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Kehrein J, Sotriffer C. Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Rationalizing Polymer Bioconjugation Strategies: Challenges, Recent Developments, and Future Opportunities. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:51-74. [PMID: 37466304 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The covalent modification of proteins with polymers is a well-established method for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutically valuable biologics. The conjugated polymer chains of the resulting hybrid represent highly flexible macromolecular structures. As the dynamics of such systems remain rather elusive for established experimental techniques from the field of protein structure elucidation, molecular dynamics simulations have proven as a valuable tool for studying such conjugates at an atomistic level, thereby complementing experimental studies. With a focus on new developments, this review aims to provide researchers from the polymer bioconjugation field with a concise and up to date overview of such approaches. After introducing basic principles of molecular dynamics simulations, as well as methods for and potential pitfalls in modeling bioconjugates, the review illustrates how these computational techniques have contributed to the understanding of bioconjugates and bioconjugation strategies in the recent past and how they may lead to a more rational design of novel bioconjugates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Kehrein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97074, Germany
| | - Christoph Sotriffer
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97074, Germany
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Shen Z, Sun Y, Zhu G, Xu G, Yu Z, Lu H, Chen Y. Molecular Insights into the Improved Bioactivity of Interferon Conjugates Attached to a Helical Polyglutamate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:6539-6547. [PMID: 37127842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Attaching polymers, especially polyethylene glycol (PEG), to protein drugs has emerged as a successful strategy to prolong circulation time in the bloodstream. The hypothesis is that the flexible chain wobbles on the protein's surface, thus resisting potential nonspecific adsorption. Such a theoretical framework may be challenged when a helical polyglutamate is used to conjugate with target proteins. In this study, we investigated the structure-activity relationships of polyglutamate-interferon conjugates P(EG3Glu)-IFN using molecular simulations. Our results show that the local crowding effect induced by oligoethylene glycols (i.e., EG3) is the primary driving force for helix formation in P(EG3Glu), and its helicity can be effectively increased by reducing the free volume of the two termini. Furthermore, it was found that the steric hindrance induced by IFN is not conductive to the helicity of P(EG3Glu) but contributes to its dominant orientation relative to interferon. The orientation of IFN relative to the helical P(EG3Glu) can help to protect the protein drug from neutralizing antibodies while maintaining its bioactivity. These findings suggest that the helical structure and its orientation are critical factors to consider when updating the theoretical framework for protein-polymer conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuanglin Shen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Yiming Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Gaixia Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Zhenqiang Yu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Hua Lu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yantao Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
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Behera S, Balasubramanian S. Molecular simulations explain the exceptional thermal stability, solvent tolerance and solubility of protein-polymer surfactant bioconjugates in ionic liquids. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:21904-21915. [PMID: 36065955 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02636h] [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: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Proteins complexed electrostatically with polymer surfactants constitute a viscous liquid by themselves, called the solvent-free protein liquid (SFPL). A solution of SFPL in a room temperature ionic liquid (PS-IL) offers the protein hyperthermal stability, higher solubility and greater IL tolerance. A generic understanding of these protein-polymer systems is obtained herein through extensive atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of three different enzymes (lipase A, lysozyme and myoglobin) under various conditions. Along with increased intra-protein hydrogen bonding, the surfactant coating around the proteins imparts greater thermal stability, and also aids in screening protein-IL interactions, endowing them IL tolerance. The reduced surface polarity of the protein-polymer bioconjugate and hydrogen bonding between the ethylene glycol groups of the surfactant and the IL cation contribute to the facile solvation of the protein in its PS-IL form. The results presented here rationalize several experimental observations and will aid in the improved design of such hybrid materials for sustainable catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudarshan Behera
- Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore 560 064, India.
| | - Sundaram Balasubramanian
- Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore 560 064, India.
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