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Nompari L, Coccone SS, Sardone GL, Corrado A, Berti S, Biagini M, Rovini M, Magagnoli C, Cianetti S, Orlandini S, Furlanetto S, De Ricco R. Innovative Reversed-Phase Chromatography Platform Approach for the Fast and Accurate Characterization of Membrane Vesicles' Protein Patterns. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:1584-1594. [PMID: 38751636 PMCID: PMC11091982 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00112] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have been widely explored to develop vaccine candidates for bacterial pathogens due to their ability to combine adjuvant properties with immunogenic activity. OMV expresses a variety of proteins and carbohydrate antigens on their surfaces. For this reason, there is an analytical need to thoroughly characterize the species expressed at their surface: we here present a simple and accurate reversed-phase ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC) method developed according to quality by design principles. This work provides an analytical alternative to the classical sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) characterization. The higher selectivity and sensitivity of the RP-UHPLC assay allow for the identification of additional protein species with respect to SDS-PAGE and facilitate its precise relative abundance quantification. According to validation results, the assay showed high accuracy, linearity, precision, repeatability, and a limit of quantification of 1% for less abundant proteins. This performance paves the way for improved production campaign consistency while also being analytically simple (no sample pretreatment required), making it suitable for routine quality control testing. In addition, the applicability of the assay to a wider range of vesicle classes (GMMA) was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Nompari
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Gian Luca Sardone
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Alessio Corrado
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Stefania Berti
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Biagini
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Michele Rovini
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Claudia Magagnoli
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Simona Cianetti
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Serena Orlandini
- Department
of Chemistry “U. Schiff″, University of Florence, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Florence, Italy
| | - Sandra Furlanetto
- Department
of Chemistry “U. Schiff″, University of Florence, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo De Ricco
- GSK,
Technical Research and Development (TRD), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
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2
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Hickey JM, Jacob SI, Tait AS, Vahid FD, Barritt J, Rouse S, Douglas A, Joshi SB, Volkin DB, Bracewell DG. Measurement of Adenovirus-Based Vector Heterogeneity. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:974-984. [PMID: 36563855 PMCID: PMC9767660 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.12.012] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Adenovirus vectors have become an important class of vaccines with the recent approval of Ebola and COVID-19 products. In-process quality attribute data collected during Adenovirus vector manufacturing has focused on particle concentration and infectivity ratios (based on viral genome: cell-based infectivity), and data suggest only a fraction of viral particles present in the final vaccine product are efficacious. To better understand this product heterogeneity, lab-scale preparations of two Adenovirus viral vectors, (Chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx1) and Human adenovirus Type 5 (Ad5), were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different adenovirus morphologies were characterized, and the proportion of empty and full viral particles were quantified. These proportions showed a qualitative correlation with the sample's infectivity values. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) peptide mapping was used to identify key adenovirus proteins involved in viral maturation. Using peptide abundance analysis, a ∼5-fold change in L1 52/55k abundance was observed between low-(empty) and high-density (full) fractions taken from CsCl ultracentrifugation preparations of ChAdOx1 virus. The L1 52/55k viral protein is associated with DNA packaging and is cleaved during viral maturation, so it may be a marker for infective particles. TEM and LC-MS peptide mapping are promising higher-resolution analytical characterization tools to help differentiate between relative proportions of empty, non-infectious, and infectious viral particles as part of Adenovirus vector in-process monitoring, and these results are an encouraging initial step to better differentiate between the different product-related impurities.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Hickey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Shaleem I Jacob
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew S Tait
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Joseph Barritt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Rouse
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Sangeeta B Joshi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - David B Volkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Daniel G Bracewell
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
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3
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Zarei M, Jonveaux J, Wang P, Haller FM, Gu B, Koulov AV, Jahn M. Proteomic Analysis of Adenovirus 5 by UHPLC-MS/MS: Development of a Robust and Reproducible Sample Preparation Workflow. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:36825-36835. [PMID: 36278084 PMCID: PMC9583333 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Adenoviruses (AdVs) have recently become widely used therapeutic vectors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. AdVs are large, nonenveloped viruses with an icosahedral capsid formed from several proteins that encloses double-stranded DNA. These proteins are the main components and key players in initial stages of infection by the virus particles, so their heterogeneity and content must be evaluated to ensure product and process consistency. Peptide mapping can provide detailed information on these proteins, e.g., their amino acid sequences and post-translational modifications (PTMs), which is crucial for the development and optimization of the manufacturing processes. However, sample preparation remains the main bottleneck for successful proteomic analysis of the viral proteins (VPs) of AdVs due to their low concentrations and vast stoichiometric ranges. To address this problem, we have developed a fast and efficient protocol for preparing samples for proteomic analysis of VPs of AdV5 that requires no cleaning step prior to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The approach enabled identification of 92% of amino acids in AdV5 VPs on average and quantification of 53 PTMs in a single LC-MS/MS experiment using trypsin protease. The data obtained demonstrate the method's potential utility for supporting the development of novel AdV-based gene therapy products (GTPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Zarei
- Drug
Product Services, Lonza AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
- . Tel: +41 613168798. Fax: +41 61 316 9162
| | - Jérôme Jonveaux
- Drug
Product Services, Lonza AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peng Wang
- Lonza
Houston, Inc. 14905 Kirby
Drive, Houston, Texas 77047, United States
| | | | - Bingnan Gu
- Lonza
Houston, Inc. 14905 Kirby
Drive, Houston, Texas 77047, United States
| | - Atanas V. Koulov
- Drug
Product Services, Lonza AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Jahn
- Drug
Product Services, Lonza AG, Hochbergerstrasse 60G, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Powers TW, Mullins EK, Zhang K, Binder JJ, Friese O, Runnels HA, Thompson LC. Identification of Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus C68 Degradation Products Detected by AEX-HPLC. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:753481. [PMID: 35449595 PMCID: PMC9017566 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.753481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Physicochemical tests represent important tools for the analytical control strategy of biotherapeutics. For adenoviral modalities, anion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography (AEX-HPLC) represents an important methodology, as it is able to simultaneously provide information on viral particle concentration, product purity and surface charge in a high-throughput manner. During product development of an adenoviral-based therapeutic, an accelerated stability study was performed and showed changes in each of the AEX-HPLC reportable attributes. These changes also correlated with a decrease in product infectivity prompting a detailed characterization of the impurity and mechanism of the surface charge change. Characterization experiments identified the impurity to be free hexon trimer, suggesting that capsid degradation could be contributing to both the impurity and reduced particle concentration. Additional mass spectrometry characterization identified deamidation of specific hexon residues to be associated with the external surface charge modification observed upon thermal stress conditions. To demonstrate a causal relationship between deamidation and surface charge changes observed by AEX-HPLC, site-directed mutagenesis experiments were performed. Through this effort, it was concluded that deamidation of asparagine 414 was responsible for the surface charge alteration observed in the AEX-HPLC profile but was not associated with the reduction in infectivity. Overall, this manuscript details critical characterization efforts conducted to enable understanding of a pivotal physicochemical test for adenoviral based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Powers
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Elise K. Mullins
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Kun Zhang
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Joseph J. Binder
- Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Olga Friese
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Herbert A. Runnels
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Lawrence C. Thompson
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Lawrence C. Thompson,
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5
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Mullins EK, Powers TW, Zobel J, Clawson KM, Barnes LF, Draper BE, Zou Q, Binder JJ, Dai S, Zhang K, Friese O, Runnels HA, Jarrold MF, Thompson LC. Characterization of Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus C68 Low and High-Density Particles: Impact on Determination of Viral Particle Titer. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:753480. [PMID: 34805110 PMCID: PMC8599148 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.753480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We observed differential infectivity and product yield between two recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus C68 constructs whose primary difference was genome length. To determine a possible reason for this outcome, we characterized the proportion and composition of the empty and packaged capsids. Both analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and differential centrifugation sedimentation (DCS, a rapid and quantitative method for measuring adenoviral packaging variants) were employed for an initial assessment of genome packaging and showed multiple species whose abundance deviated between the virus builds but not manufacturing campaigns. Identity of the packaging variants was confirmed by charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS), the first known application of this technique to analyze adenovirus. The empty and packaged capsid populations were separated via preparative ultracentrifugation and then combined into a series of mixtures. These mixtures showed the oft-utilized denaturing A260 adenoviral particle titer method will underestimate the actual particle titer by as much as three-fold depending on the empty/full ratio. In contrast, liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection proves to be a superior viral particle titer methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise K Mullins
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Thomas W Powers
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Jim Zobel
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Kory M Clawson
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Lauren F Barnes
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | | | - Qin Zou
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Joseph J Binder
- Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapies, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Stanley Dai
- Nektar Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kun Zhang
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Olga Friese
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Herbert A Runnels
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Martin F Jarrold
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Lawrence C Thompson
- Analytical Research and Development, Biotherapeutic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pfizer Inc., Chesterfield, MO, United States
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6
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Geurink L, van Tricht E, van der Burg D, Scheppink G, Pajic B, Dudink J, Sänger-van de Griend C. Sixteen capillary electrophoresis applications for viral vaccine analysis. Electrophoresis 2021; 43:1068-1090. [PMID: 34739151 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A broad range of CE applications from our organization is reviewed to give a flavor of the use of CE within the field of vaccine analyses. Applicability of CE for viral vaccine characterization, and release and stability testing of seasonal influenza virosomal vaccines, universal subunit influenza vaccines, Sabin inactivated polio vaccines (sIPV), and adenovirus vector vaccines were demonstrated. Diverse CZE, CE-SDS, CGE, and cIEF methods were developed, validated, and applied for virus, protein, posttranslational modifications, DNA, and excipient concentration determinations, as well as for the integrity and composition verifications, and identity testing (e.g., CZE for intact virus particles, CE-SDS application for hemagglutinin quantification and influenza strain identification, chloride or bromide determination in process samples). Results were supported by other methods such as RP-HPLC, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential measurements. Overall, 16 CE methods are presented that were developed and applied, comprising six adenovirus methods, five viral protein methods, and methods for antibodies determination of glycans, host cell-DNA, excipient chloride, and process impurity bromide. These methods were applied to support in-process control, release, stability, process- and product characterization and development, and critical reagent testing. Thirteen methods were validated. Intact virus particles were analyzed at concentrations as low as 0.8 pmol/L. Overall, CE took viral vaccine testing beyond what was previously possible, improved process and product understanding, and, in total, safety, efficacy, and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Geurink
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ewoud van Tricht
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gerard Scheppink
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bojana Pajic
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Justin Dudink
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cari Sänger-van de Griend
- Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., CN Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Kantisto B.V., Baarn, The Netherlands
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