1
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Oates RN, Lieu LB, Srzentić K, Damoc E, Fornelli L. Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody by Native and Denaturing Top-Down Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:2197-2208. [PMID: 39105725 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Established in recent years as an important approach to unraveling the heterogeneity of intact monoclonal antibodies, native mass spectrometry has been rarely utilized for sequencing these complex biomolecules via tandem mass spectrometry. Typically, top-down mass spectrometry has been performed starting from highly charged precursor ions obtained via electrospray ionization under denaturing conditions (i.e., in the presence of organic solvents and acidic pH). Here we systematically benchmark four distinct ion dissociation methods─namely, higher-energy collisional dissociation, electron transfer dissociation, electron transfer dissociation/higher-energy collisional dissociation, and 213 nm ultraviolet photodissociation─in their capability to characterize a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab, starting from denatured and native-like precursor ions. Interestingly, native top-down mass spectrometry results in higher sequence coverage than the experiments carried out under denaturing conditions, with the exception of ultraviolet photodissociation. Globally, electron transfer dissociation followed by collision-based activation of product ions generates the largest number of backbone cleavages in disulfide protected regions, including the complementarity determining regions, regardless of electrospray ionization conditions. Overall, these findings suggest that native mass spectrometry can certainly be used for the gas-phase sequencing of whole monoclonal antibodies, although the dissociation of denatured precursor ions still returns a few backbone cleavages not identified in native experiments. Finally, a comparison of the fragmentation maps obtained under denaturing and native conditions strongly points toward disulfide bonds as the primary reason behind the largely overlapping dissociation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan N Oates
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Linda B Lieu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | | | - Eugen Damoc
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen, DE-HB 28199, Germany
| | - Luca Fornelli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
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2
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Wang CR, McFarlane LO, Pukala TL. Exploring snake venoms beyond the primary sequence: From proteoforms to protein-protein interactions. Toxicon 2024; 247:107841. [PMID: 38950738 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107841] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Snakebite envenomation has been a long-standing global issue that is difficult to treat, largely owing to the flawed nature of current immunoglobulin-based antivenom therapy and the complexity of snake venoms as sophisticated mixtures of bioactive proteins and peptides. Comprehensive characterisation of venom compositions is essential to better understanding snake venom toxicity and inform effective and rationally designed antivenoms. Additionally, a greater understanding of snake venom composition will likely unearth novel biologically active proteins and peptides that have promising therapeutic or biotechnological applications. While a bottom-up proteomic workflow has been the main approach for cataloguing snake venom compositions at the toxin family level, it is unable to capture snake venom heterogeneity in the form of protein isoforms and higher-order protein interactions that are important in driving venom toxicity but remain underexplored. This review aims to highlight the importance of understanding snake venom heterogeneity beyond the primary sequence, in the form of post-translational modifications that give rise to different proteoforms and the myriad of higher-order protein complexes in snake venoms. We focus on current top-down proteomic workflows to identify snake venom proteoforms and further discuss alternative or novel separation, instrumentation, and data processing strategies that may improve proteoform identification. The current higher-order structural characterisation techniques implemented for snake venom proteins are also discussed; we emphasise the need for complementary and higher resolution structural bioanalytical techniques such as mass spectrometry-based approaches, X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy, to elucidate poorly characterised tertiary and quaternary protein structures. We envisage that the expansion of the snake venom characterisation "toolbox" with top-down proteomics and high-resolution protein structure determination techniques will be pivotal in advancing structural understanding of snake venoms towards the development of improved therapeutic and biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ruth Wang
- Discipline of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Lewis O McFarlane
- Discipline of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Tara L Pukala
- Discipline of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia.
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3
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Le Huray KI, Wörner TP, Moreira T, Dembek M, Reinhardt-Szyba M, Devine PWA, Bond NJ, Fort KL, Makarov AA, Sobott F. To 200,000 m/ z and Beyond: Native Electron Capture Charge Reduction Mass Spectrometry Deconvolves Heterogeneous Signals in Large Biopharmaceutical Analytes. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:1548-1561. [PMID: 39220705 PMCID: PMC11363327 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Great progress has been made in the detection of large biomolecular analytes by native mass spectrometry; however, characterizing highly heterogeneous samples remains challenging due to the presence of many overlapping signals from complex ion distributions. Electron-capture charge reduction (ECCR), in which a protein cation captures free electrons without apparent dissociation, can separate overlapping signals by shifting the ions to lower charge states. The concomitant shift to higher m/z also facilitates the exploration of instrument upper m/z limits if large complexes are used. Here we perform native ECCR on the bacterial chaperonin GroEL and megadalton scale adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid assemblies on a Q Exactive UHMR mass spectrometer. Charge reduction of AAV8 capsids by up to 90% pushes signals well above 100,000 m/z and enables charge state resolution and mean mass determination of these highly heterogeneous samples, even for capsids loaded with genetic cargo. With minor instrument modifications, the UHMR instrument can detect charge-reduced ion signals beyond 200,000 m/z. This work demonstrates the utility of ECCR for deconvolving heterogeneous signals in native mass spectrometry and presents the highest m/z signals ever recorded on an Orbitrap instrument, opening up the use of Orbitrap native mass spectrometry for heavier analytes than ever before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle I.
P. Le Huray
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
| | - Tobias P. Wörner
- Thermo
Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Hanna-Kunath Str. 11, 28199 Bremen, Germany
| | - Tiago Moreira
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
| | - Marcin Dembek
- Purification
Process Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K.
| | | | - Paul W. A. Devine
- Analytical
Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K.
| | - Nicholas J. Bond
- Analytical
Sciences, Biopharmaceutical Development, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K.
| | - Kyle L. Fort
- Thermo
Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Hanna-Kunath Str. 11, 28199 Bremen, Germany
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander A. Makarov
- Thermo
Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Hanna-Kunath Str. 11, 28199 Bremen, Germany
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Sobott
- Astbury
Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
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4
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Xu T, Wang Q, Wang Q, Sun L. Mass spectrometry-intensive top-down proteomics: an update on technology advancements and biomedical applications. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2024; 16:4664-4682. [PMID: 38973469 PMCID: PMC11257149 DOI: 10.1039/d4ay00651h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Proteoforms are all forms of protein molecules from the same gene because of variations at the DNA, RNA, and protein levels, e.g., alternative splicing and post-translational modifications (PTMs). Delineation of proteins in a proteoform-specific manner is crucial for understanding their biological functions. Mass spectrometry (MS)-intensive top-down proteomics (TDP) is promising for comprehensively characterizing intact proteoforms in complex biological systems. It has achieved substantial progress in technological development, including sample preparation, proteoform separations, MS instrumentation, and bioinformatics tools. In a single TDP study, thousands of proteoforms can be identified and quantified from a cell lysate. It has also been applied to various biomedical research to better our understanding of protein function in regulating cellular processes and to discover novel proteoform biomarkers of diseases for early diagnosis and therapeutic development. This review covers the most recent technological development and biomedical applications of MS-intensive TDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Qianjie Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Qianyi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Liangliang Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 578 S Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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5
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Fischer MS, Rogers HT, Chapman EA, Chan HJ, Krichel B, Gao Z, Larson EJ, Ge Y. Online Mixed-Bed Ion Exchange Chromatography for Native Top-Down Proteomics of Complex Mixtures. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:2315-2322. [PMID: 38913967 PMCID: PMC11344481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00430] [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] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Native top-down mass spectrometry (nTDMS) allows characterization of protein structure and noncovalent interactions with simultaneous sequence mapping and proteoform characterization. The majority of nTDMS studies utilize purified recombinant proteins, with significant challenges hindering application to endogenous systems. To perform native top-down proteomics (nTDP), where endogenous proteins from complex biological systems are analyzed by nTDMS, it is essential to separate proteins under nondenaturing conditions. However, it remains difficult to achieve high resolution with MS-compatible online chromatography while preserving protein tertiary structure and noncovalent interactions. Herein, we report the use of online mixed-bed ion exchange chromatography (IEC) to enable separation of endogenous proteins from complex mixtures under nondenaturing conditions, preserving noncovalent interactions for nTDP analysis. We have successfully detected large proteins (>146 kDa) and identified endogenous metal-binding and oligomeric protein complexes in human heart tissue lysate. The use of a mixed-bed stationary phase allowed retention and elution of proteins over a wide range of isoelectric points without altering the sample or mobile phase pH. Overall, our method provides a simple online IEC-MS platform that can effectively separate proteins from complex mixtures under nondenaturing conditions and preserve higher-order structure for nTDP applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Fischer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
| | - Holden T. Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
| | - Emily A. Chapman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
| | - Hsin-Ju Chan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
| | - Boris Krichel
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, USA 53705
- School of Life Sciences, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein Str. 2a, Siegen, Germany, 57076
| | - Zhan Gao
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, USA 53705
| | - Eli J. Larson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
| | - Ying Ge
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI, USA 53706
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, USA 53705
- Human Proteomics Program, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, USA 53705
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6
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Yin V, Deslignière E, Mokiem N, Gazi I, Lood R, de Haas CJC, Rooijakkers SHM, Heck AJR. Not All Arms of IgM Are Equal: Following Hinge-Directed Cleavage by Online Native SEC-Orbitrap-Based CDMS. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:1320-1329. [PMID: 38767111 PMCID: PMC11157650 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Immunoglobulins M (IgM) are key natural antibodies produced initially in humoral immune response. Due to their large molecular weights and extensive glycosylation loads, IgMs represent a challenging target for conventional mass analysis. Charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) may provide a unique approach to tackle heterogeneous IgM assemblies, although this technique can be quite laborious and technically challenging. Here, we describe the use of online size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to automate buffer exchange and sample introduction, and demonstrate its adaptability with Orbitrap-based CDMS. We discuss optimal experimental parameters for online SEC-CDMS experiments, including ion activation, choice of column, and resolution. Using this approach, CDMS histograms containing hundreds of individual ion signals can be obtained in as little as 5 min from single injections of <1 μg of sample. To demonstrate the unique utility of online SEC-CDMS, we performed real-time kinetic monitoring of pentameric IgM digestion by the protease IgMBRAZOR, which cleaves specifically in the hinge region of IgM. Several digestion intermediates corresponding to processive losses of F(ab')2 subunits could be mass-resolved and identified by SEC-CDMS. Interestingly, we find that for the J-chain linked IgM pentamer, cleavage of one of the F(ab')2 subunits is much slower than the other four F(ab')2 subunits, which we attribute to the symmetry-breaking interactions of the J-chain within the pentameric IgM structure. The online SEC-CDMS methodologies described here open new avenues into the higher throughput automated analysis of heterogeneous, high-mass protein assemblies by CDMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Yin
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584
CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Evolène Deslignière
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584
CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nadia Mokiem
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584
CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Gazi
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584
CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rolf Lood
- Genovis
AB, Scheelevägen
2, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Carla J. C. de Haas
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Suzan H. M. Rooijakkers
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert J. R. Heck
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584
CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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7
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Townsend DR, Towers DM, Lavinder JJ, Ippolito GC. Innovations and trends in antibody repertoire analysis. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 86:103082. [PMID: 38428225 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies have revolutionized the treatment of human diseases, which has made them the fastest-growing class of therapeutics, with global sales expected to reach $346.6 billion USD by 2028. Advances in antibody engineering and development have led to the creation of increasingly sophisticated antibody-based therapeutics (e.g. bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor T cells). However, approaches for antibody discovery have remained comparatively grounded in conventional yet reliable in vitro assays. Breakthrough developments in high-throughput single B-cell sequencing and immunoglobulin proteomic serology, however, have enabled the identification of high-affinity antibodies directly from endogenous B cells or circulating immunoglobulin produced in vivo. Moreover, advances in artificial intelligence offer vast potential for antibody discovery and design with large-scale repertoire datasets positioned as the optimal source of training data for such applications. We highlight advances and recent trends in how these technologies are being applied to antibody repertoire analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas R Townsend
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Dalton M Towers
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jason J Lavinder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Gregory C Ippolito
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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8
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Dhenin J, Lafont V, Dupré M, Krick A, Mauriac C, Chamot-Rooke J. Monitoring mAb proteoforms in mouse plasma using an automated immunocapture combined with top-down and middle-down mass spectrometry. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300069. [PMID: 37480175 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have established themselves as the leading biopharmaceutical therapeutic modality. Once the developability of a mAb drug candidate has been assessed, an important step is to check its in vivo stability through pharmacokinetics (PK) studies. The gold standard is ligand-binding assay (LBA) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) performed at the peptide level (bottom-up approach). However, these analytical techniques do not allow to address the different mAb proteoforms that can arise from biotransformation. In recent years, top-down and middle-down mass spectrometry approaches have gained popularity to characterize proteins at the proteoform level but are not yet widely used for PK studies. We propose here a workflow based on an automated immunocapture followed by top-down and middle-down liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approaches to characterize mAb proteoforms spiked in mouse plasma. We demonstrate the applicability of our workflow on a large concentration range using pembrolizumab as a model. We also compare the performance of two state-of-the-art Orbitrap platforms (Tribrid Eclipse and Exploris 480) for these studies. The added value of our workflow for an accurate and sensitive characterization of mAb proteoforms in mouse plasma is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Dhenin
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- DMPK, Sanofi R&D, Chilly-Mazarin, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Julia Chamot-Rooke
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology, Paris, France
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9
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Kline JT, Melani RD, Fornelli L. Mass spectrometry characterization of antibodies at the intact and subunit levels: from targeted to large-scale analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 492:117117. [PMID: 38855125 PMCID: PMC11160972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijms.2023.117117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Antibodies are one of the most formidable molecular weapons available to our immune system. Their high specificity against a target (antigen) and capability of triggering different immune responses (e.g., complement system activation and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity) make them ideal drugs to fight many different human diseases. Currently, both monoclonal antibodies and more complex molecules based on the antibody scaffold are used as biologics. Naturally, such highly heterogeneous molecules require dedicated analytical methodologies for their accurate characterization. Mass spectrometry (MS) can define the presence and relative abundance of multiple features of antibodies, including critical quality attributes. The combination of small and large variations within a single molecule can only be determined by analyzing intact antibodies or their large (25 to 100 kDa) subunits. Hence, top-down (TD) and middle-down (MD) MS approaches have gained popularity over the last decade. In this Young Scientist Feature we discuss the evolution of TD and MD MS analysis of antibodies, including the new frontiers that go beyond biopharma applications. We will show how this field is now moving from the "quality control" analysis of a known, single antibody to the high-throughput investigation of complex antibody repertoires isolated from clinical samples, where the ultimate goal is represented by the complete gas-phase sequencing of antibody molecules without the need of any a priori knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake T. Kline
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Rafael D. Melani
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, San Jose, California 95134, United States
| | - Luca Fornelli
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
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10
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Dafun AS, Živković D, Leon-Icaza SA, Möller S, Froment C, Bonnet D, de Jesus AA, Alric L, Quaranta-Nicaise M, Ferrand A, Cougoule C, Meunier E, Burlet-Schiltz O, Ebstein F, Goldbach-Mansky R, Krüger E, Bousquet MP, Marcoux J. Establishing 20S Proteasome Genetic, Translational and Post-Translational Status from Precious Biological and Patient Samples with Top-Down MS. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060844. [PMID: 36980185 PMCID: PMC10047880 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian 20S catalytic core of the proteasome is made of 14 different subunits (α1-7 and β1-7) but exists as different subtypes depending on the cell type. In immune cells, for instance, constitutive catalytic proteasome subunits can be replaced by the so-called immuno-catalytic subunits, giving rise to the immunoproteasome. Proteasome activity is also altered by post-translational modifications (PTMs) and by genetic variants. Immunochemical methods are commonly used to investigate these PTMs whereby protein-tagging is necessary to monitor their effect on 20S assembly. Here, we present a new miniaturized workflow combining top-down and bottom-up mass spectrometry of immunopurified 20S proteasomes that analyze the proteasome assembly status as well as the full proteoform footprint, revealing PTMs, mutations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and induction of immune-subunits in different biological samples, including organoids, biopsies and B-lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from patients with proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndromes (PRAAS). We emphasize the benefits of using top-down mass spectrometry in preserving the endogenous conformation of protein modifications, while enabling a rapid turnaround (1 h run) and ensuring high sensitivity (1–2 pmol) and demonstrate its capacity to semi-quantify constitutive and immune proteasome subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique Sanchez Dafun
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Dušan Živković
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Stephen Adonai Leon-Icaza
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Möller
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carine Froment
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Delphine Bonnet
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31300 Toulouse, France
- Internal Medicine Department of Digestive Disease, Rangueil Hospital, Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Adriana Almeida de Jesus
- Translational Autoinflammatory Diseases Section, LCIM, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Laurent Alric
- Internal Medicine Department of Digestive Disease, Rangueil Hospital, Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Muriel Quaranta-Nicaise
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Audrey Ferrand
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Céline Cougoule
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Etienne Meunier
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Odile Burlet-Schiltz
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Frédéric Ebstein
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky
- Translational Autoinflammatory Diseases Section, LCIM, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Elke Krüger
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marie-Pierre Bousquet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
- Correspondence: (M.-P.B.); (J.M.)
| | - Julien Marcoux
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
- Correspondence: (M.-P.B.); (J.M.)
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11
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Hecht ES, Obiorah EC, Liu X, Morrison L, Shion H, Lauber M. Microflow size exclusion chromatography to preserve micromolar affinity complexes and achieve subunit separations for native state mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1685:463638. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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12
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Brodbelt JS. Deciphering combinatorial post-translational modifications by top-down mass spectrometry. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 70:102180. [PMID: 35779351 PMCID: PMC9489649 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) create vast structural and functional diversity of proteins, ultimately modulating protein function and degradation, influencing cellular signaling, and regulating transcription. The combinatorial patterns of PTMs increase the heterogeneity of proteins and further mediates their interactions. Advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics have resulted in identification of thousands of proteins and allowed characterization of numerous types and sites of PTMs. Examination of intact proteins, termed the top-down approach, offers the potential to map protein sequences and localize multiple PTMs on each protein, providing the most comprehensive cataloging of proteoforms. This review describes some of the dividends of using mass spectrometry to analyze intact proteins and showcases innovative strategies that have enhanced the promise of top-down proteomics for exploring the impact of combinatorial PTMs in unsurpassed detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S Brodbelt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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13
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Blevins MS, Juetten KJ, James VK, Butalewicz JP, Escobar EE, Lanzillotti MB, Sanders JD, Fort KL, Brodbelt JS. Nanohydrophobic Interaction Chromatography Coupled to Ultraviolet Photodissociation Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Intact Proteins in Low Charge States. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:2493-2503. [PMID: 36043517 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The direct correlation between proteoforms and biological phenotype necessitates the exploration of mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods more suitable for proteoform detection and characterization. Here, we couple nano-hydrophobic interaction chromatography (nano-HIC) to ultraviolet photodissociation MS (UVPD-MS) for separation and characterization of intact proteins and proteoforms. High linearity, sensitivity, and sequence coverage are obtained with this method for a variety of proteins. Investigation of collisional cross sections of intact proteins during nano-HIC indicates semifolded conformations in low charge states, enabling a different dimension of separation in comparison to traditional, fully denaturing reversed-phase separations. This method is demonstrated for a mixture of intact proteins from Escherichia coli ribosomes; high sequence coverage is obtained for a variety of modified and unmodified proteoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly S Blevins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Kyle J Juetten
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Virginia K James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Jamie P Butalewicz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Edwin E Escobar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Michael B Lanzillotti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - James D Sanders
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Kyle L Fort
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen 28199, Germany
| | - Jennifer S Brodbelt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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14
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Liu R, Xia S, Li H. Native top-down mass spectrometry for higher-order structural characterization of proteins and complexes. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2022:e21793. [PMID: 35757976 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Progress in structural biology research has led to a high demand for powerful and yet complementary analytical tools for structural characterization of proteins and protein complexes. This demand has significantly increased interest in native mass spectrometry (nMS), particularly native top-down mass spectrometry (nTDMS) in the past decade. This review highlights recent advances in nTDMS for structural research of biological assemblies, with a particular focus on the extra multi-layers of information enabled by TDMS. We include a short introduction of sample preparation and ionization to nMS, tandem fragmentation techniques as well as mass analyzers and software/analysis pipelines used for nTDMS. We highlight unique structural information offered by nTDMS and examples of its broad range of applications in proteins, protein-ligand interactions (metal, cofactor/drug, DNA/RNA, and protein), therapeutic antibodies and antigen-antibody complexes, membrane proteins, macromolecular machineries (ribosome, nucleosome, proteosome, and viruses), to endogenous protein complexes. The challenges, potential, along with perspectives of nTDMS methods for the analysis of proteins and protein assemblies in recombinant and biological samples are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shujun Xia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huilin Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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15
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de Graaf SC, Hoek M, Tamara S, Heck AJR. A perspective toward mass spectrometry-based de novo sequencing of endogenous antibodies. MAbs 2022; 14:2079449. [PMID: 35699511 PMCID: PMC9225641 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2079449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A key step in therapeutic and endogenous humoral antibody characterization is identifying the amino acid sequence. So far, this task has been mainly tackled through sequencing of B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoires at the nucleotide level. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as an alternative tool for obtaining sequence information directly at the – most relevant – protein level. Although several MS methods are now well established, analysis of recombinant and endogenous antibodies comes with a specific set of challenges, requiring approaches beyond the conventional proteomics workflows. Here, we review the challenges in MS-based sequencing of both recombinant as well as endogenous humoral antibodies and outline state-of-the-art methods attempting to overcome these obstacles. We highlight recent examples and discuss remaining challenges. We foresee a great future for these approaches making de novo antibody sequencing and discovery by MS-based techniques feasible, even for complex clinical samples from endogenous sources such as serum and other liquid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiaan C de Graaf
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Max Hoek
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Sem Tamara
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
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16
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Yang W, Ivanov DG, Kaltashov IA. Extending the capabilities of intact-mass analyses to monoclonal immunoglobulins of the E-isotype (IgE). MAbs 2022; 14:2103906. [PMID: 35895856 PMCID: PMC9336480 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2103906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mass spectrometry (MS) has become an indispensable tool in structural characterization and quality control of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Intact-mass analysis is a particularly attractive option that provides a powerful and cost-effective means to not only confirm the structural integrity of the protein, but also probe its interactions with therapeutic targets. To a certain extent, this success can be attributed to relatively modest glycosylation levels exhibited by IgG molecules, which limits their structural heterogeneity and enables straightforward mass measurements at the intact molecule level. The recent surge of interest in expanding the repertoire of mAbs to include other classes of immunoglobulins places a premium on efforts to adapt the IgG-tailored experimental strategies to other classes of antibodies, but their dramatically higher levels of glycosylation may create insurmountable obstacles. The monoclonal murine IgE antibody explored in this work provides a challenging model system, as its glycosylation level exceeds that of conventional IgG mAbs by a factor of nine. The commercial sample, which included various IgE fragments, yields a poorly resolved ionic signal in intact-mass measurements, from which little useful information can be extracted. However, coupling MS measurements with the limited charge reduction of select polycationic species in the gas phase gives rise to well-defined charge ladders, from which both ionic masses and charges can be readily determined. The measurements reveal significant variation of the extent of glycosylation within intact IgE molecules, as well as the presence of low-molecular weight impurities in the commercial IgE sample. Furthermore, incubation of the monoclonal IgE with its antigen (ovalbumin) gives rise to the formation of complexes with varying stoichiometries, which can also be uniquely identified using a combination of native MS, limited charge reduction in the gas phase and data fitting procedures. This work demonstrates that following appropriate modifications, intact-mass analysis measurements can be successfully applied to mAbs beyond the IgG isotype, providing a wealth of information not only on the mass distribution of the intact IgE molecules, but also their large-scale conformational integrity, the integrity of their covalent structure, and their interactions with antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,College of Light Industry and Food, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Daniil G Ivanov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Igor A Kaltashov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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