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Oyama K, Ueda T. Relationship between protein conformational stability and its immunogenicity when administering antigens to mice using adjuvants-Analysis employed the CH2 domain in human antibodies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307320. [PMID: 39038003 PMCID: PMC11262634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) play a crucial role in the immune system by breaking down antigens into peptide fragments that subsequently bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Previous studies indicate that stable proteins can impede CD4+ T cell stimulation by hindering antigen processing and presentation. Conversely, certain proteins require stabilization in order to activate the immune response. Several factors, including the characteristics of the protein and the utilization of different adjuvants in animal experiments, may contribute to this disparity. In this study, we investigated the impact of adjuvants on antigen administration in mice, specifically focusing on the stability of the CH2 domain. Consequently, the CH2 domain induced a stronger IgG response in comparison to the stabilized one when using Alum and PBS (without adjuvant). On the other hand, animal experiment using Freund's adjuvant showed the opposite results. These findings indicate the significance of considering the intrinsic conformational stability of a protein when eliciting its immunogenicity, particularly within the context of vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Oyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ueda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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2
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Ueda T. [Modulation of Aggregation and Immunogenicity of a Protein: Based on the Study of Hen Lysozyme]. YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 2024; 144:299-310. [PMID: 38432940 DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.23-00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This study focuses on the modulation of protein aggregation and immunogenicity. As a starting point for investigating long-range interactions within a non-native protein, the effects of perturbing denatured protein states on their aggregation, including the formation of amyloid fibrils, were evaluated. The effects of adducts, sugar modifications, and stabilization on protein aggregation were then examined. We also investigated how protein immunogenicity was affected by enhancing protein conformational stability and other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Ueda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University
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Oyama K, Nakakido M, Ohkuri T, Nakamura H, Tsumoto K, Ueda T. Enhancing thermal stability in the CH 2 domain to suppress aggregation through the introduction of simultaneous disulfide bonds in Pichia pastoris. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4831. [PMID: 37924310 PMCID: PMC10680342 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregations decrease production yields and impair the efficacy of therapeutics. The CH2 domain is a crucial part of the constant region of human IgG. But, it is also the least stable domain in IgG, which can result in antibody instability and aggregation problems. We created a novel mutant of the CH2 domain (T250C/L314C, mut10) by introducing a disulfide bond and expressed it using Pichia pastoris. The mut10 variant exhibited enhanced thermal stability, resistance to enzymatic degradation, and reduced aggregation in comparison to the original CH2 domain. However, it was less stable than mut20 (L242C/K334C), which is the variant prepared in a previous study (Gong et al., J. Biol. Chem., 2009). A more advanced mutant, mut25, was created by combining mut10 and mut20. Mut25 artificially contains two disulfide bonds. The new mutant, mut25, showed enhanced thermal stability, increased resistance to enzymatic digestion, and reduced aggregation in comparison to mut20. According to our knowledge, mut25 achieves an unprecedented level of stability among the humanized whole CH2 domains that have been reported so far. Mut25 has the potential to serve as a new platform for antibody therapeutics due to its ability to reduce immunogenicity by decreasing aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Oyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesKyushu UniversityFukuokaJapan
| | - Makoto Nakakido
- Graduate School of EngineeringThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | | | - Hitomi Nakamura
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSojo UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Kouhei Tsumoto
- Graduate School of EngineeringThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Tadashi Ueda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesKyushu UniversityFukuokaJapan
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4
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Eto Y, Saubi N, Ferrer P, Joseph-Munné J. Expression of Chimeric HPV-HIV Protein L1P18 in Pichia pastoris; Purification and Characterization of the Virus-like Particles. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111967. [PMID: 34834382 PMCID: PMC8622379 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, three human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are already licensed and all of them are based on virus-like particles (VLPs) of HPV L1 capsid protein but not worldwide accessible. While about 38.0 million people were living with HIV in 2019, only 68% of HIV-infected individuals were accessing antiretroviral therapy as of the end of June 2020 and there is no HIV vaccine yet. Therefore, safe, effective, and affordable vaccines against those two viruses are immediately needed. Both HPV and HIV are sexually transmitted infections and one of the main access routes is the mucosal genital tract. Thus, the development of a combined vaccine that would protect against HPV and HIV infections is a logical effort in the fight against these two major global pathogens. In this study, a recombinant Pichia pastoris producing chimeric HPV-HIV L1P18 protein intracellularly was constructed. After cell disruption, the supernatant was collected, and the VLPs were purified by a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation, size exclusion chromatography, ultracentrifugation, and ultrafiltration. At the end of purification process, the chimeric VLPs were recovered with 96% purity and 9.23% overall yield, and the morphology of VLPs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. This work contributes towards the development of an alternative platform for production of a bivalent vaccine against HPV and HIV in P. pastoris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Eto
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (Y.E.); (N.S.)
- Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- AIDS Research Unit, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Clínic/IDIBAPS, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Narcís Saubi
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (Y.E.); (N.S.)
- Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- AIDS Research Unit, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Clínic/IDIBAPS, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Ferrer
- Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
| | - Joan Joseph-Munné
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (Y.E.); (N.S.)
- Correspondence:
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5
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Xi Z, Liu X, Lin R, Persons JD, Ilina TV, Li W, Dimitrov DS, Ishima R. The reduced form of the antibody CH2 domain. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1895-1903. [PMID: 34107549 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among the immunoglobulin domains, the CH2 domain has the lowest thermal stability, which also depends on amino acid sequence and buffer conditions. To further identify factors that influence CH2 folding and stability, we characterized the domain in the reduced form using differential scanning fluorimetry and nuclear magnetic resonance. We show that the CH2 domain can fold, similarly to the disulfide-bridged form, without forming a disulfide-bridge, even though the protein contains two Cys residues. Although the reduced form exhibits thermal stability more than 15°C lower than the disulfide-bridged form, it does not undergo immediate full oxidization. To explain this phenomenon, we compared CH2 oxidization at different conditions and demonstrate a need for significant fluctuation of the folded conformation to enhance CH2 disulfide-bridge formation. We conclude that, since CH2 can be purified as a folded, semi-stable, reduced protein that can coexist with the oxidized form, verification of the level of oxidization at each step is critical in CH2 engineering studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyong Xi
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xianglei Liu
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rui Lin
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - John D Persons
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tatiana V Ilina
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rieko Ishima
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Abolition of aggregation of CH 2 domain of human IgG1 when combining glycosylation and protein stabilization. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 558:114-119. [PMID: 33915325 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.04.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The CH2 domain is a critical element of the human Immunoglobulin G (IgG) constant region. Although the CH2 domain is the least stable domain in IgG, it is also a promising scaffold candidate for developing novel therapeutic approaches. Recently, we succeeded in preparing glycosylated and non-glycosylated CH2 domain in the host organism Pichia pastoris. Herein, we verified that glycosylation of the CH2 domain decreased both, its tendency to aggregate and its immunogenicity in mice, suggesting that aggregation and immunogenicity are related. In addition, we have produced in P. pastoris a stabilized version of the CH2 domain with and without glycan, and their propensity to aggregate evaluated. We found that stabilization alone significantly decreased the aggregation of the CH2 domain. Moreover, the combination of glycosylation and stabilization completely suppressed its aggregation behavior. Since protein aggregation is related to immunogenicity, the combination of glycosylation and stabilization to eliminate the aggregation behavior of a protein could be a fruitful strategy to generate promising immunoglobulin scaffolds.
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