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Giraldo-Castaño MC, Littlejohn KA, Avecilla ARC, Barrera-Villamizar N, Quiroz FG. Programmability and biomedical utility of intrinsically-disordered protein polymers. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 212:115418. [PMID: 39094909 PMCID: PMC11389844 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115418] [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: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) exhibit molecular-level conformational dynamics that are functionally harnessed across a wide range of fascinating biological phenomena. The low sequence complexity of IDPs has led to the design and development of intrinsically-disordered protein polymers (IDPPs), a class of engineered repeat IDPs with stimuli-responsive properties. The perfect repetitive architecture of IDPPs allows for repeat-level encoding of tunable protein functionality. Designer IDPPs can be modeled on endogenous IDPs or engineered de novo as protein polymers with dual biophysical and biological functionality. Their properties can be rationally tailored to access enigmatic IDP biology and to create programmable smart biomaterials. With the goal of inspiring the bioengineering of multifunctional IDP-based materials, here we synthesize recent multidisciplinary progress in programming and exploiting the bio-functionality of IDPPs and IDPP-containing proteins. Collectively, expanding beyond the traditional sequence space of extracellular IDPs, emergent sequence-level control of IDPP functionality is fueling the bioengineering of self-assembling biomaterials, advanced drug delivery systems, tissue scaffolds, and biomolecular condensates -genetically encoded organelle-like structures. Looking forward, we emphasize open challenges and emerging opportunities, arguing that the intracellular behaviors of IDPPs represent a rich space for biomedical discovery and innovation. Combined with the intense focus on IDP biology, the growing landscape of IDPPs and their biomedical applications set the stage for the accelerated engineering of high-value biotechnologies and biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Camila Giraldo-Castaño
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kai A Littlejohn
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexa Regina Chua Avecilla
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Natalia Barrera-Villamizar
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Felipe Garcia Quiroz
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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2
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Tang NC, Su JC, Shmidov Y, Kelly G, Deshpande S, Sirohi P, Peterson N, Chilkoti A. Synthetic intrinsically disordered protein fusion tags that enhance protein solubility. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3727. [PMID: 38697982 PMCID: PMC11066018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47519-7] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
We report the de novo design of small (<20 kDa) and highly soluble synthetic intrinsically disordered proteins (SynIDPs) that confer solubility to a fusion partner with minimal effect on the activity of the fused protein. To identify highly soluble SynIDPs, we create a pooled gene-library utilizing a one-pot gene synthesis technology to create a large library of repetitive genes that encode SynIDPs. We identify three small (<20 kDa) and highly soluble SynIDPs from this gene library that lack secondary structure and have high solvation. Recombinant fusion of these SynIDPs to three known inclusion body forming proteins rescue their soluble expression and do not impede the activity of the fusion partner, thereby eliminating the need for removal of the SynIDP tag. These findings highlight the utility of SynIDPs as solubility tags, as they promote the soluble expression of proteins in E. coli and are small, unstructured proteins that minimally interfere with the biological activity of the fused protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Tang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Jonathan C Su
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Yulia Shmidov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Garrett Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Sonal Deshpande
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Parul Sirohi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Nikhil Peterson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
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3
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Li M, Li J, Liu K, Zhang H. Artificial structural proteins: Synthesis, assembly and material applications. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107162. [PMID: 38308999 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107162] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Structural proteins have evolved over billions of years and offer outstanding mechanical properties, such as resilience, toughness and stiffness. Advances in modular protein engineering, polypeptide modification, and synthetic biology have led to the development of novel biomimetic structural proteins to perform in biomedical and military fields. However, the development of customized structural proteins and assemblies with superior performance remains a major challenge, due to the inherent limitations of biosynthesis, difficulty in mimicking the complexed macroscale assembly, etc. This review summarizes the approaches for the design and production of biomimetic structural proteins, and their chemical modifications for multiscale assembly. Furthermore, we discuss the function tailoring and current applications of biomimetic structural protein assemblies. A perspective of future research is to reveal how the mechanical properties are encoded in the sequences and conformations. This review, therefore, provides an important reference for the development of structural proteins-mimetics from replication of nature to even outperforming nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China; School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China.
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China; School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China; School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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4
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Guo Y, Liu S, Jing D, Liu N, Luo X. The construction of elastin-like polypeptides and their applications in drug delivery system and tissue repair. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:418. [PMID: 37951928 PMCID: PMC10638729 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02184-8] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are thermally responsive biopolymers derived from natural elastin. These peptides have a low critical solution temperature phase behavior and can be used to prepare stimuli-responsive biomaterials. Through genetic engineering, biomaterials prepared from ELPs can have unique and customizable properties. By adjusting the amino acid sequence and length of ELPs, nanostructures, such as micelles and nanofibers, can be formed. Correspondingly, ELPs have been used for improving the stability and prolonging drug-release time. Furthermore, ELPs have widespread use in tissue repair due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, this review summarizes the basic property composition of ELPs and the methods for modulating their phase transition properties, discusses the application of drug delivery system and tissue repair and clarifies the current challenges and future directions of ELPs in applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingshu Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353, China.
| | - Shiwei Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353, China
| | - Dan Jing
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353, China
| | - Nianzu Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353, China
| | - Xiliang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Optic-Electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, MOE, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China.
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5
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Kang MJ, Roh KH, Lee JS, Lee JH, Park S, Lim DW. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 Targeting Fusion Polypeptides with Stimuli-Responsiveness for Anti-angiogenesis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 37384534 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c03989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Genetically engineered fusion polypeptides have been investigated to introduce unique bio-functionality and improve some therapeutic activity for anti-angiogenesis. We report herein that stimuli-responsive, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) targeting fusion polypeptides composed of a VEGFR1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt1)) antagonist, an anti-Flt1 peptide, and a thermally responsive elastin-based polypeptide (EBP) were rationally designed at the genetic level, biosynthesized, and purified by inverse transition cycling to develop potential anti-angiogenic fusion polypeptides to treat neovascular diseases. A series of hydrophilic EBPs with different block lengths were fused with an anti-Flt1 peptide, forming anti-Flt1-EBPs, and the effect of EBP block length on their physicochemical properties was examined. While the anti-Flt1 peptide decreased phase-transition temperatures of anti-Flt1-EBPs, compared with EBP blocks, anti-Flt1-EBPs were soluble under physiological conditions. The anti-Flt1-EBPs dose dependently inhibited the binding of VEGFR1 against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as tube-like network formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells under VEGF-triggered angiogenesis in vitro because of the specific binding between anti-Flt1-EBPs and VEGFR1. Furthermore, the anti-Flt1-EBPs suppressed laser-induced choroidal neovascularization in a wet age-related macular degeneration mouse model in vivo. Our results indicate that anti-Flt1-EBPs as VEGFR1-targeting fusion polypeptides have great potential for efficacious anti-angiogenesis to treat retinal-, corneal-, and choroidal neovascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jeong Kang
- Department of Bionano Engineering and Department of Bionanotechnology, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Kug-Hwan Roh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan 47392, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sang Lee
- Department of Bionano Engineering and Department of Bionanotechnology, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hee Lee
- Department of Bionano Engineering and Department of Bionanotechnology, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - SaeGwang Park
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan 47392, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Woo Lim
- Department of Bionano Engineering and Department of Bionanotechnology, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
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6
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Ji Y, Liu D, Zhu H, Bao L, Chang R, Gao X, Yin J. Unstructured Polypeptides as a Versatile Drug Delivery Technology. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:74-93. [PMID: 37075961 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Although polyethylene glycol (PEG), or "PEGylation" has become a widely applied approach for improving the efficiency of drug delivery, the immunogenicity and non-biodegradability of this synthetic polymer have prompted an evident need for alternatives. To overcome these caveats and to mimic PEG -or other natural or synthetic polymers- for the purpose of drug half-life extension, unstructured polypeptides are designed. Due to their tunable length, biodegradability, low immunogenicity and easy production, unstructured polypeptides have the potential to replace PEG as the preferred technology for therapeutic protein/peptide delivery. This review provides an overview of the evolution of unstructured polypeptides, starting from natural polypeptides to engineered polypeptides and discusses their characteristics. Then, it is described that unstructured polypeptides have been successfully applied to numerous drugs, including peptides, proteins, antibody fragments, and nanocarriers, for half-life extension. Innovative applications of unstructured peptides as releasable masks, multimolecular adaptors and intracellular delivery carriers are also discussed. Finally, challenges and future perspectives of this promising field are briefly presented. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Polypeptide fusion technology simulating PEGylation has become an important topic for the development of long-circulating peptide or protein drugs without reduced activity, complex processes, and kidney injury caused by PEG modification. Here we provide a detailed and in-depth review of the recent advances in unstructured polypeptides. In addition to the application of enhanced pharmacokinetic performance, emphasis is placed on polypeptides as scaffolders for the delivery of multiple drugs, and on the preparation of reasonably designed polypeptides to manipulate the performance of proteins and peptides. This review will provide insight into future application of polypeptides in peptide or protein drug development and the design of novel functional polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dingkang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haichao Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lichen Bao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ruilong Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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7
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Tian KK, Qian ZG, Xia XX. Synthetic biology-guided design and biosynthesis of protein polymers for delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 194:114728. [PMID: 36791475 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114728] [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: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Vehicles derived from genetically engineered protein polymers have gained momentum in the field of biomedical engineering due to their unique designability, remarkable biocompatibility and excellent biodegradability. However, the design and production of these protein polymers with on-demand sequences and supramolecular architectures remain underexplored, particularly from a synthetic biology perspective. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the art strategies for constructing the highly repetitive genes encoding the protein polymers, and highlight the advanced approaches for metabolically engineering expression hosts towards high-level biosynthesis of the target protein polymers. Finally, we showcase the typical protein polymers utilized to fabricate delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Kai Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Gang Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Xia Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Holz E, Darwish M, Tesar DB, Shatz-Binder W. A Review of Protein- and Peptide-Based Chemical Conjugates: Past, Present, and Future. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:600. [PMID: 36839922 PMCID: PMC9959917 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the complexity of molecular entities being advanced for therapeutic purposes has continued to evolve. A main propellent fueling innovation is the perpetual mandate within the pharmaceutical industry to meet the needs of novel disease areas and/or delivery challenges. As new mechanisms of action are uncovered, and as our understanding of existing mechanisms grows, the properties that are required and/or leveraged to enable therapeutic development continue to expand. One rapidly evolving area of interest is that of chemically enhanced peptide and protein therapeutics. While a variety of conjugate molecules such as antibody-drug conjugates, peptide/protein-PEG conjugates, and protein conjugate vaccines are already well established, others, such as antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates and peptide/protein conjugates using non-PEG polymers, are newer to clinical development. This review will evaluate the current development landscape of protein-based chemical conjugates with special attention to considerations such as modulation of pharmacokinetics, safety/tolerability, and entry into difficult to access targets, as well as bioavailability. Furthermore, for the purpose of this review, the types of molecules discussed are divided into two categories: (1) therapeutics that are enhanced by protein or peptide bioconjugation, and (2) protein and peptide therapeutics that require chemical modifications. Overall, the breadth of novel peptide- or protein-based therapeutics moving through the pipeline each year supports a path forward for the pursuit of even more complex therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Holz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Martine Darwish
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Devin B. Tesar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Whitney Shatz-Binder
- Department of Pharmaceutical Development, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
- Department of Protein Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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9
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Garcia Garcia C, Patkar SS, Wang B, Abouomar R, Kiick KL. Recombinant protein-based injectable materials for biomedical applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 193:114673. [PMID: 36574920 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Injectable nanocarriers and hydrogels have found widespread use in a variety of biomedical applications such as local and sustained biotherapeutic cargo delivery, and as cell-instructive matrices for tissue engineering. Recent advances in the development and application of recombinant protein-based materials as injectable platforms under physiological conditions have made them useful platforms for the development of nanoparticles and tissue engineering matrices, which are reviewed in this work. Protein-engineered biomaterials are highly customizable, and they provide distinctly tunable rheological properties, encapsulation efficiencies, and delivery profiles. In particular, the key advantages of emerging technologies which harness the stimuli-responsive properties of recombinant polypeptide-based materials are highlighted in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristobal Garcia Garcia
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Sai S Patkar
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Ramadan Abouomar
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Kristi L Kiick
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19176, USA.
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Zhang C, Gao G, Li Y, Ying J, Li J, Hu S. Design of a Dual Agonist of Exendin-4 and FGF21 as a Potential Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH : IJPR 2023; 22:e131015. [PMID: 38116563 PMCID: PMC10728834 DOI: 10.5812/ijpr-131015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic, endocrine hormone regulating insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure, and lipid metabolism. It has significant potential as a therapeutic drug for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, the clinical efficacy of FGF21 analogs is limited due to their instability and short half-life. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been recognized as effective medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity over the past two decades. Methods This study designed a new long-acting dual-agonist, exendin-4/FGF21, utilizing albumin-binding-designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) as carriers. The purified fusion proteins were subcutaneously injected into mice for pharmacokinetic and biological activity studies. Results Ex-DARP-FGF21 had a high binding affinity for human serum albumin (HSA) in vitro and a prolonged half-life of 27.6 hours in vivo. Bioactivity results reveal that Ex-DARP-FGF21 significantly reduced blood glucose levels in healthy mice. Moreover, compared to Ex-DARP alone, the Ex-DARP-FGF21 dual agonist displayed enhanced blood glucose lowering bioactivity and superior body weight management in the diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model. Conclusions These results indicate that the long-acting dual agonist of exendin-4 and FGF21 holds considerable potential as a treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guosheng Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yafeng Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Duchuangsanzhong Biotech Co., Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Jingjing Ying
- Department of Pharmacy, Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Jianhui Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Supei Hu
- Department of Science and Education, Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
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11
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Gong L, Yang Z, Zhang F, Gao W. Cytokine conjugates to elastin-like polypeptides. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 190:114541. [PMID: 36126792 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Cytokines are a group of pleiotropic proteins which are crucial for various biological processes and useful as therapeutics. However, they usually suffer from the poor stability, extreme short circulation half-life, difficulty in high-yield and large-scale production and side effects, which greatly restricts their applications. Over the past decades, conjugation of cytokines with elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), a type of promising biomaterials, have showed great potential in solving these challenges due to ELP's thermal responsiveness, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, non-immunogenicity, and ease of design and control at the genetic level. This review presents recent progress in the design and production of a variety of ELP conjugated cytokines for extended circulation, enhanced stability, increased soluble protein expression, simplified purification, improved drug delivery, and controlled release. Notably, the unique thermoresponsive properties of cytokine-ELP conjugates make it possible to self-assemble into micelles with drastically extended circulatory half-life for targeted delivery or to in situ form drug depots for topical administration and controlled release. The challenges and issues in the emerging field are further discussed and the future directions are pointed out at the end of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Like Gong
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhaoying Yang
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China; Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing 100191, China; Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, Beijing 100191, China.
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12
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Polymer-Based Delivery of Peptide Drugs to Treat Diabetes: Normalizing Hyperglycemia and Preventing Diabetic Complications. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-022-00057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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13
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Ozer I, Kelly G, Gu R, Li X, Zakharov N, Sirohi P, Nair SK, Collier JH, Hershfield MS, Hucknall AM, Chilkoti A. Polyethylene Glycol-Like Brush Polymer Conjugate of a Protein Drug Does Not Induce an Antipolymer Immune Response and Has Enhanced Pharmacokinetics than Its Polyethylene Glycol Counterpart. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2103672. [PMID: 35133079 PMCID: PMC9008788 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202103672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics, except for antibodies, have a short plasma half-life and poor stability in circulation. Covalent coupling of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to protein drugs addresses this limitation. However, unlike previously thought, PEG is immunogenic. In addition to induced PEG antibodies, ≈70% of the US population has pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies. Both induced and preexisting anti-PEG antibodies result in accelerated drug clearance, reduced clinical efficacy, and severe hypersensitivity reactions that have limited the clinical utility of uricase, an enzyme drug for treatment for refractory gout that is decorated with a PEG corona. Here, the authors synthesize a poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (POEGMA) conjugate of uricase that decorates the protein with multiple polymer chains to create a corona to solve these problems. The resulting uricase-POEGMA is well-defined, has high bioactivity, and outperforms its PEG counterparts in its pharmacokinetics (PK). Furthermore, the conjugate does not induce anti-POEGMA antibodies and is not recognized by anti-PEG antibodies. These findings suggest that POEGMA conjugation may provide a solution to the immunogenicity and antigenicity limitations of PEG while improving upon its PK benefits. These results transcend uricase and can be applied to other PEGylated therapeutics and the broader class of biologics with suboptimal PK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran Ozer
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Garrett Kelly
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Renpeng Gu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Nikita Zakharov
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Parul Sirohi
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Smita K. Nair
- Department of SurgeryDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNC27710USA
| | - Joel H. Collier
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNC27708USA
| | - Michael S. Hershfield
- Department of MedicineDivision of RheumatologyDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNC27710USA
- Department of BiochemistryDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNC27710USA
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14
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Kelly G, Milligan JJ, Mastria EM, Kim S, Zelenetz SR, Dobbins J, Cai LY, Li X, Nair SK, Chilkoti A. Intratumoral delivery of brachytherapy and immunotherapy by a thermally triggered polypeptide depot. J Control Release 2022; 343:267-276. [PMID: 35077742 PMCID: PMC8960370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Biomaterial-based approaches for a combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy can improve outcomes in metastatic cancer through local delivery of both therapeutic modalities to the primary tumor to control local tumor growth and distant metastases. This study describes an injectable depot for sustained intratumoral (i.t.) delivery of an iodine-131 (131I) radionuclide and a CpG oligodeoxynucleotide immunostimulant, driven by the thermally sensitive phase transition behavior of elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs). We synthesized and characterized an ELP with an oligolysine tail (ELP-K12) that forms an electrostatic complex with CpG for delivery from an ELP depot and evaluated the ability of the complex to enhance local and systemic tumor control as a monotherapy and in combination with 131I-ELP brachytherapy. I.t delivery of CpG from an ELP-K12 depot dramatically prolongs i.t. retention to more than 21 days as compared to soluble CpG that is only retained within the tumor for <24 h. ELP-K12 also enhances CpG delivery by increasing cellular uptake of CpG to generate greater toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) activation than CpG alone. I.t. treatment with an ELP-K12/CpG depot slows primary tumor growth and reduces lung metastases in a poorly immunogenic 4 T1 syngeneic breast cancer model whereas i.t treatment of CpG alone has no significant effect on primary tumor growth or metastases. Notably, a combination of 131I-ELP brachytherapy and ELP-K12/CpG delivered i.t. inhibited 4 T1 tumor growth and strongly decreased the development of lung metastases, leading to a synergistic improvement in mouse survival. These preclinical results demonstrate that injectable ELP depots may provide a useful approach for the delivery of combination radio- and immuno-therapy to treat metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Joshua J. Milligan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Eric M. Mastria
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Sarah Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Stephanie R. Zelenetz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jarrett Dobbins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Leon Y. Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Smita K. Nair
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, 2301 Erwin Rd., DUMC Box 370, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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15
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Huynh V, Ifraimov N, Wylie RG. Modulating the Thermoresponse of Polymer-Protein Conjugates with Hydrogels for Controlled Release. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:2772. [PMID: 34451311 PMCID: PMC8399950 DOI: 10.3390/polym13162772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained release is being explored to increase plasma and tissue residence times of polymer-protein therapeutics for improved efficacy. Recently, poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (PEGMA) polymers have been established as potential PEG alternatives to further decrease immunogenicity and introduce responsive or sieving properties. We developed a drug delivery system that locally depresses the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PEGMA-protein conjugates within zwitterionic hydrogels for controlled release. Inside the hydrogel the conjugates partially aggregate through PEGMA-PEGMA chain interactions to limit their release rates, whereas conjugates outside of the hydrogel are completely solubilized. Release can therefore be tuned by altering hydrogel components and the PEGMA's temperature sensitivity without the need for traditional controlled release mechanisms such as particle encapsulation or affinity interactions. Combining local LCST depression technology and degradable zwitterionic hydrogels, complete release of the conjugate was achieved over 13 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Huynh
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
| | - Natalie Ifraimov
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
| | - Ryan G. Wylie
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada;
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16
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Jenkins IC, Milligan JJ, Chilkoti A. Genetically Encoded Elastin-Like Polypeptides for Drug Delivery. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100209. [PMID: 34080796 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are thermally responsive biopolymers that consist of a repeated amino acid motif derived from human tropoelastin. These peptides exhibit temperature-dependent phase behavior that can be harnessed to produce stimuli-responsive biomaterials, such as nanoparticles or injectable drug delivery depots. As ELPs are genetically encoded, the properties of ELP-based biomaterials can be controlled with a precision that is unattainable with synthetic polymers. Unique ELP architectures, such as spherical or rod-like micelles or injectable coacervates, can be designed by manipulating the ELP amino acid sequence and length. ELPs can be loaded with drugs to create controlled, intelligent drug delivery systems. ELPs are biodegradable, nonimmunogenic, and tolerant of therapeutic additives. These qualities make ELPs exquisitely well-suited to address current challenges in drug delivery and have spurred the development of ELP-based therapeutics to treat diseases-such as cancer and diabetes-and to promote wound healing. This review focuses on the use of ELPs in drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene C. Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University Durham NC 277018 USA
| | - Joshua J. Milligan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University Durham NC 277018 USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University Durham NC 277018 USA
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17
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Shapiro DM, Ney M, Eghtesadi SA, Chilkoti A. Protein Phase Separation Arising from Intrinsic Disorder: First-Principles to Bespoke Applications. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:6740-6759. [PMID: 34143622 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The phase separation of biomolecules has become the focus of intense research in the past decade, with a growing body of research implicating this phenomenon in essentially all biological functions, including but not limited to homeostasis, stress responses, gene regulation, cell differentiation, and disease. Excellent reviews have been published previously on the underlying physical basis of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of biological molecules (Nat. Phys. 2015, 11, 899-904) and LLPS as it occurs natively in physiology and disease (Science 2017, 357, eaaf4382; Biochemistry 2018, 57, 2479-2487; Chem. Rev. 2014, 114, 6844-6879). Here, we review how the theoretical physical basis of LLPS has been used to better understand the behavior of biomolecules that undergo LLPS in natural systems and how this understanding has also led to the development of novel synthetic systems that exhibit biomolecular phase separation, and technologies that exploit these phenomena. In part 1 of this Review, we explore the theory behind the phase separation of biomolecules and synthetic macromolecules and introduce a few notable phase-separating biomolecules. In part 2, we cover experimental and computational methods used to study phase-separating proteins and how these techniques have uncovered the mechanisms underlying phase separation in physiology and disease. Finally, in part 3, we cover the development and applications of engineered phase-separating polypeptides, ranging from control of their self-assembly to create defined supramolecular architectures to reprogramming biological processes using engineered IDPs that exhibit LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mark Shapiro
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Max Ney
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Seyed Ali Eghtesadi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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18
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Sustained Release Systems for Delivery of Therapeutic Peptide/Protein. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2299-2324. [PMID: 33957752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Peptide/protein therapeutics have been significantly applied in the clinical treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, etc. owing to their high biocompatibility, specificity, and therapeutic efficacy. However, due to their immunogenicity, instability stemming from its complex tertiary and quaternary structure, vulnerability to enzyme degradation, and rapid renal clearance, the clinical application of protein/peptide therapeutics is significantly confined. Though nanotechnology has been demonstrated to prevent enzyme degradation of the protein therapeutics and thus enhance the half-life, issues such as initial burst release and uncontrollable release kinetics are still unsolved. Moreover, the traditional administration method results in poor patient compliance, limiting the clinical application of protein/peptide therapeutics. Exploiting the sustained-release formulations for more controllable delivery of protein/peptide therapeutics to decrease the frequency of injection and enhance patient compliance is thus greatly meaningful. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the substantial advancements of protein/peptide sustained-release systems in the past decades. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of all these sustained-release systems in clinical application together with their future challenges are also discussed in this review.
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19
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Gilroy CA, Capozzi ME, Varanko AK, Tong J, D'Alessio DA, Campbell JE, Chilkoti A. Sustained release of a GLP-1 and FGF21 dual agonist from an injectable depot protects mice from obesity and hyperglycemia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz9890. [PMID: 32923621 PMCID: PMC7449677 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz9890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
There is great interest in identifying a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based combination therapy that will more effectively promote weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a compelling yet previously unexplored drug candidate to combine with GLP-1 due to its thermogenic and insulin-sensitizing effects. Here, we describe the development of a biologic that fuses GLP-1 to FGF21 with an elastin-like polypeptide linker that acts as a sustained release module with zero-order drug release. We show that once-weekly dual-agonist treatment of diabetic mice results in potent weight-reducing effects and enhanced glycemic control that are not observed with either agonist alone. Furthermore, the dual-agonist formulation has superior efficacy compared to a GLP-1/FGF21 mixture, demonstrating the utility of combining two structurally distinct peptides into one multifunctional molecule. We anticipate that these results will spur further investigation into GLP-1/FGF21 multiagonism for the treatment of metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. A. Gilroy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - M. E. Capozzi
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - A. K. Varanko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - J. Tong
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - D. A. D'Alessio
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - J. E. Campbell
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - A. Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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20
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Lipid photosensitizers for suppression of gastric inhibitory polypeptide in obese with type 2 diabetes. Biomaterials 2020; 246:119977. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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21
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Abstract
Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are stimulus-responsive biopolymers derived from human elastin. Their unique properties—including lower critical solution temperature phase behavior and minimal immunogenicity—make them attractive materials for a variety of biomedical applications. ELPs also benefit from recombinant synthesis and genetically encoded design; these enable control over the molecular weight and precise incorporation of peptides and pharmacological agents into the sequence. Because their size and sequence are defined, ELPs benefit from exquisite control over their structure and function, qualities that cannot be matched by synthetic polymers. As such, ELPs have been engineered to assemble into unique architectures and display bioactive agents for a variety of applications. This review discusses the design and representative biomedical applications of ELPs, focusing primarily on their use in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia K. Varanko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Jonathan C. Su
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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22
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Development of a long acting FGF21 analogue-albumin fusion protein and its anti-diabetic effects. J Control Release 2020; 324:522-531. [PMID: 32450094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hormone-like protein that improves blood glucose and lipid metabolism. However, its short half-life and instability are bottlenecks to its clinical applications. In this study, to extend its pharmacological action, we created a stabilized mutant FGF21 (mFGF21:ΔHPIP, P171G, A180E, L118C-A134C, S167A) and then genetically fused it with human albumin (HSA-mFGF21) via a polypeptide linker. Physicochemical analyses suggested that HSA-mFGF21 was formed from both intact HSA and mFGF21. Pharmacokinetic findings indicated the half-life of HSA-mFGF21 was 20 times longer than that of FGF21. In addition, HSA-mFGF21 was persistently distributed in adipose tissue as a target tissue. The in vivo hypoglycemic activity of HSA-mFGF21 using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes model mice, in which insulin secretion was suppressed, showed that a single intravenous administration of HSA-mFGF21 rapidly alleviated hyperglycemia. At that time, HSA-mFGF21 increased GLUT1 mRNA expression in adipose tissue without having any effect on insulin secretion. A twice weekly administration of HSA-mFGF21 continuously suppressed blood glucose levels and ameliorated the abnormalities of adipose tissue induced by STZ treatment. Interestingly, HSA-mFGF21 showed no hypoglycemic effects in healthy mice. Together, HSA-mFGF21 could be a novel biotherapeutic for the treatment of metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus.
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23
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Banskota S, Saha S, Bhattacharya J, Kirmani N, Yousefpour P, Dzuricky M, Zakharov N, Li X, Spasojevic I, Young K, Chilkoti A. Genetically Encoded Stealth Nanoparticles of a Zwitterionic Polypeptide-Paclitaxel Conjugate Have a Wider Therapeutic Window than Abraxane in Multiple Tumor Models. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:2396-2409. [PMID: 32125864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b05094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Small-molecule therapeutics demonstrate suboptimal pharmacokinetics and bioavailability due to their hydrophobicity and size. One way to overcome these limitations-and improve their efficacy-is to use "stealth" macromolecular carriers that evade uptake by the reticuloendothelial system. Although unstructured polypeptides are of increasing interest as macromolecular drug carriers, current recombinant polypeptides in the clinical pipeline typically lack stealth properties. We address this challenge by developing new unstructured polypeptides, called zwitterionic polypeptides (ZIPPs), that exhibit "stealth" behavior in vivo. We show that conjugating paclitaxel to a ZIPP imparts amphiphilicity to the polypeptide chain that is sufficient to drive its self-assembly into micelles. This in turn increases the half-life of paclitaxel by 17-fold compared to free paclitaxel, and by 1.6-fold compared to the nonstealth control, i.e., ELP-paclitaxel. Treatment of mice bearing highly aggressive prostate or colon cancer with a single dose of ZIPP-paclitaxel nanoparticles leads to near-complete eradication of the tumor, and these nanoparticles have a wider therapeutic window than Abraxane, an FDA-approved taxane nanoformulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samagya Banskota
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Soumen Saha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jayanta Bhattacharya
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Nadia Kirmani
- Department of Biology, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Parisa Yousefpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Michael Dzuricky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Nikita Zakharov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Ivan Spasojevic
- Department of Medicine, Pharmaceutical Research PK/PD Core Laboratory, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Kenneth Young
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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24
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Saha S, Banskota S, Roberts S, Kirmani N, Chilkoti A. Engineering the Architecture of Elastin-Like Polypeptides: From Unimers to Hierarchical Self-Assembly. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020; 3:1900164. [PMID: 34307837 PMCID: PMC8297442 DOI: 10.1002/adtp.201900164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Well-defined tunable nanostructures formed through the hierarchical self-assembly of peptide building blocks have drawn significant attention due to their potential applications in biomedical science. Artificial protein polymers derived from elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), which are based on the repeating sequence of tropoelastin (the water-soluble precursor to elastin), provide a promising platform for creating nanostructures due to their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, and customizable architecture. By designing the sequence and composition of ELPs at the gene level, their physicochemical properties can be controlled to a degree that is unmatched by synthetic polymers. A variety of ELP-based nanostructures are designed, inspired by the self-assembly of elastin and other proteins in biological systems. The choice of building blocks determines not only the physical properties of the nanostructures, but also their self-assembly into architectures ranging from spherical micelles to elongated nanofibers. This review focuses on the molecular determinants of ELP and ELP-hybrid self-assembly and formation of spherical, rod-like, worm-like, fibrillar, and vesicle architectures. A brief discussion of the potential biomedical applications of these supramolecular assemblies is also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumen Saha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Samagya Banskota
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Stefan Roberts
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nadia Kirmani
- Department of Biology, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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25
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Li Z, Sreekumar PG, Peddi S, Hinton DR, Kannan R, MacKay JA. The humanin peptide mediates ELP nanoassembly and protects human retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative stress. NANOMEDICINE : NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICINE 2020; 24:102111. [PMID: 31655204 PMCID: PMC7263384 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2019.102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Humanin (HN) is a hydrophobic 24-amino acid peptide derived from mitochondrial DNA that modulates cellular responses to oxidative stress and protects human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from apoptosis. To solubilize HN, this report describes two genetically-encoded fusions between HN and elastin-like polypeptides (ELP). ELPs provide steric stabilization and/or thermo-responsive phase separation. Fusions were designed to either remain soluble or phase separate at the physiological temperature of the retina. Interestingly, the soluble fusion assembles stable colloids with a hydrodynamic radius of 39.1 nm at 37°C. As intended, the thermo-responsive fusion forms large coacervates (>1,000 nm) at 37°C. Both fusions bind human RPE cells and protect against oxidative stress-induction of apoptosis (TUNEL, caspase-3 activation). Their activity is mediated through STAT3; furthermore, STAT3 inhibition eliminates their protection. These findings suggest that HN polypeptides may facilitate cellular delivery of biodegradable nanoparticles with potential protection against age-related diseases, including macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | | | - Santosh Peddi
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - David R Hinton
- Department Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Ram Kannan
- Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - John Andrew MacKay
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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26
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Dubey SK, Alexander A, Pradhyut KS, Agrawal M, Jain R, Saha RN, Singhvi G, Saraf S, Saraf S. Recent Avenues in Novel Patient-Friendly Techniques for the Treatment of Diabetes. Curr Drug Deliv 2020; 17:3-14. [DOI: 10.2174/1567201816666191106102020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic metabolic disorders which affect
the quality of human life worldwide. As per the WHO report, between 1980 to 2014, the number of
diabetes patients increases from 108 million to 422 million, with a global prevalence rate of 8.5% per
year. Diabetes is the prime reason behind various other diseases like kidney failure, stroke, heart disorders,
glaucoma, etc. It is recognized as the seventh leading cause of death throughout the world. The
available therapies are painful (insulin injections) and inconvenient due to higher dosing frequency.
Thus, to find out a promising and convenient treatment, extensive investigations are carried out globally
by combining novel carrier system (like microparticle, microneedle, nanocarrier, microbeads etc.) and
delivery devices (insulin pump, stimuli-responsive device, inhalation system, bioadhesive patch, insulin
pen etc.) for more precise diagnosis and painless or less invasive treatment of disease.
Objective:
The review article is made with an objective to compile information about various upcoming
and existing modern technologies developed to provide greater patient compliance and reduce the undesirable
side effect of the drug. These devices evade the necessity of daily insulin injection and offer a
rapid onset of action, which sustained for a prolonged duration of time to achieve a better therapeutic
effect.
Conclusion:
Despite numerous advantages, various commercialized approaches, like Afrezza (inhalation
insulin) have been a failure in recent years. Such results call for more potential work to develop a
promising system. The novel approaches range from the delivery of non-insulin blood glucose lowering
agents to insulin-based therapy with minimal invasion are highly desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar Dubey
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-PILANI), Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India
| | - Amit Alexander
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER GUWAHATI), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India, NH 37, NITS Mirza, Kamrup- 781125, Guwahati (Assam), India
| | - K. Sai Pradhyut
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-PILANI), Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India
| | - Mukta Agrawal
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER GUWAHATI), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India, NH 37, NITS Mirza, Kamrup- 781125, Guwahati (Assam), India
| | - Rupesh Jain
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-PILANI), Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ranendra Narayana Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-PILANI), Dubai Campus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gautam Singhvi
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-PILANI), Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India
| | - Swarnlata Saraf
- University Institute of Pharmacy, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh 492 010, India
| | - Shailendra Saraf
- University Institute of Pharmacy, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh 492 010, India
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Varanko A, Saha S, Chilkoti A. Recent trends in protein and peptide-based biomaterials for advanced drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2020; 156:133-187. [PMID: 32871201 PMCID: PMC7456198 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Engineering protein and peptide-based materials for drug delivery applications has gained momentum due to their biochemical and biophysical properties over synthetic materials, including biocompatibility, ease of synthesis and purification, tunability, scalability, and lack of toxicity. These biomolecules have been used to develop a host of drug delivery platforms, such as peptide- and protein-drug conjugates, injectable particles, and drug depots to deliver small molecule drugs, therapeutic proteins, and nucleic acids. In this review, we discuss progress in engineering the architecture and biological functions of peptide-based biomaterials -naturally derived, chemically synthesized and recombinant- with a focus on the molecular features that modulate their structure-function relationships for drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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Manzari MT, Anderson GR, Lin KH, Soderquist RS, Çakir M, Zhang M, Moore CE, Skelton RN, Fèvre M, Li X, Bellucci JJ, Wardell SE, Costa SA, Wood KC, Chilkoti A. Genomically informed small-molecule drugs overcome resistance to a sustained-release formulation of an engineered death receptor agonist in patient-derived tumor models. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw9162. [PMID: 31517048 PMCID: PMC6726446 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw9162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Extrinsic pathway agonists have failed repeatedly in the clinic for three core reasons: Inefficient ligand-induced receptor multimerization, poor pharmacokinetic properties, and tumor intrinsic resistance. Here, we address these factors by (i) using a highly potent death receptor agonist (DRA), (ii) developing an injectable depot for sustained DRA delivery, and (iii) leveraging a CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen in DRA-resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to identify functional drivers of resistance. Pharmacological blockade of XIAP and BCL-XL by targeted small-molecule drugs strongly enhanced the antitumor activity of DRA in CRC cell lines. Recombinant fusion of the DRA to a thermally responsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) creates a gel-like depot upon subcutaneous injection that abolishes tumors in DRA-sensitive Colo205 mouse xenografts. Combination of ELPdepot-DRA with BCL-XL and/or XIAP inhibitors led to tumor growth inhibition and extended survival in DRA-resistant patient-derived xenografts. This strategy provides a precision medicine approach to overcome similar challenges with other protein-based cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandana T. Manzari
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Grace R. Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kevin H. Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ryan S. Soderquist
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Merve Çakir
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mitchell Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Chandler E. Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rachel N. Skelton
- Department of Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Maréva Fèvre
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joseph J. Bellucci
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Wardell
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Simone A. Costa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kris C. Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Corresponding author. (K.C.W.); (A.C.)
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Corresponding author. (K.C.W.); (A.C.)
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Wang Z, Guo J, Sun J, Liang P, Wei Y, Deng X, Gao W. Thermoresponsive and Protease-Cleavable Interferon-Polypeptide Conjugates with Spatiotemporally Programmed Two-Step Release Kinetics for Tumor Therapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2019; 6:1900586. [PMID: 31453069 PMCID: PMC6702759 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201900586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Protein-polymer conjugates show improved pharmacokinetics but reduced bioactivity and tumor penetration as compared to native proteins, resulting in limited antitumor efficacy. To address this dilemma, genetic engineering of a body temperature-responsive and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-cleavable conjugate of interferon alpha (IFNα) and elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) is reported with spatiotemporally programmed two-step release kinetics for tumor therapy. Notably, the conjugate could phase separate to form a depot postsubcutaneous injection, leading to 1-month zero-order release kinetics. Furthermore, it could selectively be cleaved by MMPs that are overexpressed in tumors to release IFNα from ELP and thus to recover the bioactivity of IFNα. Consequently, it exhibits dramatically enhanced tumor accumulation, tumor penetration, and antitumor efficacy as compared to free IFNα in two mouse models of melanoma and ovarian tumor. These findings may provide an intelligent technology of thermoresponsive and protease-cleavable protein-polymer conjugates with spatiotemporally programmed two-step release kinetics for tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoran Wang
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
| | - Jianwen Guo
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
| | - Jiawei Sun
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
| | - Ping Liang
- Department of NeurosurgeryBeijing Tsinghua Changgung HospitalSchool of Clinical MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijing102218P. R. China
| | - Yan Wei
- Department of Geriatric DentistryBeijing Laboratory of Biomedical MaterialsPeking University School and Hospital of StomatologyBeijing100081P.R. China
| | - Xuliang Deng
- Department of Geriatric DentistryBeijing Laboratory of Biomedical MaterialsPeking University School and Hospital of StomatologyBeijing100081P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering DepartmentPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Department of Geriatric DentistryBeijing Laboratory of Biomedical MaterialsPeking University School and Hospital of StomatologyBeijing100081P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering DepartmentPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
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30
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Jung SH, Lee JY, Lee SH, Kwon MH, Han ET, Park WS, Hong SH, Kim YM, Ha KS. Preventive Effects of Thermosensitive Biopolymer-Conjugated C-Peptide against High Glucose-Induced Endothelial Cell Dysfunction. Macromol Biosci 2019; 19:e1900129. [PMID: 31310433 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201900129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
C-peptide has emerged as a potential drug for treating diabetic complications. However, clinical application of C-peptide is limited by its short half-life during circulation and costly synthesis methods. To overcome these limitations, a biocompatible and thermosensitive biopolymer-C-peptide conjugate composed of human C-peptide genetically conjugated at the C-terminus of nine repeats of lysine-containing elastin-like polypeptide (K9-C-peptide) is generated. K9-C-peptide exhibits reversible thermal phase behavior with a transition temperature dependent on polypeptide concentration. Degradation of K9-C-peptide hydrogel depends on the concentration of four cleavage enzymes as well as the reaction time and frequency of treatments with elastase-2. The preventive effect of K9-C-peptide against high glucose-induced human aortic endothelial cell dysfunction is further investigated. K9-C-peptide inhibits high glucose-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation, transglutaminase 2 activation, and apoptosis, similar to the inhibitory effects of human C-peptide. Thus, K9-C-peptide is a potential drug depot for the sustained delivery of C-peptide to treat diabetic complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Hui Jung
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Jee-Yeon Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Seong-Hyeon Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Mi-Hye Kwon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Eun-Taek Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Won Sun Park
- Department of Physiology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Seok-Ho Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Young-Myeong Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
| | - Kwon-Soo Ha
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Kangwon-Do, 200-701, Korea
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31
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Ibáñez-Fonseca A, Flora T, Acosta S, Rodríguez-Cabello JC. Trends in the design and use of elastin-like recombinamers as biomaterials. Matrix Biol 2019; 84:111-126. [PMID: 31288085 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), which derive from one of the repetitive domains found in natural elastin, have been intensively studied in the last few years from several points of view. In this mini review, we discuss all the recent works related to the investigation of ELRs, starting with those that define these polypeptides as model intrinsically disordered proteins or regions (IDPs or IDRs) and its relevance for some biomedical applications. Furthermore, we summarize the current knowledge on the development of drug, vaccine and gene delivery systems based on ELRs, while also emphasizing the use of ELR-based hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). Finally, we show different studies that explore applications in other fields, and several examples that describe biomaterial blends in which ELRs have a key role. This review aims to give an overview of the recent advances regarding ELRs and to encourage further investigation of their properties and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Ibáñez-Fonseca
- BIOFORGE Lab, CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Tatjana Flora
- BIOFORGE Lab, CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Sergio Acosta
- BIOFORGE Lab, CIBER-BBN, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
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32
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Varanko AK, Chilkoti A. Molecular and Materials Engineering for Delivery of Peptide Drugs to Treat Type 2 Diabetes. Adv Healthc Mater 2019; 8:e1801509. [PMID: 30762299 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes is exploding globally. Despite numerous treatment options, nearly half of type 2 diabetics are unsuccessful at properly managing the disease, primarily due to a lack of patient compliance, driven by adverse side effects as well as complicated and frequent dosing schedules. Improving the delivery of type 2 diabetes drugs has the potential to increase patient compliance and thus, greatly enhance health outcomes and quality of life. This review focuses on molecular and materials engineering strategies that have been implemented to improve the delivery of peptide drugs to treat type 2 diabetes. Peptide drugs benefit from high potency and specificity but suffer from instability and short half-lives that limit their utility as therapeutics and pose a significant delivery challenge. Several approaches have been developed to improve the availability and efficacy of antidiabetic peptides and proteins in vivo. These methods are reviewed herein and include devices, which sustain the release of peptides in long term, and molecular engineering strategies, which prolong circulation time and slow the release of therapeutic peptides. By optimizing the delivery of these peptides and proteins using these approaches, long-term glucose control can be achieved in type 2 diabetes patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University Durham NC 27708 USA
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33
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34
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Yousefpour P, Ahn L, Tewksbury J, Saha S, Costa SA, Bellucci JJ, Li X, Chilkoti A. Conjugate of Doxorubicin to Albumin-Binding Peptide Outperforms Aldoxorubicin. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1804452. [PMID: 30756483 PMCID: PMC8114561 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201804452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Short circulation time and off-target toxicity are the main challenges faced by small-molecule chemotherapeutics. To overcome these shortcomings, an albumin-binding peptide conjugate of chemotherapeutics is developed that binds specifically to endogenous albumin and harnesses its favorable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for drug delivery to tumors. A protein-G-derived albumin-binding domain (ABD) is conjugated with doxorubicin (Dox) via a pH-sensitive linker. One to two Dox molecules are conjugated to ABD without loss of aqueous solubility. The albumin-binding ABD-Dox conjugate exhibits nanomolar affinity for human and mouse albumin, and upon administration in mice, shows a plasma half-life of 29.4 h, which is close to that of mouse albumin. Additionally, 2 h after administration, ABD-Dox exhibits an approximately 4-fold higher concentration in the tumor than free Dox. Free Dox clears quickly from the tumor, while ABD-Dox maintains a steady concentration in the tumor for at least 72 h, so that its relative accumulation at 72 h is ≈120-fold greater than that of free Dox. The improved pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of ABD-Dox result in enhanced therapeutic efficacy in syngeneic C26 colon carcinoma and MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic tumor xenografts, compared with free Dox and aldoxorubicin, an albumin-reactive Dox prodrug currently in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Yousefpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Lucie Ahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Joel Tewksbury
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Soumen Saha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Simone A Costa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Joseph J Bellucci
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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35
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Banskota S, Yousefpour P, Kirmani N, Li X, Chilkoti A. Long circulating genetically encoded intrinsically disordered zwitterionic polypeptides for drug delivery. Biomaterials 2018; 192:475-485. [PMID: 30504081 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The clinical utility of many peptide and protein drugs is limited by their short in-vivo half-life. To address this limitation, we report a new class of polypeptide-based materials that have a long plasma circulation time. The design of these polypeptides is motivated by the hypothesis that incorporating a zwitterionic sequence, within an intrinsically disordered polypeptide motif, would impart "stealth" behavior to the polypeptide and increase its plasma residence time, a behavior akin to that of synthetic stealth polymers. We designed these zwitterionic polypeptides (ZIPPs) with a repetitive (VPX1X2G)n motif, where X1 and X2 are cationic and anionic amino acids, respectively, and n is the number of repeats. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized a set of ZIPPs with different pairs of cationic and anionic residues with varied chain length. We show that a combination of lysine and glutamic acid in the ZIPP confer superior pharmacokinetics, for both intravenous and subcutaneous administration, compared to uncharged control polypeptides. Finally, to demonstrate their clinical utility, we fused the best performing ZIPP sequence to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1), a peptide drug used for treatment of type-2 diabetes and show that the ZIPP-GLP1 fusion outperforms an uncharged polypeptide of the same molecular weight in a mouse model of type-2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samagya Banskota
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Parisa Yousefpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nadia Kirmani
- Department of Biology, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Xinghai Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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36
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Sreekumar PG, Li Z, Wang W, Spee C, Hinton DR, Kannan R, MacKay JA. Intra-vitreal αB crystallin fused to elastin-like polypeptide provides neuroprotection in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration. J Control Release 2018; 283:94-104. [PMID: 29778783 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe and irreversible central vision loss, and the primary site of AMD pathology is the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of AMD characterized by extensive RPE cell loss, subsequent degeneration of photoreceptors, and thinning of retina. This report describes the protective potential of a peptide derived from the αB crystallin protein using a sodium iodate (NaIO3) induced mouse model of GA. Systemic NaIO3 challenge causes degeneration of the RPE and neighboring photoreceptors, which have similarities to retinas of GA patients. αB crystallin is an abundant ocular protein that maintains ocular clarity and retinal homeostasis, and a small peptide from this protein (mini cry) displays neuroprotective properties. To retain this peptide for longer in the vitreous, mini cry was fused to an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP). A single intra-vitreal treatment by this crySI fusion significantly inhibits retinal degeneration in comparison to free mini cry. While mini cry is cleared from the eye with a mean residence time of 0.4 days, crySI is retained with a mean residence time of 3.0 days; furthermore, fundus photography reveals evidence of retention at two weeks. Unlike the free mini cry, crySI protects the RPE against NaIO3 challenge for at least two weeks after administration. CrySI also inhibits RPE apoptosis and caspase-3 activation and protects the retina from cell death up to 1-month post NaIO3 challenge. These results show that intra-ocular ELP-linked peptides such as crySI hold promise as protective agents to prevent RPE atrophy and progressive retinal degeneration in AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parameswaran G Sreekumar
- Arnold and Mabel Beckman Macular Research Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Wan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Christine Spee
- Department Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - David R Hinton
- Department Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Ram Kannan
- Arnold and Mabel Beckman Macular Research Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - J Andrew MacKay
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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37
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Gilroy CA, Roberts S, Chilkoti A. Fusion of fibroblast growth factor 21 to a thermally responsive biopolymer forms an injectable depot with sustained anti-diabetic action. J Control Release 2018; 277:154-164. [PMID: 29551712 PMCID: PMC5945213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is under investigation as a type 2 diabetes protein drug, but its efficacy is impeded by rapid in vivo clearance and by costly production methods. To improve the protein's therapeutic utility, we recombinantly expressed FGF21 as a fusion with an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), a peptide polymer that exhibits reversible thermal phase behavior. Below a critical temperature, ELPs exist as miscible unimers, while above, they associate into a coacervate. The thermal responsiveness of ELPs is retained upon fusion to proteins, which has notable consequences for the production and in vivo delivery of FGF21. First, the ELP acts as a solubility enhancer during E. coli expression, yielding active fusion protein from the soluble cell lysate fraction and eliminating the protein refolding steps that are required for purification of FGF21 from inclusion bodies. Second, the ELP's phase transition behavior is exploited for facile chromatography-free purification of the ELP-FGF21 fusion. Third, the composition and molecular weight of the ELP are designed such that the ELP-FGF21 fusion undergoes a phase transition triggered solely by body heat, resulting in an immiscible viscous phase upon subcutaneous (s.c.) injection and thereby creating an injectable depot. Indeed, a single s.c. injection of ELP-FGF21 affords up to five days of sustained glycemic control in ob/ob mice. The ELP fusion partner massively streamlines production and purification of FGF21, while providing a controlled release method for delivery that reduces the frequency of injection, thereby enhancing the pharmacological properties of FGF21 as a protein drug to treat metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caslin A Gilroy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Stefan Roberts
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 101 Science Dr., Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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