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Anbuhl SM, Dervillez X, Neubacher S, Schriek AI, Bobkov V, de Taeye SW, Szpakowska M, Siderius M, Grossmann TN, Chevigné A, Smit MJ, Heukers R. Multivalent CXCR4-targeting nanobody formats differently affect affinity, receptor clustering, and antagonism. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 227:116457. [PMID: 39098732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116457] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is involved in the development and migration of stem and immune cells but is also implicated in tumor progression and metastasis for a variety of cancers. Antagonizing ligand (CXCL12)-induced CXCR4 signaling is, therefore, of therapeutic interest. Currently, there are two small-molecule CXCR4 antagonists on the market for the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells. Other molecules with improved potencies and safety profiles are being developed for different indications, including cancer. Moreover, multiple antagonistic nanobodies targeting CXCR4 displayed similar or better potencies as compared to the CXCR4-targeting molecule AMD3100 (Plerixafor), which was further enhanced through avid binding of bivalent derivatives. In this study, we aimed to compare the affinities of various multivalent nanobody formats which might be differently impacted by avidity. By fusion to a flexible GS-linker, Fc-region of human IgG1, different C4bp/CLR multimerization domains, or via site-directed conjugation to a trivalent linker scaffold, we generated different types of multivalent nanobodies with varying valencies ranging from bivalent to decavalent. Of these, C-terminal fusion, especially to human Fc, was most advantageous with a 2-log-fold and 3-log-fold increased potency in inhibiting CXCL12-mediated Gαi- or β-arrestin recruitment, respectively. Overall, we describe strategies for generating multivalent and high-potency CXCR4 antagonistic nanobodies able to induce receptor clustering and conclude that fusion to an Fc-tail results in the highest avidity effect irrespective of the hinge linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Anbuhl
- QVQ Holding BV, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Xavier Dervillez
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Saskia Neubacher
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Incircular BV, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Angela I Schriek
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vladimir Bobkov
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Argenx, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven W de Taeye
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martyna Szpakowska
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Marco Siderius
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom N Grossmann
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Incircular BV, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andy Chevigné
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Martine J Smit
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Raimond Heukers
- QVQ Holding BV, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Schober R, Brandus B, Laeremans T, Iserentant G, Rolin C, Dessilly G, Zimmer J, Moutschen M, Aerts JL, Dervillez X, Seguin-Devaux C. Multimeric immunotherapeutic complexes activating natural killer cells towards HIV-1 cure. J Transl Med 2023; 21:791. [PMID: 37936122 PMCID: PMC10631209 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04669-4] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has dramatically extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV-1 and improved their quality of life. There is nevertheless no cure for HIV-1 infection since HIV-1 persists in viral reservoirs of latently infected CD4+ T cells. cART does not eradicate HIV-1 reservoirs or restore cytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells which are dramatically reduced by HIV-1 infection, and express the checkpoint inhibitors NKG2A or KIR2DL upregulated after HIV-1 infection. Cytotoxic NK cells expressing the homing receptor CXCR5 were recently described as key subsets controlling viral replication. METHODS We designed and evaluated the potency of "Natural killer activating Multimeric immunotherapeutic compleXes", called as NaMiX, combining multimers of the IL-15/IL-15Rα complex with an anti-NKG2A or an anti-KIR single-chain fragment variable (scFv) to kill HIV-1 infected CD4+ T cells. The oligomerization domain of the C4 binding protein was used to associate the IL-15/IL-15Rα complex to the scFv of each checkpoint inhibitor as well as to multimerize each entity into a heptamer (α form) or a dimer (β form). Each α or β form was compared in different in vitro models using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's tests before evaluation in humanized NSG tg-huIL-15 mice having functional NK cells. RESULTS All NaMiX significantly enhanced the cytolytic activity of NK and CD8+ T cells against Raji tumour cells and HIV-1+ ACH-2 cells by increasing degranulation, release of granzyme B, perforin and IFN-γ. Targeting NKG2A had a stronger effect than targeting KIR2DL due to higher expression of NKG2A on NK cells. In viral inhibition assays, NaMiX initially increased viral replication of CD4+ T cells which was subsequently inhibited by cytotoxic NK cells. Importantly, anti-NKG2A NaMiX enhanced activation, cytotoxicity, IFN-γ production and CXCR5 expression of NK cells from HIV-1 positive individuals. In humanized NSG tg-huIL-15 mice, we confirmed enhanced activation, degranulation, cytotoxicity of NK cells, and killing of HIV-1 infected cells from mice injected with the anti-NKG2A.α NaMiX, as compared to control mice, as well as decreased total HIV-1 DNA in the lung. CONCLUSIONS NK cell-mediated killing of HIV-1 infected cells by NaMiX represents a promising approach to support HIV-1 cure strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaëla Schober
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Bianca Brandus
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Thessa Laeremans
- Neuro-Aging and Viro-Immunotherapy (NAVI) Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gilles Iserentant
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Camille Rolin
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Géraldine Dessilly
- AIDS Reference Laboratory, Catholic University of Louvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jacques Zimmer
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Michel Moutschen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Liège, CHU de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Joeri L Aerts
- Neuro-Aging and Viro-Immunotherapy (NAVI) Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xavier Dervillez
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Carole Seguin-Devaux
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29, Rue Henri Koch, L-4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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Chen CW, Saubi N, Kilpeläinen A, Joseph-Munné J. Chimeric Human Papillomavirus-16 Virus-like Particles Presenting P18I10 and T20 Peptides from HIV-1 Envelope Induce HPV16 and HIV-1-Specific Humoral and T Cell-Mediated Immunity in BALB/c Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 11:vaccines11010015. [PMID: 36679860 PMCID: PMC9861546 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the HIV-1 P18I10 CTL peptide derived from the V3 loop of HIV-1 gp120 and the T20 anti-fusion peptide of HIV-1 gp41 were inserted into the HPV16 L1 capsid protein to construct chimeric HPV:HIV (L1:P18I10 and L1:T20) VLPs by using the mammalian cell expression system. The HPV:HIV VLPs were purified by chromatography. We demonstrated that the insertion of P18I10 or T20 peptides into the DE loop of HPV16 L1 capsid proteins did not affect in vitro stability, self-assembly and morphology of chimeric HPV:HIV VLPs. Importantly, it did not interfere either with the HIV-1 antibody reactivity targeting sequential and conformational P18I10 and T20 peptides presented on chimeric HPV:HIV VLPs or with the induction of HPV16 L1-specific antibodies in vivo. We observed that chimeric L1:P18I10/L1:T20 VLPs vaccines could induce HPV16- but weak HIV-1-specific antibody responses and elicited HPV16- and HIV-1-specific T-cell responses in BALB/c mice. Moreover, could be a potential booster to increase HIV-specific cellular responses in the heterologous immunization after priming with rBCG.HIVA vaccine. This research work would contribute a step towards the development of the novel chimeric HPV:HIV VLP-based vaccine platform for controlling HPV16 and HIV-1 infection, which is urgently needed in developing and industrialized countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wei Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Narcís Saubi
- Respiratory Viruses Unit, Virology Section, Microbiology Department, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Athina Kilpeläinen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Joseph-Munné
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Renelt S, Schult-Dietrich P, Baldauf HM, Stein S, Kann G, Bickel M, Kielland-Kaisen U, Bonig H, Marschalek R, Rieger MA, Dietrich U, Duerr R. HIV-1 Infection of Long-Lived Hematopoietic Precursors In Vitro and In Vivo. Cells 2022; 11:cells11192968. [PMID: 36230931 PMCID: PMC9562211 DOI: 10.3390/cells11192968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Latent reservoirs in human-immunodeficiency-virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals represent a major obstacle in finding a cure for HIV-1. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) have been described as potential HIV-1 targets, but their roles as HIV-1 reservoirs remain controversial. Here we provide additional evidence for the susceptibility of several distinct HSPC subpopulations to HIV-1 infection in vitro and in vivo. In vitro infection experiments of HSPCs were performed with different HIV-1 Env-pseudotyped lentiviral particles and with replication-competent HIV-1. Low-level infection/transduction of HSPCs, including hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and multipotent progenitors (MPP), was observed, preferentially via CXCR4, but also via CCR5-mediated entry. Multi-lineage colony formation in methylcellulose assays and repetitive replating of transduced cells provided functional proof of susceptibility of primitive HSPCs to HIV-1 infection. Further, the access to bone marrow samples from HIV-positive individuals facilitated the detection of HIV-1 gag cDNA copies in CD34+ cells from eight (out of eleven) individuals, with at least six of them infected with CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains. In summary, our data confirm that primitive HSPC subpopulations are susceptible to CXCR4- and CCR5-mediated HIV-1 infection in vitro and in vivo, which qualifies these cells to contribute to the HIV-1 reservoir in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Renelt
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Patrizia Schult-Dietrich
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Hanna-Mari Baldauf
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute & Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefan Stein
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Gerrit Kann
- Department of Medicine II/Infectious Diseases, Goethe University Hospital, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Infektiologikum, Center for Infectious Diseases, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Markus Bickel
- Infektiologikum, Center for Infectious Diseases, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Halvard Bonig
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Goethe University, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rolf Marschalek
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michael A. Rieger
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University Hospital, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ursula Dietrich
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ralf Duerr
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence:
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Seguin-Devaux C, Plesseria JM, Verschueren C, Masquelier C, Iserentant G, Fullana M, Józsi M, Cohen JHM, Dervillez X. FHR4-based immunoconjugates direct complement-dependent cytotoxicity and phagocytosis towards HER2-positive cancer cells. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:2531-2553. [PMID: 31365168 PMCID: PMC6887587 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Directing selective complement activation towards tumour cells is an attractive strategy to promote their elimination. In the present work, we have generated heteromultimeric immunoconjugates that selectively activate the complement alternative pathway (AP) on tumour cells. We used the C4b‐binding protein C‐terminal‐α‐/β‐chain scaffold for multimerisation to generate heteromultimeric immunoconjugates displaying (a) a multivalent‐positive regulator of the AP, the human factor H‐related protein 4 (FHR4) with; (b) a multivalent targeting function directed against erbB2 (HER2); and (c) a monovalent enhanced GFP tracking function. Two distinct VHH targeting two different epitopes against HER2 and competing either with trastuzumab or with pertuzumab‐recognising epitopes [VHH(T) or VHH(P)], respectively, were used as HER2 anchoring moieties. Optimised high‐FHR4 valence heteromultimeric immunoconjugates [FHR4/VHH(T) or FHR4/VHH(P)] were selected by sequential cell cloning and a selective multistep His‐Trap purification. Optimised FHR4‐heteromultimeric immunoconjugates successfully overcame FH‐mediated complement inhibition threshold, causing increased C3b deposition on SK‐OV‐3, BT474 and SK‐BR3 tumour cells, and increased formation of lytic membrane attack complex densities and complement‐dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). CDC varies according to the pattern expression and densities of membrane‐anchored complement regulatory proteins on tumour cell surfaces. In addition, opsonised BT474 tumour cells were efficiently phagocytosed by macrophages through complement‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity. We showed that the degree of FHR4‐multivalency within the multimeric immunoconjugates was the key element to efficiently compete and deregulate FH and FH‐mediated convertase decay locally on tumour cell surface. FHR4 can thus represent a novel therapeutic molecule, when expressed as a multimeric entity and associated with an anchoring system, to locally shift the complement steady‐state towards activation on tumour cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Seguin-Devaux
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jean-Marc Plesseria
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Charlène Verschueren
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Cécile Masquelier
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Gilles Iserentant
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Marie Fullana
- Société d'Accélération des Transferts de Technologies du Nord, Direction Territoriale Reims, Reims, France
| | - Mihály Józsi
- Complement Research Group, Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Xavier Dervillez
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.,Life Sciences Research Unit (LSRU), Signal Transduction Laboratory, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
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Haworth KG, Peterson CW, Kiem HP. CCR5-edited gene therapies for HIV cure: Closing the door to viral entry. Cytotherapy 2017; 19:1325-1338. [PMID: 28751153 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first reported and characterized more than three decades ago. Once thought of as a death sentence, HIV infection has become a chronically manageable disease. However, it is estimated that a staggering 0.8% of the world's population is infected with HIV, with more than 1 million deaths reported in 2015 alone. Despite the development of effective anti-retroviral drugs, a permanent cure has only been documented in one patient to date. In 2007, an HIV-positive patient received a bone marrow transplant to treat his leukemia from an individual who was homozygous for a mutation in the CCR5 gene. This mutation, known as CCR5Δ32, prevents HIV replication by inhibiting the early stage of viral entry into cells, resulting in resistance to infection from the majority of HIV isolates. More than 10 years after his last dose of anti-retroviral therapy, the transplant recipient remains free of replication-competent virus. Multiple groups are now attempting to replicate this success through the use of other CCR5-negative donor cell sources. Additionally, developments in the use of lentiviral vectors and targeted nucleases have opened the doors of precision medicine and enabled new treatment methodologies to combat HIV infection through targeted ablation or down-regulation of CCR5 expression. Here, we review historical cases of CCR5-edited cell-based therapies, current clinical trials and future benefits and challenges associated with this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin G Haworth
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher W Peterson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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7
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Stenler S, Lundin KE, Hansen L, Petkov S, Mozafari N, Isaguliants M, Blomberg P, Smith CIE, Goldenberg DM, Chang CH, Ljungberg K, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Immunization with HIV-1 envelope T20-encoding DNA vaccines elicits cross-clade neutralizing antibody responses. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2017; 13:2849-2858. [PMID: 28696158 PMCID: PMC5718786 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2017.1338546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Genetic immunization is expected to induce the expression of antigens in a native form. The encoded peptide epitopes are presented on endogenous MHC molecules, mimicking antigen presentation during a viral infection. We have explored the potential of enfuvirtide (T20), a short HIV peptide with antiviral properties, to enhance immune response to HIV antigens. To generate an expression vector, the T20 sequence was cloned into a conventional plasmid, the novel minicircle construct, and a replicon plasmid. In addition, 3 conventional plasmids that express the envelope of HIV-1 subtypes A, B and C and contain T20 in their gp41 sequences were also tested. Results: All combinations induced HIV-specific antibodies and cellular responses. The addition of T20 as a peptide and as an expression cassette in the 3 DNA vectors enhanced antibody responses. The highest anti-HIV-1 Env titers were obtained by the replicon T20 construct. This demonstrates that besides its known antiviral activity, T20 promotes immune responses. We also confirm that the combination of slightly divergent antigens improves immune responses. Conclusions: The antiretroviral T20 HIV-1 sequence can be used as an immunogen to elicit binding and neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1. These, or similarly modified gp41 genes/peptides, can be used as priming or boosting components for induction of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies. Future comparative studies will reveal the optimal mode of T20 administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Stenler
- a Karolinska Cell Therapy Center , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - K E Lundin
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - L Hansen
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - S Petkov
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - N Mozafari
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - M Isaguliants
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - P Blomberg
- a Karolinska Cell Therapy Center , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - C I E Smith
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - D M Goldenberg
- d Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA.,e IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA
| | - C-H Chang
- d Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA.,e IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA
| | - K Ljungberg
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - J Hinkula
- f Department of Molecular Virology , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden
| | - B Wahren
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
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8
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Tomusange K, Wijesundara D, Gummow J, Garrod T, Li Y, Gray L, Churchill M, Grubor-Bauk B, Gowans EJ. A HIV-Tat/C4-binding protein chimera encoded by a DNA vaccine is highly immunogenic and contains acute EcoHIV infection in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29131. [PMID: 27358023 PMCID: PMC4928126 DOI: 10.1038/srep29131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA vaccines are cost-effective to manufacture on a global scale and Tat-based DNA vaccines have yielded protective outcomes in preclinical and clinical models of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), highlighting the potential of such vaccines. However, Tat-based DNA vaccines have been poorly immunogenic, and despite the administration of multiple doses and/or the addition of adjuvants, these vaccines are not in general use. In this study, we improved Tat immunogenicity by fusing it with the oligomerisation domain of a chimeric C4-binding protein (C4b-p), termed IMX313, resulting in Tat heptamerisation and linked Tat to the leader sequence of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) to ensure that the bulk of heptamerised Tat is secreted. Mice vaccinated with secreted Tat fused to IMX313 (pVAX-sTat-IMX313) developed higher titres of Tat-specific serum IgG, mucosal sIgA and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses, and showed superior control of EcoHIV infection, a surrogate murine HIV challenge model, compared with animals vaccinated with other test vaccines. Given the crucial contribution of Tat to HIV-1 pathogenesis and the precedent of Tat-based DNA vaccines in conferring some level of protection in animal models, we believe that the virologic control demonstrated with this novel multimerised Tat vaccine highlights the promise of this vaccine candidate for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khamis Tomusange
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Danushka Wijesundara
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jason Gummow
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tamsin Garrod
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Yanrui Li
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lachlan Gray
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Melissa Churchill
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Branka Grubor-Bauk
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Eric J. Gowans
- Virology Laboratory, Basil Hetzel Institute, Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Valldorf B, Fittler H, Deweid L, Ebenig A, Dickgiesser S, Sellmann C, Becker J, Zielonka S, Empting M, Avrutina O, Kolmar H. Ein Apoptose-induzierendes Heptamer, das effizient den Todesrezeptor 5 bündelt. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201511894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Valldorf
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Heiko Fittler
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Lukas Deweid
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Aileen Ebenig
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Stephan Dickgiesser
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Carolin Sellmann
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Janine Becker
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Martin Empting
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmacological Research Saarland (HIPS); Universitätscampus E8 1 66123 Saarbrücken Deutschland
| | - Olga Avrutina
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4 64287 Darmstadt Deutschland
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10
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Valldorf B, Fittler H, Deweid L, Ebenig A, Dickgiesser S, Sellmann C, Becker J, Zielonka S, Empting M, Avrutina O, Kolmar H. An Apoptosis-Inducing Peptidic Heptad That Efficiently Clusters Death Receptor 5. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:5085-9. [PMID: 26991930 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201511894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Multivalent ligands of death receptors hold particular promise as tumor cell-specific therapeutic agents because they induce an apoptotic cascade in cancerous cells. Herein, we present a modular approach to generate death receptor 5 (DR5) binding constructs comprising multiple copies of DR5 targeting peptide (DR5TP) covalently bound to biomolecular scaffolds of peptidic nature. This strategy allows for efficient oligomerization of synthetic DR5TP-derived peptides in different spatial orientations using a set of enzyme-promoted conjugations or recombinant production. Heptameric constructs based on a short (60-75 residues) scaffold of a C-terminal oligomerization domain of human C4b binding protein showed remarkable proapoptotic activity (EC50=3 nm) when DR5TP was ligated to its carboxy terminus. Our data support the notion that inter-ligand distance, relative spatial orientation and copy number of receptor-binding modules are key prerequisites for receptor activation and cell killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Valldorf
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Heiko Fittler
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Deweid
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Aileen Ebenig
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Dickgiesser
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carolin Sellmann
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Janine Becker
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Martin Empting
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmacological Research Saarland (HIPS), Universitätscampus E8 1, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Olga Avrutina
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Clemens-Schöpf-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
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11
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Synthetic Cystine-Knot Miniproteins - Valuable Scaffolds for Polypeptide Engineering. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 917:121-44. [PMID: 27236555 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-32805-8_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Peptides with the cystine-knot architecture, often termed knottins, are promising scaffolds for biomolecular engineering. These unique molecules combine diverse bioactivities with excellent structural, thermal, and proteolytical stability. Being different in the composition and structure of their amino acid backbone, knottins share the same core element, namely cystine knot, which is built by six cysteine residues forming three disulfides upon oxidative folding. This motif ensures a notably rigid framework that highly tolerates both rational and combinatorial changes in the primary structure. Being accessible through recombinant production and total chemical synthesis, cystine-knot miniproteins can be endowed with novel bioactivities by variation of surface-exposed loops and incorporation of non-natural elements within their non-conserved regions towards the generation of tailor-made peptidic compounds. In this chapter the topology of cystine-knot peptides, their synthesis and applications for diagnostics and therapy is discussed.
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12
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Maaß F, Wüstehube-Lausch J, Dickgießer S, Valldorf B, Reinwarth M, Schmoldt HU, Daneschdar M, Avrutina O, Sahin U, Kolmar H. Cystine-knot peptides targeting cancer-relevant human cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4). J Pept Sci 2015; 21:651-60. [PMID: 25964162 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cystine-knot peptides sharing a common fold but displaying a notably large diversity within the primary structure of flanking loops have shown great potential as scaffolds for the development of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. In this study, we demonstrated that the cystine-knot peptide MCoTI-II, a trypsin inhibitor from Momordica cochinchinensis, can be engineered to bind to cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), an inhibitory receptor expressed by T lymphocytes, that has emerged as a target for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Directed evolution was used to convert a cystine-knot trypsin inhibitor into a CTLA-4 binder by screening a library of variants using yeast surface display. A set of cystine-knot peptides possessing dissociation constants in the micromolar range was obtained; the most potent variant was synthesized chemically. Successive conjugation with neutravidin, fusion to antibody Fc domain or the oligomerization domain of C4b binding protein resulted in oligovalent variants that possessed enhanced (up to 400-fold) dissociation constants in the nanomolar range. Our data indicate that display of multiple knottin peptides on an oligomeric scaffold protein is a valid strategy to improve their functional affinity with ramifications for applications in diagnostics and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Maaß
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Dickgießer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael Reinwarth
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Olga Avrutina
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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13
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Zhang D, Li W, Jiang S. Peptide fusion inhibitors targeting the HIV-1 gp41: a patent review (2009 - 2014). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2014; 25:159-73. [PMID: 25428639 DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2014.987752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As the first peptide HIV fusion inhibitor targeting gp41, enfuvirtide (T20) was approved by the US FDA in 2003 as a salvage therapy for HIV/AIDS patients who failed to respond to the then existing antiretroviral therapeutics. However, its clinical application is limited by its relatively low potency, low genetic barrier to drug resistance and short half-life. Therefore, it is essential to develop new peptide HIV fusion inhibitors with improved antiviral efficacy, drug-resistance profile and pharmaceutical properties. AREAS COVERED In this paper, we reviewed the patents, patent applications and related research articles for the development of new peptide fusion inhibitors targeting the HIV-1 gp41 published between 2009 and 2014. EXPERT OPINION To improve enfuvirtide's anti-HIV efficacy, drug-resistance profile, half-life and pharmaceutical properties, the best approaches include the addition of the pocket-binding domain (PBD) to the N-terminus of T20 and linking of the M-T hook to the N-terminus of PBD, as well as conjugation of cholesterol, serum albumin-binding motif or gp120-binding fragment with a PBD-containing C-terminal heptad repeat-peptide. Therefore, sifuvirtide from Tianjin FusoGen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., albuvirtide from Frontier Biotechnologies Co., Ltd., cholesterol-conjugated HIV fusion inhibitor from the Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 2DLT, a bivalent HIV fusion inhibitor/inactivator, and an enfuvirtide/sifuvirtide combination regimen from the New York Blood Center may all have potential as next-generation HIV fusion inhibitors targeting gp41 for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Zhang
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University , Guangzhou 510006 , China
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14
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Luckgei N, Habenstein B, Ravotti F, Megy S, Penin F, Marchand JB, Hill F, Böckmann A, Meier BH. Solid-state NMR sequential assignments of the C-terminal oligomerization domain of human C4b-binding protein. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2014; 8:1-6. [PMID: 23138856 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-012-9440-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The complement 4 binding protein (C4bp) plays a crucial role in the inhibition of the complement cascade. It has an extraordinary seven-arm octopus-like structure with 7 tentacle-like identical chains, held together at their C-terminal end. The C-terminal domain does oligomerize in isolation, and is necessary and sufficient to oligomerize full-length C4bp. It is predicted to form a seven-helix coiled coil, and its multimerization properties make it a promising vaccine adjuvant, probably by enhancing the structural stability and binding affinity of the presented antigen. Here, we present the solid-state NMR resonance assignment of the human C4bp C-terminal oligomerization Domain, hC4pbOD, and the corresponding secondary chemical shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luckgei
- Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, UMR 5086 CNRS, Université de Lyon 1, 7 passage du Vercors, 69367, Lyon, France
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15
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Hofmeyer T, Schmelz S, Degiacomi MT, Dal Peraro M, Daneschdar M, Scrima A, van den Heuvel J, Heinz DW, Kolmar H. Arranged sevenfold: structural insights into the C-terminal oligomerization domain of human C4b-binding protein. J Mol Biol 2012; 425:1302-17. [PMID: 23274142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The complement system as a major part of innate immunity is the first line of defense against invading microorganisms. Orchestrated by more than 60 proteins, its major task is to discriminate between host cells and pathogens and to initiate immune response. Additional recognition of necrotic or apoptotic cells demands a fine-tune regulation of this powerful system. C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is the major inhibitor of the classical complement and lectin pathway. The crystal structure of the human C4BP oligomerization domain in its 7α isoform and molecular simulations provide first structural insights of C4BP oligomerization. The heptameric core structure is stabilized by intermolecular disulfide bonds. In addition, thermal shift assays indicate that layers of electrostatic interactions mainly contribute to the extraordinary thermodynamic stability of the complex. These findings make C4BP a promising scaffold for multivalent ligand display with applications in immunology and biological chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hofmeyer
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstraße 22, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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16
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Fusion of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 85A to an oligomerization domain enhances its immunogenicity in both mice and non-human primates. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33555. [PMID: 22470455 PMCID: PMC3314664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
To prevent important infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV, vaccines inducing greater T cell responses are required. In this study, we investigated whether fusion of the M. tuberculosis antigen 85A to recently described adjuvant IMX313, a hybrid avian C4bp oligomerization domain, could increase T cell responses in pre-clinical vaccine model species. In mice, the fused antigen 85A showed consistent increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses after DNA and MVA vaccination. In rhesus macaques, higher IFN-γ responses were observed in animals vaccinated with MVA-Ag85A IMX313 after both primary and secondary immunizations. In both animal models, fusion to IMX313 induced a quantitative enhancement in the response without altering its quality: multifunctional cytokines were uniformly increased and differentiation into effector and memory T cell subsets was augmented rather than skewed. An extensive in vivo characterization suggests that IMX313 improves the initiation of immune responses as an increase in antigen 85A specific cells was observed as early as day 3 after vaccination. This report demonstrates that antigen multimerization using IMX313 is a simple and effective cross-species method to improve vaccine immunogenicity with potentially broad applicability.
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17
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Pan C, Cai L, Lu H, Lu L, Jiang S. A novel chimeric protein-based HIV-1 fusion inhibitor targeting gp41 glycoprotein with high potency and stability. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:28425-34. [PMID: 21690094 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.241992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
T20 (enfuvirtide, Fuzeon) is the first generation HIV-1 fusion inhibitor approved for salvage therapy of HIV-1-infected patients refractory to current antiretroviral drugs. However, its application is limited by the high cost of peptide synthesis, rapid proteolysis, and poor efficacy against emerging drug-resistant strains. Here we reported the design of a novel chimera protein-based fusion inhibitor targeting gp41, TLT35, that uses a flexible 35-mer linker to couple T20 and T1144, the first and next generation HIV-1 fusion inhibitors, respectively. TLT35, which was expressed in Escherichia coli with good yield, showed low nm activity against HIV-1-mediated cell-cell fusion and infection by laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains (X4 or R5), including T20-resistant variants and primary HIV-1 isolates of clades A to G and group O (R5 or X4R5). TLT35 was stable in human sera and in peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture and was more resistant to proteolysis than either T20 or T1144 alone. Circular dichroism spectra showed that TLT35 folded into a thermally stable conformation with high α-helical content and T(m) value in aqueous solution. It formed a highly stable complex with gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat peptide and blocked formation of the gp41 six-helix-bundle core. These merits combined with an anticipated low production cost for expression of TLT35 in E. coli make this novel protein-based fusion inhibitor a promising candidate for further development as an anti-HIV-1 microbicide or therapeutic for the prevention and treatment of HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chungen Pan
- Lindsley F Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
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18
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Egerer L, Volk A, Kahle J, Kimpel J, Brauer F, Hermann FG, von Laer D. Secreted antiviral entry inhibitory (SAVE) peptides for gene therapy of HIV infection. Mol Ther 2011; 19:1236-44. [PMID: 21364540 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2011.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapeutic strategies for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection could potentially overcome the limitations of standard antiretroviral drug therapy (ART). However, in none of the clinical gene therapy trials published to date, therapeutic levels of genetic protection have been achieved in the target cell population for HIV-1. To improve systemic antiviral efficacy, C peptides, which are efficient inhibitors of HIV-1 entry, were engineered for high-level secretion by genetically modified cells. The size restrictions for efficient peptide export through the secretory pathway were overcome by expressing the C peptides as concatemers, which were processed into monomers by furin protease cleavage. These secreted antiviral entry inhibitory (SAVE) peptides mediated a substantial protective bystander effect on neighboring nonmodified cells, thus suppressing virus replication even if only a small fraction of cells was genetically modified. Accordingly, these SAVE peptides may provide a strong benefit to AIDS patients in future, and, if applied by direct in vivo gene delivery, could present an effective alternative to antiretroviral drug regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Egerer
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Division of Virology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
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19
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Dervillez X, Klaukien V, Dürr R, Koch J, Kreutz A, Haarmann T, Stoll M, Lee D, Carlomagno T, Schnierle B, Möbius K, Königs C, Griesinger C, Dietrich U. Peptide ligands selected with CD4-induced epitopes on native dualtropic HIV-1 envelope proteins mimic extracellular coreceptor domains and bind to HIV-1 gp120 independently of coreceptor usage. J Virol 2010; 84:10131-8. [PMID: 20660187 PMCID: PMC2937783 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00165-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2010] [Accepted: 07/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During HIV-1 entry, binding of the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 to the cellular CD4 receptor triggers conformational changes resulting in exposure of new epitopes, the highly conserved CD4-induced (CD4i) epitopes that are essential for subsequent binding to chemokine receptor CCR5 or CXCR4. Due to their functional conservation, CD4i epitopes represent attractive viral targets for HIV-1 entry inhibition. The aim of the present study was to select peptide ligands for CD4i epitopes on native dualtropic (R5X4) HIV-1 envelope (Env) glycoproteins by phage display. Using CD4-activated retroviral particles carrying Env from the R5X4 HIV-1 89.6 strain as the target, we performed screenings of random peptide phage libraries under stringent selection conditions. Selected peptides showed partial identity with amino acids in the extracellular domains of CCR5/CXCR4, including motifs rich in tyrosines and aspartates at the N terminus known to be important for gp120 binding. A synthetic peptide derivative (XD3) corresponding to the most frequently selected phages was optimized for Env binding on peptide arrays. Interestingly, the optimized peptide could bind specifically to gp120 derived from HIV-1 strains with different coreceptor usage, competed with binding of CD4i-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) 17b, and interfered with entry of both a CCR5 (R5)-tropic and a CXCR4 (X4)-tropic Env pseudotyped virus. This peptide ligand therefore points at unique properties of CD4i epitopes shared by gp120 with different coreceptor usage and could thus serve to provide new insight into the conserved structural details essential for coreceptor binding for further drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Dervillez
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Volker Klaukien
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Dürr
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Koch
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kreutz
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Haarmann
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Stoll
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Donghan Lee
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Teresa Carlomagno
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Schnierle
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Kalle Möbius
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Königs
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Ursula Dietrich
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
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Hertje M, Zhou M, Dietrich U. Inhibition of HIV-1 Entry: Multiple Keys to Close the Door. ChemMedChem 2010; 5:1825-35. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201000292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Kessel C, Kreuz W, Klich K, Becker-Peters K, Vorpahl F, Dietrich U, Klingebiel T, Königs C. Multimerization of peptide mimotopes for blocking of factor VIII neutralizing antibodies. ChemMedChem 2009; 4:1364-70. [PMID: 19533722 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.200900023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
About 30 % of patients with severe hemophilia A develop neutralizing antibodies (inhibitors) to coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) upon treatment with exogenous factor preparations. Two peptides, C6 (NPVENMMDRDSQ) and H10 (QSPWQTWFTRAL), that mimic putative inhibitor epitopes (mimotopes), were previously selected by phage display screening of plasma samples from patients with inhibitors. Synthetic peptide mimotopes inhibited IgG binding to FVIII (IC(50): 30-50 microM). This effect was increased by an equimolar combination of both mimotopes. Mimotopes were fused to the C-terminal multimerization domain of the C4bp alpha-chain and expressed as multimers in 293T cells. Multimerized mimotopes showed improved binding to anti-FVIII IgG and prolonged in vitro half-life relative to synthetic peptides. The two mimotopes were combined in heteromultimers by co-transfection of 293T cells with respective vectors, resulting in bi-specific molecules that almost completely blocked polyclonal antibody binding to FVIII (IC(50): 2-3 microM). This strategy is capable of functionally improving synthetic peptides by multimerization and could provide a basis for novel therapeutic approaches for patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Kessel
- Department of Pediatrics III, JW Goethe University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Mutations in gp120 contribute to the resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 to membrane-anchored C-peptide maC46. J Virol 2009; 83:4844-53. [PMID: 19279116 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00666-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Binding of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope glycoprotein (Env) to the cellular CD4 receptor and a chemokine coreceptor initiates a series of conformational changes in the Env subunits gp120 and gp41. Eventually, the trimeric gp41 folds into a six-helix bundle, thereby inducing fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. C peptides derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of gp41 are efficient entry inhibitors as they block the six-helix bundle formation. Previously, we developed a membrane-anchored C peptide (maC46) expressed from a retroviral vector that also shows high activity against virus strains resistant to enfuvirtide (T-20), an antiviral C peptide approved for clinical use. Here, we present a systematic analysis of mutations in Env that confer resistance of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) to maC46. We selected an HIV-1 BaL strain with 10-fold reduced sensitivity to maC46 (BaL_C46) by passaging virus for nearly 200 days in the presence of gradually increasing concentrations of maC46. In comparison to wild-type BaL, BaL_C46 had five mutations at highly conserved positions in Env, three in gp120, one in the N-terminal heptad-repeat (NHR), and one in the CHR of gp41. No mutations were found in the NHR domain around the GIV motif that are known to cause resistance to enfuvirtide. Instead, maC46 resistance was found to depend on complementary mutations in the NHR and CHR that considerably favor binding of the mutated NHR to the mutated CHR over binding to maC46. In addition, resistance was highly dependent on mutations in gp120 that accelerated entry. Taken together, resistance to maC46 did not develop readily and required multiple cooperating mutations at conserved positions of the viral envelope glycoproteins gp120 and gp41.
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Kaushik-Basu N, Basu A, Harris D. Peptide inhibition of HIV-1: current status and future potential. BioDrugs 2008; 22:161-75. [PMID: 18481899 DOI: 10.2165/00063030-200822030-00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
More than 2 decades of intensive research has focused on defining replication mechanisms of HIV type 1 (HIV-1), the etiologic agent of AIDS. The delineation of strategies for combating this viral infection has yielded many innovative approaches toward this end. HIV-1 is a lentivirus in the family retroviridae that is relatively small with regard to both structure and genome size, having a diploid RNA genome of approximately 9 kb, with only three major genes and several gene products resulting from alternate splicing and translational frameshifting. Most marketed drugs for treating AIDS are inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase or protease enzymes, but new targets include the integrase enzyme, cell surface interactions that facilitate viral entry, and also virus particle maturation and assembly. The emergence of drug-resistant variants of HIV-1 has been the main impediment to successful treatment of AIDS. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop novel treatment strategies targeting multiple stages of the virus life-cycle. Research efforts aimed at developing successful means for combating HIV-1 infection have included development of peptide inhibitors of HIV-1. This article summarizes past and current endeavors in the development of peptides that inhibit replication of HIV-1 and the role of peptide inhibitors in the search for new anti-HIV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neerja Kaushik-Basu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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The oligomerization domain of C4-binding protein (C4bp) acts as an adjuvant, and the fusion protein comprised of the 19-kilodalton merozoite surface protein 1 fused with the murine C4bp domain protects mice against malaria. Infect Immun 2008; 76:3817-23. [PMID: 18474650 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01369-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly purified protein antigens are usually poor immunogens; in practice, adjuvants are needed to obtain satisfactory immune responses. Plasmodium yoelii 19-kDa merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1(19)) is a weak antigen, but mice vaccinated with this antigen in strong adjuvants can survive an otherwise lethal parasite challenge. Fusion proteins comprising this antigen fused to the oligomerization domain of the murine complement inhibitor C4-binding protein (C4bp) and a series of homologues have been produced. These C4bp domains acted as adjuvants for the fused antigen; the MSP1(19)-murine C4bp fusion protein induced protective immunity in BALB/c mice. Because this fusion protein also induced antibodies against circulating murine C4bp, distantly related C4bp oligomerization domains fused to the same antigen were tested. These homologous domains did not induce antibodies against murine C4bp and, surprisingly, induced higher antibody titers against the antigen than the murine C4bp domain induced. These results demonstrate a new adjuvantlike effect of C4bp oligomerization domains.
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Yang X, Yang Y, Wu J, Zhu J. Stable Expression of a Novel Fusion Peptide of Thioredoxin-1 and ABAD-Inhibiting Peptide Protects PC12 Cells from Intracellular Amyloid-Beta. J Mol Neurosci 2007; 33:180-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-007-0063-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2007] [Revised: 11/30/1999] [Accepted: 06/27/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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