1
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Manning MC, Holcomb RE, Payne RW, Stillahn JM, Connolly BD, Katayama DS, Liu H, Matsuura JE, Murphy BM, Henry CS, Crommelin DJA. Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals: Recent Advances. Pharm Res 2024:10.1007/s11095-024-03726-x. [PMID: 38937372 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-024-03726-x] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
There have been significant advances in the formulation and stabilization of proteins in the liquid state over the past years since our previous review. Our mechanistic understanding of protein-excipient interactions has increased, allowing one to develop formulations in a more rational fashion. The field has moved towards more complex and challenging formulations, such as high concentration formulations to allow for subcutaneous administration and co-formulation. While much of the published work has focused on mAbs, the principles appear to apply to any therapeutic protein, although mAbs clearly have some distinctive features. In this review, we first discuss chemical degradation reactions. This is followed by a section on physical instability issues. Then, more specific topics are addressed: instability induced by interactions with interfaces, predictive methods for physical stability and interplay between chemical and physical instability. The final parts are devoted to discussions how all the above impacts (co-)formulation strategies, in particular for high protein concentration solutions.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Cornell Manning
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Ryan E Holcomb
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Robert W Payne
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joshua M Stillahn
- Legacy BioDesign LLC, Johnstown, CO, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Charles S Henry
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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2
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Defant P, Regl C, Huber CG, Schubert M. The NMR signature of maltose-based glycation in full-length proteins. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2024; 78:61-72. [PMID: 38114873 PMCID: PMC10981599 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-023-00432-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Reducing sugars can spontaneously react with free amines in protein side chains leading to posttranslational modifications (PTMs) called glycation. In contrast to glycosylation, glycation is a non-enzymatic modification with consequences on the overall charge, solubility, aggregation susceptibility and functionality of a protein. Glycation is a critical quality attribute of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. In addition to glucose, also disaccharides like maltose can form glycation products. We present here a detailed NMR analysis of the Amadori product formed between proteins and maltose. For better comparison, data collection was done under denaturing conditions using 7 M urea-d4 in D2O. The here presented correlation patterns serve as a signature and can be used to identify maltose-based glycation in any protein that can be denatured. In addition to the model protein BSA, which can be readily glycated, we present data of the biotherapeutic abatacept containing maltose in its formulation buffer. With this contribution, we demonstrate that NMR spectroscopy is an independent method for detecting maltose-based glycation, that is suited for cross-validation with other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Defant
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christof Regl
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christian G Huber
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mario Schubert
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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3
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Gardon L, Becker N, Gremer L, Heise H. Structural Impact of N-terminal Pyroglutamate in an Amyloid-β(3-42) Fibril Probed by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303007. [PMID: 38100216 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303007] [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: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, primarily formed by Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(1-42) fibrils, are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The Aβ peptide can undergo a high variety of different post-translational modifications including formation of a pyroglutamate (pGlu, pE) at N-terminal Glu3 or Glu11 of truncated Aβ(3-x) or Aβ(11-x), respectively. Here we studied structural similarities and differences between pEAβ(3-42) and LS-shaped Aβ(1-42) fibrils grown under identical conditions (pH 2) using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. We show that the central region of pEAβ(3-42) fibrils including the turn region around V24 is almost identical to Aβ(1-42) showing similar β-strands also at the N-terminus. The missing N-terminal residues D1-A2 along with pE3 formation in pEAβ(3-42) preclude a salt bridge between K28-D1' as in Aβ(1-42) fibrils. G37 and G38 act as highly sensitive internal sensors for the modified N-terminus, which remains rigid over ~five pH units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Gardon
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nina Becker
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lothar Gremer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Henrike Heise
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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4
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Kumar S, Peruri V, Rathore AS. An Online Two-Dimensional Approach to Characterizing the Charge-Based Heterogeneity of Recombinant Monoclonal Antibodies Using a 2D-CEX-AEX-MS Workflow. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:2801-2810. [PMID: 37994779 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00308] [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: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of product quality attributes such as charge heterogeneity is an upmost requisite for the release of a monoclonal antibody (mAb). Analytical techniques, such as cation-exchange chromatography (CEX), accomplish this, causing the mAb to separate into acidic, main species, and basic variants. Here, an online volatile-salt-containing two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) method coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) was performed to characterize the charge heterogeneity of mAbs using CEX chromatography in the first dimension (D1) and anion-exchange chromatography (AEX) in the second dimension (D2). The main peak of the CEX profile of D1 was transferred through a 2D heart-cut method to D2 for further analysis by the AEX-MS method. In the CEX method, mAb A showed 10 distinct variants, while the AEX method resulted in eight variants. However, a total of 13 variants were successfully resolved for mAb A in the 2D method. Similarly, mAb B exhibited seven variants in the CEX method and four variants in the AEX method, but the 2D-LC method revealed a total of nine variants for mAb B. Likewise, mAb C displayed seven variants in CEX and seven variants in AEX, whereas the 2D-LC method unveiled a total of 11 variants for mAb C. Additionally, native MS analysis revealed that the resolved charge variants were identified as amidation, oxidation, and isomerization of Asp variants in the main peak, which were not resolved in stand-alone methods. The present study demonstrates how 2D-LC can assist in identifying minor variations in charge distribution or conformation of mAb variants that would otherwise not be picked up by a single analytical method alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Vineela Peruri
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Anurag S Rathore
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
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5
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Füssl F, Carillo S, Millán-Martín S, Jakes C, Bora K, Liberatori S, Graham J, Bones J. Exploring proteoforms of the IgG2 monoclonal antibody panitumumab using microchip capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 234:115494. [PMID: 37300951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115494] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The IgG2 type monoclonal antibody panitumumab is an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) drug used for the treatment of EGFR-expressing, chemotherapy resistant, metastatic colorectal carcinoma. In this study, panitumumab drug product was first analysed using size exclusion chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for rapid identity testing. The experimental data led to the identification of two panitumumab isoforms with several prominent forms remaining unidentified, despite apparently low sample complexity. Microchip capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) was subsequently utilised for a more detailed characterization. It was observed that panitumumab is subject to partial N-terminal pyroglutamate formation. Incomplete conversion is uncharacteristic for N-terminally exposed glutamines and in case of panitumumab gives rise to forms which show successive mass offsets of 17 Da, respectively. If not separated before mass spectrometric analysis, e.g. by capillary electrophoresis, such near isobaric species coalesce into single MS peaks, which subsequently hampers or prevents their assignment. With a total of 42 panitumumab isoforms assigned by CE-MS, these observations highlight a potential pitfall of commonly applied rapid identity testing workflows and demonstrate that even low complexity biopharmaceuticals can require separation strategies which offer high separation selectivity for species close in mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Füssl
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training, Fosters Avenue, Mount Merrion, Blackrock, A94 X099 Co. Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sara Carillo
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training, Fosters Avenue, Mount Merrion, Blackrock, A94 X099 Co. Dublin, Ireland
| | - Silvia Millán-Martín
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training, Fosters Avenue, Mount Merrion, Blackrock, A94 X099 Co. Dublin, Ireland
| | - Craig Jakes
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training, Fosters Avenue, Mount Merrion, Blackrock, A94 X099 Co. Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karina Bora
- Lonza Biologics, 224 Bath Road, Slough SL1 4DX, United Kingdom
| | | | - James Graham
- Lonza Biologics, 224 Bath Road, Slough SL1 4DX, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Bones
- National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training, Fosters Avenue, Mount Merrion, Blackrock, A94 X099 Co. Dublin, Ireland; School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8 Ireland.
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6
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Moises JE, Regl C, Hinterholzer A, Huber CG, Schubert M. Unambiguous Identification of Glucose-Induced Glycation in mAbs and other Proteins by NMR Spectroscopy. Pharm Res 2023; 40:1341-1353. [PMID: 36510116 PMCID: PMC10338404 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-022-03454-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glycation is a non-enzymatic and spontaneous post-translational modification (PTM) generated by the reaction between reducing sugars and primary amine groups within proteins. Because glycation can alter the properties of proteins, it is a critical quality attribute of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and should therefore be carefully monitored. The most abundant product of glycation is formed by glucose and lysine side chains resulting in fructoselysine after Amadori rearrangement. In proteomics, which routinely uses a combination of chromatography and mass spectrometry to analyze PTMs, there is no straight-forward way to distinguish between glycation products of a reducing monosaccharide and an additional hexose within a glycan, since both lead to a mass difference of 162 Da. METHODS To verify that the observed mass change is indeed a glycation product, we developed an approach based on 2D NMR spectroscopy spectroscopy and full-length protein samples denatured using high concentrations of deuterated urea. RESULTS The dominating β-pyranose form of the Amadori product shows a characteristic chemical shift correlation pattern in 1H-13C HSQC spectra suited to identify glucose-induced glycation. The same pattern was observed in spectra of a variety of artificially glycated proteins, including two mAbs, as well as natural proteins. CONCLUSION Based on this unique correlation pattern, 2D NMR spectroscopy can be used to unambiguously identify glucose-induced glycation in any protein of interest. We provide a robust method that is orthogonal to MS-based methods and can also be used for cross-validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Moises
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christof Regl
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Arthur Hinterholzer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christian G Huber
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mario Schubert
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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7
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NMR based quality evaluation of mAb therapeutics: A proof of concept higher order structure biosimilarity assessment of trastuzumab biosimilars. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2022; 214:114710. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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8
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Abstract
In-cell structural biology aims at extracting structural information about proteins or nucleic acids in their native, cellular environment. This emerging field holds great promise and is already providing new facts and outlooks of interest at both fundamental and applied levels. NMR spectroscopy has important contributions on this stage: It brings information on a broad variety of nuclei at the atomic scale, which ensures its great versatility and uniqueness. Here, we detail the methods, the fundamental knowledge, and the applications in biomedical engineering related to in-cell structural biology by NMR. We finally propose a brief overview of the main other techniques in the field (EPR, smFRET, cryo-ET, etc.) to draw some advisable developments for in-cell NMR. In the era of large-scale screenings and deep learning, both accurate and qualitative experimental evidence are as essential as ever to understand the interior life of cells. In-cell structural biology by NMR spectroscopy can generate such a knowledge, and it does so at the atomic scale. This review is meant to deliver comprehensive but accessible information, with advanced technical details and reflections on the methods, the nature of the results, and the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Xavier Theillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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9
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Nupur N, Joshi S, Gulliarme D, Rathore AS. Analytical Similarity Assessment of Biosimilars: Global Regulatory Landscape, Recent Studies and Major Advancements in Orthogonal Platforms. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:832059. [PMID: 35223794 PMCID: PMC8865741 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.832059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals are one of the fastest-growing sectors in the biotechnology industry. Within the umbrella of biopharmaceuticals, the biosimilar segment is expanding with currently over 200 approved biosimilars, globally. The key step towards achieving a successful biosimilar approval is to establish analytical and clinical biosimilarity with the innovator. The objective of an analytical biosimilarity study is to demonstrate a highly similar profile with respect to variations in critical quality attributes (CQAs) of the biosimilar product, and these variations must lie within the range set by the innovator. This comprises a detailed comparative structural and functional characterization using appropriate, validated analytical methods to fingerprint the molecule and helps reduce the economic burden towards regulatory requirement of extensive preclinical/clinical similarity data, thus making biotechnological drugs more affordable. In the last decade, biosimilar manufacturing and associated regulations have become more established, leading to numerous approvals. Biosimilarity assessment exercises conducted towards approval are also published more frequently in the public domain. Consequently, some technical advancements in analytical sciences have also percolated to applications in analytical biosimilarity assessment. Keeping this in mind, this review aims at providing a holistic view of progresses in biosimilar analysis and approval. In this review, we have summarized the major developments in the global regulatory landscape with respect to biosimilar approvals and also catalogued biosimilarity assessment studies for recombinant DNA products available in the public domain. We have also covered recent advancements in analytical methods, orthogonal techniques, and platforms for biosimilar characterization, since 2015. The review specifically aims to serve as a comprehensive catalog for published biosimilarity assessment studies with details on analytical platform used and critical quality attributes (CQAs) covered for multiple biotherapeutic products. Through this compilation, the emergent evolution of techniques with respect to each CQA has also been charted and discussed. Lastly, the information resource of published biosimilarity assessment studies, created during literature search is anticipated to serve as a helpful reference for biopharmaceutical scientists and biosimilar developers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neh Nupur
- Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
| | - Srishti Joshi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
| | - Davy Gulliarme
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anurag S. Rathore
- Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Anurag S. Rathore,
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10
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Kil YS, Han AR, Hong MJ, Kim JB, Park PH, Choi H, Nam JW. 1H NMR-Based Chemometrics to Gain Insights Into the Bran of Radiation-Induced Colored Wheat Mutant. Front Nutr 2022; 8:806744. [PMID: 35059428 PMCID: PMC8764193 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.806744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, wheat has attracted attention as a functional food, rather than a simple dietary energy source. Accordingly, whole-grain intake increases with an understanding of bioactive phytochemicals in bran. The development of colored wheat has drawn more attention to the value of bran owing to its nutritional quality, as well as the antioxidant properties of the colorant. The present 1H NMR-based chemometric study evaluated the compositional improvement of radiation-induced mutants in purple wheat by focusing on the predominant metabolites with high polarity. A total of 33 metabolites, including three choline derivatives, three sugar alcohols, four sugars, 13 amino acids, eight organic acids, and two nucleosides, were identified throughout the 1H NMR spectra, and quantification data were obtained for the identified metabolites via peak shape-based quantification. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses were conducted for performing multivariate analyses. The colored original wheat was found to exhibit improvements compared to yellow wheat in terms of the contents of primary metabolites, thus highlighting the importance of conducting investigations of polar metabolites. The chemometrics studies further revealed mutant lines with a compositional enhancement for metabolites, including lysine, proline, acetate, and glycerol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Seo Kil
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea
| | - Ah-Reum Han
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, South Korea
| | - Min-Jeong Hong
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, South Korea
| | - Jin-Baek Kim
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, South Korea
| | - Pil-Hoon Park
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea.,Research Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea
| | - Hyukjae Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea.,Research Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea
| | - Joo-Won Nam
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si, South Korea
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11
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Hinterholzer A, Moises J, Regl C, Schwap S, Rapp E, Huber CG, Schubert M. Unambiguous identification of α-Gal epitopes in intact monoclonal antibodies by NMR spectroscopy. MAbs 2022; 14:2132977. [PMID: 36239533 PMCID: PMC9578466 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2022.2132977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The α-Gal epitope consisting of the terminal trisaccharide Galα1,3Galβ1,4GlcNAc exposed on cell or protein surfaces can cause severe immune reactions, such as hypersensitivity reactions, in humans. This epitope is also called the xenotransplantation epitope because it is one of the main reasons for the rejection of non-human organ transplants by the human innate immune response. Recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed in murine cell lines may contain α-Gal epitopes, and therefore their absence or presence needs to be tightly monitored to minimize any undesired adverse effects. The analytical identification of α-Gal epitopes in glycoproteins using the common standard techniques based on liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry is challenging, mainly due to the isobaricity of hexose stereoisomers. Here, we present a straightforward NMR approach to detect the presence of α-Gal in biotherapeutics based on a quick screen with sensitive 1H-1H TOCSY spectra followed by a confirmation using 1H-13C HSQC spectra.Abbreviations: α-Gal: α1,3-linked galactose; AGC: automatic gain control; CHO: Chinese hamster ovary; CE: capillary electrophoreses coupled to mass spectrometry; COSY: correlation spectroscopy; DSS: 2,2-dimethyl-2-silapentane-5-sulfonate; DTT: dithiothreitol; GlcNAc: N-acetyl glusomamine; HCD: higher-energy collisional dissociation; HMBC: heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; HSQC: heteronuclear single-quantum corre; LacNAc: N-acetyl lactosamine; mAb: monoclonal antibody; MS: mass spectrometry; NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance; NOESY: 2D) nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy; PEG: polyethylenglycol; pH*: observed pH meter reading without correction for isotope effects; PTM: post-translational modification; TCEP: tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride; TOCSY: total correlation spectroscopy; xCGE-LIF: multiplex capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Hinterholzer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jennifer Moises
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christof Regl
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sebastian Schwap
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,Bundesrealgymnasium Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Erdmann Rapp
- glyXera GmbH, Brenneckestraße, Magdeburg, Germany,Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Christian G. Huber
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mario Schubert
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria,CONTACT Mario Schubert Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology,University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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12
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Yang X, Miao H, Xiao R, Wang L, Zhao Y, Wu Q, Ji Y, Du J, Qin H, Xuan W. Diverse protein manipulations with genetically encoded glutamic acid benzyl ester. Chem Sci 2021; 12:9778-9785. [PMID: 34349951 PMCID: PMC8299518 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01882e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Site-specific modification of proteins has significantly advanced the use of proteins in biological research and therapeutics development. Among various strategies aimed at this end, genetic code expansion (GCE) allows structurally and functionally distinct non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) to be incorporated into specific sites of a protein. Herein, we genetically encode an esterified glutamic acid analogue (BnE) into proteins, and demonstrate that BnE can be applied in different types of site-specific protein modifications, including N-terminal pyroglutamation, caging Glu in the active site of a toxic protein, and endowing proteins with metal chelator hydroxamic acid and versatile reactive handle acyl hydrazide. Importantly, novel epigenetic mark Gln methylation is generated on histones via the derived acyl hydrazide handle. This work provides useful and unique tools to modify proteins at specific Glu or Gln residues, and complements the toolbox of GCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Yang
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Hui Miao
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Ruotong Xiao
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Luyao Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University 30 Shuangqing Rd. Beijing China
| | - Yan Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University 30 Shuangqing Rd. Beijing China
| | - Qifan Wu
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Yanli Ji
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
| | - Juanjuan Du
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University 30 Shuangqing Rd. Beijing China
| | - Hongqiang Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Dalian, 116023 China
| | - Weimin Xuan
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
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13
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Bramham JE, Podmore A, Davies SA, Golovanov AP. Comprehensive Assessment of Protein and Excipient Stability in Biopharmaceutical Formulations Using 1H NMR Spectroscopy. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:288-295. [PMID: 33659867 PMCID: PMC7906489 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Biopharmaceutical proteins are important drug therapies in the treatment of a range of diseases. Proteins, such as antibodies (Abs) and peptides, are prone to chemical and physical degradation, particularly at the high concentrations currently sought for subcutaneous injections, and so formulation conditions, including buffers and excipients, must be optimized to minimize such instabilities. Therefore, both the protein and small molecule content of biopharmaceutical formulations and their stability are critical to a treatment's success. However, assessing all aspects of protein and small molecule stability currently requires a large number of analytical techniques, most of which involve sample dilution or other manipulations which may themselves distort sample behavior. Here, we demonstrate the application of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study both protein and small molecule content and stability in situ in high-concentration (100 mg/mL) Ab formulations. We show that protein degradation (aggregation or fragmentation) can be detected as changes in 1D 1H NMR signal intensity, while apparent relaxation rates are specifically sensitive to Ab fragmentation. Simultaneously, relaxation-filtered spectra reveal the presence and degradation of small molecule components such as excipients, as well as changes in general solution properties, such as pH. 1H NMR spectroscopy can thus provide a holistic overview of biopharmaceutical formulation content and stability, providing a preliminary characterization of degradation and acting as a triaging step to guide further analytical techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack E. Bramham
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
| | - Adrian Podmore
- Dosage
Form Design & Development, BioPharmaceuticals Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, U.K.
| | - Stephanie A. Davies
- Dosage
Form Design & Development, BioPharmaceuticals Development, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, U.K.
| | - Alexander P. Golovanov
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K.
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14
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Role of NMR in High Ordered Structure Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010046. [PMID: 33375207 PMCID: PMC7793058 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Obtaining high ordered structure (HOS) information is of importance to guarantee the efficacy and safety of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in clinical application. Assessment of HOS should ideally be performed in a non-invasive manner under their formulated storage conditions, as any perturbation can introduce unexpected detritions. However, most of the currently available techniques only indirectly report HOS of mAbs and/or require a certain condition to conduct the analyses. Besides, the flexible multidomain architecture of mAbs has hampered atomic-resolution structural analyses using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. In contrast, the ability of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to structurally analyze biomolecules in various conditions in a non-invasive and quantitative manner is suitable to meet the needs. However, the application of NMR to mAbs is not straightforward due to the high molecular weight of the system. In this review, we will discuss how NMR techniques have been applied to HOS analysis of mAbs, along with the recent advances of the novel 15N direct detection NMR strategy that allows for obtaining the structural fingerprint of mAbs at lower temperatures under multiple formulation conditions. The potential application of these NMR strategies will benefit next-generation mAbs, such as antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies.
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15
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Hinterholzer A, Stanojlovic V, Regl C, Huber CG, Cabrele C, Schubert M. Identification and Quantification of Oxidation Products in Full-Length Biotherapeutic Antibodies by NMR Spectroscopy. Anal Chem 2020; 92:9666-9673. [PMID: 32530275 PMCID: PMC7467420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Therapeutic
proteins are an indispensable class of drugs and often
therapeutics of last resort. They are sensitive to oxidation, which
is of critical concern, because it can affect drug safety and efficacy.
Protein oxidation, with methionine and tryptophan as the most susceptible
moieties, is mainly monitored by HPLC–MS techniques. However,
since several oxidation products display the same mass difference,
their identification by MS is often ambiguous. Therefore, an alternative
analytical method able to unambiguously identify and, ideally, also
quantify oxidation species in proteins is highly desired. Here, we
present an NMR-based approach to monitor oxidation in full-length
proteins under denaturing conditions, as demonstrated on two biotherapeutic
monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We show that methionine sulfoxide, methionine
sulfone, N-formylkynurenine, kynurenine, oxindolylalanine,
hydroxypyrroloindole, and 5-hydroxytryptophan result in characteristic
chemical shift correlations suited for their identification and quantification.
We identified the five most abundant oxidation products in forced
degradation studies of two full-length therapeutic mAbs and can also
unambiguously distinguish oxindolylalanine from 5-hydroxytryptophan,
which are undistinguishable by MS due to the same mass shift. Quantification
of the abundant methionine sulfoxide by NMR and MS gave highly comparable
values. These results underline the suitability of NMR spectroscopy
for the identification and quantification of critical quality attributes
of biotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Hinterholzer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Vesna Stanojlovic
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christof Regl
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christian G Huber
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Chiara Cabrele
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mario Schubert
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Tools for Biosimilar Characterization, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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16
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Tokunaga Y, Takeuchi K, Okude J, Ori K, Torizawa T, Shimada I. Structural Fingerprints of an Intact Monoclonal Antibody Acquired under Formulated Storage Conditions via 15N Direct Detection Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. J Med Chem 2020; 63:5360-5366. [PMID: 32374601 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Noninvasive evaluation of tertiary structures is fundamental to the research, development, and use of the biologics. However, few methodologies are currently available for evaluating large molecular weight (MW) biologics, such as therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs; 150 kDa). Here, we have newly developed a 15N direct detection nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique, the 15N direct detection CRINEPT, which allows the observation of the main chain amide resonances of a nondeuterated protein with MW 150 kDa. The technique not only substantially expands the range of proteins applicable to solution NMR studies but also allows the noninvasive structural analyses of intact mAbs in a wide range of temperature and solvent conditions. As a proof of principle, we successfully acquired the 15N-detected CRINEPT spectra of an intact mAb in its formulated solution at 4 °C. The technique was able to discriminate heterogeneous galactosylation states, demonstrating the benefit of high resolution of the 15N direct detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Tokunaga
- Molecular Profiling Research Center for Drug Discovery and Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan.,Research and Development Department, Japan Biological Informatics Consortium, 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Koh Takeuchi
- Molecular Profiling Research Center for Drug Discovery and Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Junya Okude
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., 200 Kajiwara, Kamakura City, Kanagawa 247-8530, Japan
| | - Kazutomo Ori
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., 200 Kajiwara, Kamakura City, Kanagawa 247-8530, Japan
| | - Takuya Torizawa
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., 200 Kajiwara, Kamakura City, Kanagawa 247-8530, Japan
| | - Ichio Shimada
- Molecular Profiling Research Center for Drug Discovery and Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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