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Mock JY, Winters A, Riley TP, Bruno R, Naradikian MS, Sharma S, Jette CA, Elshimali R, Gahrs C, Toledo-Warshaviak D, West AP, Kamb A, Hamburger AE. HLA-A∗02-gated safety switch for cancer therapy has exquisite specificity for its allelic target antigen. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 27:157-166. [PMID: 36381658 PMCID: PMC9619369 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovative cell-based therapies are important new weapons in the fight against difficult-to-treat cancers. One promising strategy involves cell therapies equipped with multiple receptors to integrate signals from more than one antigen. We developed a specific embodiment of this approach called Tmod, a two-receptor system that combines activating and inhibitory inputs to distinguish between tumor and normal cells. The selectivity of Tmod is enforced by the inhibitory receptor (blocker) that recognizes an antigen, such as an HLA allele, whose expression is absent from tumors because of loss of heterozygosity. Although unwanted cross-reactivity of the blocker likely reduces efficacy rather than safety, it is important to verify the blocker's specificity. We have tested an A∗02-directed blocker derived from the PA2.1 mouse antibody as a safety mechanism paired with a mesothelin-specific activating CAR in our Tmod construct. We solved the crystal structure of humanized PA2.1 Fab in complex with HLA-A∗02 to determine its binding epitope, which was used to bioinformatically select specific class I HLA alleles to test the blocker's functional specificity in vitro. We found that this A∗02-directed blocker is highly specific for its cognate antigen, with only one cross-reactive allele (A∗69) capable of triggering comparable function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee-Young Mock
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | - Aaron Winters
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | - Timothy P. Riley
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | - Richele Bruno
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | | | - Shruti Sharma
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | - Claudia A. Jette
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ryan Elshimali
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | - Casey Gahrs
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA
| | | | - Anthony P. West
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Alexander Kamb
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA,Corresponding author Alexander Kamb, PhD, A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA.
| | - Agnes E. Hamburger
- A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA,Corresponding author Agnes E. Hamburger, A2 Biotherapeutics, 30301 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA.
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2
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Pascha M, Thijssen V, Egido JE, Linthorst MW, van Lanen JH, van Dongen DAA, Hopstaken AJP, van Kuppeveld FJM, Snijder J, de Haan CAM, Jongkees SAK. Inhibition of H1 and H5 Influenza A Virus Entry by Diverse Macrocyclic Peptides Targeting the Hemagglutinin Stem Region. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2425-2436. [PMID: 35926224 PMCID: PMC9486808 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00040] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses pose a serious pandemic risk, while generation of efficient vaccines against seasonal variants remains challenging. There is thus a pressing need for new treatment options. We report here a set of macrocyclic peptides that inhibit influenza A virus infection at low nanomolar concentrations by binding to hemagglutinin, selected using ultrahigh-throughput screening of a diverse peptide library. The peptides are active against both H1 and H5 variants, with no detectable cytotoxicity. Despite the high sequence diversity across hits, all tested peptides were found to bind to the same region in the hemagglutinin stem by HDX-MS epitope mapping. A mutation in this region identified in an escape variant confirmed the binding site. This stands in contrast to the immunodominance of the head region for antibody binding and suggests that macrocyclic peptides from in vitro display may be well suited for finding new druggable sites not revealed by antibodies. Functional analysis indicates that these peptides stabilize the prefusion conformation of the protein and thereby prevent virus-cell fusion. High-throughput screening of macrocyclic peptides is thus shown here to be a powerful method for the discovery of novel broadly acting viral fusion inhibitors with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirte
N. Pascha
- Section
Virology, Division Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department
of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584
CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vito Thijssen
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Julia E. Egido
- Section
Virology, Division Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department
of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584
CL Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mirte W. Linthorst
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jipke H. van Lanen
- Section
Virology, Division Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department
of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584
CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - David A. A. van Dongen
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Antonius J. P. Hopstaken
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for
Molecular and Life Sciences, VU Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank J. M. van Kuppeveld
- Section
Virology, Division Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department
of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584
CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Snijder
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis A. M. de Haan
- Section
Virology, Division Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department
of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584
CL Utrecht, The Netherlands,
| | - Seino A. K. Jongkees
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department
of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for
Molecular and Life Sciences, VU Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
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3
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Cano-Garrido O, Serna N, Unzueta U, Parladé E, Mangues R, Villaverde A, Vázquez E. Protein scaffolds in human clinics. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 61:108032. [PMID: 36089254 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental clinical areas such as drug delivery and regenerative medicine require biocompatible materials as mechanically stable scaffolds or as nanoscale drug carriers. Among the wide set of emerging biomaterials, polypeptides offer enticing properties over alternative polymers, including full biocompatibility, biodegradability, precise interactivity, structural stability and conformational and functional versatility, all of them tunable by conventional protein engineering. However, proteins from non-human sources elicit immunotoxicities that might bottleneck further development and narrow their clinical applicability. In this context, selecting human proteins or developing humanized protein versions as building blocks is a strict demand to design non-immunogenic protein materials. We review here the expanding catalogue of human or humanized proteins tailored to execute different levels of scaffolding functions and how they can be engineered as self-assembling materials in form of oligomers, polymers or complex networks. In particular, we emphasize those that are under clinical development, revising their fields of applicability and how they have been adapted to offer, apart from mere mechanical support, highly refined functions and precise molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Cano-Garrido
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Naroa Serna
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Eloi Parladé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ramón Mangues
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
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4
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Reusch U, Ellwanger K, Fucek I, Müller T, Schniegler-Mattox U, Koch J, Tesar M. Cryopreservation of Natural Killer Cells Pre-Complexed with Innate Cell Engagers. Antibodies (Basel) 2022; 11:antib11010012. [PMID: 35225870 PMCID: PMC8883965 DOI: 10.3390/antib11010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate cell engager (ICE®) constructs are bispecific tetravalent antibodies targeting specific tumor antigens and simultaneously engaging natural killer (NK) cell and macrophage receptors for the destruction of tumor cells. Pre-complexing of ICE® constructs with adoptive NK cells is a novel approach to enhance NK cell activity. The suitability of such complexes for cryopreservation, whilst retaining the biological activity and specificity, may enable the development of off-the-shelf NK cell products. This study investigates the binding affinity of ICE® constructs targeting EpCAM and NK cell receptors CD16A, NKG2D, or NKp46 to the corresponding antigens, the ICE® antitumor activity, and feasibility of cryopreservation. Cell surface retention assays using primary NK cells confirmed a substantially slower ICE® construct dissociation kinetics compared with control molecules, suggesting the formation of durable complexes independently of the CD16A polymorphism. The high-affinity NK cell and EpCAM/CD16A ICE® complexes were superior to those engaging NKG2D or NKp46 receptors when tested for the NK-cell-mediated elimination of EpCAM-expressing tumor cells. Moreover, the potency and efficacy of these complexes were unaffected after a single freeze–thaw cycle. CD16A-selective ICE® drug candidates complexed with NK cells hold promise as novel cryopreserved off-the-shelf NK cell products with chimeric antigen receptor-like NK cell properties, capable of effective depletion of tumor cells.
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5
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Wang C, Hong J, Yang Z, Zhou X, Yang Y, Kong Y, Chen B, Wu H, Qian BZ, Dimitrov DS, Zhou X, Wu Y, Ying T. Design of a Novel Fab-Like Antibody Fragment with Enhanced Stability and Affinity for Clinical use. SMALL METHODS 2022; 6:e2100966. [PMID: 35174992 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202100966] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With increasing interest in applying recombinant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in human medicine, engineered mAb fragments with reduced size and improved stability are in demand to overcome current limitations in clinical use. Herein, a novel Fab-like antibody fragment generated via an in silico-based engineering approach where the CH1 and CL domains of Fab are replaced by the IgG1 CH3 domains is described. This construct, designated as FabCH3, maintains the natural N-terminus and C-terminus of IgG antibody, can be expressed at a high level in bacterial cells and, importantly, exhibits much higher stability and affinity than the parental Fab when tested in a mesothelin-specific Fab m912, as well as a vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA)-specific Fab Ranibizumab (in vivo). The high-resolution crystal structures of m912 FabCH3 and m912 Fab are determined, and the comparative analysis reveals more rigid structures in both constant domains and complementarity-determining regions of FabCH3, explaining its enhanced stability and affinity. Overall, the stabilized FabCH3 described in this report provides a versatile platform for engineering Fab-like antibody fragments with higher stability and antigen-binding affinity that can be used as a distinct class of antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Wang
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiaxu Hong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Zhenlin Yang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and Injury, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xujiao Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Yu Kong
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Binfan Chen
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huifang Wu
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bin-Zhi Qian
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Xingtao Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- MOE/NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Ren X, Qian P, Liu S, Chen H, Li X. Fc-Mediated E2-Dimer Subunit Vaccines of Atypical Porcine Pestivirus Induce Efficient Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Piglets. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122443. [PMID: 34960713 PMCID: PMC8703287 DOI: 10.3390/v13122443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital tremor (CT) type A-II in piglets is caused by an emerging atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV), which is prevalent in swine herds and a serious threat to the pig production industry. This study aimed to construct APPV E2 subunit vaccines fused with Fc fragments and evaluate their immunogenicity in piglets. Here, APPV E2Fc and E2ΔFc fusion proteins expressed in Drosophila Schneider 2 (S2) cells were demonstrated to form stable dimers in SDS-PAGE and western blotting assays. Functional analysis revealed that aE2Fc and aE2ΔFc fusion proteins could bind to FcγRI on antigen-presenting cells (APCs), with the affinity of aE2Fc to FcγRI being higher than that of aE2ΔFc. Moreover, subunit vaccines based on aE2, aE2Fc, and aE2ΔFc fusion proteins were prepared, and their immunogenicity was evaluated in piglets. The results showed that the Fc fusion proteins emulsified with the ISA 201VG adjuvant elicited stronger humoral and cellular immune responses than the IMS 1313VG adjuvant. These findings suggest that APPV E2 subunit vaccines fused with Fc fragments may be a promising vaccine candidate against APPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujiao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (X.R.); (P.Q.); (S.L.); (H.C.)
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ping Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (X.R.); (P.Q.); (S.L.); (H.C.)
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shudan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (X.R.); (P.Q.); (S.L.); (H.C.)
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (X.R.); (P.Q.); (S.L.); (H.C.)
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiangmin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (X.R.); (P.Q.); (S.L.); (H.C.)
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-27-87282608
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7
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Izadi S, Jalali Javaran M, Rashidi Monfared S, Castilho A. Reteplase Fc-fusions produced in N. benthamiana are able to dissolve blood clots ex vivo. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260796. [PMID: 34847186 PMCID: PMC8631678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Thrombolytic and fibrinolytic therapies are effective treatments to dissolve blood clots in stroke therapy. Thrombolytic drugs activate plasminogen to its cleaved form plasmin, a proteolytic enzyme that breaks the crosslinks between fibrin molecules. The FDA-approved human tissue plasminogen activator Reteplase (rPA) is a non-glycosylated protein produced in E. coli. rPA is a deletion mutant of the wild-type Alteplase that benefits from an extended plasma half-life, reduced fibrin specificity and the ability to better penetrate into blood clots. Different methods have been proposed to improve the production of rPA. Here we show for the first time the transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana of rPA fused to the immunoglobulin fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain on an IgG1, a strategy commonly used to improve the stability of therapeutic proteins. Despite our success on the expression and purification of dimeric rPA-Fc fusions, protein instability results in high amounts of Fc-derived degradation products. We hypothesize that the "Y"- shape of dimeric Fc fusions cause steric hindrance between protein domains and leads to physical instability. Indeed, mutations of critical residues in the Fc dimerization interface allowed the expression of fully stable rPA monomeric Fc-fusions. The ability of rPA-Fc to convert plasminogen into plasmin was demonstrated by plasminogen zymography and clot lysis assay shows that rPA-Fc is able to dissolve blood clots ex vivo. Finally, we addressed concerns with the plant-specific glycosylation by modulating rPA-Fc glycosylation towards serum-like structures including α2,6-sialylated and α1,6-core fucosylated N-glycans completely devoid of plant core fucose and xylose residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Izadi
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mokhtar Jalali Javaran
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sajad Rashidi Monfared
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alexandra Castilho
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Rahman N, Miura S, Okawa M, Kibria MG, Islam MM, Kuroda Y. Solubility Controlling Peptide Tags of Opposite Charges Generate a Bivalent Immune Response Against Dengue ED3 Serotypes 3 and 4. Front Immunol 2021; 12:671590. [PMID: 34177912 PMCID: PMC8226127 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.671590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that a protein’s immunogenicity could be substantially increased by attaching a hydrophobic solubility controlling peptide tag (SCP-tag) producing small sub-visible aggregates. Here, we report the oligomerization of Dengue envelop protein domain 3 (ED3), and consequently, its immunogenicity increase by mixing ED3s attached with SCP-tags of opposite charges at equimolar concentration. We used ED3 of serotype 3 (D3ED3) and serotype 4 (D4ED3), which are, respectively, moderately and poorly immunogenic, and their SCP tagged variants constructed by attaching either a C-termini 5-Aspartic acid (C5D) or a 5-Lysine (C5K) tag. Light scattering indicated that the isolated tagged ED3s remained monomeric, but mixing the C5D and C5K tagged ED3s at equimolar concentration generated sub-visible aggregates or oligomers of ~500 nm through electrostatic interaction. In addition, the oligomerized ED3s remained in a native-like state, as assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism. The in vivo immunogenicity of the D3ED3 and D4ED3 oligomers generated by the charged tags increased by 5 and 16 fold, respectively. Furthermore, injection of heterotypic ED3 oligomers (D3C5D+D4C5K) induced an immune response against both D3ED3 and D4ED3 in 3 of 4 responsive mice, and the IgG titer of the bivalent anti-D3C5D-D4C5K sera was over 100 times higher than that generated by co-injecting the untagged D3ED3 and D4ED3 (D3+D4). Altogether, these observations suggest that SCP-tags could be used as a platform for producing a long-sought tetravalent dengue vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafsoon Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiho Miura
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mami Okawa
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Md Golam Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mohammad Monirul Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Yutaka Kuroda
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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9
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Xu H, Shi M, Shao C, Li H, Wu J, Yu Y, Fang F, Guo Y, Xiao W. Development of IL-15/IL-15Rα sushi domain-IgG4 Fc complexes in Pichia pastoris with potent activities and prolonged half-lives. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:115. [PMID: 34107983 PMCID: PMC8190845 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01605-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a critical cytokine for the development, proliferation, and function of natural killer (NK) cells, NKT cells, and CD8+ memory T cells and has become one of the most promising protein molecules for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases. However, there are several limitations in applying IL-15 in therapy, such as its low yield in vitro, limited potency, and short half-life in vivo. To date, there are several recombinant IL-15 agonists based on configurational modifications that are being pursued in the treatment of cancer, such as ALT-803, which are mainly produced from mammalian cells. RESULTS In this study, we designed two different forms of the IL-15 complex, which were formed by the noncovalent assembly of IL-15 with dimeric or monomeric sushi domain of IL-15 receptor α (SuIL-15Rα)-IgG4 Fc fusion protein and designated IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc and IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc, respectively. The two IL-15 complexes were expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris), and their activities and half-lives were evaluated and compared. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc had a half-life of 14.26 h while IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc had a half-life of 9.16 h in mice, which were much longer than the 0.7-h half-life of commercial recombinant human IL-15 (rhIL-15). Treatment of mice with intravenous injection of the two IL-15 complexes resulted in significant increases in NK cells, NKT cells, and memory CD8+ T cells, which were not observed after rhIL-15 treatment. Treatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors with the two IL-15 complexes yielded enhanced NK and CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation, which was comparable to the effect of rhIL-15. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc and IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc produced in P. pastoris exhibit potent activities and prolonged half-lives and may serve as superagonists for immunotherapy in further research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Xu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Mingyang Shi
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Changsheng Shao
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Yin Yu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Yugang Guo
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.
| | - Weihua Xiao
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.
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10
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Maruthachalam BV, Zwolak A, Lin-Schmidt X, Keough E, Tamot N, Venkataramani S, Geist B, Singh S, Ganesan R. Discovery and characterization of single-domain antibodies for polymeric Ig receptor-mediated mucosal delivery of biologics. MAbs 2021; 12:1708030. [PMID: 31906797 PMCID: PMC6973331 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1708030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal immunity is dominated by secretory IgA and IgM, although these are less favorable compared to IgG molecules for therapeutic development. Polymeric IgA and IgM are actively transported across the epithelial barrier via engagement of the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR), but IgG molecules lack a lumen-targeted active transport mechanism, resulting in poor biodistribution of IgG therapeutics in mucosal tissues. In this work, we describe the discovery and characterization of single-domain antibodies (VHH) that engage pIgR and undergo transepithelial transport across the mucosal epithelium. The anti-pIgR VHH panel displayed a broad range of biophysical characteristics, epitope diversity, IgA competition profiles and transcytosis activity in cell and human primary lung tissue models. Making use of this diverse VHH panel, we studied the relationship between biophysical and functional properties of anti-pIgR binders targeting different domains and epitopes of pIgR. These VHH molecules will serve as excellent tools for studying pIgR-mediated transport of biologics and for delivering multispecific IgG antibodies into mucosal lumen, where they can target and neutralize mucosal antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Zwolak
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Xiefan Lin-Schmidt
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Edward Keough
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Ninkka Tamot
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Sathya Venkataramani
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Brian Geist
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Sanjaya Singh
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Rajkumar Ganesan
- Janssen BioTherapeutics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
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11
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Gattinger P, Izadi S, Grünwald-Gruber C, Kallolimath S, Castilho A. The Instability of Dimeric Fc-Fusions Expressed in Plants Can Be Solved by Monomeric Fc Technology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:671728. [PMID: 34305971 PMCID: PMC8299721 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.671728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The potential therapeutic value of many proteins is ultimately limited by their rapid in vivo clearance. One strategy to limit clearance by metabolism and excretion, and improving the stability of therapeutic proteins, is their fusion to the immunoglobulin fragment crystallizable region (Fc). The Fc region plays multiple roles in (i) dimerization for the formation of "Y"-shaped structure of Ig, (ii) Fc-mediated effector functions, (iii) extension of serum half-life, and (iv) a cost-effective purification tag. Plants and in particular Nicotiana benthamiana have proven to be suitable expression platforms for several recombinant therapeutic proteins. Despite the enormous success of their use for the production of full-length monoclonal antibodies, the expression of Fc-fused therapeutic proteins in plants has shown limitations. Many Fc-fusion proteins expressed in plants show different degrees of instability resulting in high amounts of Fc-derived degradation products. To address this issue, we used erythropoietin (EPO) as a reporter protein and evaluated the efforts to enhance the expression of full-length EPO-Fc targeted to the apoplast of N. benthamiana. Our results show that the instability of the fusion protein is independent from the Fc origin or IgG subclass and from the peptide sequence used to link the two domains. We also show that a similar instability occurs upon the expression of individual heavy chains of monoclonal antibodies and ScFv-Fc that mimic the "Y"-shape of antibodies but lack the light chain. We propose that in this configuration, steric hindrance between the protein domains leads to physical instability. Indeed, mutations of critical residues located on the Fc dimerization interface allowed the expression of fully stable EPO monomeric Fc-fusion proteins. We discuss the limitations of Fc-fusion technology in N. benthamiana transient expression systems and suggest strategies to optimize the Fc-based scaffolds on their folding and aggregation resistance in order to improve the stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Gattinger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute for Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Shiva Izadi
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute for Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Clemens Grünwald-Gruber
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Somanath Kallolimath
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute for Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexandra Castilho
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute for Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Alexandra Castilho,
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12
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Duivelshof BL, Murisier A, Camperi J, Fekete S, Beck A, Guillarme D, D'Atri V. Therapeutic Fc-fusion proteins: Current analytical strategies. J Sep Sci 2020; 44:35-62. [PMID: 32914936 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202000765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fc-Fusion proteins represent a successful class of biopharmaceutical products, with already 13 drugs approved in the European Union and United States as well as three biosimilar versions of etanercept. Fc-Fusion products combine tailored pharmacological properties of biological ligands, together with multiple functions of the fragment crystallizable domain of immunoglobulins. There is a great diversity in terms of possible biological ligands, including the extracellular domains of natural receptors, functionally active peptides, recombinant enzymes, and genetically engineered binding constructs acting as cytokine traps. Due to their highly diverse structures, the analytical characterization of Fc-Fusion proteins is far more complex than that of monoclonal antibodies and requires the use and development of additional product-specific methods over conventional generic/platform methods. This can be explained, for example, by the presence of numerous sialic acids, leading to high diversity in terms of isoelectric points and complex glycosylation profiles including multiple N- and O-linked glycosylation sites. In this review, we highlight the wide range of analytical strategies used to fully characterize Fc-fusion proteins. We also present case studies on the structural assessment of all commercially available Fc-fusion proteins, based on the features and critical quality attributes of their ligand-binding domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastiaan L Duivelshof
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Amarande Murisier
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Camperi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Szabolcs Fekete
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alain Beck
- IRPF - Centre d'Immunologie Pierre-Fabre (CIPF), Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France
| | - Davy Guillarme
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Valentina D'Atri
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland (ISPSO), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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13
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Rahman N, Islam MM, Kibria MG, Unzai S, Kuroda Y. A systematic mutational analysis identifies a 5-residue proline tag that enhances the in vivo immunogenicity of a non-immunogenic model protein. FEBS Open Bio 2020; 10:1947-1956. [PMID: 33017095 PMCID: PMC7530378 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor immunogenicity of small proteins is a major hurdle in developing vaccines or producing antibodies for biopharmaceutical usage. Here, we systematically analyzed the effects of 10 solubility controlling peptide tags (SCP‐tags) on the immunogenicity of a non‐immunogenic model protein, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI‐19A; 6 kDa). CD, fluorescence, DLS, SLS, and AUC measurements indicated that the SCP‐tags did not change the secondary structure content nor the tertiary structures of the protein nor its monomeric state. ELISA results indicated that the 5‐proline (C5P) and 5‐arginine (C5R) tags unexpectedly increased the IgG level of BPTI‐19A by 240‐ and 73‐fold, respectively, suggesting that non‐oligomerizing SCP‐tags may provide a novel method for increasing the immunogenicity of a protein in a highly specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafsoon Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mohammad Monirul Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Md Golam Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoru Unzai
- Department of Frontier Bioscience, Faculty of Bioscience and Applied Chemistry, Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kuroda
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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14
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Lim YY, Lim TS, Choong YS. Human IgG1 Fc pH-dependent optimization from a constant pH molecular dynamics simulation analysis. RSC Adv 2020; 10:13066-13075. [PMID: 35492131 PMCID: PMC9051383 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra10712f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The binding of IgG Fc with FcRn enables the long circulating half-life of IgG, where the Fc–FcRn complex interacts in a pH-dependent manner. This complex shows stronger interaction at pH ≤ 6.5 and weaker interaction at pH ≥ 7.4. The Fc–FcRn binding mechanism that promotes the long circulating half-life of IgG has prompted several IgG Fc-related mutational studies to focus on the pH-dependent Fc–FcRn complex interactions in order to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of Fc. Hence, in this study, we applied the in silico constant pH molecular dynamics (CpHMD) simulation approach to evaluate the human Fc–FcRn complex binding (pH 6.0) and dissociating (pH 7.5) mechanism at the molecular level. The analysis showed that the protonated state of the titratable residues changes from pH 6.0 to pH 7.5, where the disrupting energy for Fc–FcRn complex formation was found to be due to the electrostatic repulsion between the complex. According to the analysis, an Fc variant was computationally designed with an improved binding affinity at pH 6.0, which is still able to dissociate at pH 7.5 with FcRn at the in silico level. The binding free energy calculation via the MMPB/GBSA approach showed that the designed Fc mutant (MutM4) has increased binding affinity only at pH 6.0 compared with the reported mutant (YTE) Fc. This work demonstrates an alternative Fc design with better binding properties for FcRn, which can be useful for future experimental evaluation and validation. An in silico IgG-Fc variant with better affinity at pH 6.0 but retained the dissociation at pH 7.5 was designed.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Ying Lim
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM)
- Universiti Sains Malaysia
- 11800 Minden
- Malaysia
| | - Theam Soon Lim
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM)
- Universiti Sains Malaysia
- 11800 Minden
- Malaysia
| | - Yee Siew Choong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM)
- Universiti Sains Malaysia
- 11800 Minden
- Malaysia
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15
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Kang TH, Jung ST. Boosting therapeutic potency of antibodies by taming Fc domain functions. Exp Mol Med 2019; 51:1-9. [PMID: 31735912 PMCID: PMC6859160 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-019-0345-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are one of the most widely used drug platforms for infectious diseases or cancer therapeutics because they selectively target pathogens, infectious cells, cancerous cells, and even immune cells. In this way, they mediate the elimination of target molecules and cells with fewer side effects than other therapeutic modalities. In particular, cancer therapeutic mAbs can recognize cell-surface proteins on target cells and then kill the targeted cells by multiple mechanisms that are dependent upon a fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain interacting with effector Fc gamma receptors, including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis. Extensive engineering efforts have been made toward tuning Fc functions by either reinforcing (e.g. for targeted therapy) or disabling (e.g. for immune checkpoint blockade therapy) effector functions and prolonging the serum half-lives of antibodies, as necessary. In this report, we review Fc engineering efforts to improve therapeutic potency, and propose future antibody engineering directions that can fulfill unmet medical needs. Fine-tuning the function of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) holds promise for developing new therapeutic agents. Antibodies bind to pathogens or cancer cells, flagging them with Fc (fragment crystallizable) domain for destruction by the immune system. mAbs attached only to specific target cells enable lower side effect than other conventional drugs. Sang Taek Jung at Korea University and Tae Hyun Kang at Kookmin University, both in Seoul, reviewed recent developments in engineering therapeutic potency of mAbs. They report that mAbs can be engineered to activate effective immune cell types to treat a particular disease. Engineering can also increase mAbs’ persistence in the blood, enabling less frequent administration. Antibodies engineered to bind to two different antigens at once can also improve therapeutic efficacy. Applying these techniques could help developing new treatments against cancer, and infectious and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hyun Kang
- Biopharmaceutical Chemistry Major, School of Applied Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Taek Jung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Ellwanger K, Reusch U, Fucek I, Wingert S, Ross T, Müller T, Schniegler-Mattox U, Haneke T, Rajkovic E, Koch J, Treder M, Tesar M. Redirected optimized cell killing (ROCK®): A highly versatile multispecific fit-for-purpose antibody platform for engaging innate immunity. MAbs 2019; 11:899-918. [PMID: 31172847 PMCID: PMC6601565 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1616506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Redirection of immune cells to efficiently eliminate tumor cells holds great promise. Natural killer cells (NK), macrophages, or T cells are specifically engaged with target cells expressing markers after infection or neoplastic transformation, resulting in their activation and subsequent killing of those targets. Multiple strategies to redirect immunity have been developed in the past two decades, but they have technical hurdles or cause undesirable side-effects, as exemplified by the T cell-based chimeric antigen receptor approaches (CAR-T therapies) or bispecific T cell engager platforms. Our first-in-class bispecific antibody redirecting innate immune cells to tumors (AFM13, a CD30/CD16A-specific innate immune cell engager) has shown signs of clinical efficacy in CD30-positive lymphomas and the potential to be safely administered, indicating a wider therapeutic window compared to T cell engaging therapies. AFM13 is the most advanced candidate from our fit-for-purpose redirected optimized cell killing (ROCK®) antibody platform, which comprises a plethora of CD16A-binding innate immune cell engagers with unique properties. Here, we discuss aspects of this modular platform, including the advantages of innate immune cell engagement over classical monoclonal antibodies and other engager concepts. We also present details on its potential to engineer a fit-for-purpose innate immune cell engager format that can be equipped with unique CD16A domains, modules that influence pharmacokinetic properties and molecular architectures that influence the activation of immune effectors, as well as tumor targeting. The ROCK® platform is aimed at the activation of innate immunity for the effective lysis of tumor cells and holds the promise of overcoming limitations of other approaches that redirect immune cells by widening the therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Uwe Reusch
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Ivica Fucek
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | | | - Thorsten Ross
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Thomas Müller
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | | | - Torsten Haneke
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Erich Rajkovic
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Joachim Koch
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Martin Treder
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Michael Tesar
- a Affimed GmbH, Research Department , Heidelberg , Germany
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17
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Multifunctional Natural Killer Cell Engagers Targeting NKp46 Trigger Protective Tumor Immunity. Cell 2019; 177:1701-1713.e16. [PMID: 31155232 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, various new therapies have been developed to promote anti-tumor immunity. Despite interesting clinical results in hematological malignancies, the development of bispecific killer-cell-engager antibody formats directed against tumor cells and stimulating anti-tumor T cell immunity has proved challenging, mostly due to toxicity problems. We report here the generation of trifunctional natural killer (NK) cell engagers (NKCEs), targeting two activating receptors, NKp46 and CD16, on NK cells and a tumor antigen on cancer cells. Trifunctional NKCEs were more potent in vitro than clinical therapeutic antibodies targeting the same tumor antigen. They had similar in vivo pharmacokinetics to full IgG antibodies and no off-target effects and efficiently controlled tumor growth in mouse models of solid and invasive tumors. Trifunctional NKCEs thus constitute a new generation of molecules for fighting cancer. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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18
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Park J, Lee Y, Ko BJ, Yoo TH. Peptide-Directed Photo-Cross-Linking for Site-Specific Conjugation of IgG. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:3240-3244. [PMID: 30179444 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.8b00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conjugation of antibody has expanded its applications in therapeutics and diagnostics, and various methods have been developed based on chemical or enzymatic reactions. However, the majority of them have focused on synthetic molecules such as small molecules, nucleic acids, or synthetic materials, but site-specific conjugation of antibody with protein cargo has rarely been demonstrated. In this Communication, we report a PEptide-DIrected Photo-cross-linking (PEDIP) reaction for site-specific conjugation of IgG with protein using an Fc-binding peptide and a photoreactive amino acid analogue, and demonstrate this method by developing an immunotoxin composed of a Her2-targeting IgG (trastuzumab) and an engineered Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE24). The ADP-ribosylation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 by the bacterial toxin inhibits the ribosomal translation of protein, and the trastuzumab-PE24 conjugate exhibited the cytotoxicity toward Her2-overexpressing cell lines. The PEDIP reaction can also be applied for many other types of cargo with slight modifications of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Byoung Joon Ko
- New Drug Development Center , Osong Medical Innovative Foundation , 123 Osongsaengmyeong-ro , Osong-eup, Cheongju , 28160 , Korea
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19
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Yang C, Gao X, Gong R. Engineering of Fc Fragments with Optimized Physicochemical Properties Implying Improvement of Clinical Potentials for Fc-Based Therapeutics. Front Immunol 2018; 8:1860. [PMID: 29375551 PMCID: PMC5766897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins are successfully used in treatment of various diseases mainly including cancer, immune disease, and viral infection, which belong to the Fc-based therapeutics. In recent years, engineered Fc-derived antibody domains have also shown potential for Fc-based therapeutics. To increase the druggability of Fc-based therapeutic candidates, many efforts have been made in optimizing physicochemical properties and functions mediated by Fc fragment. The desired result is that we can simultaneously obtain Fc variants with increased physicochemical properties in vitro and capacity of mediating appropriate functions in vivo. However, changes of physicochemical properties of Fc may result in alternation of Fc-mediated functions and vice versa, which leads to undesired outcomes for further development of Fc-based therapeutics. Therefore, whether modified Fc fragments are suitable for achievement of expected clinical results or not needs to be seriously considered. Now, this question comes to be noticed and should be figured out to make better translation from the results of laboratory into clinical applications. In this review, we summarize different strategies on engineering physicochemical properties of Fc, and preliminarily elucidate the relationships between modified Fc in vitro and the subsequent therapeutic influence in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunpeng Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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20
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Gantke T, Weichel M, Herbrecht C, Reusch U, Ellwanger K, Fucek I, Eser M, Müller T, Griep R, Molkenthin V, Zhukovsky EA, Treder M. Trispecific antibodies for CD16A-directed NK cell engagement and dual-targeting of tumor cells. Protein Eng Des Sel 2017; 30:673-684. [PMID: 28981915 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzx043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies that redirect the lytic activity of cytotoxic immune effector cells, such as T- and NK cells, onto tumor cells have emerged as a highly attractive and clinically validated treatment modality for hematological malignancies. Advancement of this therapeutic concept into solid tumor indications, however, is hampered by the scarcity of targetable antigens that are surface-expressed on tumor cells but demonstrate only limited expression on healthy tissues. To overcome this limitation, the concept of dual-targeting, i.e. the simultaneous targeting of two tumor-expressed surface antigens with limited co-expression on non-malignant cells, with multispecific antibodies has been proposed to increase tumor selectivity of antibody-induced effector cell cytotoxicity. Here, a novel CD16A (FcγRIIIa)-directed trispecific, tetravalent antibody format, termed aTriFlex, is described, that is capable of redirecting NK cell cytotoxicity to two surface-expressed antigens. Using a BCMA/CD200-based in vitro model system, the potential use of aTriFlex antibodies for dual-targeting and selective induction of NK cell-mediated target cell lysis was investigated. Bivalent bispecific target cell binding was found to result in significant avidity gains and up to 17-fold increased in vitro potency. These data suggest trispecific aTriFlex antibodies may support dual-targeting strategies to redirect NK cell cytotoxicity with increased selectivity to enable targeting of solid tumor antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Gantke
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Weichel
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carmen Herbrecht
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uwe Reusch
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ivica Fucek
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Eser
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Müller
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Remko Griep
- Abcheck s.r.o., Teslova 3, 30100 Plzen, Czech Republic
| | | | - Eugene A Zhukovsky
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Biomunex Pharmaceuticals, 96bis Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Martin Treder
- Affimed GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 582, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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21
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Wang C, Wu Y, Wang L, Hong B, Jin Y, Hu D, Chen G, Kong Y, Huang A, Hua G, Ying T. Engineered Soluble Monomeric IgG1 Fc with Significantly Decreased Non-Specific Binding. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1545. [PMID: 29181008 PMCID: PMC5693891 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the long serum half-life provided by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) recycling, the IgG1 Fc has been pursued as the fusion partner to develop therapeutic Fc-fusion proteins, or as the antibody-derived scaffold that could be engineered with antigen-binding capabilities. In previous studies, we engineered the monomeric Fc by mutating critical residues located on the IgG1 Fc dimerization interface. Comparing with the wild-type dimeric Fc, monomeric Fc might possess substantial advantages conferred by its smaller size, but also suffers the disadvantage of non-specific binding to some unrelated antigens, raising considerable concerns over its potential clinical development. Here, we describe a phage display-based strategy to examine the effects of multiple mutations of IgG1 monomeric Fc and, simultaneously, to identify new Fc monomers with desired properties. Consequently, we identified a novel monomeric Fc that displayed significantly decreased non-specificity. In addition, it exhibited higher thermal stability and comparable pH-dependent FcRn binding to the previous reported monomeric Fc. These results provide baseline to understand the mechanism underlying the generation of soluble IgG1 Fc monomers and warrant the further clinical development of monomeric Fc-based fusion proteins as well as antigen binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Binbin Hong
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujia Jin
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Kong
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ailing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoqiang Hua
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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22
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Bönisch M, Sellmann C, Maresch D, Halbig C, Becker S, Toleikis L, Hock B, Rüker F. Novel CH1:CL interfaces that enhance correct light chain pairing in heterodimeric bispecific antibodies. Protein Eng Des Sel 2017; 30:685-696. [PMID: 28981885 PMCID: PMC5914326 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzx044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting two unique antigens with a single bispecific antibody is an attractive approach with potential broad therapeutic applicability. However, the production of heterodimeric bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) presents a challenge, requiring the co-expression and accurate pairing of two distinct heavy and light chain units. Several undesirable by-products can be formed in the production process, including heavy chain homodimers and non-cognate light chain pairings. Although additional downstream purification methods exist, they are often time consuming and restrict practical large-scale production. In this study, we identify and validate novel Fab interface mutations that increase cognate light chain pairing efficiencies within heterodimeric bsAbs. Importantly, the variable domains remain unaltered as interface mutations were restricted to the CH1 and CL domains. We performed several biochemical assays to demonstrate that the novel engineered interfaces do not adversely impact bispecific antibody expression, stability, affinity and biological function. The designs reported here can easily be applied in a generic manner to use existing antibodies as building blocks for bsAbs which will help to accelerate the identification and production of next generation bispecific antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Bönisch
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering at Department of Chemistry and Department of Biotechnology, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Carolin Sellmann
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 4, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniel Maresch
- Department of Chemistry, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Halbig
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering at Department of Chemistry and Department of Biotechnology, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Becker
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Björn Hock
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Florian Rüker
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Antibody Engineering at Department of Chemistry and Department of Biotechnology, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
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23
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Zhuang X, Watts NR, Palmer IW, Kaufman JD, Dearborn AD, Trenbeath JL, Eren E, Steven AC, Rader C, Wingfield PT. Chimeric rabbit/human Fab antibodies against the hepatitis Be-antigen and their potential applications in assays, characterization, and therapy. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:16760-16772. [PMID: 28842495 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.802272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection afflicts millions worldwide, causing cirrhosis and liver cancer. HBV e-antigen (HBeAg), a clinical marker for disease severity, is a soluble variant of the viral capsid protein. HBeAg is not required for viral replication but is implicated in establishing immune tolerance and chronic infection. The structure of recombinant e-antigen (rHBeAg) was recently determined, yet to date, the exact nature and quantitation of HBeAg still remain uncertain. Here, to further characterize HBeAg, we used phage display to produce a panel of chimeric rabbit/human monoclonal antibody fragments (both Fab and scFv) against rHBeAg. Several of the Fab/scFv, expressed in Escherichia coli, had unprecedentedly high binding affinities (Kd ∼10-12 m) and high specificity. We used Fab/scFv in the context of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HBeAg quantification, which we compared with commercially available kits and verified with seroconversion panels, the WHO HBeAg standard, rHBeAg, and patient plasma samples. We found that the specificity and sensitivity are superior to those of existing commercial assays. To identify potential fine differences between rHBeAg and HBeAg, we used these Fabs in microscale immunoaffinity chromatography to purify HBeAg from individual patient plasmas. Western blotting and MS results indicated that rHBeAg and HBeAg are essentially structurally identical, although HBeAg from different patients exhibits minor carboxyl-terminal heterogeneity. We discuss several potential applications for the humanized Fab/scFv.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Joni L Trenbeath
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Elif Eren
- Laboratory of Structural Biology Research, NIAMS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Alasdair C Steven
- Laboratory of Structural Biology Research, NIAMS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Christoph Rader
- the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458
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24
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Shiga Y, Murata D, Sugimoto A, Oshima Y, Tada M, Ishii-Watabe A, Imai K, Tomii K, Takeuchi T, Kagaya S, Sato A. Hinge-Deficient IgG1 Fc Fusion: Application to Human Lactoferrin. Mol Pharm 2017; 14:3025-3035. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Shiga
- School
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
| | - Daisuke Murata
- School
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
| | - Akinori Sugimoto
- School
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
| | - Yuta Oshima
- School
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
| | - Minoru Tada
- Division
of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan
| | - Akiko Ishii-Watabe
- Division
of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Imai
- Artificial
Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
- Biotechnology
Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tomii
- Artificial
Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
- Biotechnology
Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Takashi Takeuchi
- Department
of Veterinary Medicine, Tottori University, Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8550, Japan
| | - Shinji Kagaya
- NRL Pharma, Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sato
- School
of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
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25
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Potent and conditional redirected T cell killing of tumor cells using Half DVD-Ig. Protein Cell 2017; 9:121-129. [PMID: 28585177 PMCID: PMC5777973 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-017-0429-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel biologics that redirect cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to kill tumor cells bearing a tumor associated antigen hold great promise in the clinic. However, the ability to safely and potently target CD3 on CTL toward tumor associated antigens (TAA) expressed on tumor cells remains a challenge of both technology and biology. Herein we describe the use of a Half DVD-Ig format that can redirect CTL to kill tumor cells. Notably, Half DVD-Ig molecules that are monovalent for each specificity demonstrated reduced non-specific CTL activation and conditional CTL activation upon binding to TAA compared to intact tetravalent DVD-Ig molecules that are bivalent for each specificity, while maintaining good drug like properties and appropriate PK properties.
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26
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Liu H, Saxena A, Sidhu SS, Wu D. Fc Engineering for Developing Therapeutic Bispecific Antibodies and Novel Scaffolds. Front Immunol 2017; 8:38. [PMID: 28184223 PMCID: PMC5266686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have become molecules of choice to treat autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Moreover, bispecific/multispecific antibodies that target more than one antigen or epitope on a target cell or recruit effector cells (T cell, natural killer cell, or macrophage cell) toward target cells have shown great potential to maximize the benefits of antibody therapy. In the past decade, many novel concepts to generate bispecific and multispecific antibodies have evolved successfully into a range of formats from full bispecific immunoglobulin gammas to antibody fragments. Impressively, antibody fragments such as bispecific T-cell engager, bispecific killer cell engager, trispecific killer cell engager, tandem diabody, and dual-affinity-retargeting are showing exciting results in terms of recruiting and activating self-immune effector cells to target and lyse tumor cells. Promisingly, crystallizable fragment (Fc) antigen-binding fragment and monomeric antibody or half antibody may be particularly advantageous to target solid tumors owing to their small size and thus good tissue penetration potential while, on the other hand, keeping Fc-related effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis, and extended serum half-life via interaction with neonatal Fc receptor. This review, therefore, focuses on the progress of Fc engineering in generating bispecific molecules and on the use of small antibody fragment as scaffolds for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Liu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
| | - Abhishek Saxena
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
| | - Sachdev S Sidhu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China; Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donghui Wu
- Laboratory of Antibody Engineering, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University , Shanghai , China
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27
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Jia H, Guo Y, Song X, Shao C, Wu J, Ma J, Shi M, Miao Y, Li R, Wang D, Tian Z, Xiao W. Elimination of N-glycosylation by site mutation further prolongs the half-life of IFN-α/Fc fusion proteins expressed in Pichia pastoris. Microb Cell Fact 2016; 15:209. [PMID: 27927205 PMCID: PMC5142404 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-016-0601-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interferon (IFN)-α has been commonly used as an antiviral drug worldwide; however, its short half-life in circulation due to its low molecular weight and sensitivity to proteases impacts its efficacy and patient compliance. Results In this study, we present an IgG1 Fc fusion strategy to improve the circulation half-life of IFN-α. Three different forms of IgG1 Fc fragments, including the wild type, aglycosylated homodimer and aglycosylated single chain, were each fused with IFN-α and designated as IFN-α/Fc-WT, IFN-α/Fc-MD, and IFN-α/Fc-SC, respectively. The recombinant proteins were expressed in Pichia pastoris and tested using antiviral and pharmacokinetic assays in comparison with the commercial pegylated-IFN-α (PEG-IFN-α). The in vitro study demonstrated that IFN-α/Fc-SC has the highest antiviral activity, while IFN-α/Fc-WT and IFN-α/Fc-MD exhibited antiviral activities comparable to that of PEG-IFN-α. The in vivo pharmacokinetic assay showed that both IFN-α/Fc-WT and IFN-α/Fc-MD have a longer half-life than PEG-IFN-α in SD rats, but IFN-α/Fc-SC has the shortest half-life among them. Importantly, the circulating half-life of 68.3 h for IFN-α/Fc-MD was significantly longer than those of 38.2 h for IFN-α/Fc-WT and 22.2 h for PEG-IFN-α. Conclusions The results demonstrate that the elimination of N-glycosylation by mutation of putative N-glycosylation site further prolongs the half-life of the IFN-α/Fc fusion protein and could present an alternative strategy for extending the half-life of low-molecular-weight proteins expressed by P. pastoris for in vivo studies as well as for future clinical applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-016-0601-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Jia
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yugang Guo
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. .,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
| | - Xiaoping Song
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical College, Hefei, China
| | - Changsheng Shao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Wu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jiajia Ma
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Mingyang Shi
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yuhui Miao
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Li
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Dong Wang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhigang Tian
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Weihua Xiao
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs, Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. .,Anhui Engineering Research Center of Recombinant Protein Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
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28
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Ha JH, Kim JE, Kim YS. Immunoglobulin Fc Heterodimer Platform Technology: From Design to Applications in Therapeutic Antibodies and Proteins. Front Immunol 2016; 7:394. [PMID: 27766096 PMCID: PMC5052280 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The monospecific and bivalent characteristics of naturally occurring immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies depend on homodimerization of the fragment crystallizable (Fc) regions of two identical heavy chains (HCs) and the subsequent assembly of two identical light chains (LCs) via disulfide linkages between each HC and LC. Immunoglobulin Fc heterodimers have been engineered through modifications to the CH3 domain interface, with different mutations on each domain such that the engineered Fc fragments, carrying the CH3 variant pair, preferentially form heterodimers rather than homodimers. Many research groups have adopted different strategies to generate Fc heterodimers, with the goal of high heterodimerization yield, while retaining biophysical and biological properties of the wild-type Fc. Based on their ability to enforce heterodimerization between the two different HCs, the established Fc heterodimers have been extensively exploited as a scaffold to generate bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) in full-length IgG and IgG-like formats. These have many of the favorable properties of natural IgG antibodies, such as high stability, long serum half-life, low immunogenicity, and immune effector functions. As of July 2016, more than seven heterodimeric Fc-based IgG-format bsAbs are being evaluated in clinical trials. In addition to bsAbs, heterodimeric Fc technology is very promising for the generation of Fc-fused proteins and peptides, as well as cytokines (immunocytokines), which can present the fusion partners in the natural monomeric or heterodimeric form rather than the artificial homodimeric form with wild-type Fc. Here, we present relevant concepts and strategies for the generation of heterodimeric Fc proteins, and their application in the development of bsAbs in diverse formats for optimal biological activity. In addition, we describe wild-type Fc-fused monomeric and heterodimeric proteins, along with the difficulties associated with their preparations, and discuss the use of heterodimeric Fc as an alternative scaffold of wild-type Fc for naturally monomeric or heterodimeric proteins, to create Fc-fusion proteins with novel therapeutic modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hee Ha
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University , Suwon , Korea
| | - Jung-Eun Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University , Suwon , Korea
| | - Yong-Sung Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
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Li W, Yang H, Dimitrov DS. Identification of high-affinity anti-CD16A allotype-independent human antibody domains. Exp Mol Pathol 2016; 101:281-289. [PMID: 27712994 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
CD16A (FcγRIIIA) is an activating receptor mostly expressed on natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes/macrophages. It can mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) through low-affinity interaction with human immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc. It can also mediate cell lysis if NK cells are guided by bispecific killer cells engagers (BiKEs). BiKEs showed some success in clinical trials of cancer and are promising candidate therapeutics. However, currently reported BiKEs are based on antibody fragments (scFvs) of relatively large size. The CD16A-specific antibodies are also typically from animal origin. Decreasing the BiKE size could result in enhanced penetration into solid tumor and normal tissues, and using fully human antibodies could decrease the likelihood of immunogenicity. Here we report the identification and characterization of two antibody domains, D6 and E11, isolated from a very large human VH antibody domain library displayed on phage. D6 and E11 bound CD16A with EC50 of 4nM and 8nM, respectively, but not other Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) such as CD64 (FcγRI), CD32 (FcγRII) and CD16B (FcγRIIIB). They bound to both CD16A allotypes (158F,V) with equal affinity and competed with each other as well as with human IgG1 and the mouse anti-CD16A antibody 3G8. These and other results were used to build a molecular docking model predicting that D6 and E11 may bind to the CD16A membrane proximal D2 domain by interacting with its BC, C'E and EF loops. Importantly, cross-linked (bivalent) D6 and E11 induced secretion of IL-2 after binding to CD16A-expressing Jurkat T cells. The small size of these antibody domains combined with their high-affinity, specific, allotype-independent, activating interactions with CD16A could allow generation of novel highly effective BiKEs and other candidate protein therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Protein Interactions Section, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Hongjia Yang
- Palisades Charter High School, 15777 Bowdoin St, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Protein Interactions Section, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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Generation and Characterization of an IgG4 Monomeric Fc Platform. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160345. [PMID: 27479095 PMCID: PMC4968834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The immunoglobulin Fc region is a homodimer consisted of two sets of CH2 and CH3 domains and has been exploited to generate two-arm protein fusions with high expression yields, simplified purification processes and extended serum half-life. However, attempts to generate one-arm fusion proteins with monomeric Fc, with one set of CH2 and CH3 domains, are often plagued with challenges such as weakened binding to FcRn or partial monomer formation. Here, we demonstrate the generation of a stable IgG4 Fc monomer with a unique combination of mutations at the CH3-CH3 interface using rational design combined with in vitro evolution methodologies. In addition to size-exclusion chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation, we used multi-angle light scattering (MALS) to show that the engineered Fc monomer exhibits excellent monodispersity. Furthermore, crystal structure analysis (PDB ID: 5HVW) reveals monomeric properties supported by disrupted interactions at the CH3-CH3 interface. Monomeric Fc fusions with Fab or scFv achieved FcRn binding and serum half-life comparable to wildtype IgG. These results demonstrate that this monomeric IgG4 Fc is a promising therapeutic platform to extend the serum half-life of proteins in a monovalent format.
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31
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Ying T, Wang Y, Feng Y, Prabakaran P, Gong R, Wang L, Crowder K, Dimitrov DS. Engineered antibody domains with significantly increased transcytosis and half-life in macaques mediated by FcRn. MAbs 2016; 7:922-30. [PMID: 26179052 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2015.1067353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineered antibody domains (eAds) are promising candidate therapeutics but their half-life is relatively short partly due to weak or absent binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). We developed a novel approach to increase the eAd binding to FcRn based on a combination of structure-based design, computational modeling and phage display methodologies. By using this approach, we identified 2 IgG1 CH2-derived eAds fused to a short FcRn-binding motif derived from IgG1 CH3 that exhibited greatly enhanced FcRn binding with strict pH dependency. Importantly, the increased affinity resulted in significantly enhanced FcRn-mediated epithelial transcytosis and prolonged elimination half-life (mean 44.1 hours) in cynomolgus macaques. These results demonstrate for the first time that the half-life of isolated eAds can be prolonged (optimized) by increasing their binding to FcRn while maintaining their small size, which has important implications for development of therapeutics, including eAd-drug conjugates with enhanced penetration in solid tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- a Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health; Shanghai Medical College; Fudan University ; Shanghai , China
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32
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The neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn, as a target for drug delivery and therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 91:109-24. [PMID: 25703189 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-based drugs are arguably the most successful class of protein therapeutics due in part to their remarkably long blood circulation. This arises from IgG interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn. FcRn is the central regulator of IgG and albumin homeostasis throughout life and is increasingly being recognized as an important player in autoimmune disease, mucosal immunity, and tumor immune surveillance. Various engineering approaches that hijack or disrupt the FcRn-mediated transport pathway have been devised to develop long-lasting and non-invasive protein therapeutics, protein subunit vaccines, and therapeutics for treatment of autoimmune and infectious disease. In this review, we highlight the diverse biological functions of FcRn, emerging therapeutic opportunities, as well as the associated challenges of targeting FcRn for drug delivery and disease therapy.
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33
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Ying T, Feng Y, Wang Y, Chen W, Dimitrov DS. Monomeric IgG1 Fc molecules displaying unique Fc receptor interactions that are exploitable to treat inflammation-mediated diseases. MAbs 2015; 6:1201-10. [PMID: 25517305 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.29835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The IgG1 Fc is a dimeric protein that mediates important antibody effector functions by interacting with Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). Here, we report the discovery of a monomeric IgG1 Fc (mFc) that bound to FcγRI with very high affinity, but not to FcγRIIIa, in contrast to wild-type (dimeric) Fc. The binding of mFc to FcRn was the same as that of dimeric Fc. To test whether the high-affinity binding to FcγRI can be used for targeting of toxins, a fusion protein of mFc with a 38 kDa Pseudomonas exotoxin A fragment (PE38), was generated. This fusion protein killed FcγRI-positive macrophage-like U937 cells but not FcγRI-negative cells, and mFc or PE38 alone had no killing activity. The lack of binding to FcγRIIIa resulted in the absence of Fc-mediated cytotoxicity of a scFv-mFc fusion protein targeting mesothelin. The pharmacokinetics of mFc in mice was very similar to that of dimeric Fc. The mFc's unique FcγRs binding pattern and related functionality, combined with its small size, monovalency and the preservation of FcRn binding which results in relatively long half-life in vivo, suggests that mFc has great potential as a component of therapeutics targeting inflammation mediated by activated macrophages overexpressing FcγRI and related diseases, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- a Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health; Shanghai Medical College ; Fudan University ; Shanghai , China
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34
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Rath T, Baker K, Dumont JA, Peters RT, Jiang H, Qiao SW, Lencer WI, Pierce GF, Blumberg RS. Fc-fusion proteins and FcRn: structural insights for longer-lasting and more effective therapeutics. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2015; 35:235-54. [PMID: 24156398 PMCID: PMC4876602 DOI: 10.3109/07388551.2013.834293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nearly 350 IgG-based therapeutics are approved for clinical use or are under development for many diseases lacking adequate treatment options. These include molecularly engineered biologicals comprising the IgG Fc-domain fused to various effector molecules (so-called Fc-fusion proteins) that confer the advantages of IgG, including binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) to facilitate in vivo stability, and the therapeutic benefit of the specific effector functions. Advances in IgG structure-function relationships and an understanding of FcRn biology have provided therapeutic opportunities for previously unapproachable diseases. This article discusses approved Fc-fusion therapeutics, novel Fc-fusion proteins and FcRn-dependent delivery approaches in development, and how engineering of the FcRn-Fc interaction can generate longer-lasting and more effective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Rath
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristi Baker
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Shuo-Wang Qiao
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wayne I. Lencer
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Richard S. Blumberg
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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35
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Ying T, Li H, Lu L, Dimitrov DS, Jiang S. Development of human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies for prevention and therapy of MERS-CoV infections. Microbes Infect 2014; 17:142-8. [PMID: 25456101 PMCID: PMC4308519 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Revised: 11/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The recent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak poses a serious threat to public health. Here, we summarize recent advances in identifying human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against MERS-CoV, describe their mechanisms of action, and analyze their potential for treatment of MERS-CoV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Haoyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Protein Interactions Section, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Shanghai 200032, China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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36
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Ying T, Gong R, Ju TW, Prabakaran P, Dimitrov DS. Engineered Fc based antibody domains and fragments as novel scaffolds. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2014; 1844:1977-1982. [PMID: 24792384 PMCID: PMC4185235 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2014.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been successful for the therapy of a number of diseases mostly cancer and immune disorders. However, the vast majority of mAbs approved for clinical use are full size, typically in IgG1 format. These mAbs may exhibit relatively poor tissue penetration and restricted epitope access due to their large size. A promising solution to this fundamental limitation is the engineering of smaller scaffolds based on the IgG1 Fc region. These scaffolds can be used for the generation of libraries of mutants from which high-affinity binders can be selected. Comprised of the CH2 and CH3 domains, the Fc region is important not only for the antibody effector function but also for its long half-life. This review focuses on engineered Fc based antibody fragments and domains including native (dimeric) Fc and monomeric Fc as well as CH2 and monomeric CH3, and their use as novel scaffolds and binders. The Fc based binders are promising candidate therapeutics with optimized half-life, enhanced tissue penetration and access to sterically restricted binding sites resulting in an increased therapeutic efficacy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Recent advances in molecular engineering of antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- Protein Interactions Group, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Rui Gong
- Antibody Engineering Group, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Tina W Ju
- Protein Interactions Group, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ponraj Prabakaran
- Protein Interactions Group, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Protein Interactions Group, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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37
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Chen W, Gong R, Ying T, Prabakaran P, Zhu Z, Feng Y, Dimitrov DS. Discovery of novel candidate therapeutics and diagnostics based on engineered human antibody domains. Curr Drug Discov Technol 2014; 11:28-40. [PMID: 23863097 DOI: 10.2174/15701638113109990032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2012] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The smallest independently folded antibody fragments, the domains, are emerging as promising scaffolds for candidate therapeutics and diagnostics that bind specifically targets of interest. The discovery of such binders is based on several technologies including structure-based design and generation of libraries of mutants displayed on phage or yeast, next-generation sequencing for diversity analysis, panning and screening of the libraries, affinity maturation of selected binders, and their expression, purification, and characterization for specific binding, function, and aggregation propensity. In this review, we describe these technologies as applied for the generation of engineered antibody domains (eAds), especially those derived from the human immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (VH) and the second domain of IgG1 heavy chain constant region (CH2) as potential candidate therapeutics and diagnostics, and discuss examples of eAds against HIV-1 and cancer-related proteins.
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38
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Fusion of a short peptide that binds immunoglobulin G to a recombinant protein substantially increases its plasma half-life in mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102566. [PMID: 25057984 PMCID: PMC4109916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
We explore a strategy to substantially increase the half-life of recombinant proteins by genetic fusion to FcIII, a 13-mer IgG-Fc domain binding peptide (IgGBP) originally identified by DeLano and co-workers at Genentech [DeLano WL, et al. (2000) Science 287∶1279–1283]. IgGBP fusion increases the in vivo half-life of proteins by enabling the fusion protein to bind serum IgG, a concept originally introduced by DeLano and co-workers in a patent but that to the best of our knowledge has never been pursued in the scientific literature. To further investigate the in vitro and in vivo properties of IgGBP fusion proteins, we fused FcIII to the C-terminus of a model fluorescent protein, monomeric Katushka (mKate). mKate-IgGBP fusions are easily expressed in Escherichia coli and bind specifically to human IgG with an affinity of ∼40 nM and ∼20 nM at pH 7.4 and pH 6, respectively, but not to mouse or rat IgG isotypes. mKate-IgGBP binds the Fc-domain of hIgG1 at a site overlapping the human neonatal Fc receptor (hFcRn) and as a consequence inhibits the binding of hIgG1 to hFcRn in vitro. High affinity binding to human IgG also endows mKate-IgGBP with a long circulation half-life of ∼8 hr in mice, a 75-fold increase compared to unmodified mKate. Thus, IgGBP fusion significantly reduces protein clearance by piggybacking on serum IgG without substantially increasing protein molecular weight due to the small size of the IgGBP. These attractive features could result in protein therapies with reduced dose frequency and improved patient compliance.
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Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies have been successfully used for the therapy of various diseases. However, because of their large size (∼150 kD), many limitations have also been found during their development and manufacture. The use of antibody fragments with smaller sizes is one of the strategies to overcome these limitations. Antibody heavy chain variable domains (12∼15 kD) have already been widely used for the development of variable domain-based engineered antibody domains (termed V-based eAds) targeting different antigens. Recently, antibody second heavy chain constant domains (∼12 kD) were proposed as novel scaffolds for library construction and selection of specific binders termed constant domain-based eAds (C-based eAds) as novel candidate therapeutics, which might also confer additional crystallizable fragment functions. Both V- and C-based eAds are promising therapeutic candidates. This review summarizes progress in the development of eAds, and discusses the related patents and their potential applications.
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40
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Ying T, Ju TW, Wang Y, Prabakaran P, Dimitrov DS. Interactions of IgG1 CH2 and CH3 Domains with FcRn. Front Immunol 2014; 5:146. [PMID: 24765095 PMCID: PMC3980117 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody fragments are emerging as promising biopharmaceuticals because of their relatively small-size and other unique properties. However, when compared to full-size antibodies, most of the current antibody fragments of VH or VL display greatly reduced half-lives. A promising approach to overcome this problem is through the development of novel antibody fragments based on IgG Fc region, which contributes to the long half-life of IgG through its unique pH-dependent association with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). The IgG Fc region comprises two CH2 and two CH3 domains. In this report, we present a comparative study of the FcRn binding capability of the CH2 and CH3 domains. The stability and aggregation resistance of these domains were also investigated and compared. We found that monomeric CH2 and CH3 domains exhibited the pH-dependent FcRn binding while the dimeric forms of CH2 and CH3 domains did not. Although all of these domains had high serum stability, they had aggregation tendencies as measured by dynamic light scattering. By providing a better understanding of the structure-activity relationship of the Fc fragment, these results guide further approaches to generate novel Fc-based small-size antibody fragments that possess pH-dependent FcRn binding capability, desired in vivo half-lives, and other favorable biophysical properties for their druggability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Tina W. Ju
- Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Yanping Wang
- Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ponraj Prabakaran
- Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Dimiter S. Dimitrov
- Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
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41
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Wang Y, Tian Z, Thirumalai D, Zhang X. Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn): a novel target for therapeutic antibodies and antibody engineering. J Drug Target 2014; 22:269-78. [PMID: 24404896 DOI: 10.3109/1061186x.2013.875030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The biomedical applications of antibodies as prophylactics, therapeutics and diagnostics are developing rapidly. Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) is a major IgG Fc receptor capable of facilitating the translocation of IgG. FcRn can protect IgG from intracellular catabolism, thereby increasing its half-life. In recent decade, the interaction between FcRn and the Fc region has been reported with the focuses on either prolonging the plasma half-life of therapeutic IgG or shortening the half-life of pathogenic IgG. The FcRn-IgG interaction can be altered by modifying the Fc region to change their affinity (increase or decrease), and/or by reducing the Fc fragments of IgG to enhance its penetration into tissues or cells. By over expression of FcRn, the exogenous catabolism can be reduced, meanwhile the circulating IgG level could be enhanced. It has been confirmed in different FcRn over-expressed transgenic mice models, substantial humoral responses against antigens with weak immunogenicity can be mounted. In addition, designing inhibitors for FcRn-IgG interaction is another application prospect for treating IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases. Recent research advancements strengthen the understanding that FcRn is a key and promising drugable target in IgG intervention in the field of antibody engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University , Yangling, Shannxi Province , P.R. China
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42
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Molecular dynamics simulation of the crystallizable fragment of IgG1-insights for the design of Fcabs. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:438-55. [PMID: 24451126 PMCID: PMC3907818 DOI: 10.3390/ijms15010438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An interesting format in the development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies uses the crystallizable fragment of IgG1 as starting scaffold. Engineering of its structural loops allows generation of an antigen binding site. However, this might impair the molecule’s conformational stability, which can be overcome by introducing stabilizing point mutations in the CH3 domains. These point mutations often affect the stability and unfolding behavior of both the CH2 and CH3 domains. In order to understand this cross-talk, molecular dynamics simulations of the domains of the Fc fragment of human IgG1 are reported. The structure of human IgG1-Fc obtained from X-ray crystallography is used as a starting point for simulations of the wild-type protein at two different pH values. The stabilizing effect of a single point mutation in the CH3 domain as well as the impact of the hinge region and the glycan tree structure connected to the CH2 domains is investigated. Regions of high local flexibility were identified as potential sites for engineering antigen binding sites. Obtained data are discussed with respect to the available X-ray structure of IgG1-Fc, directed evolution approaches that screen for stability and use of the scaffold IgG1-Fc in the design of antigen binding Fc proteins.
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43
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Understanding the role of cross-arm binding efficiency in the activity of monoclonal and multispecific therapeutic antibodies. Methods 2014; 65:95-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2013.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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44
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Huang X, Zheng F, Zhan CG. Binding structures and energies of the human neonatal Fc receptor with human Fc and its mutants by molecular modeling and dynamics simulations. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 9:3047-58. [PMID: 24057047 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb70231f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to model the detailed structures of the human neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) binding with the wild-type Fc of human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and its various mutants. Based on the modeled human FcRn-Fc binding structures, it has been proposed that the protein-protein binding interface is composed of three subsites. The first subsite is a hydrophobic core where residue I39 of human Fc can be accommodated very well, and the other two subsites are all composed of critical salt bridges between human FcRn and human Fc. All of the modeled structures and the calculated binding energies are qualitatively consistent with the available experimental data, suggesting that the modeled human FcRn-Fc binding structures are reasonable. The modeled human FcRn-Fc binding structure may be valuable for future rational design of novel mutants of human Fc and Fc-fused therapeutic proteins with a potentially higher binding affinity for human FcRn and, thus, a longer in vivo half-life in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA.
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45
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Luna Saavedra YG, Zhang J, Seidah NG. PCSK9 prosegment chimera as novel inhibitors of LDLR degradation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72113. [PMID: 23951290 PMCID: PMC3741231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The proprotein convertase PCSK9, a target for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, is a negative regulator of the LDL receptor (LDLR) leading to its degradation in endosomes/lysosomes and up-regulation of plasma LDL-cholesterol levels. The proprotein convertases, a family of nine secretory serine proteases, are first synthesized as inactive zymogens. Except for PCSK9, all other convertases are activated following the autocatalytic excision of their inhibitory N-terminal prosegment. PCSK9 is unique since the mature enzyme exhibits a cleaved prosegment complexed with the catalytic subunit and has no protease activity towards other substrates. Similar to other convertases, we hypothesized that the in trans presence of the PCSK9 prosegment would interfere with PCSK9's activity on the LDLR. Since the prosegment cannot be secreted alone, we engineered a chimeric protein using the Fc-region of human IgG1 fused to the PCSK9 prosegment. The expression of such Fcpro-fusion protein in HEK293 and HepG2 cells resulted in a secreted protein that binds PCSK9 and markedly inhibits its activity on the LDLR. This was observed by either intracellular co-expression of PCSK9 and Fcpro or by an extracellular in vitro co-incubation of Fcpro with PCSK9. Structure-function studies revealed that the inhibitory function of Fcpro does not require the acidic N-terminal stretch (residues 31–58) nor the C-terminal Gln152 of the prosegment. Fcpro likely interacts with the prosegment and/or catalytic subunit of the prosegment≡PCSK9 complex thereby allosterically modulating its function. Our data suggest a novel strategic approach for the design and isolation of PCSK9 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yascara Grisel Luna Saavedra
- Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, affiliated to the Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jianbing Zhang
- Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nabil G. Seidah
- Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, affiliated to the Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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46
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Ying T, Chen W, Feng Y, Wang Y, Gong R, Dimitrov DS. Engineered soluble monomeric IgG1 CH3 domain: generation, mechanisms of function, and implications for design of biological therapeutics. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:25154-25164. [PMID: 23867459 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.484154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the therapeutic antibodies approved for clinical use are full-size IgG1 molecules. The interaction of the IgG1 Fc with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) plays a critical role in maintaining their long half-life. We have hypothesized that isolated Fc domains could be engineered to functionally mimic full-size IgG1 (nanoantibodies) but with decreased (10-fold) size. Here, we report for the first time the successful generation of a soluble, monomeric CH3 domain (mCH3). In contrast to the wild-type dimeric CH3, the mCH3 exhibited pH-dependent binding to FcRn similar to that of Fc. The binding free energy of mCH3 to FcRn was higher than that of isolated CH2 but lower than that of Fc. Therefore, CH3 may contribute a larger portion of the free energy of binding to FcRn than CH2. A fusion protein of mCH3 with an engineered antibody domain (m36.4) also bound to FcRn in a pH-dependent fashion and exhibited significantly higher neutralizing activity against HIV-1 than m36.4-Fc fusion proteins. The m36.4-mCH3 fusion protein was monomeric, stable, soluble, and expressed at a high level in Escherichia coli. We also found that engineering an additional disulfide bond in mCH3 remarkably increased its thermal stability, whereas the FcRn binding was not affected. These data suggest that mCH3 could not only help in the exploration of the dual mechanisms of the CH3 contribution to Fc functions (dimerization and FcRn interactions) but could also be used for the development of candidate therapeutics with optimized half-life, enhanced tissue penetration, access to sterically restricted binding sites, and increased therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Ying
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and.
| | - Weizao Chen
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and
| | - Yang Feng
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and
| | - Yanping Wang
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and; SAIC-Frederick, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21702
| | - Rui Gong
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- From the Protein Interactions Group, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702 and
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47
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Ishino T, Wang M, Mosyak L, Tam A, Duan W, Svenson K, Joyce A, O'Hara DM, Lin L, Somers WS, Kriz R. Engineering a monomeric Fc domain modality by N-glycosylation for the half-life extension of biotherapeutics. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:16529-16537. [PMID: 23615911 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.457689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Human IgG is a bivalent molecule that has two identical Fab domains connected by a dimeric Fc domain. For therapeutic purposes, however, the bivalency of IgG and Fc fusion proteins could cause undesired properties. We therefore engineered the conversion of the natural dimeric Fc domain to a highly soluble monomer by introducing two Asn-linked glycans onto the hydrophobic C(H)3-C(H)3 dimer interface. The monomeric Fc (monoFc) maintained the binding affinity for neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in a pH-dependent manner. We solved the crystal structure of monoFc, which explains how the carbohydrates can stabilize the protein surface and provides the rationale for molecular recognition between monoFc and FcRn. The monoFc prolonged the in vivo half-life of an antibody Fab domain, and a tandem repeat of the monoFc further prolonged the half-life. This monoFc modality can be used to improve the pharmacokinetics of monomeric therapeutic proteins with an option to modulate the degree of half-life extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Ishino
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140.
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810
| | - Lidia Mosyak
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - Amy Tam
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - Weili Duan
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - Kristine Svenson
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - Alison Joyce
- Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810
| | - Denise M O'Hara
- Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Inc., Andover, Massachusetts 01810
| | - Laura Lin
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - William S Somers
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
| | - Ronald Kriz
- From Global Biotherapeutics Technologies, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
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48
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Zhu Z, Prabakaran P, Chen W, Broder CC, Gong R, Dimitrov DS. Human monoclonal antibodies as candidate therapeutics against emerging viruses and HIV-1. Virol Sin 2013; 28:71-80. [PMID: 23575729 PMCID: PMC7090799 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-013-3313-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
More than 40 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been approved for a number of disease indications with only one of these (Synagis) - for a viral disease, and not for therapy but for prevention. However, in the last decade novel potent mAbs have been discovered and characterized with potential as therapeutics against viruses of major importance for public health and biosecurity including Hendra virus (HeV), Nipah virus (NiV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Ebola virus (EBOV), West Nile virus (WNV), influenza virus (IFV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Here, we review such mAbs with an emphasis on antibodies of human origin, and highlight recent results as well as technologies and mechanisms related to their potential as therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyu Zhu
- Protein Interactions Group, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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49
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Wilkinson IC, Fowler SB, Machiesky L, Miller K, Hayes DB, Adib M, Her C, Borrok MJ, Tsui P, Burrell M, Corkill DJ, Witt S, Lowe DC, Webster CI. Monovalent IgG4 molecules: immunoglobulin Fc mutations that result in a monomeric structure. MAbs 2013; 5:406-17. [PMID: 23567207 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.23941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies have become the fastest growing class of biological therapeutics, in part due to their exquisite specificity and ability to modulate protein-protein interactions with a high biological potency. The relatively large size and bivalency of antibodies, however, limits their use as therapeutics in certain circumstances. Antibody fragments, such as single-chain variable fragments and antigen binding-fragments, have emerged as viable alternatives, but without further modifications these monovalent formats have reduced terminal serum half-lives because of their small size and lack of an Fc domain, which is required for FcRn-mediated recycling. Using rational engineering of the IgG4 Fc domain to disrupt key interactions at the CH3-CH3 interface, we identified a number of point mutations that abolish Fc dimerization and created half-antibodies, a novel monovalent antibody format that retains a monomeric Fc domain. Introduction of these mutations into an IgG1 framework also led to the creation of half-antibodies. These half-antibodies were shown to be soluble, thermodynamically stable and monomeric, characteristics that are favorable for use as therapeutic proteins. Despite significantly reduced FcRn binding in vitro, which suggests that avidity gains in a dimeric Fc are critical to optimal FcRn binding, this format demonstrated an increased terminal serum half-life compared with that expected for most alternative antibody fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C Wilkinson
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - Susan B Fowler
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - Leeann Machiesky
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - Kenneth Miller
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - David B Hayes
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - Morshed Adib
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - Cheng Her
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - M Jack Borrok
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - Ping Tsui
- MedImmune LLC.; Departments of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering and Analytical Biochemistry; Gaithersburg, MD USA
| | - Matthew Burrell
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - Dominic J Corkill
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - Susanne Witt
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - David C Lowe
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
| | - Carl I Webster
- MedImmune Ltd.; Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering; Cambridge, UK
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50
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Engineering neonatal Fc receptor-mediated recycling and transcytosis in recombinant proteins by short terminal peptide extensions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:16095-100. [PMID: 22991460 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208857109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of therapeutic recombinant proteins in medicine has led to a variety of tactics to increase their circulation time or to enable routes of administration other than injection. One clinically successful tactic to improve both protein circulation and delivery is to fuse the Fc domain of IgG to therapeutic proteins so that the resulting fusion proteins interact with the human neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). As an alternative to grafting the high molecular weight Fc domain to therapeutic proteins, we have modified their N and/or C termini with a short peptide sequence that interacts with FcRn. Our strategy was motivated by results [Mezo AR, et al. (2008) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:2337-2342] that identified peptides that compete with human IgG for FcRn. The small size and simple structure of the FcRn-binding peptide (FcBP) allows for expression of FcBP fusion proteins in Escherichia coli and results in their pH-dependent binding to FcRn with an affinity comparable to that of IgG. The FcBP fusion proteins are internalized, recycled, and transcytosed across cell monolayers that express FcRn. This strategy has the potential to improve protein transport across epithelial barriers, which could lead to noninvasive administration and also enable longer half-lives of therapeutic proteins.
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