Development, Screening, and Validation of Camelid-Derived Nanobodies for Neuroscience Research

Nanobody-based immunosensor for the detection of H. pylori in saliva

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is highly prevalent worldwide, affecting more than 43% of world population. The infection can be transmitted through different routes, like oral-oral, fecal-oral, and gastric-oral. Electrochemical sensors play a crucial role in the early detection of various substances, including biomolecules. In this study, the development of nanobody (Nb)-based immunosensor for the detection of H. pylori antigens in saliva samples was investigated. The D2_Nb was isolated and characterized using Western blot and ELISA and employed in the fabrication of the immunosensor. The sensor was prepared using gold screen-printed electrodes, with the immobilization of Nb achieved through chemical linkage using cysteamine-glutaraldehyde. The surface of the electrode was characterized using EIS, FTIR and SEM. Initially, the Nb-based immunosensor's performance was evaluated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The sensor exhibited excellent linearity with an R2 value of 0.96. However, further assessment with the DPV technique revealed both a low limit of detection (5.9 ng/mL, <1 cfu/mL) and high selectivity when exposed to a mixture of similar antigens. Moreover, the immunosensor demonstrated robust recovery rates (96.2%-103.4%) when spiked into artificial saliva and maintained its functionality when stored at room temperature for 24 days.

New immune cell engagers for cancer immunotherapy

There have been major advances in the immunotherapy of cancer in recent years, including the development of T cell engagers - antibodies engineered to redirect T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells - for the treatment of haematological malignancies. However, the field still faces several challenges to develop agents that are consistently effective in a majority of patients and cancer types, such as optimizing drug dose, overcoming treatment resistance and improving efficacy in solid tumours. A new generation of T cell-targeted molecules was developed to tackle these issues that are potentially more effective and safer. In addition, agents designed to engage the antitumour activities of other immune cells, including natural killer cells and myeloid cells, are showing promise and have the potential to treat a broader range of cancers.

Drug repurposing screens identify compounds that inhibit α-synuclein oligomers' membrane disruption and block antibody interactions

Small soluble oligomers of the protein α-synuclein (αSO) have been linked to disruptions in neuronal homeostasis, contributing to the development of Parkinson's Disease (PD). While this makes αSO an obvious drug target, the development of effective therapeutics against αSO is challenged by its low abundance and structural and morphological complexity. Here, we employ two different approaches to neutralize toxic interactions made by αSOs with different cellular components. First, we use available data to identify four neuronal proteins as likely candidates for αSO interactions, namely Cfl1, Uchl1, Sirt2 and SerRS. However, despite promising results when immobilized, all 4 proteins only bind weakly to αSO in solution in microfluidic assays, making them inappropriate for screening. In contrast, the formation of stable contacts formed between αSO and vesicles consisting of anionic lipids not only mimics a likely biological role of αSO but also provided a platform to screen two small molecule libraries for disruptors of these contacts. Of the 7 best leads obtained in this way, 2 significantly impaired αSO contacts with other proteins in a sandwich ELISA assay using αSO-binding monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies. In addition, 5 of these leads suppressed α-synuclein amyloid formation. Thus, a repurposing screening that directly targets a key culprit in PD pathogenesis shows therapeutic potential.