1
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Sadaba N, Bayón JL, Nelson A, Steinmetz NF. Digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing of polymer networks comprising virus-like particles. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:9733-9736. [PMID: 39037748 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc02411g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we introduce a 3D-printable virus-like particle (VLP)-enhanced cross-linked biopolymer system. VLPs displaying surface-available acrylate groups were prepared through aza-Michael addition to serve as resins. The VLP resins were then photopolymerized into a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) network following DLP 3D printing. This approach represents a convergence of disciplines, where the synergistic interaction between virology and additive manufacturing unlocks new frontiers in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naroa Sadaba
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Jorge Leganés Bayón
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Alshakim Nelson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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2
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Chaudhary S, Ali Z, Mahfouz M. Molecular farming for sustainable production of clinical-grade antimicrobial peptides. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:2282-2300. [PMID: 38685599 PMCID: PMC11258990 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14344] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as next-generation therapeutics due to their broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant bacterial strains and their ability to eradicate biofilms, modulate immune responses, exert anti-inflammatory effects and improve disease management. They are produced through solid-phase peptide synthesis or in bacterial or yeast cells. Molecular farming, i.e. the production of biologics in plants, offers a low-cost, non-toxic, scalable and simple alternative platform to produce AMPs at a sustainable cost. In this review, we discuss the advantages of molecular farming for producing clinical-grade AMPs, advances in expression and purification systems and the cost advantage for industrial-scale production. We further review how 'green' production is filling the sustainability gap, streamlining patent and regulatory approvals and enabling successful clinical translations that demonstrate the future potential of AMPs produced by molecular farming. Finally, we discuss the regulatory challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of molecular farming-based AMP production for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Chaudhary
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
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3
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Tiryaki E, Álvarez-Leirós C, Majcherkiewicz JN, Chariou PL, Maceira-Campos M, Bodelón G, Steinmetz NF, Salgueiriño V. Magnetically Induced Thermal Effects on Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Based Nanocomposites for a Programmed Disassembly of Protein Cages. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:4804-4814. [PMID: 38934736 PMCID: PMC11253087 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Protein cages are promising tools for the controlled delivery of therapeutics and imaging agents when endowed with programmable disassembly strategies. Here, we produced hybrid nanocomposites made of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), designed to disrupt the viral protein cages using magnetically induced release of heat. We studied the effects of this magnetic hyperthermia on the programmable viral protein capsid disassembly using (1) elongated nanocomposites of TMV coated heterogeneously with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (TMV@IONPs) and (2) spherical nanocomposites of polystyrene (PS) on which we deposited presynthesized IONPs and TMV via layer-by-layer self-assembly (PS@IONPs/TMV). Notably, we found that the extent of the disassembly of the protein cages is contingent upon the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the magnetic nanoparticles, that is, the heating efficiency, and the relative position of the protein cage within the nanocomposite concerning the heating sources. This implies that the spatial arrangement of components within the hybrid nanostructure has a significant impact on the disassembly process. Understanding and optimizing this relationship will contribute to the critical spatiotemporal control for targeted drug and gene delivery using protein cages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul L. Chariou
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | | | - Gustavo Bodelón
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
- Departamento
de Biología Funcional y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department
of NanoEngineering, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department
of Radiology, University of California San
Diego, La Jolla, California92093, United States
- Center for
Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California92093, United States
- Institute
for Materials Discovery and Design, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Verónica Salgueiriño
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada, Universidade
de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
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4
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Zhang W, Qin X, Li G, Zhou X, Li H, Wu D, Song Y, Zhao K, Wang K, Feng X, Tan L, Wang B, Sun X, Wen Z, Yang C. Self-powered triboelectric-responsive microneedles with controllable release of optogenetically engineered extracellular vesicles for intervertebral disc degeneration repair. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5736. [PMID: 38982049 PMCID: PMC11233569 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50045-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive exercise is an etiological factor of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) exhibit excellent therapeutic potential for disease-modifying treatments. Herein, we fabricate an exercise self-powered triboelectric-responsive microneedle (MN) assay with the sustainable release of optogenetically engineered EVs for IVDD repair. Mechanically, exercise promotes cytosolic DNA sensing-mediated inflammatory activation in senescent nucleus pulposus (NP) cells (the master cell population for IVD homeostasis maintenance), which accelerates IVDD. TREX1 serves as a crucial nuclease, and disassembly of TRAM1-TREX1 complex disrupts the subcellular localization of TREX1, triggering TREX1-dependent genomic DNA damage during NP cell senescence. Optogenetically engineered EVs deliver TRAM1 protein into senescent NP cells, which effectively reconstructs the elimination function of TREX1. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) harvests mechanical energy and triggers the controllable release of engineered EVs. Notably, an optogenetically engineered EV-based targeting treatment strategy is used for the treatment of IVDD, showing promising clinical potential for the treatment of degeneration-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuan Qin
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Gaocai Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xingyu Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongyang Li
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Song
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kangcheng Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaobo Feng
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Tan
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bingjin Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xuhui Sun
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Zhen Wen
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Cao Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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5
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Islam MR, Youngblood M, Kim HI, González-Gamboa I, Monroy-Borrego AG, Caparco AA, Lowry GV, Steinmetz NF, Giraldo JP. DNA Delivery by Virus-Like Nanocarriers in Plant Cells. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:7833-7842. [PMID: 38887996 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04735] [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: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV)-like nanocarriers were designed for gene delivery to plant cells. High aspect ratio TMGMVs were coated with a polycationic biopolymer, poly(allylamine) hydrochloride (PAH), to generate highly charged nanomaterials (TMGMV-PAH; 56.20 ± 4.7 mV) that efficiently load (1:6 TMGMV:DNA mass ratio) and deliver single-stranded and plasmid DNA to plant cells. The TMGMV-PAH were taken up through energy-independent mechanisms in Arabidopsis protoplasts. TMGMV-PAH delivered a plasmid DNA encoding a green fluorescent protein (GFP) to the protoplast nucleus (70% viability), as evidenced by GFP expression using confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis. TMGMV-PAH were inactivated (iTMGMV-PAH) using UV cross-linking to prevent systemic infection in intact plants. Inactivated iTMGMV-PAH-mediated pDNA delivery and gene expression of GFP in vivo was determined using confocal microscopy and RT-qPCR. Virus-like nanocarrier-mediated gene delivery can act as a facile and biocompatible tool for advancing genetic engineering in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Reyazul Islam
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, United States
| | - Marina Youngblood
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, United States
| | - Hye-In Kim
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, United States
| | - Ivonne González-Gamboa
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | | | - Adam A Caparco
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Gregory V Lowry
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Center for Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Radiology, Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, Moores Cancer Center, and Center for Engineering in Cancer, Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Juan Pablo Giraldo
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, United States
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6
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Song J, Tas RP, Martens MCM, Ritten MVM, Wu H, Jones ER, Lebouille JGJL, Vis M, Voets IK, Tuinier R. Freezing-mediated formation of supraproteins using depletion forces. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 665:622-633. [PMID: 38552579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.088] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Hypothesis Long-acting formulations such as microparticles, injectable depots and implantable devices can realize spatiotemporally controlled delivery of protein drugs to extend their therapeutic in vivo half-lives. To efficiently encapsulate the protein drugs into such drug delivery systems, (sub)micron-sized protein particles are needed. The formation of micronized supraproteins can be induced through the synergistic combination of attractive depletion forces and freezing. The size of the supraproteins can be fine-tuned from submicron to several microns by adjusting the ice crystallization rate through the freeze-quench depth, which is set by the target temperature. Methods Supraprotein micron structures were prepared from protein solutions under various conditions in the presence and absence of nonadsorbing polyethylene glycol. Scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering were employed to determine the sizes of the supraproteins and real-time total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy was used to follow the supraprotein formation during freezing. The protein secondary structure was measured before and after micronization by circular dichroism. A phase diagram of a protein-polyethylene glycol mixture was theoretically predicted to investigate whether the depletion interaction can elucidate the phase behavior. Findings Micronized protein supraparticles could be prepared in a controlled manner by rapid freeze-drying of aqueous mixtures of bovine serum albumin, horseradish peroxidase and lysozyme mixed with polyethylene glycol. Upon freezing, the temperature quench initiates a phase separation process which is reminiscent of spinodal decomposition. This demixing is subsequently arrested during droplet phase separation to form protein-rich microstructures. The final size of the generated protein microparticles is determined by a competition between phase separation and cooling rate, which can be controlled by target temperature. The experimental phase diagram of the aqueous protein-polyethylene glycol dispersion aligns with predictions from depletion theory for charged colloids and nonadsorbing polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankang Song
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
| | - Roderick P Tas
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Self-organizing Soft Matter, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Max C M Martens
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Manon V M Ritten
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Hanglong Wu
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Bio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Mark Vis
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Ilja K Voets
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Self-organizing Soft Matter, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Remco Tuinier
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
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7
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Kunkler K, Gerlt S. Identity preserved plant molecular farming offers value-added opportunity for farmers. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1434778. [PMID: 38962242 PMCID: PMC11220184 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1434778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Bulk commodity row crop production in the United States is frequently subject to narrow profit margins, often complicated by weather, supply chains, trade, and other factors. Farmers seeking to increase profits and hedge against market volatility often seek to diversify their operations, including producing more lucrative or productive crop varieties. Recombinant plants producing animal or other non-native proteins (commonly referred to as plant molecular farming) present a value-added opportunity for row crop farmers. However, these crops must be produced under robust identity preserved systems to prevent comingling with bulk commodities to maintain the value for farmers, mitigate against market disruptions, and minimize any potential food, feed, or environmental risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Kunkler
- Department of Government Affairs, American Soybean Association, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Scott Gerlt
- Department of Economics, American Soybean Association, St. Louis, MO, United States
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8
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Morel B, Favrot C, Mirande L, Grünwald-Gruber C, Stordeur V, Vezina LP, Faye L, Gomord V. Exploring the Potentiality of a Plant Platform for Monoclonal Antibody Production in Veterinary Medicine. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:620. [PMID: 38932349 PMCID: PMC11209382 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12060620] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is an allergic, inflammatory, and pruritic skin disease associated with the production of IgE antibodies against environmental allergens and mainly house dust mite allergens. This complex dermatological pathology involves Interleukin 31 (IL-31) as a central itch mediator. One of the most effective CAD treatments is a caninized monoclonal antibody (mAb) called Lokivetmab. It is produced in CHO cells and targets specifically canine IL-31 (cIL-31) and blocks its cellular messaging. This treatment has undoubtedly contributed to a breakthrough in dermatitis-related pruritus. However, its production in mammalian cells requires time-consuming procedures, high production costs, and investment. Plants are considered an emerging protein production platform for recombinant biopharmaceuticals due to their cost-effectiveness and rapidity for production. Here, we use transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants to produce recombinant canine Interleukin 31 (cIL-31) and an anti-IL-31 monoclonal antibody (M1). First, we describe the production and characterization of M1 and then its activity on an IL-31-induced pruritic model in dogs compared to its commercial homolog. Dogs treated with the plant-made M1 mAb have shown similar improvements to Lokivetmab-treated ones after different challenges using canine IL-31. Furthermore, M1 injections were not associated with any side effects. These results demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this plant-made Lokivetmab biosimilar to control dogs' pruritus in a well-established model. Finally, this study shows that the plant-production platform can be utilized to produce rapidly functional mAbs and bring hope to the immunotherapy field of veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Morel
- ANGANY Innovation, 1 Voie de l’Innovation, 27100 Val de Reuil, France; (B.M.)
| | - Claude Favrot
- Dermatology Unit, Clinical for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lucie Mirande
- ANGANY Innovation, 1 Voie de l’Innovation, 27100 Val de Reuil, France; (B.M.)
| | | | - Virginie Stordeur
- ANGANY Innovation, 1 Voie de l’Innovation, 27100 Val de Reuil, France; (B.M.)
| | | | - Loïc Faye
- ANGANY Innovation, 1 Voie de l’Innovation, 27100 Val de Reuil, France; (B.M.)
| | - Véronique Gomord
- ANGANY Innovation, 1 Voie de l’Innovation, 27100 Val de Reuil, France; (B.M.)
- ANGANY Inc., Suite 200, 873 St-Jean, Québec, QC G1R 1R2, Canada
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9
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Karan S, Durán-Meza AL, Chapman A, Tanimoto C, Chan SK, Knobler CM, Gelbart WM, Steinmetz NF. In Vivo Delivery of Spherical and Cylindrical In Vitro Reconstituted Virus-like Particles Containing the Same Self-Amplifying mRNA. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2727-2739. [PMID: 38709860 PMCID: PMC11250921 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c01105] [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: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The dramatic effectiveness of recent mRNA (mRNA)-based COVID vaccines delivered in lipid nanoparticles has highlighted the promise of mRNA therapeutics in general. In this report, we extend our earlier work on self-amplifying mRNAs delivered in spherical in vitro reconstituted virus-like particles (VLPs), and on drug delivery using cylindrical virus particles. In particular, we carry out separate in vitro assemblies of a self-amplifying mRNA gene in two different virus-like particles: one spherical, formed with the capsid protein of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV), and the other cylindrical, formed from the capsid protein of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). The mRNA gene is rendered self-amplifying by genetically fusing it to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of Nodamura virus, and the relative efficacies of cell uptake and downstream protein expression resulting from their CCMV- and TMV-packaged forms are compared directly. This comparison is carried out by their transfections into cells in culture: expressions of two self-amplifying genes, enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) and Renilla luciferase (Luc), packaged alternately in CCMV and TMV VLPs, are quantified by fluorescence and chemiluminescence levels, respectively, and relative numbers of the delivered mRNAs are measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The cellular uptake of both forms of these VLPs is further confirmed by confocal microscopy of transfected cells. Finally, VLP-mediated delivery of the self-amplifying-mRNA in mice following footpad injection is shown by in vivo fluorescence imaging to result in robust expression of EYFP in the draining lymph nodes, suggesting the potential of these plant virus-like particles as a promising mRNA gene and vaccine delivery modality. These results establish that both CCMV and TMV VLPs can deliver their in vitro packaged mRNA genes to immune cells and that their self-amplifying forms significantly enhance in situ expression. Choice of one VLP (CCMV or TMV) over the other will depend on which geometry of nucleocapsid is self-assembled more efficiently for a given length and sequence of RNA, and suggests that these plant VLP gene delivery systems will prove useful in a wide variety of medical applications, both preventive and therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Karan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Ana Luisa Durán-Meza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Abigail Chapman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Cheylene Tanimoto
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Soo Khim Chan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Charles M Knobler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - William M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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10
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Cao Z, Jiang Y, Li J, Zheng T, Lin C, Shen Z. Transgenic Soybean for Production of Thermostable α-Amylase. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1539. [PMID: 38891347 PMCID: PMC11174511 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-amylases are crucial hydrolase enzymes which have been widely used in food, feed, fermentation, and pharmaceutical industries. Methods for low-cost production of α-amylases are highly desirable. Soybean seed, functioning as a bioreactor, offers an excellent platform for the mass production of recombinant proteins for its ability to synthesize substantial quantities of proteins. In this study, we generated and characterized transgenic soybeans expressing the α-amylase AmyS from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The α-amylase expression cassettes were constructed for seed specific expression by utilizing the promoters of three different soybean storage peptides and transformed into soybean via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The event with the highest amylase activity reached 601 U/mg of seed flour (one unit is defined as the amount of enzyme that generates 1 micromole reducing ends per min from starch at 65 °C in pH 5.5 sodium acetate buffer). The optimum pH, optimum temperature, and the enzymatic kinetics of the soybean expressed enzyme are similar to that of the E. coli expressed enzyme. However, the soybean expressed α-amylase is glycosylated, exhibiting enhanced thermostability and storage stability. Soybean AmyS retains over 80% activity after 100 min at 75 °C, and the transgenic seeds exhibit no significant activity loss after one year of storage at room temperature. The accumulated AmyS in the transgenic seeds represents approximately 15% of the total seed protein, or about 4% of the dry seed weight. The specific activity of the transgenic soybean seed flour is comparable to many commercial α-amylase enzyme products in current markets, suggesting that the soybean flour may be directly used for various applications without the need for extraction and purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Ye Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Jiajie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
- Zhongyuan Institute, Zhejiang University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Chaoyang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Zhicheng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
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11
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Wendlandt T, Britz B, Kleinow T, Hipp K, Eber FJ, Wege C. Getting Hold of the Tobamovirus Particle-Why and How? Purification Routes over Time and a New Customizable Approach. Viruses 2024; 16:884. [PMID: 38932176 PMCID: PMC11209083 DOI: 10.3390/v16060884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This article develops a multi-perspective view on motivations and methods for tobamovirus purification through the ages and presents a novel, efficient, easy-to-use approach that can be well-adapted to different species of native and functionalized virions. We survey the various driving forces prompting researchers to enrich tobamoviruses, from the search for the causative agents of mosaic diseases in plants to their increasing recognition as versatile nanocarriers in biomedical and engineering applications. The best practices and rarely applied options for the serial processing steps required for successful isolation of tobamoviruses are then reviewed. Adaptations for distinct particle species, pitfalls, and 'forgotten' or underrepresented technologies are considered as well. The article is topped off with our own development of a method for virion preparation, rooted in historical protocols. It combines selective re-solubilization of polyethylene glycol (PEG) virion raw precipitates with density step gradient centrifugation in biocompatible iodixanol formulations, yielding ready-to-use particle suspensions. This newly established protocol and some considerations for perhaps worthwhile further developments could serve as putative stepping stones towards preparation procedures appropriate for routine practical uses of these multivalent soft-matter nanorods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Wendlandt
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (B.B.); (T.K.)
| | - Beate Britz
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (B.B.); (T.K.)
| | - Tatjana Kleinow
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (B.B.); (T.K.)
| | - Katharina Hipp
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Fabian J. Eber
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, Badstr. 24, 77652 Offenburg, Germany;
| | - Christina Wege
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (B.B.); (T.K.)
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12
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Rutkowska DA, Du Plessis LH, Suleman E, O’Kennedy MM, Thimiri Govinda Raj DB, Lemmer Y. Development of a Plant-Expressed Subunit Vaccine against Brucellosis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1047. [PMID: 38930429 PMCID: PMC11205566 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is an important bacterial disease of livestock and the most common zoonotic disease. The current vaccines are effective but unsafe, as they result in animal abortions and are pathogenic to humans. Virus-like particles are being investigated as molecular scaffolds for foreign antigen presentation to the immune system. Here, we sought to develop a new-generation vaccine by presenting selected Brucella melitensis T cell epitopes on the surface of Orbivirus core-like particles (CLPs) and transiently expressing these chimeric particles in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. We successfully demonstrated the assembly of five chimeric CLPs in N. benthamiana plants, with each CLP presenting a different T cell epitope. The safety and protective efficacy of three of the highest-yielding CLPs was investigated in a mouse model of brucellosis. All three plant-expressed chimeric CLPs were safe when inoculated into BALB/c mice at specific antigen doses. However, only one chimeric CLP induced protection against the virulent Brucella strain challenge equivalent to the protection induced by the commercial Rev1 vaccine. Here, we have successfully shown the assembly, safety and protective efficacy of plant-expressed chimeric CLPs presenting B. melitensis T cell epitopes. This is the first step in the development of a safe and efficacious subunit vaccine against brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria A. Rutkowska
- Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Lissinda H. Du Plessis
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmacenTM), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa;
| | - Essa Suleman
- Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Martha M. O’Kennedy
- Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (M.M.O.); (Y.L.)
| | - Deepak B. Thimiri Govinda Raj
- Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Yolandy Lemmer
- Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (M.M.O.); (Y.L.)
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13
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Hamel L, Comeau M, Tardif R, Poirier‐Gravel F, Paré M, Lavoie P, Goulet M, Michaud D, D'Aoust M. Heterologous expression of influenza haemagglutinin leads to early and transient activation of the unfolded protein response in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1146-1163. [PMID: 38038125 PMCID: PMC11022800 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14252] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) allows cells to cope with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER. Due to its sensitivity to Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana is widely employed for transient expression of recombinant proteins of biopharmaceutical interest, including antibodies and virus surface proteins used for vaccine production. As such, study of the plant UPR is of practical significance, since enforced expression of complex secreted proteins often results in ER stress. After 6 days of expression, we recently reported that influenza haemagglutinin H5 induces accumulation of UPR proteins. Since up-regulation of corresponding UPR genes was not detected at this time, accumulation of UPR proteins was hypothesized to be independent of transcriptional induction, or associated with early but transient UPR gene up-regulation. Using time course sampling, we here show that H5 expression does result in early and transient activation of the UPR, as inferred from unconventional splicing of NbbZIP60 transcripts and induction of UPR genes with varied functions. Transient nature of H5-induced UPR suggests that this response was sufficient to cope with ER stress provoked by expression of the secreted protein, as opposed to an antibody that triggered stronger and more sustained UPR activation. As up-regulation of defence genes responding to H5 expression was detected after the peak of UPR activation and correlated with high increase in H5 protein accumulation, we hypothesize that these immune responses, rather than the UPR, were responsible for onset of the necrotic symptoms on H5-expressing leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marie‐Claire Goulet
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Département de phytologieUniversité LavalQuébecQuebecCanada
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Département de phytologieUniversité LavalQuébecQuebecCanada
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14
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Hamel L, Tardif R, Poirier‐Gravel F, Rasoolizadeh A, Brosseau C, Giroux G, Lucier J, Goulet M, Barrada A, Paré M, Roussel É, Comeau M, Lavoie P, Moffett P, Michaud D, D'Aoust M. Molecular responses of agroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves expressing suppressor of silencing P19 and influenza virus-like particles. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1078-1100. [PMID: 38041470 PMCID: PMC11022802 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
The production of influenza vaccines in plants is achieved through transient expression of viral hemagglutinins (HAs), a process mediated by the bacterial vector Agrobacterium tumefaciens. HA proteins are then produced and matured through the secretory pathway of plant cells, before being trafficked to the plasma membrane where they induce formation of virus-like particles (VLPs). Production of VLPs unavoidably impacts plant cells, as do viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs) that are co-expressed to increase recombinant protein yields. However, little information is available on host molecular responses to foreign protein expression. This work provides a comprehensive overview of molecular changes occurring in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells transiently expressing the VSR P19, or co-expressing P19 and an influenza HA. Our data identifies general responses to Agrobacterium-mediated expression of foreign proteins, including shutdown of chloroplast gene expression, activation of oxidative stress responses and reinforcement of the plant cell wall through lignification. Our results also indicate that P19 expression promotes salicylic acid (SA) signalling, a process dampened by co-expression of the HA protein. While reducing P19 level, HA expression also induces specific signatures, with effects on lipid metabolism, lipid distribution within membranes and oxylipin-related signalling. When producing VLPs, dampening of P19 responses thus likely results from lower expression of the VSR, crosstalk between SA and oxylipin pathways, or a combination of both outcomes. Consistent with the upregulation of oxidative stress responses, we finally show that reduction of oxidative stress damage through exogenous application of ascorbic acid improves plant biomass quality during production of VLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Asieh Rasoolizadeh
- Centre SÈVE, Faculté des Sciences, Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | - Chantal Brosseau
- Centre SÈVE, Faculté des Sciences, Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | - Geneviève Giroux
- Centre SÈVE, Faculté des Sciences, Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | - Jean‐François Lucier
- Centre SÈVE, Faculté des Sciences, Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | - Marie‐Claire Goulet
- Centre de Recherche et d'innovation sur les Végétaux, Département de PhytologieUniversité LavalQuébecQuébecCanada
| | - Adam Barrada
- Centre de Recherche et d'innovation sur les Végétaux, Département de PhytologieUniversité LavalQuébecQuébecCanada
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Faculté des Sciences, Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Centre de Recherche et d'innovation sur les Végétaux, Département de PhytologieUniversité LavalQuébecQuébecCanada
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15
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Merwaiss F, Lozano‐Sanchez E, Zulaica J, Rusu L, Vazquez‐Vilar M, Orzáez D, Rodrigo G, Geller R, Daròs J. Plant virus-derived nanoparticles decorated with genetically encoded SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies display enhanced neutralizing activity. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:876-891. [PMID: 37966715 PMCID: PMC10955499 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14230] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are a new class of virus-based formulations that can be used as building blocks to implement a variety of functions of potential interest in biotechnology and nanomedicine. Viral coat proteins (CP) that exhibit self-assembly properties are particularly appropriate for displaying antigens and antibodies, by generating multivalent VNPs with therapeutic and diagnostic potential. Here, we developed genetically encoded multivalent VNPs derived from two filamentous plant viruses, potato virus X (PVX) and tobacco etch virus (TEV), which were efficiently and inexpensively produced in the biofactory Nicotiana benthamiana plant. PVX and TEV-derived VNPs were decorated with two different nanobodies recognizing two different regions of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The addition of different picornavirus 2A ribosomal skipping peptides between the nanobody and the CP allowed for modulating the degree of VNP decoration. Nanobody-decorated VNPs purified from N. benthamiana tissues successfully recognized the RBD antigen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and showed efficient neutralization activity against pseudoviruses carrying the Spike protein. Interestingly, multivalent PVX and TEV-derived VNPs exhibited a neutralizing activity approximately one order of magnitude higher than the corresponding nanobody in a dimeric format. These properties, combined with the ability to produce VNP cocktails in the same N. benthamiana plant based on synergistic infection of the parent PVX and TEV, make these green nanomaterials an attractive alternative to standard antibodies for multiple applications in diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Merwaiss
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Enrique Lozano‐Sanchez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - João Zulaica
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Luciana Rusu
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Marta Vazquez‐Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Guillermo Rodrigo
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - José‐Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
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16
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Wu Z, Bayón JL, Kouznetsova TB, Ouchi T, Barkovich KJ, Hsu SK, Craig SL, Steinmetz NF. Virus-like Particles Armored by an Endoskeleton. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:2989-2997. [PMID: 38294951 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Many virus-like particles (VLPs) have good chemical, thermal, and mechanical stabilities compared to those of other biologics. However, their stability needs to be improved for the commercialization and use in translation of VLP-based materials. We developed an endoskeleton-armored strategy for enhancing VLP stability. Specifically, the VLPs of physalis mottle virus (PhMV) and Qβ were used to demonstrate this concept. We built an internal polymer "backbone" using a maleimide-PEG15-maleimide cross-linker to covalently interlink viral coat proteins inside the capsid cavity, while the native VLPs are held together by only noncovalent bonding between subunits. Endoskeleton-armored VLPs exhibited significantly improved thermal stability (95 °C for 15 min), increased resistance to denaturants (i.e., surfactants, pHs, chemical denaturants, and organic solvents), and enhanced mechanical performance. Single-molecule force spectroscopy demonstrated a 6-fold increase in rupture distance and a 1.9-fold increase in rupture force of endoskeleton-armored PhMV. Overall, this endoskeleton-armored strategy provides more opportunities for the development and applications of materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuohong Wu
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jorge L Bayón
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Tatiana B Kouznetsova
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Tetsu Ouchi
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Krister J Barkovich
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Sean K Hsu
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Stephen L Craig
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Shu and K. C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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17
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Xue M, Zhang L, Wang X, Dong Q, Zhu Z, Wang X, Gu Q, Kang F, Li XX, Zhang Q. A Metal-Free Helical Covalent Inorganic Polymer: Preparation, Crystal Structure and Optical Properties. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202315338. [PMID: 38126955 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202315338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Helical morphologies are widely observed in nature, however, it is very challenging to prepare artificial helical polymers. Especially, precisely understanding the structure information of artificial metal-free helical covalent inorganic polymers via single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis is rarely explored. Here, we successfully prepare a novel metal-free helical covalent inorganic polymer ({[Te(C6 H5 )2 ] [PO3 (OH)]}n , named CityU-10) by introducing angular anions (HOPO3 2- ) into traditional tellurium-oxygen chains. The dynamic reversibility of the reaction is realized through the introduction of organic tellurium precursor and the slow hydrolysis of polyphosphoric acid. High-quality and large-size single crystals of CityU-10 have been successfully characterized via SCXRD, where the same-handed helical inorganic polymer chains form a pseudo-two-dimensional layer via multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions. The left-handed layers and right-handed layers alternatively stack together through weak hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional supramolecular structure. The single crystals of CityU-10 are found to display promising optical properties with a large birefringence. Our results would offer new guidelines for designing and preparing new crystalline covalent polymers through tellurium-based chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Xue
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Dong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Zengkui Zhu
- Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Qianfeng Gu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Fangyuan Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Xiong Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Inorganic Oxygenated-Materials, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Qichun Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry & Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
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18
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Han J, Zhang J, Hu L, Wang C, Wang S, Miao G. Chloroplast display of subunit vaccines and their efficacy via oral administration. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:129125. [PMID: 38163512 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129125] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
As a safe and natural "capsule," plants have several advantages over mammals and microorganisms for the production of oral vaccines. In this study, we innovatively utilized the transmembrane region of the pea Translocase of chloroplast 34 (TOC34) protein to display two subunit vaccines, capsid protein VP2 of Porcine parvovirus (PPV) and the heat-labile enterotoxin B (LTB) of Escherichia coli, on the surface of chloroplasts. Unlike microbial display techniques, chloroplast display circumvents antigen degradation in the stomach while retaining the size characteristic of microorganisms. Additionally, a co-expressed peptide adjuvant, antimicrobial peptide protegin-1 (PG1), was used to enhance the strength of oral immunization. Immunohistochemistry and trypsin digestion of chloroplast surface proteins confirmed the successful localization of both antigens on the chloroplast surface. In stable transgenic tobacco plants, the expression level of VP2-TOC34 ranged from 0.21 to 6.83 μg/g FW, while LTB-TOC34 ranged from 2.42 to 10.04 μg/g FW. By contrasting the digestive characteristics of plant materials with different particle sizes, it was observed that plant materials with diameters around 1 mm exhibited more prominent advantages in terms of chloroplast release and antigen exposure compared to both larger and smaller particles. Oral immunization resulted in significantly increased levels of specific IgG and secretory IgA in the mice compared to the control, with similar effects observed between the groups receiving oral immunization alone and those receiving a combination of initial injection and subsequent oral immunization. Challenge experiments further demonstrated the effective protection against infection in mice using this approach. These findings highlight the potential of chloroplast display technology for the development of effective oral vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Han
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Institute of Digital Ecology and Health, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Luya Hu
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Chengrun Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Shunchang Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Guopeng Miao
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China.
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Meng Q, Xie E, Sun H, Wang H, Li J, Liu Z, Li K, Hu J, Chen Q, Liu C, Li B, Han F. High-Strength Smart Microneedles with "Offensive and Defensive" Effects for Intervertebral Disc Repair. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305468. [PMID: 37681640 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305468] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a global public health issue. The injury of annulus fibrosus (AF) caused by acupuncture or discectomy can trigger IVDD again. However, there is currently no suitable method for treating AF injury. In this study, the high-strength smart microneedles (MNs) which can penetrate the AF tissue through a local and minimally invasive method, and achieve remote control of speeded-up release of the drug and hyperthermia by the Near Infrared is developed. The PDA/GelMA composite MNs loaded with diclofenac sodium are designed to extracellularly "offend" the inflammatory microenvironment and mitigate damage to cells, and intracellularly increase the level of cytoprotective heat shock proteins to enhance the defense against the hostile microenvironment, achieving "offensive and defensive" effects. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the synergistic treatment of photothermal therapy and anti-inflammation effectively reduces inflammation, inhibits cell apoptosis, and promotes the synthesis of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In vivo experiments show that the MNs mitigate the inflammatory response, promote ECM deposition, reduce the level of apoptosis, and restore the biomechanical properties of the intervertebral disc (IVD) in rats. Overall, this high-strength smart MNs display promising "offensive and defensive" effects that can provide a new strategy for IVD repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingchen Meng
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - En Xie
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Heng Sun
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Jiaying Li
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Zhao Liu
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Kexin Li
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Qianglong Chen
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Chaoyong Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Bin Li
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
| | - Fengxuan Han
- Medical 3D Printing Center, Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000, China
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20
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Zahmanova G, Aljabali AAA, Takova K, Minkov G, Tambuwala MM, Minkov I, Lomonossoff GP. Green Biologics: Harnessing the Power of Plants to Produce Pharmaceuticals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17575. [PMID: 38139405 PMCID: PMC10743837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are increasingly used for the production of high-quality biological molecules for use as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in industry. Plants have proved that they can produce life-saving therapeutic proteins (Elelyso™-Gaucher's disease treatment, ZMapp™-anti-Ebola monoclonal antibodies, seasonal flu vaccine, Covifenz™-SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine); however, some of these therapeutic proteins are difficult to bring to market, which leads to serious difficulties for the manufacturing companies. The closure of one of the leading companies in the sector (the Canadian biotech company Medicago Inc., producer of Covifenz) as a result of the withdrawal of investments from the parent company has led to the serious question: What is hindering the exploitation of plant-made biologics to improve health outcomes? Exploring the vast potential of plants as biological factories, this review provides an updated perspective on plant-derived biologics (PDB). A key focus is placed on the advancements in plant-based expression systems and highlighting cutting-edge technologies that streamline the production of complex protein-based biologics. The versatility of plant-derived biologics across diverse fields, such as human and animal health, industry, and agriculture, is emphasized. This review also meticulously examines regulatory considerations specific to plant-derived biologics, shedding light on the disparities faced compared to biologics produced in other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Alaa A. A. Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan;
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - George Minkov
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK;
| | - Ivan Minkov
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
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21
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Chung YH, Ortega-Rivera OA, Volckaert BA, Jung E, Zhao Z, Steinmetz NF. Viral nanoparticle vaccines against S100A9 reduce lung tumor seeding and metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221859120. [PMID: 37844250 PMCID: PMC10614828 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221859120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic cancer accounts for 90% of all cancer-related deaths and continues to be one of the toughest challenges in cancer treatment. A growing body of data indicates that S100A9, a major regulator of inflammation, plays a central role in cancer progression and metastasis, particularly in the lungs, where S100A9 forms a premetastatic niche. Thus, we developed a vaccine against S100A9 derived from plant viruses and virus-like particles. Using multiple tumor mouse models, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the S100A9 vaccine candidates in preventing tumor seeding within the lungs and outgrowth of metastatic disease. The elicited antibodies showed high specificity toward S100A9 without cross-reactivity toward S100A8, another member of the S100A family. When tested in metastatic mouse models of breast cancer and melanoma, the vaccines significantly reduced lung tumor nodules after intravenous challenge or postsurgical removal of the primary tumor. Mechanistically, the vaccines reduce the levels of S100A9 within the lungs and sera, thereby increasing the expression of immunostimulatory cytokines with antitumor function [(interleukin) IL-12 and interferonγ] while reducing levels of immunosuppressive cytokines (IL-10 and transforming growth factorβ). This also correlated with decreased myeloid-derived suppressor cell populations within the lungs. This work has wide-ranging impact, as S100A9 is overexpressed in multiple cancers and linked with poor prognosis in cancer patients. The data presented lay the foundation for the development of therapies and vaccines targeting S100A9 to prevent metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hun Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | | | | | - Eunkyeong Jung
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Zhongchao Zhao
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
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22
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Ruocco V, Vavra U, König-Beihammer J, Bolaños−Martínez OC, Kallolimath S, Maresch D, Grünwald-Gruber C, Strasser R. Impact of mutations on the plant-based production of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBDs. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1275228. [PMID: 37868317 PMCID: PMC10588190 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1275228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Subunit vaccines based on recombinant viral antigens are valuable interventions to fight existing and evolving viruses and can be produced at large-scale in plant-based expression systems. The recombinant viral antigens are often derived from glycosylated envelope proteins of the virus and glycosylation plays an important role for the immunogenicity by shielding protein epitopes. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike is a principal target for vaccine development and has been produced in plants, but the yields of recombinant RBD variants were low and the role of the N-glycosylation in RBD from different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is less studied. Here, we investigated the expression and glycosylation of six different RBD variants transiently expressed in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. All of the purified RBD variants were functional in terms of receptor binding and displayed almost full N-glycan occupancy at both glycosylation sites with predominately complex N-glycans. Despite the high structural sequence conservation of the RBD variants, we detected a variation in yield which can be attributed to lower expression and differences in unintentional proteolytic processing of the C-terminal polyhistidine tag used for purification. Glycoengineering towards a human-type complex N-glycan profile with core α1,6-fucose, showed that the reactivity of the neutralizing antibody S309 differs depending on the N-glycan profile and the RBD variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Ruocco
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Vavra
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia König-Beihammer
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Omayra C. Bolaños−Martínez
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Somanath Kallolimath
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Maresch
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Grünwald-Gruber
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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23
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Strasser R. Plant glycoengineering for designing next-generation vaccines and therapeutic proteins. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 67:108197. [PMID: 37315875 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein glycosylation has a huge impact on biological processes in all domains of life. The type of glycan present on a recombinant glycoprotein depends on protein intrinsic features and the glycosylation repertoire of the cell type used for expression. Glycoengineering approaches are used to eliminate unwanted glycan modifications and to facilitate the coordinated expression of glycosylation enzymes or whole metabolic pathways to furnish glycans with distinct modifications. The formation of tailored glycans enables structure-function studies and optimization of therapeutic proteins used in different applications. While recombinant proteins or proteins from natural sources can be in vitro glycoengineered using glycosyltransferases or chemoenzymatic synthesis, many approaches use genetic engineering involving the elimination of endogenous genes and introduction of heterologous genes to cell-based production systems. Plant glycoengineering enables the in planta production of recombinant glycoproteins with human or animal-type glycans that resemble natural glycosylation or contain novel glycan structures. This review summarizes key achievements in glycoengineering of plants and highlights current developments aiming to make plants more suitable for the production of a diverse range of recombinant glycoproteins for innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Strasser
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
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24
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Bulle M, Sheri V, Aileni M, Zhang B. Chloroplast Genome Engineering: A Plausible Approach to Combat Chili Thrips and Other Agronomic Insect Pests of Crops. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3448. [PMID: 37836188 PMCID: PMC10574609 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The world population's growing demand for food is expected to increase dramatically by 2050. The agronomic productivity for food is severely affected due to biotic and abiotic constraints. At a global level, insect pests alone account for ~20% loss in crop yield every year. Deployment of noxious chemical pesticides to control insect pests always has a threatening effect on human health and environmental sustainability. Consequently, this necessitates for the establishment of innovative, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and alternative means to mitigate insect pest management strategies. According to a recent study, using chloroplasts engineered with double-strand RNA (dsRNA) is novel successful combinatorial strategy deployed to effectively control the most vexing pest, the western flower thrips (WFT: Frankliniella occidentalis). Such biotechnological avenues allowed us to recapitulate the recent progress of research methods, such as RNAi, CRISPR/Cas, mini chromosomes, and RNA-binding proteins with plastid engineering for a plausible approach to effectively mitigate agronomic insect pests. We further discussed the significance of the maternal inheritance of the chloroplast, which is the major advantage of chloroplast genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallesham Bulle
- Agri Biotech Foundation, Agricultural University Campus, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500030, India
| | - Vijay Sheri
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
| | - Mahender Aileni
- Department of Biotechnology, Telangana University, Dichpally, Nizamabad 503322, India;
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
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25
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Wendlandt T, Koch C, Britz B, Liedek A, Schmidt N, Werner S, Gleba Y, Vahidpour F, Welden M, Poghossian A, Schöning MJ, Eber FJ, Jeske H, Wege C. Facile Purification and Use of Tobamoviral Nanocarriers for Antibody-Mediated Display of a Two-Enzyme System. Viruses 2023; 15:1951. [PMID: 37766357 PMCID: PMC10536799 DOI: 10.3390/v15091951] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosorbent turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV) particles displaying the IgG-binding domains D and E of Staphylococcus aureus protein A (PA) on every coat protein (CP) subunit (TVCVPA) were purified from plants via optimized and new protocols. The latter used polyethylene glycol (PEG) raw precipitates, from which virions were selectively re-solubilized in reverse PEG concentration gradients. This procedure improved the integrity of both TVCVPA and the wild-type subgroup 3 tobamovirus. TVCVPA could be loaded with more than 500 IgGs per virion, which mediated the immunocapture of fluorescent dyes, GFP, and active enzymes. Bi-enzyme ensembles of cooperating glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase were tethered together on the TVCVPA carriers via a single antibody type, with one enzyme conjugated chemically to its Fc region, and the other one bound as a target, yielding synthetic multi-enzyme complexes. In microtiter plates, the TVCVPA-displayed sugar-sensing system possessed a considerably increased reusability upon repeated testing, compared to the IgG-bound enzyme pair in the absence of the virus. A high coverage of the viral adapters was also achieved on Ta2O5 sensor chip surfaces coated with a polyelectrolyte interlayer, as a prerequisite for durable TVCVPA-assisted electrochemical biosensing via modularly IgG-assembled sensor enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Wendlandt
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Claudia Koch
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Beate Britz
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Anke Liedek
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Nora Schmidt
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Stefan Werner
- Nambawan Biotech GmbH/Now at Icon Genetics GmbH, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle, Germany;
| | - Yuri Gleba
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle, Germany;
| | - Farnoosh Vahidpour
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, 52428 Jülich, Germany; (F.V.); (M.W.); (M.J.S.)
| | - Melanie Welden
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, 52428 Jülich, Germany; (F.V.); (M.W.); (M.J.S.)
| | | | - Michael J. Schöning
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, 52428 Jülich, Germany; (F.V.); (M.W.); (M.J.S.)
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabian J. Eber
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, 77652 Offenburg, Germany;
| | - Holger Jeske
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Christina Wege
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, Molecular and Synthetic Plant Virology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; (T.W.); (C.K.); (N.S.)
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26
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Shahgolzari M, Venkataraman S, Osano A, Akpa PA, Hefferon K. Plant Virus Nanoparticles Combat Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1278. [PMID: 37631846 PMCID: PMC10459942 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11081278] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant virus nanoparticles (PVNPs) have garnered considerable interest as a promising nanotechnology approach to combat cancer. Owing to their biocompatibility, stability, and adjustable surface functionality, PVNPs hold tremendous potential for both therapeutic and imaging applications. The versatility of PVNPs is evident from their ability to be tailored to transport a range of therapeutic agents, including chemotherapy drugs, siRNA, and immunomodulators, thereby facilitating targeted delivery to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, PVNPs may be customized with targeting ligands to selectively bind to cancer cell receptors, reducing off-target effects. Additionally, PVNPs possess immunogenic properties and can be engineered to exhibit tumor-associated antigens, thereby stimulating anti-tumor immune responses. In conclusion, the potential of PVNPs as a versatile platform for fighting cancer is immense, and further research is required to fully explore their potential and translate them into clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Shahgolzari
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Srividhya Venkataraman
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Anne Osano
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD 20715, USA
| | - Paul Achile Akpa
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Kathleen Hefferon
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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27
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Dong X, Wu W, Pan P, Zhang XZ. Engineered Living Materials for Advanced Diseases Therapy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2304963. [PMID: 37436776 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Natural living materials serving as biotherapeutics exhibit great potential for treating various diseases owing to their immunoactivity, tissue targeting, and other biological activities. In this review, the recent developments in engineered living materials, including mammalian cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, microalgae, plants, and their active derivatives that are used for treating various diseases are summarized. Further, the future perspectives and challenges of such engineered living material-based biotherapeutics are discussed to provide considerations for future advances in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Dong
- Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, P. R. China
| | - Wei Wu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, P. R. China
| | - Pei Pan
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education and Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Xian-Zheng Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education and Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
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28
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Knödler M, Reunious PW, Buyel JF. Risk assessment and bioburden evaluation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient protein expression in plants using the CaMV35S promoter. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:14. [PMID: 37286972 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00782-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-scale transient expression of recombinant proteins in plants is increasingly used and requires the multi-liter cultivation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformed with an expression vector, which is often cloned in Escherichia coli first. Depending on the promoter, unintentional activity can occur in both bacteria, which could pose a safety risk to the environment and operators if the protein is toxic. To assess the risk associated with transient expression, we first tested expression vectors containing the CaMV35S promoter known to be active in plants and bacteria, along with controls to measure the accumulation of the corresponding recombinant proteins. We found that, in both bacteria, even the stable model protein DsRed accumulated at levels near the detection limit of the sandwich ELISA (3.8 µg L-1). Higher levels were detected in short cultivations (< 12 h) but never exceeded 10 µg L-1. We determined the abundance of A. tumefaciens throughout the process, including infiltration. We detected few bacteria in the clarified extract and found none after blanching. Finally, we combined protein accumulation and bacterial abundance data with the known effects of toxic proteins to estimate critical exposures for operators. We found that unintended toxin production in bacteria is negligible. Furthermore, the intravenous uptake of multiple milliliters of fermentation broth or infiltration suspension would be required to reach acute toxicity even when handling the most toxic products (LD50 ~ 1 ng kg-1). The unintentional uptake of such quantities is unlikely and we therefore regard transient expression as safe in terms of the bacterial handling procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Knödler
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Paul Winman Reunious
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johannes Felix Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
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Shah S, Famta P, Tiwari V, Kotha AK, Kashikar R, Chougule MB, Chung YH, Steinmetz NF, Uddin M, Singh SB, Srivastava S. Instigation of the epoch of nanovaccines in cancer immunotherapy. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 15:e1870. [PMID: 36410742 PMCID: PMC10182210 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is an unprecedented proliferation of cells leading to abnormalities in differentiation and maturation. Treatment of primary and metastatic cancer is challenging. In addition to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapies have been conventionally used; however, they suffer from severe toxicity and non-specificity. Immunotherapy, the science of programming the body's own defense system against cancer has gained tremendous attention in the last few decades. However, partial immunogenic stimulation, premature degradation and inability to activate dendritic and helper T cells has resulted in limited clinical success. The era of nanomedicine has brought about several breakthroughs in various pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. Hereby, we review and discuss the interplay of tumor microenvironment (TME) and the immunological cascade and how they can be employed to develop nanoparticle-based cancer vaccines and immunotherapies. Nanoparticles composed of lipids, polymers and inorganic materials contain useful properties suitable for vaccine development. Proteinaceous vaccines derived from mammalian viruses, bacteriophages and plant viruses also have unique advantages due to their immunomodulation capabilities. This review accounts for all such considerations. Additionally, we explore how attributes of nanotechnology can be utilized to develop successful nanomedicine-based vaccines for cancer therapy. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, INDIA
| | - Paras Famta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, INDIA
| | - Vinod Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, INDIA
| | - Arun K Kotha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rama Kashikar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mahavir Bhupal Chougule
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Young Hun Chung
- Departments of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Departments of Bioengineering, NanoEngineering, Radiology, Moores Cancer Center, Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mohammad Uddin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shashi Bala Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, INDIA
| | - Saurabh Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, INDIA
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30
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Ebrahimi SB, Samanta D. Engineering protein-based therapeutics through structural and chemical design. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2411. [PMID: 37105998 PMCID: PMC10132957 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38039-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-based therapeutics have led to new paradigms in disease treatment. Projected to be half of the top ten selling drugs in 2023, proteins have emerged as rivaling and, in some cases, superior alternatives to historically used small molecule-based medicines. This review chronicles both well-established and emerging design strategies that have enabled this paradigm shift by transforming protein-based structures that are often prone to denaturation, degradation, and aggregation in vitro and in vivo into highly effective therapeutics. In particular, we discuss strategies for creating structures with increased affinity and targetability, enhanced in vivo stability and pharmacokinetics, improved cell permeability, and reduced amounts of undesired immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha B Ebrahimi
- Drug Product Development-Steriles, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA.
| | - Devleena Samanta
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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31
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Eidenberger L, Kogelmann B, Steinkellner H. Plant-based biopharmaceutical engineering. NATURE REVIEWS BIOENGINEERING 2023; 1:426-439. [PMID: 37317690 PMCID: PMC10030082 DOI: 10.1038/s44222-023-00044-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Plants can be engineered to recombinantly produce high-quality proteins such as therapeutic proteins and vaccines, also known as molecular farming. Molecular farming can be established in various settings with minimal cold-chain requirements and could thus ensure rapid and global-scale deployment of biopharmaceuticals, promoting equitable access to pharmaceuticals. State of the art plant-based engineering relies on rationally assembled genetic circuits, engineered to enable the high-throughput and rapid expression of multimeric proteins with complex post-translational modifications. In this Review, we discuss the design of expression hosts and vectors, including Nicotiana benthamiana, viral elements and transient expression vectors, for the production of biopharmaceuticals in plants. We examine engineering of post-translational modifications and highlight the plant-based expression of monoclonal antibodies and nanoparticles, such as virus-like particles and protein bodies. Techno-economic analyses suggest a cost advantage of molecular farming compared with mammalian cell-based protein production systems. However, regulatory challenges remain to be addressed to enable the widespread translation of plant-based biopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Eidenberger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin Kogelmann
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- acib — Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Herta Steinkellner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Li Y, Cao S, Li Q, Li H, Yu L, Shao B, Yuan Q, Zou S, Zhou C. Engineered Plant Virus Complexes with a RANK Motif Modulator and Bone Targeting for Osteoporosis Treatment. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:11485-11495. [PMID: 36821292 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c19632] [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: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by excessive osteoclastic bone resorption and impaired osteoblastic bone formation. Traditional delivery of antiresorptive drugs lacks a specific biodistribution in the body and may cause adverse effects to the patients. In this study, the peptide BTRM is first synthesized consisting of the bone-targeting peptide Asp8 (BT) and the peptide derived from the amino acid sequences of RANK Motif2/3 (RM), two cytoplasmic RANK motifs (PVQEET560-565 and PVQEQG604-609) that have been reported to play an important role in osteoclastogenesis. Then, BTRM is conjugated on the plant virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs) obtained from cowpea chlorotic mottle viruses (CCMVs), forming the engineered plant viruses BTRM-VNPs. In vitro experiments demonstrate that BTRM-VNPs can effectively and safely inhibit osteoclast differentiation and function. Moreover, after injection into ovariectomized mice, BTRM-VNPs show excellent capability to target bone tissue and improve osteoporotic bone loss. Collectively, the findings may provide a novel and promising strategy in the treatment of osteoporotic defects via targeting bone tissue and regulating the function of RANK Motif2/3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuqin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Leixiao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujuan Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenchen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
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Shakir S, Zaidi SSEA, Hashemi FSG, Nyirakanani C, Vanderschuren H. Harnessing plant viruses in the metagenomics era: from the development of infectious clones to applications. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:297-311. [PMID: 36379846 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent metagenomic studies which focused on virus characterization in the entire plant environment have revealed a remarkable viral diversity in plants. The exponential discovery of viruses also requires the concomitant implementation of high-throughput methods to perform their functional characterization. Despite several limitations, the development of viral infectious clones remains a method of choice to understand virus biology, their role in the phytobiome, and plant resilience. Here, we review the latest approaches for efficient characterization of plant viruses and technical advances built on high-throughput sequencing and synthetic biology to streamline assembly of viral infectious clones. We then discuss the applications of plant viral vectors in fundamental and applied plant research as well as their technical and regulatory limitations, and we propose strategies for their safer field applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Shakir
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Laboratory, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - Syed Shan-E-Ali Zaidi
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Laboratory, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Farahnaz Sadat Golestan Hashemi
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Laboratory, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Chantal Nyirakanani
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Laboratory, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium; Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, University of Rwanda, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Hervé Vanderschuren
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Laboratory, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium; Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Biosystems Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Bravo-Vázquez LA, Mora-Hernández EO, Rodríguez AL, Sahare P, Bandyopadhyay A, Duttaroy AK, Paul S. Current Advances of Plant-Based Vaccines for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:711. [PMID: 36840033 PMCID: PMC9963606 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are characterized by the progressive degeneration and/or loss of neurons belonging to the central nervous system, and represent one of the major global health issues. Therefore, a number of immunotherapeutic approaches targeting the non-functional or toxic proteins that induce neurodegeneration in NDDs have been designed in the last decades. In this context, due to unprecedented advances in genetic engineering techniques and molecular farming technology, pioneering plant-based immunogenic antigen expression systems have been developed aiming to offer reliable alternatives to deal with important NDDs, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Diverse reports have evidenced that plant-made vaccines trigger significant immune responses in model animals, supported by the production of antibodies against the aberrant proteins expressed in the aforementioned NDDs. Moreover, these immunogenic tools have various advantages that make them a viable alternative for preventing and treating NDDs, such as high scalability, no risk of contamination with human pathogens, cold chain free production, and lower production costs. Hence, this article presents an overview of the current progress on plant-manufactured vaccines for NDDs and discusses its future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Alberto Bravo-Vázquez
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Querétaro, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Av. Epigmenio González, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, Querétaro 76130, Mexico
| | - Erick Octavio Mora-Hernández
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Mexico City, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Calle del Puente, No. 222 Col. Ejidos de Huipulco, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14380, Mexico
| | - Alma L. Rodríguez
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Querétaro, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Av. Epigmenio González, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, Querétaro 76130, Mexico
| | - Padmavati Sahare
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus UNAM 3001, Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Anindya Bandyopadhyay
- International Rice Research Institute, Manila 4031, Philippines
- Reliance Industries Ltd., Navi Mumbai 400701, India
| | - Asim K. Duttaroy
- Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1046 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sujay Paul
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Querétaro, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Av. Epigmenio González, No. 500 Fracc. San Pablo, Querétaro 76130, Mexico
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35
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Chung YH, Volckaert BA, Steinmetz NF. Development of a Modular NTA:His Tag Viral Vaccine for Co-delivery of Antigen and Adjuvant. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:269-278. [PMID: 36608270 PMCID: PMC10545220 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the need for vaccines that are effective, but quickly produced. Of note, vaccines with plug-and-play capabilities that co-deliver antigen and adjuvant to the same cell have shown remarkable success. Our approach of utilizing a nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) histidine (His)-tag chemistry with viral adjuvants incorporates both of these characteristics: plug-and-play and co-delivery. We specifically utilize the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) and the virus-like particles from bacteriophage Qβ as adjuvants and bind the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Successful binding of the antigen to the adjuvant/carrier was verified by SDS-PAGE, western blot, and ELISA. Immunization in C57BL/6J mice demonstrates that with Qβ - but not CPMV - there is an improved antibody response against the target antigen using the Qβ-NiNTA:His-OVA versus a simple admixture of antigen and adjuvant. Antibody isotyping also shows that formulation of the vaccines can alter T helper biases; while the Qβ-NiNTA:His-OVA particle produces a balanced Th1/Th2 bias the admixture was strongly Th2. In a mouse model of B16F10-OVA, we further demonstrate improved survival and slower tumor growth in the vaccine groups compared to controls. The NiNTA:His chemistry demonstrates potential for rapid development of future generation vaccines enabling plug-and-play capabilities with effectiveness boosted by co-delivery to the same cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hun Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Britney A Volckaert
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Engineering in Cancer, Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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Jung E, Mao C, Bhatia M, Koellhoffer EC, Fiering SN, Steinmetz NF. Inactivated Cowpea Mosaic Virus for In Situ Vaccination: Differential Efficacy of Formalin vs UV-Inactivated Formulations. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:500-507. [PMID: 36399598 PMCID: PMC9812890 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) has been developed as a promising nanoplatform technology for cancer immunotherapy; when applied as in situ vaccine, CPMV exhibits potent, systemic, and durable efficacy. While CPMV is not infectious to mammals, it is infectious to legumes; therefore, agronomic safety needs to be addressed to broaden the translational application of CPMV. RNA-containing formulations are preferred over RNA-free virus-like particles because the RNA and protein, each, contribute to CPMV's potent antitumor efficacy. We have previously optimized inactivation methods to develop CPMV that contains RNA but is not infectious to plants. We established that inactivated CPMV has reduced efficacy compared to untreated, native CPMV. However, a systematic comparison between native CPMV and different inactivated forms of CPMV was not done. Therefore, in this study, we directly compared the therapeutic efficacies and mechanisms of immune activation of CPMV, ultraviolet- (UV-), and formalin (Form)-inactivated CPMV to explain the differential efficacies. In a B16F10 melanoma mouse tumor model, Form-CPMV suppressed the tumor growth with prolonged survival (there were no statistical differences comparing CPMV and Form-CPMV). In comparison, UV-CPMV inhibited tumor growth significantly but not as well as Form-CPMV or CPMV. The reduced therapeutic efficacy of UV-CPMV is explained by the degree of cross-linking and aggregated state of the RNA, which renders it inaccessible for sensing by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 to activate immune responses. The mechanistic studies showed that the highly aggregated state of UV-CPMV inhibited TLR7 signaling more so than for the Form-CPMV formulation, reducing the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-α (IFN-α), cytokines associated with TLR7 signaling. These findings support the translational development of Form-CPMV as a noninfectious immunotherapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Misha Bhatia
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of, California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United, States
| | - Edward C. Koellhoffer
- Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Steven N. Fiering
- Department of Microbiology and, Immunology and Dartmouth Cancer Center, Dartmouth, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of Nanoengineering, Radiology, Bioengineering, Moores Cancer Center, Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, and Institute for Materials, Design and Discovery, University of California San Diego, La, Jolla, California 92093, United States
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Ortega-Rivera OA, Beiss V, Osota EO, Chan SK, Karan S, Steinmetz NF. Production of cytoplasmic type citrus leprosis virus-like particles by plant molecular farming. Virology 2023; 578:7-12. [PMID: 36434906 PMCID: PMC9812895 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many plant virus-like particles (VLPs) utilized in nanotechnology are 30-nm icosahedrons. To expand the VLP platforms, we produced VLPs of Cytoplasmic type citrus leprosis virus (CiLV-C) in Nicotiana benthamiana. We were interested in CiLV-C because of its unique bacilliform shape (60-70 nm × 110-120 nm). The CiLV-C capsid protein (p29) gene was transferred to the pTRBO expression vector transiently expressed in leaves. Stable VLPs were formed, as confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy and size exclusion chromatography. Interestingly, the morphology of the VLPs (15.8 ± 1.3 nm icosahedral particles) differed from that of the native bacilliform particles indicating that the assembly of native virions is influenced by other viral proteins and/or the packaged viral genome. The smaller CiLV-C VLPs will also be useful for structure-function studies to compare with the 30-nm icosahedrons of other VLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar A Ortega-Rivera
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Veronique Beiss
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Elizabeth O Osota
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Soo Khim Chan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Sweta Karan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA; Moores Cancer Center, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA.
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Cell delivery devices for cancer immunotherapy. J Control Release 2023; 353:875-888. [PMID: 36442617 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) that leverages allogeneic or autologous immune cells holds vast promise in targeted cancer therapy. Despite the tremendous success of ACT in treating hematopoietic malignancies, its efficacy is limited in eradicating solid tumors via intravenous infusion of immune cells. With the extending technology of cancer immunotherapy, novel delivery strategies have been explored to improve the therapeutic potency of adoptively transferred cells for solid tumor treatment by innovating the administration route, maintaining the cell viability, and normalizing the tumor microenvironment. In this review, a variety of devices for cell delivery are summarized. Perspectives and challenges of cell delivery devices for cancer immunotherapy are also discussed.
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Current status and future prospects in cannabinoid production through in vitro culture and synthetic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 62:108074. [PMID: 36481387 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, cannabis has been a rich source of fibrous, pharmaceutical, and recreational ingredients. Phytocannabinoids are the most important and well-known class of cannabis-derived secondary metabolites and display a broad range of health-promoting and psychoactive effects. The unique characteristics of phytocannabinoids (e.g., metabolite likeness, multi-target spectrum, and safety profile) have resulted in the development and approval of several cannabis-derived drugs. While most work has focused on the two main cannabinoids produced in the plant, over 150 unique cannabinoids have been identified. To meet the rapidly growing phytocannabinoid demand, particularly many of the minor cannabinoids found in low amounts in planta, biotechnology offers promising alternatives for biosynthesis through in vitro culture and heterologous systems. In recent years, the engineered production of phytocannabinoids has been obtained through synthetic biology both in vitro (cell suspension culture and hairy root culture) and heterologous systems. However, there are still several bottlenecks (e.g., the complexity of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway and optimizing the bioprocess), hampering biosynthesis and scaling up the biotechnological process. The current study reviews recent advances related to in vitro culture-mediated cannabinoid production. Additionally, an integrated overview of promising conventional approaches to cannabinoid production is presented. Progress toward cannabinoid production in heterologous systems and possible avenues for avoiding autotoxicity are also reviewed and highlighted. Machine learning is then introduced as a powerful tool to model, and optimize bioprocesses related to cannabinoid production. Finally, regulation and manipulation of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway using CRISPR- mediated metabolic engineering is discussed.
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Rapid and Highly Efficient Genetic Transformation and Application of Interleukin-17B Expressed in Duckweed as Mucosal Vaccine Adjuvant. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121881. [PMID: 36551310 PMCID: PMC9775668 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular farming utilizes plants as a platform for producing recombinant biopharmaceuticals. Duckweed, the smallest and fastest growing aquatic plant, is a promising candidate for molecular farming. However, the efficiency of current transformation methods is generally not high in duckweed. Here, we developed a fast and efficient transformation procedure in Lemna minor ZH0403, requiring 7-8 weeks from screening calluses to transgenic plants with a stable transformation efficiency of 88% at the DNA level and 86% at the protein level. We then used this transformation system to produce chicken interleukin-17B (chIL-17B). The plant-produced chIL-17B activated the NF-κB pathway, JAK-STAT pathway, and their downstream cytokines in DF-1 cells. Furthermore, we administrated chIL-17B transgenic duckweed orally as an immunoadjuvant with mucosal vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in chickens. Both IBV-specific antibody titer and the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) were significantly higher in the group fed with chIL-17B transgenic plant. This indicates that the duckweed-produced chIL-17B enhanced the humoral and mucosal immune responses. Moreover, chickens fed with chIL-17B transgenic plant demonstrated the lowest viral loads in different tissues among all groups. Our work suggests that cytokines are a promising adjuvant for mucosal vaccination through the oral route. Our work also demonstrates the potential of duckweed in molecular farming.
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High-Yield Production of Chimeric Hepatitis E Virus-Like Particles Bearing the M2e Influenza Epitope and Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 in Plants Using Viral Vectors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415684. [PMID: 36555326 PMCID: PMC9779006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Capsid protein of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is capable of self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs) when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Such VLPs could be used as carriers of antigens for vaccine development. In this study, we obtained VLPs based on truncated coat protein of HEV bearing the M2e peptide of Influenza A virus or receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (RBD). We optimized the immunogenic epitopes' presentation by inserting them into the protruding domain of HEV ORF2 at position Tyr485. The fusion proteins were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using self-replicating potato virus X (PVX)-based vector. The fusion protein HEV/M2, targeted to the cytosol, was expressed at the level of about 300-400 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue and appeared to be soluble. The fusion protein was purified using metal affinity chromatography under native conditions with the final yield about 200 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue. The fusion protein HEV/RBD, targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum, was expressed at about 80-100 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue; the yield after purification was up to 20 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue. The recombinant proteins HEV/M2 and HEV/RBD formed nanosized virus-like particles that could be recognized by antibodies against inserted epitopes. The ELISA assay showed that antibodies of COVID-19 patients can bind plant-produced HEV/RBD virus-like particles. This study shows that HEV capsid protein is a promising carrier for presentation of foreign antigen.
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Arumugam GS, Damodharan K, Doble M, Thennarasu S. Significant perspectives on various viral infections targeted antiviral drugs and vaccines including COVID-19 pandemicity. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:21. [PMID: 35838929 PMCID: PMC9283561 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00078-z] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A virus enters a living organism and recruits host metabolism to reproduce its own genome and proteins. The viral infections are intricate and cannot be completely removed through existing antiviral drugs. For example, the herpes, influenza, hepatitis and human immunodeficiency viruses are a few dreadful ones amongst them. Significant studies are needed to understand the viral entry and their growth in host cells to design effective antivirals. This review emphasizes the range of therapeutical antiviral drugs, inhibitors along with vaccines to fight against viral pathogens, especially for combating COVID-19. Moreover, we have provided the basic and in depth information about viral targets, drugs availability, their mechanisms of action, method of prevention of viral diseases and highlighted the significances of anticoagulants, convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment, scientific details of airborne transmission, characteristics of antiviral drug delivery using nanoparticles/carriers, nanoemulsions, nanogels, metal based nanoparticles, alike the future nanosystems through nanobubbles, nanofibers, nanodiamonds, nanotraps, nanorobots and eventually, the therapeutic applications of micro- and nanoparticulates, current status for clinical development against COVID-19 together with environmental implications of antivirals, gene therapy etc., which may be useful for repurposing and designing of novel antiviral drugs against various dreadful diseases, especially the SARS-CoV-2 and other associated variants.
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Xu G, Mao Y, Jiang T, Gao B, He B. Structural design strategies of microneedle-based vaccines for transdermal immunity augmentation. J Control Release 2022; 351:907-922. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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de Pinho Favaro MT, Atienza-Garriga J, Martínez-Torró C, Parladé E, Vázquez E, Corchero JL, Ferrer-Miralles N, Villaverde A. Recombinant vaccines in 2022: a perspective from the cell factory. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:203. [PMID: 36199085 PMCID: PMC9532831 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01929-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The last big outbreaks of Ebola fever in Africa, the thousands of avian influenza outbreaks across Europe, Asia, North America and Africa, the emergence of monkeypox virus in Europe and specially the COVID-19 pandemics have globally stressed the need for efficient, cost-effective vaccines against infectious diseases. Ideally, they should be based on transversal technologies of wide applicability. In this context, and pushed by the above-mentioned epidemiological needs, new and highly sophisticated DNA-or RNA-based vaccination strategies have been recently developed and applied at large-scale. Being very promising and effective, they still need to be assessed regarding the level of conferred long-term protection. Despite these fast-developing approaches, subunit vaccines, based on recombinant proteins obtained by conventional genetic engineering, still show a wide spectrum of interesting potentialities and an important margin for further development. In the 80's, the first vaccination attempts with recombinant vaccines consisted in single structural proteins from viral pathogens, administered as soluble plain versions. In contrast, more complex formulations of recombinant antigens with particular geometries are progressively generated and explored in an attempt to mimic the multifaceted set of stimuli offered to the immune system by replicating pathogens. The diversity of recombinant antimicrobial vaccines and vaccine prototypes is revised here considering the cell factory types, through relevant examples of prototypes under development as well as already approved products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Teixeira de Pinho Favaro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jan Atienza-Garriga
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Martínez-Torró
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eloi Parladé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - José Luis Corchero
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Neus Ferrer-Miralles
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallés, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
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Yokoyama A, Oiwa S, Matsui T, Sawada K, Tasaka Y, Matsumura T. Energy-efficient production of vaccine protein against porcine edema disease from transgenic lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Sci Rep 2022; 12:15951. [PMID: 36153428 PMCID: PMC9509315 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19491-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of functional protein production systems using transgenic plants as hosts has been rapidly progressing in recent years. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has been studied as one such host, and it has been reported that the biomass of lettuce per area and target protein expression level can be increased by optimizing the cultivation conditions. Therefore, we investigated methods to minimize the input light energy per target protein to reduce production costs. Herein, we examined the yield of a nontoxic B subunit of Stx2e (Stx2eB) from transgenic lettuce under various cultivation conditions. Stx2eB acts as a vaccine against swine edema disease. The effects of photon flux densities (PPFDs), photoperiod, and light source on Stx2eB production were examined and the findings suggested that 400 μmol m-2 s-1, 24 h, and white LED lamps, respectively, contributed to energy-efficient Stx2eB production. In addition, Stx2eB was produced 1.4 times more efficiently per unit area time using a high plant density (228.5 plants m-2) than a common density (30.4 plants m-2). The findings of the present study can facilitate the development of energy-efficient and low-cost production processes for vaccine protein production, considering temporal and spatial perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asuka Yokoyama
- Innovation Strategy and Carbon Neutral Transformation Department, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., 1-2-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Seika Oiwa
- Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., 1280 Kamiizumi, Sodegaura-Shi, Chiba, 299-0293, Japan
| | - Takeshi Matsui
- Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., 1280 Kamiizumi, Sodegaura-Shi, Chiba, 299-0293, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Sawada
- Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., 1280 Kamiizumi, Sodegaura-Shi, Chiba, 299-0293, Japan
| | - Yasushi Tasaka
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-8517, Japan
| | - Takeshi Matsumura
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-8517, Japan
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Modulation of the Translation Efficiency of Heterologous mRNA and Target Protein Stability in a Plant System: The Case Study of Interferon-αA. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11192450. [PMID: 36235315 PMCID: PMC9573741 DOI: 10.3390/plants11192450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A broad and amazingly intricate network of mechanisms underlying the decoding of a plant genome into the proteome forces the researcher to design new strategies to enhance both the accumulation of recombinant proteins and their purification from plants and to improve the available relevant strategies. In this paper, we propose new approaches to optimize a codon composition of target genes (case study of interferon-αA) and to search for regulatory sequences (case study of 5′UTR), and we demonstrated their effectiveness in increasing the synthesis of recombinant proteins in plant systems. In addition, we convincingly show that the approach utilizing stabilization of the protein product according to the N-end rule or a new protein-stabilizing partner (thermostable lichenase) is sufficiently effective and results in a significant increase in the protein yield manufactured in a plant system. Moreover, it is validly demonstrated that thermostable lichenase as a protein-stabilizing partner not only has no negative effect on the target protein activity (interferon-αA) integrated in its sequence, but rather enhances the accumulation of the target protein product in plant cells. In addition, the retention of lichenase enzyme activity and interferon biological activity after the incubation of plant protein lysates at 65 °C and precipitation of nontarget proteins with ethanol is applicable to a rapid and inexpensive purification of fusion proteins, thereby confirming the utility of thermostable lichenase as a protein-stabilizing partner for plant systems.
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Klocko AL. Genetic Containment for Molecular Farming. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2436. [PMID: 36145835 PMCID: PMC9501302 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plant molecular farming can provide humans with a wide variety of plant-based products including vaccines, therapeutics, polymers, industrial enzymes, and more. Some of these products, such as Taxol, are produced by endogenous plant genes, while many others require addition of genes by artificial gene transfer. Thus, some molecular farming plants are transgenic (or cisgenic), while others are not. Both the transgenic nature of many molecular farming plants and the fact that the products generated are of high-value and specific in purpose mean it is essential to prevent accidental cross-over of molecular farming plants and products into food or feed. Such mingling could occur either by gene flow during plant growth and harvest or by human errors in material handling. One simple approach to mitigate possible transfer would be to use only non-food non-feed species for molecular farming purposes. However, given the extent of molecular farming products in development, testing, or approval that do utilize food or feed crops, a ban on use of these species would be challenging to implement. Therefore, other approaches will need to be considered for mitigation of cross-flow between molecular farming and non-molecular-farming plants. This review summarized some of the production systems available for molecular farming purposes and options to implement or improve plant containment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Klocko
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA
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Abstract
The idea of producing vaccines in plants originated in the late 1980s. Initially, it was contemplated that this notion could facilitate the concept of edible vaccines, making them more cost effective and easily accessible. Initial studies on edible vaccines focussed on the use of a variety of different transgenic plant host species for the production of vaccine antigens. However, adequate expression levels of antigens, the difficulties predicted with administration of consistent doses, and regulatory rules required for growth of transgenic plants gave way to the development of vaccine candidates that could be purified and administered parenterally. The field has subsequently advanced with improved expression techniques including a shift from using transgenic to transient expression of antigens, refinement of purification protocols, a deeper understanding of the biological processes and a wealth of evidence of immunogenicity and efficacy of plant-produced vaccine candidates, all contributing to the successful practice of what is now known as biopharming or plant molecular farming. The establishment of this technology has resulted in the development of many different types of vaccine candidates including subunit vaccines and various different types of nanoparticle vaccines targeting a wide variety of bacterial and viral diseases. This has brought further acceptance of plants as a suitable platform for vaccine production and in this review, we discuss the most recent advances in the production of vaccines in plants for human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Stander
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Sandiswa Mbewana
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Ann E Meyers
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
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Multifunctional Plant Virus Nanoparticles for Targeting Breast Cancer Tumors. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091431. [PMID: 36146510 PMCID: PMC9502313 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer treatment using plant-virus-based nanoparticles (PVNPs) has achieved considerable success in preclinical studies. PVNP-based breast cancer therapies include non-targeted and targeted nanoplatforms for delivery of anticancer therapeutic chemo and immune agents and cancer vaccines for activation of local and systemic antitumor immunity. Interestingly, PVNP platforms combined with other tumor immunotherapeutic options and other modalities of oncotherapy can improve tumor efficacy treatment. These applications can be achieved by encapsulation of a wide range of active ingredients and conjugating ligands for targeting immune and tumor cells. This review presents the current breast cancer treatments based on PVNP platforms.
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Monroy-Borrego AG, Steinmetz NF. Three methods for inoculation of viral vectors into plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:963756. [PMID: 36110356 PMCID: PMC9468707 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.963756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is facing new challenges, with global warming modifying the survival chances for crops, and new pests on the horizon. To keep up with these challenges, gene delivery provides tools to increase crop yields. On the other hand, gene delivery also opens the door for molecular farming of pharmaceuticals in plants. However, towards increased food production and scalable molecular farming, there remain technical difficulties and regulatory hurdles to overcome. The industry-standard is transformation of plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but this method is limited to certain plants, requires set up of plant growth facilities and fermentation of bacteria, and introduces lipopolysaccharides contaminants into the system. Therefore, alternate methods are needed. Mechanical inoculation and spray methods have already been discussed in the literature - and here, we compare these methods with a newly introduced petiole injection technique. Because our interest lies in the development of plant viruses as immunotherapies targeting human health as well as gene delivery vectors for agriculture applications, we turned toward tobacco mosaic virus as a model system. We studied the effectiveness of three inoculation techniques: mechanical inoculation, Silwet-77 foliar spray and petiole injections. The foliar spray method was optimized, and we used 0.03% Silwet L-77 to induce infection using either TMV or a lysine-added mutant TMV-Lys. We developed a method using a needle-laden syringe to target and inject the plant virus directly into the vasculature of the plant - we tested injection into the stem and petiole. Stem inoculation resulted in toxicity, but the petiole injection technique was established as a viable strategy. TMV and TMV-Lys were purified from single plants and pooled leaf samples - overall there was little variation between the techniques, as measured by TMV or TMV-Lys yields, highlighting the feasibility of the syringe injection technique to produce virus nanoparticles. There was variation between yields from preparation to preparation with mechanical, spray and syringe inoculation yielding 40-141 mg, 36-56 mg, 18-56 mg TMV per 100 grams of leaves. Similar yields were obtained using TMV-Lys, with 24-38 mg, 17-28, 7-36 mg TMV-Lys per 100 grams of leaves for mechanical, spray and syringe inoculation, respectively. Each method has its advantages: spray inoculation is highly scalable and therefore may find application for farming, the syringe inoculation could provide a clean, aseptic, and controlled approach for molecular farming of pharmaceuticals under good manufacturing protocols (GMP) and would even be applicable for gene delivery to plants in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea G. Monroy-Borrego
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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