogens, and post-translational modifications that enable them to produce effective monoclonal antibodies. In this study, an anti-PD1 IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was transiently produced in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The plant-produced anti-PD1 mAb was compared to the commercial nivolumab produced in CHO cells. Our results showed that both antibodies have similar protein structures, and the N-glycans on the plant-produced antibody lacks plant-specific structures. The PD1 binding affinity of the plant-produced and commercial nivolumab, determined by two different techniques, that is, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), are also comparable. Plant-produced nivolumab binds to human PD1 protein with high affinity and specificity, blocks the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, and enhances T cell function, comparable to commercial nivolumab. These results confirmed that plant-produced anti-PD1 antibody has the potential to be effective agent for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaewta Rattanapisit
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Tanapati Phakham
- Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Research affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supranee Buranapraditkun
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center-Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Konlavat Siriwattananon
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Chatikorn Boonkrai
- Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Research affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Trairak Pisitkun
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Research affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nattiya Hirankarn
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yoshito Abe
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
- Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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