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Schromm AB, Correa W, Gisch N, Steiniger F, Richter W, Martinez-de-Tejada G, Brandenburg K, von Wintzingerode F. Supramolecular assembly of micellar aggregates is the basis of low endotoxin recovery (LER) in a drug formulation that can be resolved by a whole blood assay. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116286. [PMID: 38401515 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is ubiquitous and represents a harmful contaminant of pharmaceutical compounds, recombinant biologicals and drug products. The pyrogen can induce severe immune responses and pathology in vitro and in vivo. Health authorities require strict control of endotoxin in parenteral drugs. However, for research and pre-clinical compound analysis, endotoxin testing is not a required quality control, which may cause potential drawbacks in the translational pipeline. Endotoxin testing is usually performed by the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay, which is hampered by the so-called low endotoxin recovery (LER) effect when certain drug formulations are tested. A comprehensive study including structural, biophysical, and biological analyses was conducted to identify LER root cause for phosphate- and polysorbate-containing parenteral drug products. LPS in water showed extended ribbon-like aggregate structures. In placebo (formulation buffer without drug) and in drug product (drug in formulation buffer), a reaggregation of LPS into a network of interlinked micelles with hidden head group charges, and a strong reduction of the negative surface potential was observed. The non-accessibility of the LPS backbone has a direct impact leading (i) to a loss of activation of the LAL-cascade, (ii) reduced activation of the TLR4/MD-2 receptor system, and (iii) increased survival in a mouse model of endotoxemia. These data provide a structure-based explanation of the LER-underlying mechanisms. A human whole blood assay is shown to resolve LER and detect the pyrogenic activity of endotoxin with high sensitivity. This may open new test options to improve quality control in drug development and drug safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andra B Schromm
- Division of Immunobiophysics, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany; Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science KiNSIS, Kiel University, Germany.
| | - Wilmar Correa
- Division of Biophysics, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Nicolas Gisch
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany.
| | - Frank Steiniger
- Electron Microscopy Centre, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Walter Richter
- Electron Microscopy Centre, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Guillermo Martinez-de-Tejada
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
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Fux AC, Casonato Melo C, Michelini S, Swartzwelter BJ, Neusch A, Italiani P, Himly M. Heterogeneity of Lipopolysaccharide as Source of Variability in Bioassays and LPS-Binding Proteins as Remedy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098395. [PMID: 37176105 PMCID: PMC10179214 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), also referred to as endotoxin, is the major component of Gram-negative bacteria's outer cell wall. It is one of the main types of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that are known to elicit severe immune reactions in the event of a pathogen trespassing the epithelial barrier and reaching the bloodstream. Associated symptoms include fever and septic shock, which in severe cases, might even lead to death. Thus, the detection of LPS in medical devices and injectable pharmaceuticals is of utmost importance. However, the term LPS does not describe one single molecule but a diverse class of molecules sharing one common feature: their characteristic chemical structure. Each bacterial species has its own pool of LPS molecules varying in their chemical composition and enabling the aggregation into different supramolecular structures upon release from the bacterial cell wall. As this heterogeneity has consequences for bioassays, we aim to examine the great variability of LPS molecules and their potential to form various supramolecular structures. Furthermore, we describe current LPS quantification methods and the LPS-dependent inflammatory pathway and show how LPS heterogeneity can affect them. With the intent of overcoming these challenges and moving towards a universal approach for targeting LPS, we review current studies concerning LPS-specific binders. Finally, we give perspectives for LPS research and the use of LPS-binding molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C Fux
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
- Chemical Biology Department, R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 68, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Cristiane Casonato Melo
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
- Chemical Biology Department, R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 68, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Sara Michelini
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Benjamin J Swartzwelter
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, 1601 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Andreas Neusch
- Experimental Medical Physics, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Paola Italiani
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Martin Himly
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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Gorman A, Golovanov AP. Lipopolysaccharide Structure and the Phenomenon of Low Endotoxin Recovery. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 180:289-307. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cao Y, Zhang Y, Qiu F. Low endotoxin recovery and its impact on endotoxin detection. Biopolymers 2021; 112:e23470. [PMID: 34407207 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Endotoxin exists on the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and poses risks to human health by triggering a series of immune responses. Therefore, its accurate detection is essential. The Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) test is the most pharmacopeia-recognized and popular technique for endotoxin detection. Despite its wide industry adoption, the low endotoxin recovery (LER) phenomenon can compromise the LAL test's reliability. This review summarizes the possible reasons attributing to the LER phenomenon from three different perspectives: the endotoxin standards used in hold time study, protein active pharmaceutical ingredients, and excipients. Potential mechanisms and strategies to mitigate the LER phenomenon are also discussed as presented by different research groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cao
- Department of Process Development, BeiGene Guangzhou Biologics Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Zhang
- Department of Process Development, BeiGene Guangzhou Biologics Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Frank Qiu
- Department of Process Development, BeiGene Guangzhou Biologics Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
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