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Madsen AV, Mejias-Gomez O, Pedersen LE, Preben Morth J, Kristensen P, Jenkins TP, Goletz S. Structural trends in antibody-antigen binding interfaces: a computational analysis of 1833 experimentally determined 3D structures. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:199-211. [PMID: 38161735 PMCID: PMC10755492 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.11.056] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are attractive therapeutic candidates due to their ability to bind cognate antigens with high affinity and specificity. Still, the underlying molecular rules governing the antibody-antigen interface remain poorly understood, making in silico antibody design inherently difficult and keeping the discovery and design of novel antibodies a costly and laborious process. This study investigates the characteristics of antibody-antigen binding interfaces through a computational analysis of more than 850,000 atom-atom contacts from the largest reported set of antibody-antigen complexes with 1833 nonredundant, experimentally determined structures. The analysis compares binding characteristics of conventional antibodies and single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) targeting both protein- and peptide antigens. We find clear patterns in the number antibody-antigen contacts and amino acid frequencies in the paratope. The direct comparison of sdAbs and conventional antibodies helps elucidate the mechanisms employed by sdAbs to compensate for their smaller size and the fact that they harbor only half the number of complementarity-determining regions compared to conventional antibodies. Furthermore, we pinpoint antibody interface hotspot residues that are often found at the binding interface and the amino acid frequencies at these positions. These findings have direct potential applications in antibody engineering and the design of improved antibody libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas V. Madsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Oscar Mejias-Gomez
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lasse E. Pedersen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - J. Preben Morth
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Peter Kristensen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Steffen Goletz
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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2
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Liang F, Sun M, Xie L, Zhao X, Liu D, Zhao K, Zhang G. Recent advances and challenges in protein complex model accuracy estimation. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1824-1832. [PMID: 38707538 PMCID: PMC11066466 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Estimation of model accuracy plays a crucial role in protein structure prediction, aiming to evaluate the quality of predicted protein structure models accurately and objectively. This process is not only key to screening candidate models that are close to the real structure, but also provides guidance for further optimization of protein structures. With the significant advancements made by AlphaFold2 in monomer structure, the problem of single-domain protein structure prediction has been widely solved. Correspondingly, the importance of assessing the quality of single-domain protein models decreased, and the research focus has shifted to estimation of model accuracy of protein complexes. In this review, our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of the reference and statistical metrics, as well as representative methods, and the current challenges within four distinct facets (Topology Global Score, Interface Total Score, Interface Residue-Wise Score, and Tertiary Residue-Wise Score) in the field of complex EMA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lei Xie
- College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Xuanfeng Zhao
- College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Dong Liu
- College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Kailong Zhao
- College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Guijun Zhang
- College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
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3
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Pan B, He Q, Yu X, De Choch D, Lam KS, Hammock BD, Sun G. Versatility and stability of melamine foam-based biosensors (f-ELISA) using antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides as sensing probes. Talanta 2024; 279:126634. [PMID: 39121553 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126634] [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: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Macroporous three-dimensional (3D) framework structured melamine foam-based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (f-ELISA) biosensors were developed for rapid, reliable, sensitive, and on-site detection of trace amount of biomolecules and chemicals. Various ligands can be chemically immobilized onto the melamine foam, which brings in the possibility of working with antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides, respectively, as affinity probes for f-ELISA biosensors with improved stability. Different chemical reagents can be used to modify the foam materials, resulting in varied reactivities with antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides. As a result, the f-ELISA sensors produced from these modified foams exhibit varying levels of sensitivity and performance. This study demonstrated that the chemical reagents used for immobilizing antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides could affect the sensitivities of the f-ELISA sensors, and their storage stabilities under different temperatures varied depending on the sensing probes used, with f-ELISA sensors employing nanobodies as probes exhibiting the highest stability. This study not only showcases the versatility of the f-ELISA system but also opens new avenues for developing cost-effective, portable, and user-friendly diagnostic tools with optimized sensitivity and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bofeng Pan
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Qiyi He
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Xingjian Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Dylan De Choch
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kit S Lam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Gang Sun
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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4
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Buda De Cesare G, Sauer FM, Kolecka A, Stavrou AA, Verrips TC, Boekhout T, Dolk E, Munro CA. The development of single-domain VHH nanobodies that target the Candida albicans cell surface. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0426923. [PMID: 39373478 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04269-23] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans causes life-threatening invasive infections that are hard to diagnose and treat, with drug resistance leading to treatment failure. The goal of this study was to develop VHH (single variable domain on a heavy chain) nanobodies to detect drug-resistant infections. Llamas were immunized with a mixture of heat killed and fixed C. albicans cells of different morphologies. Llama lymphocyte RNA was used to generate phage display libraries that were tested for binding to C. albicans cells or cell wall fractions, and single antibody domains were isolated. The libraries were panned against echinocandin-resistant C. albicans isolates and counter-selected against echinocandin-susceptible isolates with the aim of isolating binding domains specific for antigens on drug-resistant cells. Thirty diverse VHH nanobodies were selected, and binding characteristics were assessed via dose-response ELISA. Binding was tested against a variety of C. albicans isolates and other Candida species, indicating that the VHHs were specific for C. albicans. The VHH nanobodies were sorted into four distinct groups based on their binding patterns. Two of the groups bound preferentially to the yeast cell poles and hyphae, respectively. Nanobody binding to C. albicans deletion mutants was tested by fluorescence microscopy and ELISA to identify the antigen targets. VHH19 nanobody, belonging to the largest group, recognized the Als4 adhesin. VHH14 antibody in the hyphae-specific group recognized Als3. None of the isolated VHH nanobodies was selective for drug-resistant clinical isolates. Our data indicate that this approach can generate valuable single-domain antibodies specific to C. albicans proteins.IMPORTANCEThe human fungal pathogen Candida albicans causes a range of diseases from superficial mucosal infections such as oral and vaginal thrush to life-threatening, systemic infections. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of these infections remains challenging, and currently, there are no rapid ways to diagnose drug-resistant infections without performing drug susceptibility testing from blood culture, which can take several days. In this proof-of-concept study, we have generated a diverse set of single domain VHH antibodies (nanobodies) from llamas that recognize and bind specifically to C. albicans cell surface. The nanobodies were classified into four groups based on their binding patterns, for example, cell poles or hyphae. Specific nanobodies were verified as recognizing the important adhesin Als4 or the hyphae associated invasin Als3, respectively. The data validate the approach that small VHH antibody domains hold future promise for diagnostic applications and as probes to study the fungal cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Buda De Cesare
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, United Kingdom
| | | | - Anna Kolecka
- Previous Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Aimilia A Stavrou
- Previous Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- GenDx, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Teun Boekhout
- Previous Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- College of Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Carol A Munro
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, United Kingdom
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5
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Hao Z, Dong X, Zhang Z, Qin Z. A Nanobody of PEDV S1 Protein: Screening and Expression in Escherichia coli. Biomolecules 2024; 14:1116. [PMID: 39334881 PMCID: PMC11430113 DOI: 10.3390/biom14091116] [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: 08/02/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has caused significant economic losses to the pig farming industry in various countries for a long time. Currently, there are no highly effective preventive or control measures available. Research into the pathogenic mechanism of PEDV has shown that it primarily causes infection by binding the S protein to the CD13 (APN) receptor on the membrane of porcine intestinal epithelial cells. The S1 region contains three neutralization epitopes and multiple receptor-binding domains, which are closely related to viral antigenicity and ad-sorption invasion. Nanobodies are a type of single-domain antibody that have been discovered in recent years. They can be expressed on a large scale through prokaryotic expression systems, which makes them cost-effective, stable, and less immunogenic. This study used a phage display library of nanobodies against the PEDV S1 protein. After three rounds of selection and enrichment, the DNA sequence of the highly specific nanobody S1Nb1 was successfully obtained. To obtain soluble nanobody S1Nb1, its DNA sequence was inserted into the vector Pcold and a solubility-enhancing SUMO tag was added. The resulting recombinant vector, Pcold-SUMO-S1Nb1, was then transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) to determine the optimal expression conditions for the nanobody. Following purification using Ni-column affinity chromatography, Western blot analysis confirmed the successful purification of S1Nb1 carrying the solubility-enhancing tag. ELISA results demonstrated a strong affinity between the S1Nb1 nanobody and PEDV S1 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhihua Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China; (Z.H.); (X.D.); (Z.Z.)
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6
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Grun CN, Jain R, Schniederberend M, Shoemaker CB, Nelson B, Kazmierczak BI. Bacterial cell surface characterization by phage display coupled to high-throughput sequencing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7502. [PMID: 39209859 PMCID: PMC11362561 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51912-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The remarkable capacity of bacteria to adapt in response to selective pressures drives antimicrobial resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa illustrates this point, establishing chronic infections during which it evolves to survive antimicrobials and evade host defenses. Many adaptive changes occur on the P. aeruginosa cell surface but methods to identify these are limited. Here we combine phage display with high-throughput DNA sequencing to create a high throughput, multiplexed technology for surveying bacterial cell surfaces, Phage-seq. By applying phage display panning to hundreds of bacterial genotypes and analyzing the dynamics of the phage display selection process, we capture important biological information about cell surfaces. This approach also yields camelid single-domain antibodies that recognize key P. aeruginosa virulence factors on live cells. These antibodies have numerous potential applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. We propose that Phage-seq establishes a powerful paradigm for studying the bacterial cell surface by identifying and profiling many surface features in parallel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey N Grun
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ruchi Jain
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Piton Therapeutics, Watertown, MA, USA
| | - Maren Schniederberend
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Charles B Shoemaker
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Bryce Nelson
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland
| | - Barbara I Kazmierczak
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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7
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Nakakido M, Kinoshita S, Tsumoto K. Development of novel humanized VHH synthetic libraries based on physicochemical analyses. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19533. [PMID: 39174623 PMCID: PMC11341556 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70513-4] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the high affinity and specificity of antibodies toward antigens, various antibody-based applications have been developed. Recently, variable antigen-binding domains of heavy-chain antibodies (VHH) have become an attractive alternative to conventional fragment antibodies due to their unique molecular characteristics. As an antibody-generating strategy, synthetic VHH libraries (including humanized VHH libraries) have been developed using distinct strategies to constrain the diversity of amino acid sequences. In this study, we designed and constructed several novel synthetic humanized VHH libraries based on biophysical analyses conducted using the complementarity determining region-grafting method and comprehensive sequence analyses of VHHs deposited in the protein data bank. We obtained VHHs from the libraries, and hit clones exhibited considerable thermal stability. We also found that VHHs from distinct libraries tended to have different epitopes. Based on our results, we propose a strategy for generating humanized VHHs with distinct epitopes toward various antigens by utilizing our library combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Nakakido
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Seisho Kinoshita
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kouhei Tsumoto
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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8
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Yu T, Zheng F, He W, Muyldermans S, Wen Y. Single domain antibody: Development and application in biotechnology and biopharma. Immunol Rev 2024. [PMID: 39166870 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Heavy-chain antibodies (HCAbs) are a unique type of antibodies devoid of light chains, and comprised of two heavy chains-only that recognize their cognate antigen by virtue of a single variable domain also referred to as VHH, single domain antibody (sdAb), or nanobody (Nb). These functional HCAbs, serendipitous discovered about three decades ago, are exclusively found in camelids, comprising dromedaries, camels, llamas, and vicugnas. Nanobodies have become an essential tool in biomedical research and medicine, both in diagnostics and therapeutics due to their beneficial properties: small size, high stability, strong antigen-binding affinity, low immunogenicity, low production cost, and straightforward engineering into more potent affinity reagents. The occurrence of HCAbs in camelids remains intriguing. It is believed to be an evolutionary adaptation, equipping camelids with a robust adaptive immune defense suitable to respond to the pressure from a pathogenic invasion necessitating a more profound antigen recognition and neutralization. This evolutionary innovation led to a simplified HCAb structure, possibly supported by genetic mutations and drift, allowing adaptive mutation and diversification in the heavy chain variable gene and constant gene regions. Beyond understanding their origins, the application of nanobodies has significantly advanced over the past 30 years. Alongside expanding laboratory research, there has been a rapid increase in patent application for nanobodies. The introduction of commercial nanobody drugs such as Cablivi, Nanozora, Envafolimab, and Carvykti has boosted confidence among in their potential. This review explores the evolutionary history of HCAbs, their ontogeny, and applications in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, focusing on approved and ongoing medical research pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yu
- Center for Microbiome Research of Med-X Institute, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Sepsis in Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fang Zheng
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Disease of Ministry of Education, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenbo He
- Center for Microbiome Research of Med-X Institute, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Sepsis in Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Serge Muyldermans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yurong Wen
- Center for Microbiome Research of Med-X Institute, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Sepsis in Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- The Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Disease of Ministry of Education, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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9
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Ma S, Zhang D, Wang Q, Zhu L, Wu X, Ye S, Wang Y. Structure defining of ultrapotent neutralizing nanobodies against MERS-CoV with novel epitopes on receptor binding domain. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012438. [PMID: 39141662 PMCID: PMC11324105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe and fatal acute respiratory disease in humans. High fatality rates and continued infectiousness remain a pressing concern for global health preparedness. Antibodies targeted at the receptor-binding domain (RBD) are major countermeasures against human viral infection. Here, we report four potent nanobodies against MERS-CoV, which are isolated from alpaca, and especially the potency of Nb14 is highest in the pseudotyped virus assay. Structural studies show that Nb14 framework regions (FRs) are mainly involved in interactions targeting a novel epitope, which is entirely distinct from all previously reported antibodies, and disrupt the protein-carbohydrate interaction between residue W535 of RBD and hDPP4 N229-linked carbohydrate moiety (hDPP4-N229-glycan). Different from Nb14, Nb9 targets the cryptic face of RBD, which is distinctive from the hDPP4 binding site and the Nb14 epitope, and it induces the β5-β6 loop to inflect towards a shallow groove of the RBD and dampens the accommodation of a short helix of hDPP4. The particularly striking epitopes endow the two Nbs administrate synergistically in the pseudotyped MERS-CoV assays. These results not only character unprecedented epitopes for antibody recognition but also provide promising agents for prophylaxis and therapy of MERS-CoV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Ma
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Doudou Zhang
- Center for Public Health Research, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Qiwei Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Linjing Zhu
- Center for Public Health Research, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Xilin Wu
- Center for Public Health Research, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Sheng Ye
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Yaxin Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
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10
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Wang M, Ying T, Wu Y. Single-domain antibodies as therapeutics for solid tumor treatment. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2854-2868. [PMID: 39027249 PMCID: PMC11252471 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), initially identified in camelids or sharks and commonly referred to as nanobodies or VNARs, have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional therapeutic antibodies. These sdAbs have many superior physicochemical and pharmacological properties, including small size, good solubility and thermostability, easier accessible epitopes, and strong tissue penetration. However, the inherent challenges associated with the animal origin of sdAbs limit their clinical use. In recent years, various innovative humanization technologies, including complementarity-determining region (CDR) grafting or complete engineering of fully human sdAbs, have been developed to mitigate potential immunogenicity issues and enhance their compatibility. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of sdAbs, emphasizing their distinctive features and the progress in humanization methodologies. In addition, we provide an overview of the recent progress in developing drugs and therapeutic strategies based on sdAbs and their potential in solid tumor treatment, such as sdAb-drug conjugates, multispecific sdAbs, sdAb-based delivery systems, and sdAb-based cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkai Wang
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai 200032, China
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11
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Nix MA, Wiita AP. Alternative target recognition elements for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells: beyond standard antibody fragments. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:729-738. [PMID: 38466264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells are a remarkably efficacious, highly promising and rapidly evolving strategy in the field of immuno-oncology. The precision of these targeted cellular therapies is driven by the specificity of the antigen recognition element (the "binder") encoded in the CAR. This binder redirects these immune effector cells precisely toward a defined antigen on the surface of cancer cells, leading to T-cell receptor-independent tumor lysis. Currently, for tumor targeting most CAR-T cells are designed using single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) derived from murine or human immunoglobulins. However, there are several emerging alternative binder modalities that are finding increasing utility for improved CAR function beyond scFvs. METHODS Here we review the most recent developments in the use of non-canonical protein binding domains in CAR design, including nanobodies, DARPins, natural ligands, and de novo-designed protein elements. RESULTS Overall, we describe how new protein binder formats, with their unique structural properties and mechanisms of action, may possess key advantages over traditional scFv CAR designs. CONCLUSIONS These alternative binder designs may contribute to enhanced CAR-T therapeutic options and, ultimately, improved outcomes for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Nix
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Cartography Biosciences, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Arun P Wiita
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California, USA.
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12
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El Salamouni NS, Cater JH, Spenkelink LM, Yu H. Nanobody engineering: computational modelling and design for biomedical and therapeutic applications. FEBS Open Bio 2024. [PMID: 38898362 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanobodies, the smallest functional antibody fragment derived from camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies, have emerged as powerful tools for diverse biomedical applications. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the structural characteristics, functional properties, and computational approaches driving the design and optimisation of synthetic nanobodies. We explore their unique antigen-binding domains, highlighting the critical role of complementarity-determining regions in target recognition and specificity. This review further underscores the advantages of nanobodies over conventional antibodies from a biosynthesis perspective, including their small size, stability, and solubility, which make them ideal candidates for economical antigen capture in diagnostics, therapeutics, and biosensing. We discuss the recent advancements in computational methods for nanobody modelling, epitope prediction, and affinity maturation, shedding light on their intricate antigen-binding mechanisms and conformational dynamics. Finally, we examine a direct example of how computational design strategies were implemented for improving a nanobody-based immunosensor, known as a Quenchbody. Through combining experimental findings and computational insights, this review elucidates the transformative impact of nanobodies in biotechnology and biomedical research, offering a roadmap for future advancements and applications in healthcare and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehad S El Salamouni
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Jordan H Cater
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Lisanne M Spenkelink
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Haibo Yu
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, University of Wollongong, Australia
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13
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Mao M, Ahrens L, Luka J, Contreras F, Kurkina T, Bienstein M, Sárria Pereira de Passos M, Schirinzi G, Mehn D, Valsesia A, Desmet C, Serra MÁ, Gilliland D, Schwaneberg U. Material-specific binding peptides empower sustainable innovations in plant health, biocatalysis, medicine and microplastic quantification. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:6445-6510. [PMID: 38747901 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00991a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Material-binding peptides (MBPs) have emerged as a diverse and innovation-enabling class of peptides in applications such as plant-/human health, immobilization of catalysts, bioactive coatings, accelerated polymer degradation and analytics for micro-/nanoplastics quantification. Progress has been fuelled by recent advancements in protein engineering methodologies and advances in computational and analytical methodologies, which allow the design of, for instance, material-specific MBPs with fine-tuned binding strength for numerous demands in material science applications. A genetic or chemical conjugation of second (biological, chemical or physical property-changing) functionality to MBPs empowers the design of advanced (hybrid) materials, bioactive coatings and analytical tools. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview comprising naturally occurring MBPs and their function in nature, binding properties of short man-made MBPs (<20 amino acids) mainly obtained from phage-display libraries, and medium-sized binding peptides (20-100 amino acids) that have been reported to bind to metals, polymers or other industrially produced materials. The goal of this review is to provide an in-depth understanding of molecular interactions between materials and material-specific binding peptides, and thereby empower the use of MBPs in material science applications. Protein engineering methodologies and selected examples to tailor MBPs toward applications in agriculture with a focus on plant health, biocatalysis, medicine and environmental monitoring serve as examples of the transformative power of MBPs for various industrial applications. An emphasis will be given to MBPs' role in detecting and quantifying microplastics in high throughput, distinguishing microplastics from other environmental particles, and thereby assisting to close an analytical gap in food safety and monitoring of environmental plastic pollution. In essence, this review aims to provide an overview among researchers from diverse disciplines in respect to material-(specific) binding of MBPs, protein engineering methodologies to tailor their properties to application demands, re-engineering for material science applications using MBPs, and thereby inspire researchers to employ MBPs in their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maochao Mao
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Leon Ahrens
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Julian Luka
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Francisca Contreras
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Tetiana Kurkina
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Marian Bienstein
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | | | | | - Dora Mehn
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Andrea Valsesia
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Cloé Desmet
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | | | - Ulrich Schwaneberg
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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14
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Eshak F, Pion L, Scholler P, Nevoltris D, Chames P, Rondard P, Pin JP, Acher FC, Goupil-Lamy A. Epitope Identification of an mGlu5 Receptor Nanobody Using Physics-Based Molecular Modeling and Deep Learning Techniques. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4436-4461. [PMID: 38423996 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The world has witnessed a revolution in therapeutics with the development of biological medicines such as antibodies and antibody fragments, notably nanobodies. These nanobodies possess unique characteristics including high specificity and modulatory activity, making them promising candidates for therapeutic applications. Identifying their binding mode is essential for their development. Experimental structural techniques are effective to get such information, but they are expensive and time-consuming. Here, we propose a computational approach, aiming to identify the epitope of a nanobody that acts as an agonist and a positive allosteric modulator at the rat metabotropic glutamate receptor 5. We employed multiple structure modeling tools, including various artificial intelligence algorithms for epitope mapping. The computationally identified epitope was experimentally validated, confirming the success of our approach. Additional dynamics studies provided further insights on the modulatory activity of the nanobody. The employed methodologies and approaches initiate a discussion on the efficacy of diverse techniques for epitope mapping and later nanobody engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Eshak
- SPPIN CNRS UMR 8003, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Léo Pion
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Pauline Scholler
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Damien Nevoltris
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Patrick Chames
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Rondard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Anne Goupil-Lamy
- BIOVIA Science Council, Dassault Systèmes, 78140 Vélizy-Villacoublay, France
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15
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Badenhorst M, Windhorst AD, Beaino W. Navigating the landscape of PD-1/PD-L1 imaging tracers: from challenges to opportunities. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1401515. [PMID: 38915766 PMCID: PMC11195831 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1401515] [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: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy targeted to immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as the program cell death receptor (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, it is now well-known that PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy response is inconsistent among patients. The current challenge is to customize treatment regimens per patient, which could be possible if the PD-1/PD-L1 expression and dynamic landscape are known. With positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, it is possible to image these immune targets non-invasively and system-wide during therapy. A successful PET imaging tracer should meet specific criteria concerning target affinity, specificity, clearance rate and target-specific uptake, to name a few. The structural profile of such a tracer will define its properties and can be used to optimize tracers in development and design new ones. Currently, a range of PD-1/PD-L1-targeting PET tracers are available from different molecular categories that have shown impressive preclinical and clinical results, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This review will provide an overview of current PET tracers targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Antibody, peptide, and antibody fragment tracers will be discussed with respect to their molecular characteristics and binding properties and ways to optimize them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda Badenhorst
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Albert D. Windhorst
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wissam Beaino
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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16
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Figueroa GB, D'souza S, Pereira HS, Vasudeva G, Figueroa SB, Robinson ZE, Badmalia MD, Meier-Stephenson V, Corcoran JA, van Marle G, Ni Y, Urban S, Coffin CS, Patel TR. Development of a single-domain antibody to target a G-quadruplex located on the hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA genome. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29692. [PMID: 38804172 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29692] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
To achieve a virological cure for hepatitis B virus (HBV), innovative strategies are required to target the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) genome. Guanine-quadruplexes (G4s) are a secondary structure that can be adopted by DNA and play a significant role in regulating viral replication, transcription, and translation. Antibody-based probes and small molecules have been developed to study the role of G4s in the context of the human genome, but none have been specifically made to target G4s in viral infection. Herein, we describe the development of a humanized single-domain antibody (S10) that can target a G4 located in the PreCore (PreC) promoter of the HBV cccDNA genome. MicroScale Thermophoresis demonstrated that S10 has a strong nanomolar affinity to the PreC G4 in its quadruplex form and a structural electron density envelope of the complex was determined using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering. Lentiviral transduction of S10 into HepG2-NTCP cells shows nuclear localization, and chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with next-generation sequencing demonstrated that S10 can bind to the HBV PreC G4 present on the cccDNA. This research validates the existence of a G4 in HBV cccDNA and demonstrates that this DNA secondary structure can be targeted with high structural and sequence specificity using S10.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo B Figueroa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Simmone D'souza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Higor S Pereira
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gunjan Vasudeva
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sara B Figueroa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Zachary E Robinson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maulik D Badmalia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vanessa Meier-Stephenson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Corcoran
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Guido van Marle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yi Ni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carla S Coffin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Trushar R Patel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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17
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Rizk SS, Moustafa DM, ElBanna SA, Nour El-Din HT, Attia AS. Nanobodies in the fight against infectious diseases: repurposing nature's tiny weapons. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:209. [PMID: 38771414 PMCID: PMC11108896 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03990-4] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Nanobodies are the smallest known antigen-binding molecules to date. Their small size, good tissue penetration, high stability and solubility, ease of expression, refolding ability, and negligible immunogenicity in the human body have granted them excellence over conventional antibodies. Those exceptional attributes of nanobodies make them promising candidates for various applications in biotechnology, medicine, protein engineering, structural biology, food, and agriculture. This review presents an overview of their structure, development methods, advantages, possible challenges, and applications with special emphasis on infectious diseases-related ones. A showcase of how nanobodies can be harnessed for applications including neutralization of viruses and combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria is detailed. Overall, the impact of nanobodies in vaccine design, rapid diagnostics, and targeted therapies, besides exploring their role in deciphering microbial structures and virulence mechanisms are highlighted. Indeed, nanobodies are reshaping the future of infectious disease prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soha S Rizk
- Microbiology and Immunology Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Dina M Moustafa
- Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The British University in Egypt, El Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt
| | - Shahira A ElBanna
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Hanzada T Nour El-Din
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Ahmed S Attia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
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18
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Gordon GL, Raybould MIJ, Wong A, Deane CM. Prospects for the computational humanization of antibodies and nanobodies. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1399438. [PMID: 38812514 PMCID: PMC11133524 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1399438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
To be viable therapeutics, antibodies must be tolerated by the human immune system. Rational approaches to reduce the risk of unwanted immunogenicity involve maximizing the 'humanness' of the candidate drug. However, despite the emergence of new discovery technologies, many of which start from entirely human gene fragments, most antibody therapeutics continue to be derived from non-human sources with concomitant humanization to increase their human compatibility. Early experimental humanization strategies that focus on CDR loop grafting onto human frameworks have been critical to the dominance of this discovery route but do not consider the context of each antibody sequence, impacting their success rate. Other challenges include the simultaneous optimization of other drug-like properties alongside humanness and the humanization of fundamentally non-human modalities such as nanobodies. Significant efforts have been made to develop in silico methodologies able to address these issues, most recently incorporating machine learning techniques. Here, we outline these recent advancements in antibody and nanobody humanization, focusing on computational strategies that make use of the increasing volume of sequence and structural data available and the validation of these tools. We highlight that structural distinctions between antibodies and nanobodies make the application of antibody-focused in silico tools to nanobody humanization non-trivial. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of humanizing mutations on other essential drug-like properties such as binding affinity and developability, and methods that aim to tackle this multi-parameter optimization problem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Charlotte M. Deane
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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19
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Merwaiss F, Lozano‐Sanchez E, Zulaica J, Rusu L, Vazquez‐Vilar M, Orzáez D, Rodrigo G, Geller R, Daròs J. Plant virus-derived nanoparticles decorated with genetically encoded SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies display enhanced neutralizing activity. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:876-891. [PMID: 37966715 PMCID: PMC10955499 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are a new class of virus-based formulations that can be used as building blocks to implement a variety of functions of potential interest in biotechnology and nanomedicine. Viral coat proteins (CP) that exhibit self-assembly properties are particularly appropriate for displaying antigens and antibodies, by generating multivalent VNPs with therapeutic and diagnostic potential. Here, we developed genetically encoded multivalent VNPs derived from two filamentous plant viruses, potato virus X (PVX) and tobacco etch virus (TEV), which were efficiently and inexpensively produced in the biofactory Nicotiana benthamiana plant. PVX and TEV-derived VNPs were decorated with two different nanobodies recognizing two different regions of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The addition of different picornavirus 2A ribosomal skipping peptides between the nanobody and the CP allowed for modulating the degree of VNP decoration. Nanobody-decorated VNPs purified from N. benthamiana tissues successfully recognized the RBD antigen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and showed efficient neutralization activity against pseudoviruses carrying the Spike protein. Interestingly, multivalent PVX and TEV-derived VNPs exhibited a neutralizing activity approximately one order of magnitude higher than the corresponding nanobody in a dimeric format. These properties, combined with the ability to produce VNP cocktails in the same N. benthamiana plant based on synergistic infection of the parent PVX and TEV, make these green nanomaterials an attractive alternative to standard antibodies for multiple applications in diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Merwaiss
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Enrique Lozano‐Sanchez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - João Zulaica
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Luciana Rusu
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Marta Vazquez‐Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Guillermo Rodrigo
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - José‐Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
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20
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Ben Abderrazek R, Hamdi E, Piccirilli A, Dhaouadi S, Muyldermans S, Perilli M, Bouhaouala-Zahar B. Camel-Derived Nanobodies as Potent Inhibitors of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase-1 Enzyme. Molecules 2024; 29:1431. [PMID: 38611711 PMCID: PMC11013165 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29071431] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The injudicious usage of antibiotics during infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria leads to the emergence of β-lactamases. Among them, the NDM-1 enzyme poses a serious threat to human health. Developing new antibiotics or inhibiting β-lactamases might become essential to reduce and prevent bacterial infections. Nanobodies (Nbs), the smallest antigen-binding single-domain fragments derived from Camelidae heavy-chain-only antibodies, targeting enzymes, are innovative alternatives to develop effective inhibitors. The biopanning of an immune VHH library after phage display has helped to retrieve recombinant antibody fragments with high inhibitory activity against recombinant-NDM-1 enzyme. Nb02NDM-1, Nb12NDM-1, and Nb17NDM-1 behaved as uncompetitive inhibitors against NDM-1 with Ki values in the nM range. Remarkably, IC50 values of 25.0 nM and 8.5 nM were noted for Nb02NDM-1 and Nb17NDM-1, respectively. The promising inhibition of NDM-1 by Nbs highlights their potential application in combating particular Gram-negative infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahma Ben Abderrazek
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules Venins et Applications Théranostiques, Institut Pasteur Tunis, 13 Place Pasteur, Tunisie Université Tunis El Manar, B.P N 93, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (E.H.); (S.D.); (B.B.-Z.)
| | - Emna Hamdi
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules Venins et Applications Théranostiques, Institut Pasteur Tunis, 13 Place Pasteur, Tunisie Université Tunis El Manar, B.P N 93, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (E.H.); (S.D.); (B.B.-Z.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Applicate e Biotecnologiche, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Via Veteoio Coppito, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Alessandra Piccirilli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Applicate e Biotecnologiche, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Via Veteoio Coppito, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Sayda Dhaouadi
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules Venins et Applications Théranostiques, Institut Pasteur Tunis, 13 Place Pasteur, Tunisie Université Tunis El Manar, B.P N 93, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (E.H.); (S.D.); (B.B.-Z.)
| | - Serge Muyldermans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleenlaan, 9, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Mariagrazia Perilli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Applicate e Biotecnologiche, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Via Veteoio Coppito, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (A.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Balkiss Bouhaouala-Zahar
- Laboratoire des Biomolécules Venins et Applications Théranostiques, Institut Pasteur Tunis, 13 Place Pasteur, Tunisie Université Tunis El Manar, B.P N 93, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (E.H.); (S.D.); (B.B.-Z.)
- Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, B.P N 93, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
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21
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Hadsund JT, Satława T, Janusz B, Shan L, Zhou L, Röttger R, Krawczyk K. nanoBERT: a deep learning model for gene agnostic navigation of the nanobody mutational space. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2024; 4:vbae033. [PMID: 38560554 PMCID: PMC10978573 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Motivation Nanobodies are a subclass of immunoglobulins, whose binding site consists of only one peptide chain, bestowing favorable biophysical properties. Recently, the first nanobody therapy was approved, paving the way for further clinical applications of this antibody format. Further development of nanobody-based therapeutics could be streamlined by computational methods. One of such methods is infilling-positional prediction of biologically feasible mutations in nanobodies. Being able to identify possible positional substitutions based on sequence context, facilitates functional design of such molecules. Results Here we present nanoBERT, a nanobody-specific transformer to predict amino acids in a given position in a query sequence. We demonstrate the need to develop such machine-learning based protocol as opposed to gene-specific positional statistics since appropriate genetic reference is not available. We benchmark nanoBERT with respect to human-based language models and ESM-2, demonstrating the benefit for domain-specific language models. We also demonstrate the benefit of employing nanobody-specific predictions for fine-tuning on experimentally measured thermostability dataset. We hope that nanoBERT will help engineers in a range of predictive tasks for designing therapeutic nanobodies. Availability and implementation https://huggingface.co/NaturalAntibody/.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lu Shan
- Alector Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA, 94080, United States
| | - Li Zhou
- Alector Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA, 94080, United States
| | - Richard Röttger
- Department Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern, Odense, 5230, Denmark
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22
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Chen F, Liu Z, Kang W, Jiang F, Yang X, Yin F, Zhou Z, Li Z. Single-domain antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD from a two-stage phage screening of universal and focused synthetic libraries. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:199. [PMID: 38350843 PMCID: PMC10865538 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09022-8] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an evolving global pandemic, and nanobodies, as well as other single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), have been recognized as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic tool for infectious diseases. High-throughput screening techniques such as phage display have been developed as an alternative to in vivo immunization for the discovery of antibody-like target-specific binders. METHODS We designed and constructed a highly diverse synthetic phage library sdAb-U (single-domain Antibody - Universal library ) based on a human framework. The SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) was expressed and purified. The universal library sdAb-U was panned against the RBD protein target for two rounds, followed by monoclonal phage ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) to identify RBD-specific binders (the first stage). High-affinity binders were sequenced and the obtained CDR1 and CDR2 sequences were combined with fully randomized CDR3 to construct a targeted (focused) phage library sdAb-RBD, for subsequent second-stage phage panning (also two rounds) and screening. Then, sequences with high single-to-background ratios in phage ELISA were selected for expression. The binding affinities of sdAbs to RBD were measured by an ELISA-based method. In addition, we conducted competition ELISA (using ACE2 ectodomain S19-D615) and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus neutralization assays for the high-affinity RBD-binding sdAb39. RESULTS Significant enrichments were observed in both the first-stage (universal library) and the second-stage (focused library) phage panning. Five RBD-specific binders were identified in the first stage with high ELISA signal-to-background ratios. In the second stage, we observed a much higher possibility of finding RBD-specific clones in phage ELISA. Among 45 selected RBD-positive sequences, we found eight sdAbs can be well expressed, and five of them show high-affinity to RBD (EC50 < 100nM). We finally found that sdAb39 (EC50 ~ 4nM) can compete with ACE2 for binding to RBD. CONCLUSION Overall, this two-stage strategy of synthetic phage display libraries enables rapid selection of SARS-CoV-2 RBD sdAb with potential therapeutic activity, and this two-stage strategy can potentially be used for rapid discovery of sdAbs against other targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhihong Liu
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Kang
- NanoAI Biotech Co., Ltd, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- NanoAI Biotech Co., Ltd, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xixiao Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Yin
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ziyuan Zhou
- National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zigang Li
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China.
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Islam Z, Vaikath NN, Hmila I, El‐Agnaf OMA, Kolatkar PR. Structural insights into the unique recognition module between α-synuclein peptide and nanobody. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4875. [PMID: 38105512 PMCID: PMC10807187 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4875] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Nanobodies are single-domain fragments of antibodies with comparable specificity and affinity to antibodies. They are emerging as versatile tools in biology due to their relatively small size. Here, we report the crystal structure of a specific nanobody Nbα-syn01, bound to a 14 amino acid long peptide of α-synuclein (αSyn), a 140-residue protein whose aggregation is associated with Parkinson's disease. The complex structure exhibits a unique binding pattern where the αSyn peptide replaces the N-terminal region of nanobody. Recognition is mediated principally by extended main chain interaction of the αSyn peptide and specificity of the interaction lies in the central 48-52 region of αSyn peptide. Structure-guided truncation of Nbα-syn01 shows tighter binding to αSyn peptide and improved inhibition of α-synuclein aggregation. The structure of the truncated complex was subsequently determined and was indistinguishable to full length complex as the full-length form had no visible electron density for the N-terminal end. These findings reveal the molecular basis for a previously unobserved binding mode for nanobody recognition of α-synuclein, providing an explanation for the enhanced binding, and potential for an alternate framework for structure-based protein engineering of nanobodies to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyaul Islam
- Diabetes CenterQatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Nishant N. Vaikath
- Neurological Disorder Research CenterQatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Issam Hmila
- Neurological Disorder Research CenterQatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Omar M. A. El‐Agnaf
- Neurological Disorder Research CenterQatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Prasanna R. Kolatkar
- Diabetes CenterQatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar FoundationDohaQatar
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24
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Matthys A, Saelens X. Promises and challenges of single-domain antibodies to control influenza. Antiviral Res 2024; 222:105807. [PMID: 38219914 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The World Health Organization advices the use of a quadrivalent vaccine as prophylaxis against influenza, to prevent severe influenza-associated disease and -mortality, and to keep up with influenza antigenic diversity. Different small molecule antivirals to treat influenza have become available. However, emergence of drug resistant influenza viruses has been observed upon use of these antivirals. An appealing alternative approach to prevent or treat influenza is the use of antibody-based antivirals, such as conventional monoclonal antibodies and single-domain antibodies (sdAbs). The surface of the influenza A and B virion is decorated with hemagglutinin molecules, which act as receptor-binding and membrane fusion proteins and represent the main target of neutralizing antibodies. SdAbs that target influenza A and B hemagglutinin have been described. In addition, sdAbs directed against the influenza A virus neuraminidase have been reported, whereas no sdAbs targeting influenza B neuraminidase have been described to date. SdAbs directed against influenza A matrix protein 2 or its ectodomain have been reported, while no sdAbs have been described targeting the influenza B matrix protein 2. Known for their high specificity, ease of production and formatting, sdAb-based antivirals could be a major leap forward in influenza control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Matthys
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Xavier Saelens
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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25
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Amash A, Volkers G, Farber P, Griffin D, Davison KS, Goodman A, Tonikian R, Yamniuk A, Barnhart B, Jacobs T. Developability considerations for bispecific and multispecific antibodies. MAbs 2024; 16:2394229. [PMID: 39189686 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2024.2394229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (bsAb) and multispecific antibodies (msAb) encompass a diverse variety of formats that can concurrently bind multiple epitopes, unlocking mechanisms to address previously difficult-to-treat or incurable diseases. Early assessment of candidate developability enables demotion of antibodies with low potential and promotion of the most promising candidates for further development. Protein-based therapies have a stringent set of developability requirements in order to be competitive (e.g. high-concentration formulation, and long half-life) and their assessment requires a robust toolkit of methods, few of which are validated for interrogating bsAbs/msAbs. Important considerations when assessing the developability of bsAbs/msAbs include their molecular format, likelihood for immunogenicity, specificity, stability, and potential for high-volume production. Here, we summarize the critical aspects of developability assessment, and provide guidance on how to develop a comprehensive plan tailored to a given bsAb/msAb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Amash
- AbCellera Biologics Inc, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tim Jacobs
- AbCellera Biologics Inc, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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26
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Fernandes LGR, Spillner E, Jakob T. Potential and limitations of epitope mapping and molecular targeting in Hymenoptera venom allergy. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2023; 4:1327391. [PMID: 38162556 PMCID: PMC10755883 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1327391] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Hymenoptera venom (HV) allergy can lead to life threatening conditions by specific IgE (sIgE)-mediated anaphylactic reactions. The knowledge about major allergens from venom of different clinically relevant species increased in the last decades, allowing the development of component-resolved diagnostics in which sIgE to single allergens is analysed. Despite these advances, the precise regions of the allergens that bind to IgE are only known for few HV allergens. The detailed characterization of IgE epitopes may provide valuable information to improve immunodiagnostic tests and to develop new therapeutic strategies using allergen-derived peptides or other targeted approaches. Epitope-resolved analysis is challenging, since the identification of conformational epitopes present in many allergens demands complex technologies for molecular analyses. Furthermore, functional analysis of the epitopeś interaction with their respective ligands is needed to distinguish epitopes that can activate the allergic immune response, from those that are recognized by irrelevant antibodies or T cell receptors from non-effector cells. In this review, we focus on the use of mapping and molecular targeting approaches for characterization of the epitopes of the major venom allergens of clinically relevant Hymenoptera species. The screening of the most relevant allergen peptides by epitope mapping could be helpful for the development of molecules that target major and immunodominant epitopes blocking the allergen induced cellular reactions as novel approach for the treatment of HV allergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Gustavo Romani Fernandes
- Experimental Dermatology and Allergy Research Group, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center Gießen-Marburg, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Edzard Spillner
- Immunological Biotechnology, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thilo Jakob
- Experimental Dermatology and Allergy Research Group, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center Gießen-Marburg, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
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27
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Li Y, Wang J. Site-specifically radiolabeled nanobodies for imaging blood-brain barrier penetration and targeting in the brain. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 2023; 66:444-451. [PMID: 37873934 PMCID: PMC10842159 DOI: 10.1002/jlcr.4069] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Nanobodies (Nbs) hold significant potential in molecular imaging due to their unique characteristics. However, there are challenges to overcome when it comes to brain imaging. To address these obstacles, collaborative efforts and interdisciplinary research are needed. This article aims to raise awareness and encourage collaboration among researchers from various fields to find solutions for effective brain imaging using Nbs. By fostering cooperation and knowledge sharing, we can make progress in overcoming the existing limitations and pave the way for improved molecular imaging techniques in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingbo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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28
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Aoki K, Manabe A, Kimura H, Katoh Y, Inuki S, Ohno H, Nonaka M, Oishi S. Mirror-Image Single-Domain Antibody for a Novel Nonimmunogenic Drug Scaffold. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:2055-2065. [PMID: 37883660 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Immunogenic responses by protein therapeutics often lead to reduced therapeutic effects and/or adverse effects via the generation of neutralizing antibodies and/or antidrug antibodies (ADA). Mirror-image proteins of the variable domain of the heavy chain of the heavy chain antibody (VHH) are potential novel protein therapeutics with high-affinity binding to target proteins and reduced immunogenicity because these mirror-image VHHs (d-VHHs) are less susceptible to proteolytic degradation in antigen-presenting cells (APCs). In this study, we investigated the preparation protocols of d-VHHs and their biological properties, including stereoselective target binding and immunogenicity. Initially, we established a facile synthetic process of two model VHHs [anti-GFP VHH and PMP12A2h1 (monomeric VHH of caplacizumab)] and their mirror-image proteins by three-step native chemical ligations (NCLs) from four peptide segments. The folded synthetic VHHs (l-anti-GFP VHH and l-PMP12A2h1) bound to the target proteins (EGFP and vWF-A1 domain, respectively), while their mirror-image proteins (d-anti-GFP VHH and d-PMP12A2h1) showed no binding to the native proteins. For biodistribution studies, l-VHH and d-VHH with single radioactive indium diethylenetriamine-pentaacid (111In-DTPA) labeling at the C-terminus were designed and synthesized by the established protocol. The distribution profiles were essentially similar between l-VHH and d-VHH, in which the probes accumulated in the kidney within 15 min after intravenous administration in mice, because of the small molecular size of VHHs. Comparative assessment of the immunogenicity responses revealed that d-VHH-induced levels of ADA generation were significantly lower than those of native VHH, regardless of the peptide sequences and administration routes. The resulting scaffold investigated should be applicable in the design of d-VHHs with various C-terminal CDR3 sequences, which can be identified by screening using display technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Aoki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
| | - Asako Manabe
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kimura
- Laboratory of Analytical and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Yohei Katoh
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Inuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ohno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Motohiro Nonaka
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8412, Japan
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29
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Martins C, Diharce J, Nadaradjane AA, de Brevern AG. Evaluation of the Potential Impact of In Silico Humanization on V HH Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14586. [PMID: 37834033 PMCID: PMC10572902 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914586] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Camelids have the peculiarity of having classical antibodies composed of heavy and light chains as well as single-chain antibodies. They have lost their light chains and one heavy-chain domain. This evolutionary feature means that their terminal heavy-chain domain, VH, called VHH here, has no partner and forms an independent domain. The VHH is small and easy to express alone; it retains thermodynamic and interaction properties. Consequently, VHHs have garnered significant interest from both biotechnological and pharmaceutical perspectives. However, due to their origin in camelids, they cannot be used directly on humans. A humanization step is needed before a possible use. However, changes, even in the constant parts of the antibodies, can lead to a loss of quality. A dedicated tool, Llamanade, has recently been made available to the scientific community. In a previous paper, we already showed the different types of VHH dynamics. Here, we have selected a representative VHH and tested two humanization hypotheses to accurately assess the potential impact of these changes. This example shows that despite the non-negligible change (1/10th of residues) brought about by humanization, the effect is not drastic, and the humanized VHH retains conformational properties quite similar to those of the camelid VHH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Martins
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-75014 Paris, France; (C.M.); (J.D.)
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-97715 Saint Denis Messag, France
| | - Julien Diharce
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-75014 Paris, France; (C.M.); (J.D.)
| | - Aravindan Arun Nadaradjane
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-97715 Saint Denis Messag, France
| | - Alexandre G. de Brevern
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-75014 Paris, France; (C.M.); (J.D.)
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, F-97715 Saint Denis Messag, France
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30
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Westberg M, Song D, Duong V, Fernandez D, Huang PS, Lin MZ. Photoswitchable binders enable temporal dissection of endogenous protein function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.14.557687. [PMID: 37745504 PMCID: PMC10515898 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
General methods for spatiotemporal control of specific endogenous proteins would be broadly useful for probing protein function in living cells. Synthetic protein binders that bind and inhibit endogenous protein targets can be obtained from nanobodies, designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins), and other small protein scaffolds, but generalizable methods to control their binding activity are lacking. Here, we report robust single-chain photoswitchable DARPins (psDARPins) for bidirectional optical control of endogenous proteins. We created topological variants of the DARPin scaffold by computer-aided design so fusion of photodissociable dimeric Dronpa (pdDronpa) results in occlusion of target binding at baseline. Cyan light induces pdDronpa dissociation to expose the binding surface (paratope), while violet light restores pdDronpa dimerization and paratope caging. Since the DARPin redesign leaves the paratope intact, the approach was easily applied to existing DARPins for GFP, ERK, and Ras, as demonstrated by relocalizing GFP-family proteins and inhibiting endogenous ERK and Ras with optical control. Finally, a Ras-targeted psDARPin was used to determine that, following EGF-activation of EGFR, Ras is required for sustained EGFR to ERK signaling. In summary, psDARPins provide a generalizable strategy for precise spatiotemporal dissection of endogenous protein function.
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31
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Kunz S, Durandy M, Seguin L, Feral CC. NANOBODY ® Molecule, a Giga Medical Tool in Nanodimensions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13229. [PMID: 37686035 PMCID: PMC10487883 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Although antibodies remain the most widely used tool for biomedical research, antibody technology is not flawless. Innovative alternatives, such as Nanobody® molecules, were developed to address the shortcomings of conventional antibodies. Nanobody® molecules are antigen-binding variable-domain fragments derived from the heavy-chain-only antibodies of camelids (VHH) and combine the advantageous properties of small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. Nanobody® molecules present a small size (~15 kDa, 4 nm long and 2.5 nm wide), high solubility, stability, specificity, and affinity, ease of cloning, and thermal and chemical resistance. Recombinant production in microorganisms is cost-effective, and VHH are also building blocks for multidomain constructs. These unique features led to numerous applications in fundamental research, diagnostics, and therapy. Nanobody® molecules are employed as biomarker probes and, when fused to radioisotopes or fluorophores, represent ideal non-invasive in vivo imaging agents. They can be used as neutralizing agents, receptor-ligand antagonists, or in targeted vehicle-based drug therapy. As early as 2018, the first Nanobody®, Cablivi (caplacizumab), a single-domain antibody (sdAb) drug developed by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi for the treatment of adult patients with acquired thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP), was launched. Nanobody® compounds are ideal tools for further development in clinics for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kunz
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, IRCAN, 06107 Nice, France; (S.K.); (M.D.); (L.S.)
- Department of Oncology, Sanofi Research Center, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Manon Durandy
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, IRCAN, 06107 Nice, France; (S.K.); (M.D.); (L.S.)
| | - Laetitia Seguin
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, IRCAN, 06107 Nice, France; (S.K.); (M.D.); (L.S.)
| | - Chloe C. Feral
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, IRCAN, 06107 Nice, France; (S.K.); (M.D.); (L.S.)
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32
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Liang YF, Li JD, Fang RY, Xu ZL, Luo L, Chen ZJ, Yang JY, Shen YD, Ueda H, Hammock B, Wang H. Design of an Antigen-Triggered Nanobody-Based Fluorescence Probe for PET Immunoassay to Detect Quinalphos in Food Samples. Anal Chem 2023; 95:12321-12328. [PMID: 37527540 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) immunoassay based on a fluorescence site-specifically labeled nanobody, also called mini Quenchbody (Q-body), exhibits extraordinary sensitivity and saves much time in the homogeneous noncompetitive mode and is therefore regarded as a valuable method. However, limited by the efficiency of both quenching and dequenching of the fluorescence signal before and after antigen binding associated with the PET principle, not all original nanobodies can be used as candidates for mini Q-bodies. Herein, with the anti-quinalphos nanobody 11A (Nb-11A) as the model, we, for the first time, adopt a strategy by combining X-ray structural analysis with site-directed mutagenesis to design and produce a mutant Nb-R29W, and then successfully generate a mini Q-body by labeling with ATTO520 fluorescein. Based on this, a novel PET immunoassay is established, which exhibits a limit of detection of 0.007 μg/mL with a detection time of only 15 min, 25-fold improved sensitivity, and faster by 5-fold compared to the competitive immunoassay. Meanwhile, the recovery test of vegetable samples and validation by the standard ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) both demonstrated that the established PET immunoassay is a novel, sensitive, and accurate detection method for quinalphos. Ultimately, the findings of this work will provide valuable insights into the development of triggered PET fluorescence probes by using existing antibody resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Jia-Dong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Ru-Yu Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Zhen-Lin Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Lin Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Zi-Jian Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Jin-Yi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Yu-Dong Shen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Hiroshi Ueda
- World Research Hub Initiative, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Bruce Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Hong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
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Bahrami Dizicheh Z, Chen IL, Koenig P. VHH CDR-H3 conformation is determined by VH germline usage. Commun Biol 2023; 6:864. [PMID: 37598276 PMCID: PMC10439903 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05241-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
VHHs or nanobodies are single antigen binding domains originating from camelid heavy-chain antibodies. They are used as diagnostic and research tools and in a variety of therapeutic molecules. Analyzing variable domain structures from llama and alpaca we found that VHHs can be classified into two large structural clusters based on their CDR-H3 conformation. Extended CDR-H3 loops protrude into the solvent, whereas kinked CDR-H3 loops fold back onto framework regions. Both major families have distinct properties in terms of their CDR-H3 secondary structure, how their CDR-H3 interacts with the framework region and how they bind to antigens. We show that the CDR-H3 conformation of VHHs correlates with the germline from which the antibodies are derived: IGHV3-3 derived antibodies almost exclusively adopt a kinked CDR-H3 conformation while the CDR-H3 adopts an extended structure in most IGHV3S53 derived antibodies. We do not observe any bias stemming from V(D)J recombination in llama immune repertoires, suggesting that the correlation is the result of selection processes during B-cell development. Our findings demonstrate a previously undescribed impact of germline usage on antigen interaction and contribute to a better understanding on how properties of the antibody framework shape the immune repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Bahrami Dizicheh
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - I-Ling Chen
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Patrick Koenig
- 23andMe, Inc. Therapeutics, 349 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
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Li JD, Wu GP, Li LH, Wang LT, Liang YF, Fang RY, Zhang QL, Xie LL, Shen X, Shen YD, Xu ZL, Wang H, Hammock BD. Structural Insights into the Stability and Recognition Mechanism of the Antiquinalphos Nanobody for the Detection of Quinalphos in Foods. Anal Chem 2023; 95:11306-11315. [PMID: 37428097 PMCID: PMC10829938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Nanobodies (Nbs) have great potential in immunoassays due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. With the immortal nature of Nbs and the ability to manipulate their structures using protein engineering, it will become increasingly valuable to understand what structural features of Nbs drive high stability, affinity, and selectivity. Here, we employed an anti-quinalphos Nb as a model to illustrate the structural basis of Nbs' distinctive physicochemical properties and the recognition mechanism. The results indicated that the Nb-11A-ligand complexes exhibit a "tunnel" binding mode formed by CDR1, CDR2, and FR3. The orientation and hydrophobicity of small ligands are the primary determinants of their diverse affinities to Nb-11A. In addition, the primary factors contributing to Nb-11A's limited stability at high temperatures and in organic solvents are the rearrangement of the hydrogen bonding network and the enlargement of the binding cavity. Importantly, Ala 97 and Ala 34 at the active cavity's bottom and Arg 29 and Leu 73 at its entrance play vital roles in hapten recognition, which were further confirmed by mutant Nb-F3. Thus, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the recognition and stability mechanisms of anti-hapten Nbs and shed new light on the rational design of novel haptens and directed evolution to produce high-performance antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Dong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Guang-Pei Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Li-Hua Li
- Future Technology Institute, South China Normal University, 510631, China
| | - Lan-Teng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yi-Fan Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ru-Yu Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qiu-Ling Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ling-Ling Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xing Shen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yu-Dong Shen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhen-Lin Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Processing and Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bruce D. Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California-Davis, California 95616, United States
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Guloglu B, Deane CM. Specific attributes of the V L domain influence both the structure and structural variability of CDR-H3 through steric effects. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1223802. [PMID: 37564639 PMCID: PMC10410447 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1223802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies, through their ability to target virtually any epitope, play a key role in driving the adaptive immune response in jawed vertebrates. The binding domains of standard antibodies are their variable light (VL) and heavy (VH) domains, both of which present analogous complementarity-determining region (CDR) loops. It has long been known that the VH CDRs contribute more heavily to the antigen-binding surface (paratope), with the CDR-H3 loop providing a major modality for the generation of diverse paratopes. Here, we provide evidence for an additional role of the VL domain as a modulator of CDR-H3 structure, using a diverse set of antibody crystal structures and a large set of molecular dynamics simulations. We show that specific attributes of the VL domain such as subtypes, CDR canonical forms and genes can influence the structural diversity of the CDR-H3 loop, and provide a physical model for how this effect occurs through inter-loop contacts and packing of CDRs against each other. Our results indicate that the rigid minor loops fine-tune the structure of CDR-H3, thereby contributing to the generation of surfaces complementary to the vast number of possible epitope topologies, and provide insights into the interdependent nature of CDR conformations, an understanding of which is important for the rational antibody design process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Guloglu
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte M. Deane
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Gordon GL, Capel HL, Guloglu B, Richardson E, Stafford RL, Deane CM. A comparison of the binding sites of antibodies and single-domain antibodies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1231623. [PMID: 37533864 PMCID: PMC10392943 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are the largest class of biotherapeutics. However, in recent years, single-domain antibodies have gained traction due to their smaller size and comparable binding affinity. Antibodies (Abs) and single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) differ in the structures of their binding sites: most significantly, single-domain antibodies lack a light chain and so have just three CDR loops. Given this inherent structural difference, it is important to understand whether Abs and sdAbs are distinguishable in how they engage a binding partner and thus, whether they are suited to different types of epitopes. In this study, we use non-redundant sequence and structural datasets to compare the paratopes, epitopes and antigen interactions of Abs and sdAbs. We demonstrate that even though sdAbs have smaller paratopes, they target epitopes of equal size to those targeted by Abs. To achieve this, the paratopes of sdAbs contribute more interactions per residue than the paratopes of Abs. Additionally, we find that conserved framework residues are of increased importance in the paratopes of sdAbs, suggesting that they include non-specific interactions to achieve comparable affinity. Furthermore, the epitopes of sdAbs are only marginally less accessible than those of Abs: we posit that this may be explained by differences in the orientation and compaction of sdAb and Ab CDR-H3 loops. Overall, our results have important implications for the engineering and humanization of sdAbs, as well as the selection of the best modality for targeting a particular epitope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma L. Gordon
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Henriette L. Capel
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Bora Guloglu
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Eve Richardson
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Charlotte M. Deane
- Oxford Protein Informatics Group, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Breine A, Van Holsbeeck K, Martin C, Gonzalez S, Mannes M, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Remaut H, Ballet S, Van der Henst C. Bypassing the Need for Cell Permeabilization: Nanobody CDR3 Peptide Improves Binding on Living Bacteria. Bioconjug Chem 2023. [PMID: 37418494 PMCID: PMC10360062 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Membrane interaction constitutes to be an essential parameter in the mode of action of entities such as proteins, as well as cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides, resulting in noninvasive or lytic activities depending on the membrane compositions and interactions. Recently, a nanobody able to interact with the top priority, multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii was discovered, although binding took place with fixed cells only. To potentially overcome this limitation, linear peptides corresponding to the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) were synthesized and fluorescently labeled. Microscopy data indicated clear membrane interactions of the CDR3 sequence with living A. baumannii cells, indicating both the importance of the CDR3 as part of the parent nanobody paratope and the improved binding ability and thus avoiding the need for permeabilization of the cells. In addition, cyclization of the peptide with an additionally introduced rigidifying 1,2,3-triazole bridge retains its binding ability while proteolytically protecting the peptide. Overall, this study resulted in the discovery of novel peptides binding a multidrug-resistant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Breine
- Microbial Resistance and Drug Discovery, VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - K Van Holsbeeck
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Martin
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Gonzalez
- CNRS, BioCIS, CY Cergy-Paris Université, 95000 Neuville sur Oise, France
| | - M Mannes
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - E Pardon
- Microbial Resistance and Drug Discovery, VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - J Steyaert
- Microbial Resistance and Drug Discovery, VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - H Remaut
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural and Molecular Microbiology, Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Ballet
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Van der Henst
- Microbial Resistance and Drug Discovery, VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Hurley K, Cao M, Huang H, Wang Y. Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) with Single-Domain Antibodies (Nanobodies). Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3493. [PMID: 37444603 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The persistent threat of cancer necessitates the development of improved and more efficient therapeutic strategies that limit damage to healthy tissues. Targeted alpha therapy (TαT), a novel form of radioimmuno-therapy (RIT), utilizes a targeting vehicle, commonly antibodies, to deliver high-energy, but short-range, alpha-emitting particles specifically to cancer cells, thereby reducing toxicity to surrounding normal tissues. Although full-length antibodies are often employed as targeting vehicles for TαT, their high molecular weight and the presence of an Fc-region lead to a long blood half-life, increased bone marrow toxicity, and accumulation in other tissues such as the kidney, liver, and spleen. The discovery of single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), or nanobodies, naturally occurring in camelids and sharks, has introduced a novel antigen-specific vehicle for molecular imaging and TαT. Given that nanobodies are the smallest naturally occurring antigen-binding fragments, they exhibit shorter relative blood half-lives, enhanced tumor uptake, and equivalent or superior binding affinity and specificity. Nanobody technology could provide a viable solution for the off-target toxicity observed with full-length antibody-based TαT. Notably, the pharmacokinetic properties of nanobodies align better with the decay characteristics of many short-lived α-emitting radionuclides. This review aims to encapsulate recent advancements in the use of nanobodies as a vehicle for TαT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Hurley
- Radiobiology and Health, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - Meiyun Cao
- Radiobiology and Health, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - Haiming Huang
- Research Center, Forlong Biotechnology Inc., Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Radiobiology and Health, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
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39
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Qiu J, Li J, Zhang Z, Dong S, Ling X, Fang Z, Ling Q, Huang Z. Construction of an alpaca immune antibody library for the selection of nanobodies against Drosophila melanogaster proteins. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1207048. [PMID: 37362207 PMCID: PMC10289234 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1207048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism for studying developmental biology and human neural disorders. Nanobodies are the variable domains of the heavy chains of camelid heavy-chain antibodies (VHHs) with high affinity to their antigens and have applications in basic research, similar to traditional antibodies. In addition, nanobodies acting as functionalized antibodies or protein binders have become an additional valuable approach in Drosophila. This study aimed to develop a VHH library against Drosophila proteins and confirm its availability by retrieving some Drosophila protein-specific nanobodies from the library. Methods: An alpaca was first immunized with Drosophila embryo lysate and then its lymphocytes were isolated. Total RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized. The vhh sequences were amplified by two round PCR, which were then ligated to a phage display vector pADL-10b. The ligation products were transduced into SS320 competent cells to generate a VHH library. From this library, nanobodies against CG7544, Myc, and CyclinE was enriched and screened by phage display technology and ELISA. DNA sequences of identified nanobodies were cloned into pADL-10b-Flag-His for expression and purification in Escherichia coli SS320. Binding ability of purified nanobodies with corresponding antigens were determined by ELISA and surface plasmon resonance in vitro. Results: In this study, an immune VHH library against Drosophila embryo proteins was generated with a capacity of 3 × 107. From this library, eight nanobodies against three Drosophila proteins, Myc, CyclinE, and CG7544, were identified and the DNA sequences of these nanobodies were obtained. These nanobodies were successfully expressed and purified from Escherichia coli SS320, and were demonstrated to bind corresponding antigens with high affinity in vitro. Moreover, the equilibrium constant between the highest enriched nanobodies and corresponding antigens were calculated. Conclusion: In summary, we report the availability of an immune VHH library and a highly efficient panning strategy for nanobodies against proteins in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiang Qiu
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Li
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shirui Dong
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomei Ling
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhixin Fang
- Biosafety Laboratory, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Quanshou Ling
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhixin Huang
- Medical Research Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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40
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Abanades B, Wong WK, Boyles F, Georges G, Bujotzek A, Deane CM. ImmuneBuilder: Deep-Learning models for predicting the structures of immune proteins. Commun Biol 2023; 6:575. [PMID: 37248282 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04927-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune receptor proteins play a key role in the immune system and have shown great promise as biotherapeutics. The structure of these proteins is critical for understanding their antigen binding properties. Here, we present ImmuneBuilder, a set of deep learning models trained to accurately predict the structure of antibodies (ABodyBuilder2), nanobodies (NanoBodyBuilder2) and T-Cell receptors (TCRBuilder2). We show that ImmuneBuilder generates structures with state of the art accuracy while being far faster than AlphaFold2. For example, on a benchmark of 34 recently solved antibodies, ABodyBuilder2 predicts CDR-H3 loops with an RMSD of 2.81Å, a 0.09Å improvement over AlphaFold-Multimer, while being over a hundred times faster. Similar results are also achieved for nanobodies, (NanoBodyBuilder2 predicts CDR-H3 loops with an average RMSD of 2.89Å, a 0.55Å improvement over AlphaFold2) and TCRs. By predicting an ensemble of structures, ImmuneBuilder also gives an error estimate for every residue in its final prediction. ImmuneBuilder is made freely available, both to download ( https://github.com/oxpig/ImmuneBuilder ) and to use via our webserver ( http://opig.stats.ox.ac.uk/webapps/newsabdab/sabpred ). We also make available structural models for ~150 thousand non-redundant paired antibody sequences ( https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7258553 ).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wing Ki Wong
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Fergus Boyles
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Guy Georges
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Bujotzek
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
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Yong Joon Kim J, Sang Z, Xiang Y, Shen Z, Shi Y. Nanobodies: Robust miniprotein binders in biomedicine. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 195:114726. [PMID: 36754285 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Variable domains of heavy chain-only antibodies (VHH), also known as nanobodies (Nbs), are monomeric antigen-binding domains derived from the camelid heavy chain-only antibodies. Nbs are characterized by small size, high target selectivity, and marked solubility and stability, which collectively facilitate high-quality drug development. In addition, Nbs are readily expressed from various expression systems, including E. coli and yeast cells. For these reasons, Nbs have emerged as preferred antibody fragments for protein engineering, disease diagnosis, and treatment. To date, two Nb-based therapies have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Numerous candidates spanning a wide spectrum of diseases such as cancer, immune disorders, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders are under preclinical and clinical investigation. Here, we discuss the structural features of Nbs that allow for specific, versatile, and strong target binding. We also summarize emerging technologies for identification, structural analysis, and humanization of Nbs. Our main focus is to review recent advances in using Nbs as a modular scaffold to facilitate the engineering of multivalent polymers for cutting-edge applications. Finally, we discuss remaining challenges for Nb development and envision new opportunities in Nb-based research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Yong Joon Kim
- Center of Protein Engineering and Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1, Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zhe Sang
- Center of Protein Engineering and Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1, Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yufei Xiang
- Center of Protein Engineering and Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1, Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Zhuolun Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Shi
- Center of Protein Engineering and Therapeutics, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1, Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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42
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Jin BK, Odongo S, Radwanska M, Magez S. NANOBODIES®: A Review of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5994. [PMID: 36983063 PMCID: PMC10057852 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
NANOBODY® (a registered trademark of Ablynx N.V) molecules (Nbs), also referred to as single domain-based VHHs, are antibody fragments derived from heavy-chain only IgG antibodies found in the Camelidae family. Due to their small size, simple structure, high antigen binding affinity, and remarkable stability in extreme conditions, nanobodies possess the potential to overcome several of the limitations of conventional monoclonal antibodies. For many years, nanobodies have been of great interest in a wide variety of research fields, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This culminated in the approval of the world's first nanobody based drug (Caplacizumab) in 2018 with others following soon thereafter. This review will provide an overview, with examples, of (i) the structure and advantages of nanobodies compared to conventional monoclonal antibodies, (ii) methods used to generate and produce antigen-specific nanobodies, (iii) applications for diagnostics, and (iv) ongoing clinical trials for nanobody therapeutics as well as promising candidates for clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-kyung Jin
- Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea
| | - Steven Odongo
- Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda
- Center for Biosecurity and Global Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda
| | - Magdalena Radwanska
- Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefan Magez
- Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Tam C, Kukimoto-Niino M, Miyata-Yabuki Y, Tsuda K, Mishima-Tsumagari C, Ihara K, Inoue M, Yonemochi M, Hanada K, Matsumoto T, Shirouzu M, Zhang KYJ. Targeting Ras-binding domain of ELMO1 by computational nanobody design. Commun Biol 2023; 6:284. [PMID: 36932164 PMCID: PMC10023680 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04657-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The control of cell movement through manipulation of cytoskeletal structure has therapeutic prospects notably in the development of novel anti-metastatic drugs. In this study, we determine the structure of Ras-binding domain (RBD) of ELMO1, a protein involved in cytoskeletal regulation, both alone and in complex with the activator RhoG and verify its targetability through computational nanobody design. Using our dock-and-design approach optimized with native-like initial pose selection, we obtain Nb01, a detectable binder from scratch in the first-round design. An affinity maturation step guided by structure-activity relationship at the interface generates 23 Nb01 sequence variants and 17 of them show enhanced binding to ELMO1-RBD and are modeled to form major spatial overlaps with RhoG. The best binder, Nb29, inhibited ELMO1-RBD/RhoG interaction. Molecular dynamics simulation of the flexibility of CDR2 and CDR3 of Nb29 reveal the design of stabilizing mutations at the CDR-framework junctions potentially confers the affinity enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlai Tam
- Laboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
| | - Mutsuko Kukimoto-Niino
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Yukako Miyata-Yabuki
- Drug Discovery Structural Biology Platform Unit, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kengo Tsuda
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Chiemi Mishima-Tsumagari
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ihara
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mio Inoue
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mayumi Yonemochi
- Drug Discovery Structural Biology Platform Unit, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Hanada
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Takehisa Matsumoto
- Drug Discovery Structural Biology Platform Unit, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mikako Shirouzu
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
- Drug Discovery Structural Biology Platform Unit, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kam Y J Zhang
- Laboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan.
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General Trends of the Camelidae Antibody V HHs Domain Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054511. [PMID: 36901942 PMCID: PMC10003728 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054511] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Conformational flexibility plays an essential role in antibodies' functional and structural stability. They facilitate and determine the strength of antigen-antibody interactions. Camelidae express an interesting subtype of single-chain antibody, named Heavy Chain only Antibody. They have only one N-terminal Variable domain (VHH) per chain, composed of Frameworks (FRs) and Complementarity Determining regions (CDRs) like their VH and VL counterparts in IgG. Even when expressed independently, VHH domains display excellent solubility and (thermo)stability, which helps them to retain their impressive interaction capabilities. Sequence and structural features of VHH domains contributing to these abilities have already been studied compared to classical antibodies. To have the broadest view and understand the changes in dynamics of these macromolecules, large-scale molecular dynamics simulations for a large number of non-redundant VHH structures have been performed for the first time. This analysis reveals the most prevalent movements in these domains. It reveals the four main classes of VHHs dynamics. Diverse local changes were observed in CDRs with various intensities. Similarly, different types of constraints were observed in CDRs, while FRs close to CDRs were sometimes primarily impacted. This study sheds light on the changes in flexibility in different regions of VHH that may impact their in silico design.
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Nadaradjane AA, Diharce J, Rebehmed J, Cadet F, Gardebien F, Gelly JC, Etchebest C, de Brevern AG. Quality assessment of V HH models. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:13287-13301. [PMID: 36752327 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2172613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Heavy Chain Only Antibodies are specific to Camelid species. Despite the lack of the light chain variable domain, their heavy chain variable domain (VH) domain, named VHH or nanobody, has promising potential applications in research and therapeutic fields. The structural study of VHH is therefore of great interest. Unfortunately, considering the huge amount of sequences that might be produced, only about one thousand of VHH experimental structures are publicly available in the Protein Data Bank, implying that structural model prediction of VHH is a necessary alternative to obtaining 3D information besides its sequence. The present study aims to assess and compare the quality of predictions from different modelling methodologies. Established comparative & homology modelling approaches to recent Deep Learning-based modelling strategies were applied, i.e. Modeller using single or multiple structural templates, ModWeb, SwissModel (with two evaluation schema), RoseTTAfold, AlphaFold 2 and NanoNet. The prediction accuracy was evaluated using RMSD, TM-score, GDT-TS, GDT-HA and Protein Blocks distance metrics. Besides the global structure assessment, we performed specific analyses of Frameworks and CDRs structures. We observed that AlphaFold 2 and especially NanoNet performed better than the other evaluated softwares. Importantly, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of an experimental structure and a NanoNet predicted model of a VHH in order to compare the global structural flexibility and local conformations using Protein Blocks. Despite rather similar structures, substantial differences in dynamical properties were observed, which underlies the complexity of the task of model evaluation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravindan Arun Nadaradjane
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Saint Denis Messag, France
| | - Julien Diharce
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Paris, France
| | - Joseph Rebehmed
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, Lebanese, American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Frédéric Cadet
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Saint Denis Messag, France
- Artificial Intelligence Department, PEACCEL, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Gardebien
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Saint Denis Messag, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Gelly
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Etchebest
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre G de Brevern
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité and Université de la Réunion and Université des Antilles, INSERM, BIGR, DSIMB, Saint Denis Messag, France
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Sriraman SK, Davies CW, Gill H, Kiefer JR, Yin J, Ogasawara A, Urrutia A, Javinal V, Lin Z, Seshasayee D, Abraham R, Haas P, Koth C, Marik J, Koerber JT, Williams SP. Development of an 18F-labeled anti-human CD8 VHH for same-day immunoPET imaging. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:679-691. [PMID: 36346438 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05998-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer immunotherapies (CITs) have revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers, but many patients fail to respond or relapse from current therapies, prompting the need for new CIT agents. CD8+ T cells play a central role in the activity of many CITs, and thus, the rapid imaging of CD8+ cells could provide a critical biomarker for new CIT agents. However, existing 89Zr-labeled CD8 PET imaging reagents exhibit a long circulatory half-life and high radiation burden that limit potential applications such as same-day and longitudinal imaging. METHODS To this end, we discovered and developed a 13-kDa single-domain antibody (VHH5v2) against human CD8 to enable high-quality, same-day imaging with a reduced radiation burden. To enable sensitive and rapid imaging, we employed a site-specific conjugation strategy to introduce an 18F radiolabel to the VHH. RESULTS The anti-CD8 VHH, VHH5v2, demonstrated binding to a membrane distal epitope of human CD8 with a binding affinity (KD) of 500 pM. Subsequent imaging experiments in several xenografts that express varying levels of CD8 demonstrated rapid tumor uptake and fast clearance from the blood. High-quality images were obtained within 1 h post-injection and could quantitatively differentiate the tumor models based on CD8 expression level. CONCLUSION Our work reveals the potential of this anti-human CD8 VHH [18F]F-VHH5v2 to enable rapid and specific imaging of CD8+ cells in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shravan Kumar Sriraman
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Christopher W Davies
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Herman Gill
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - James R Kiefer
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Jianping Yin
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Annie Ogasawara
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Alejandra Urrutia
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Vincent Javinal
- Department of In Vivo Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Zhonghua Lin
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Dhaya Seshasayee
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Ryan Abraham
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Phil Haas
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Christopher Koth
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Jan Marik
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA
| | - James T Koerber
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA.
| | - Simon Peter Williams
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, Genetech, CA, 94080, USA.
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47
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Cross FR, Fridy PC, Ketaren NE, Mast FD, Li S, Olivier JP, Pecani K, Chait BT, Aitchison JD, Rout MP. Expanding and improving nanobody repertoires using a yeast display method: Targeting SARS-CoV-2. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102954. [PMID: 36720309 PMCID: PMC9884143 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102954] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, represents a serious worldwide health issue, with continually emerging new variants challenging current therapeutics. One promising alternate therapeutic avenue is represented by nanobodies, small single-chain antibodies derived from camelids with numerous advantageous properties and the potential to neutralize the virus. For identification and characterization of a broad spectrum of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike nanobodies, we further optimized a yeast display method, leveraging a previously published mass spectrometry-based method, using B-cell complementary DNA from the same immunized animals as a source of VHH sequences. Yeast display captured many of the sequences identified by the previous approach, as well as many additional sequences that proved to encode a large new repertoire of nanobodies with high affinities and neutralization activities against different SARS-CoV-2 variants. We evaluated DNA shuffling applied to the three complementarity-determining regions of antiviral nanobodies. The results suggested a surprising degree of modularity to complementarity-determining region function. Importantly, the yeast display approach applied to nanobody libraries from immunized animals allows parallel interrogation of a vast number of nanobodies. For example, we employed a modified yeast display to carry out massively parallel epitope binning. The current yeast display approach proved comparable in efficiency and specificity to the mass spectrometry-based approach, while requiring none of the infrastructure and expertise required for that approach, making these highly complementary approaches that together appear to comprehensively explore the paratope space. The larger repertoires produced maximize the likelihood of discovering broadly specific reagents and those that powerfully synergize in mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick R Cross
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Peter C Fridy
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Natalia E Ketaren
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fred D Mast
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA
| | - Song Li
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA
| | - J Paul Olivier
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA
| | - Kresti Pecani
- Laboratory of Cell Cycle Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - John D Aitchison
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA
| | - Michael P Rout
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.
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48
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Brookes JC, Gray ER, Loynachan CN, Gut MJ, Miller BS, P S Brogan A, McKendry RA. Thermodynamic analysis of an entropically driven, high-affinity nanobody-HIV p24 interaction. Biophys J 2023; 122:279-289. [PMID: 36527237 PMCID: PMC9892613 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions are fundamental to life processes. Complementary computational, structural, and biophysical studies of these interactions enable the forces behind their specificity and strength to be understood. Antibody fragments such as single-chain antibodies have the specificity and affinity of full antibodies but a fraction of their size, expediting whole molecule studies and distal effects without exceeding the computational capacity of modeling systems. We previously reported the crystal structure of a high-affinity nanobody 59H10 bound to HIV-1 capsid protein p24 and deduced key interactions using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We studied the properties of closely related medium (37E7) and low (48G11) affinity nanobodies, to understand how changes of three (37E7) or one (48G11) amino acids impacted these interactions; however, the contributions of enthalpy and entropy were not quantified. Here, we report the use of qualitative and quantitative experimental and in silico approaches to separate the contributions of enthalpy and entropy. We used complementary circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to qualitatively delineate changes between nanobodies in isolation and complexed with p24. Using quantitative techniques such as isothermal titration calorimetry alongside WaterMap and Free Energy Perturbation protocols, we found the difference between high (59H10) and medium (37E7) affinity nanobodies on binding to HIV-1 p24 is entropically driven, accounted for by the release of unstable waters from the hydrophobic surface of 59H10. Our results provide an exemplar of the utility of parallel in vitro and in silico studies and highlight that differences in entropic interactions between amino acids and water molecules are sufficient to drive orders of magnitude differences in affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Brookes
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor R Gray
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Colleen N Loynachan
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle J Gut
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin S Miller
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex P S Brogan
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel A McKendry
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Division of Medicine and Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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49
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The Plant Viruses and Molecular Farming: How Beneficial They Might Be for Human and Animal Health? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021533. [PMID: 36675043 PMCID: PMC9863966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant viruses have traditionally been studied as pathogens in the context of understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of a particular disease affecting crops. In recent years, viruses have emerged as a new alternative for producing biological nanomaterials and chimeric vaccines. Plant viruses were also used to generate highly efficient expression vectors, revolutionizing plant molecular farming (PMF). Several biological products, including recombinant vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, diagnostic reagents, and other pharmaceutical products produced in plants, have passed their clinical trials and are in their market implementation stage. PMF offers opportunities for fast, adaptive, and low-cost technology to meet ever-growing and critical global health needs. In this review, we summarized the advancements in the virus-like particles-based (VLPs-based) nanotechnologies and the role they played in the production of advanced vaccines, drugs, diagnostic bio-nanomaterials, and other bioactive cargos. We also highlighted various applications and advantages plant-produced vaccines have and their relevance for treating human and animal illnesses. Furthermore, we summarized the plant-based biologics that have passed through clinical trials, the unique challenges they faced, and the challenges they will face to qualify, become available, and succeed on the market.
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50
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Smith CA, Sonneson GJ, Hoey RJ, Hinerman JM, Sheehy K, Walter R, Herr AB, Horn JR. Molecular recognition requires dimerization of a VHH antibody. MAbs 2023; 15:2215363. [PMID: 37243579 PMCID: PMC10228392 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2215363] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies are a unique class of antibody that possesses only a single variable domain (termed VHH) for antigen recognition. Despite their apparent canonical mechanism of target recognition, where a single VHH domain binds a single target, an anti-caffeine VHH has been observed to possess 2:1 stoichiometry. Here, the structure of the anti-caffeine VHH/caffeine complex enabled the generation and biophysical analysis of variants that were used to better understand the role of VHH homodimerization in caffeine recognition. VHH interface mutants and caffeine analogs, which were examined to probe the mechanism of caffeine binding, suggested caffeine recognition is only possible with the VHH dimer species. Correspondingly, in the absence of caffeine, the anti-caffeine VHH was found to form a dimer with a dimerization constant comparable to that observed with VH:VL domains in conventional antibody systems, which was most stable near physiological temperature. While the VHH:VHH dimer structure (at 1.13 Å resolution) is reminiscent of conventional VH:VL heterodimers, the homodimeric VHH possesses a smaller angle of domain interaction, as well as a larger amount of apolar surface area burial. To test the general hypothesis that the short complementarity-determining region-3 (CDR3) may help drive VHH:VHH homodimerization, an anti-picloram VHH domain containing a short CDR3 was generated and characterized, which revealed it also existed as dimer species in solution. These results suggest homodimer-driven recognition may represent a more common method of VHH ligand recognition, opening opportunities for novel VHH homodimer affinity reagents and helping to guide their use in chemically induced dimerization applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A. Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Gregory J. Sonneson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Robert J. Hoey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Hinerman
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Kimberly Sheehy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Richard Walter
- Shamrock Structures, LLC, Woodridge, IL, USA
- Joliet XTALPAC LLC, USA
| | - Andrew B. Herr
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - James R. Horn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
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