Optimized linker sequences for the expression of monomeric and dimeric bispecific single-chain diabodies

T-cells engineered with a novel VHH-based chimeric antigen receptor against CD19 exhibit comparable tumoricidal efficacy to their FMC63-based counterparts

Background

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has established itself as a potent therapeutic option for certain patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematologic malignancies. To date, four CD19-redirected CAR-T cell products have been granted the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for medical use. However, all of these products are equipped with a single-chain fragment variable (scFv) as their targeting domains. Camelid single-domain antibodies (VHH or nanobody) can also be used as alternatives to scFvs. In this study, we developed VHH-based CD19-redirected CAR-Ts, and compared them with their FMC63 scFv-based counterpart.

Methods

Human primary T cells were transduced to express a second-generation 4-1BB-CD3ζ-based CAR construct whose targeting domain was based on a CD19-specific VHH. The expansion rate, cytotoxicity, and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) of the developed CAR-Ts were assessed and compared with their FMC63 scFv-based counterpart as they were co-cultured with CD19-positive (Raji and Ramos) and CD19-negative (K562) cell lines.

Results

VHH-CAR-Ts showed an expansion rate comparable to that of the scFv-CAR-Ts. In terms of cytotoxicity, VHH-CAR-Ts mediated cytolytic reactions against CD19-positive cell lines, comparable to those of their scFv-based counterparts. Moreover, both VHH-CAR-Ts and scFv-CAR-Ts secreted remarkably higher and similar levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α upon co-cultivation with Ramos and Raji cell lines compared with while cultured alone or co-cultured with K562 cells.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that our VHH-CAR-Ts could mediate CD19-dependent tumoricidal reactions as potently as their scFv-based counterparts. Moreover, VHHs could be applied as the targeting domains of CAR constructs to overcome the issues associated with the use of scFvs in CAR-T therapies.

A bispecific, crosslinking lectibody activates cytotoxic T cells and induces cancer cell death

BACKGROUND

Aberrant glycosylation patterns play a crucial role in the development of cancer cells as they promote tumor growth and aggressiveness. Lectins recognize carbohydrate antigens attached to proteins and lipids on cell surfaces and represent potential tools for application in cancer diagnostics and therapy. Among the emerging cancer therapies, immunotherapy has become a promising treatment modality for various hematological and solid malignancies. Here we present an approach to redirect the immune system into fighting cancer by targeting altered glycans at the surface of malignant cells. We developed a so-called "lectibody", a bispecific construct composed of a lectin linked to an antibody fragment. This lectibody is inspired by bispecific T cell engager (BiTEs) antibodies that recruit cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) while simultaneously binding to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) on cancer cells. The tumor-related glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) represents the target of this proof-of-concept study. It is recognized with high selectivity by the B-subunit of the pathogen-derived Shiga toxin, presenting opportunities for clinical development.

METHODS

The lectibody was realized by conjugating an anti-CD3 single-chain antibody fragment to the B-subunit of Shiga toxin to target Gb3⁺ cancer cells. The reactive non-canonical amino acid azidolysine (AzK) was inserted at predefined single positions in both proteins. The azido groups were functionalized by bioorthogonal conjugation with individual linkers that facilitated selective coupling via an alternative bioorthogonal click chemistry reaction. In vitro cell-based assays were conducted to evaluate the antitumoral activity of the lectibody. CTLs, Burkitt´s lymphoma-derived cells and colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines were screened in flow cytometry and cytotoxicity assays for activation and lysis, respectively.

RESULTS

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the lectibody activates T cells for their cytotoxic signaling, redirecting CTLs´ cytotoxicity in a highly selective manner and resulting in nearly complete tumor cell lysis-up to 93%-of Gb3⁺ tumor cells in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

This research highlights the potential of lectins in targeting certain tumors, with an opportunity for new cancer treatments. When considering a combinatorial strategy, lectin-based platforms of this type offer the possibility to target glycan epitopes on tumor cells and boost the efficacy of current therapies, providing an additional strategy for tumor eradication and improving patient outcomes.

Nanobody-based CAR-T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is the result of combining genetic engineering-based cancer immunotherapy with adoptive cell therapy (ACT). CAR-T therapy has been successful in treating various types of hematological cancers. CARs are receptors made of an extracellular domain, a membrane-spanning domain, and an intracellular domain. The extracellular domain of CARs harbors an antigen-targeting domain responsible for recognizing and binding cell surface-expressed target antigens. Conventionally, the single-chain fragment variable (scFv) of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) is used as the antigen-targeting domain of CARs. However, of late, researchers have exploited nanobodies for this aim based on numerous rationales including the small size of nanobodies, their stability, specificity, and high affinity, and their easy and feasible development process. Many findings have confirmed that nanobody-based CAR-Ts can be as functional as scFv-based CAR-Ts in preclinical and clinical settings. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of scFvs and nanobodies in regards to their application as the targeting domain of CARs. Ultimately, we discuss various CAR target antigens which have been targeted using nanobody-based CAR-T cells for the treatment of different types of malignancies.

Modern Advances in CARs Therapy and Creating a New Approach to Future Treatment

Genetically engineered T and NK cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) are promising cytotoxic cells for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Despite the successful therapies using CAR-T cells, they have some disadvantages, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity, or graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). CAR-NK cells have lack or minimal cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, but also multiple mechanisms of cytotoxic activity. NK cells are suitable for developing an "off the shelf" therapeutic product that causes little or no graft versus host disease (GvHD), but they are more sensitive to apoptosis and have low levels of gene expression compared to CAR-T cells. To avoid these adverse effects, further developments need to be considered to enhance the effectiveness of adoptive cellular immunotherapy. A promising approach to enhance the effectiveness of adoptive cellular immunotherapy is overcoming terminal differentiation or senescence and exhaustion of T cells. In this case, EVs derived from immune cells in combination therapy with drugs may be considered in the treatment of cancer patients, especially effector T and NK cells-derived exosomes with the cytotoxic activity of their original cells.

Nanobody-based CAR-T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is the result of combining genetic engineering-based cancer immunotherapy with adoptive cell therapy (ACT). CAR-T therapy has been successful in treating various types of hematological cancers. CARs are receptors made of an extracellular domain, a membrane-spanning domain, and an intracellular domain. The extracellular domain of CARs harbors an antigen-targeting domain responsible for recognizing and binding cell surface-expressed target antigens. Conventionally, the single-chain fragment variable (scFv) of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) is used as the antigen-targeting domain of CARs. However, of late, researchers have exploited nanobodies for this aim based on numerous rationales including the small size of nanobodies, their stability, specificity, and high affinity, and their easy and feasible development process. Many findings have confirmed that nanobody-based CAR-Ts can be as functional as scFv-based CAR-Ts in preclinical and clinical settings. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of scFvs and nanobodies in regards to their application as the targeting domain of CARs. Ultimately, we discuss various CAR target antigens which have been targeted using nanobody-based CAR-T cells for the treatment of different types of malignancies.

Effect of non-repetitive linker on in vitro and in vivo properties of an anti-VEGF scFv

Single chain antibody fragments (scFvs) are favored in diagnostic and therapeutic fields thanks to their small size and the availability of various engineering approaches. Linker between variable heavy (V_H) and light (V_L) chains of scFv covalently links these domains and it can affect scFv’s bio-physical/chemical properties and in vivo activity. Thus, scFv linker design is important for a successful scFv construction, and flexible linkers are preferred for a proper pairing of V_H–V_L. The flexibility of the linker is determined by length and sequence content and glycine-serine (GS) linkers are commonly preferred for scFvs based on their highly flexible profiles. Despite the advantage of this provided flexibility, GS linkers carry repeated sequences which can cause problems for PCR-based engineering approaches and immunogenicity. Here, two different linkers, a repetitive GS linker and an alternative non-repetitive linker with similar flexibility but lower immunogenicity are employed to generate anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor scFvs derived from bevacizumab. Our findings highlight a better in vitro profile of the non-repetitive linker such as a higher monomer ratio, higher thermal stability while there was no significant difference in in vivo efficacy in a zebrafish embryonic angiogenesis model. This is the first study to compare in vivo efficacy of scFvs with different linkers in a zebrafish model.

Detection of salinomycin and lasalocid in chicken liver by icELISA based on functional bispecific single-chain antibody (scDb) and interpretation of molecular recognition mechanism

Salinomycin (SAL) and lasalocid (LAS) are widely used as ionophore antibiotics for coccidiosis control. However, their common use as feed additives has led to the occurrence of feed cross-contamination, which has toxic effects on non-target animals. There have been few reports on multiple-residue detection for SAL and LAS in recent years. In this study, two single-chain antibody fragments (scFvs) capable of specifically recognizing SAL and LAS were constructed. Using LAS-scFv and SAL-scFv as parent antibodies, a complete bispecific single-chain diabody (scDb) against both LAS and SAL was built using splicing by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (SOE-PCR). In addition, the key amino acid sites and interaction energy of antibody variable regions for small-molecule recognition were preliminarily studied by homology modeling and molecular docking. Finally, IC₅₀ values of 12.9 and 8.6 ng/mL, with a linear range of 6.9-24.0 and 4.7-16.0 ng/mL, were obtained for LAS-scFv and SAL-scFv, respectively. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) method was established using scDb to obtain an IC₅₀ of 3.5 ng/mL for LAS and 4.1 ng/mL for SAL, which showed better sensitivity and specificity than those of the parent scFv antibodies. The recoveries of LAS and SAL in chicken liver were 89.2-92.7%(CV<4.7%) and 88.6-90.2% (CV<6.8%)), respectively.

The Application of Nanobody in CAR-T Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy represents a form of immune cellular therapy with clinical efficacy and a specific target. A typical chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) construct consists of an antigen binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. Nanobodies have been widely applied as the antigen binding domain of CAR-T due to their small size, optimal stability, high affinity, and manufacturing feasibility. The nanobody-based CAR structure has shown a proven function in more than ten different tumor-specific targets. After being transduced in Jurkat cells, natural killer cells, or primary T cells, the resulting nanobody-based CAR-T or CAR-NK cells demonstrate anti-tumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, anti-BCMA CAR-T modulated by a single nanobody or bi-valent nanobody displays comparable clinical effects with that of single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-modulated CAR-T. The application of nanobodies in CAR-T therapy has been well demonstrated from bench to bedside and displays great potential in forming advanced CAR-T for more challenging tasks.

Comparative assessment of the VH-VL and VL-VH orientations of single-chain variable fragments of scorpion toxin-neutralizing antibodies

The present study evaluated the effect of the change in the orientation of the VH-VL variable domains to VL-VH on the physicochemical and functional properties of two scorpion toxin-neutralizing scFvs. The results showed that the level of expression of proteins obtained from the periplasm of E. coli is the factor mainly affected, either with an increase or decrease in the amount of protein recovered. Likewise, the functional recognition activity in the presence of a denaturing agent showed slight variations in the two orientations. In contrast, recognition and biological activity (neutralizing capacity) are maintained. At the interaction level, the change marginally modified the kinetic association and dissociation constants without significantly modifying the value of the affinity constants. Similarly, it was observed that the thermodynamic stability of the proteins did not show significant variations either. These results contrast with some reports of the effect of changing the orientation of domains, suggesting that it is not possible to predict which orientation of the variable domains of an scFv is more favorable or if they are equivalent, as in the case of scFvs previously matured by directed evolution techniques.

Considerations for the Design of Antibody-Based Therapeutics

Antibody-based proteins have become an important class of biologic therapeutics, due in large part to the stability, specificity, and adaptability of the antibody framework. Indeed, antibodies not only have the inherent ability to bind both antigens and endogenous immune receptors but also have proven extremely amenable to protein engineering. Thus, several derivatives of the monoclonal antibody format, including bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and antibody fragments, have demonstrated efficacy for treating human disease, particularly in the fields of immunology and oncology. Reviewed here are considerations for the design of antibody-based therapeutics, including immunological context, therapeutic mechanisms, and engineering strategies. First, characteristics of antibodies are introduced, with emphasis on structural domains, functionally important receptors, isotypic and allotypic differences, and modifications such as glycosylation. Then, aspects of therapeutic antibody design are discussed, including identification of antigen-specific variable regions, choice of expression system, use of multispecific formats, and design of antibody derivatives based on fragmentation, oligomerization, or conjugation to other functional moieties. Finally, strategies to enhance antibody function through protein engineering are reviewed while highlighting the impact of fundamental biophysical properties on protein developability.

Applications of SNAP-tag technology in skin cancer therapy

BACKGROUND

Cancer treatment in the 21st century has seen immense advances in optical imaging and immunotherapy. Significant progress has been made in the bioengineering and production of immunoconjugates to achieve the goal of specifically targeting tumors.

DISCUSSION

In the 21st century, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have been the focus of immunotherapeutic strategies in cancer. ADCs combine the unique targeting of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the cancer killing ability of cytotoxic drugs. However, due to random conjugation methods of drug to antibody, ADCs are associated with poor antigen specificity and low cytotoxicity, resulting in a drug to antibody ratio (DAR) >1. This means that the cytotoxic drugs in ADCs are conjugated randomly to antibodies, by cysteine or lysine residues. This generates heterogeneous ADC populations with 0 to 8 drugs per an antibody, each with distinct pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and toxicity properties. Additionally, heterogeneity is created not only by different antibody to ligand ratios but also by different sites of conjugation. Hence, much effort has been made to find and establish antibody conjugation strategies that enable us to better control stoichiometry and site-specificity. This includes utilizing protein self-labeling tags as fusion partners to the original protein. Site-specific conjugation is a significant characteristic of these engineered proteins. SNAP-tag is one such engineered self-labeling protein tag shown to have promising potential in cancer treatment. The SNAP-tag is fused to an antibody of choice and covalently reacts specifically in a 1:1 ratio with benzylguanine (BG) substrates, eg, fluorophores or photosensitizers, to target skin cancer. This makes SNAP-tag a versatile technique in optical imaging and photoimmunotherapy of skin cancer.

CONCLUSION

SNAP-tag technology has the potential to contribute greatly to a broad range of molecular oncological applications because it combines efficacious tumor targeting, minimized local and systemic toxicity, and noninvasive assessment of diagnostic/prognostic molecular biomarkers of cancer.

Molecular engineering strategies and methods for the expression and purification of IgG1-based bispecific bivalent antibodies

In recent years, bispecific antibodies (BisAbs) have emerged as novel pharmaceutical candidates owing to their ability to engage two disease mediators simultaneously, thus providing a possible alternative therapeutic approach in complex diseases such as cancer and inflammation. Here we provide an overview of the molecular design, recombinant expression in mammalian cells and purification of BisAbs based on full-length IgG-scFv formats. Practical considerations and strategies to optimize transient expression and purification are also discussed.

The making of bispecific antibodies

During the past two decades we have seen a phenomenal evolution of bispecific antibodies for therapeutic applications. The 'zoo' of bispecific antibodies is populated by many different species, comprising around 100 different formats, including small molecules composed solely of the antigen-binding sites of two antibodies, molecules with an IgG structure, and large complex molecules composed of different antigen-binding moieties often combined with dimerization modules. The application of sophisticated molecular design and genetic engineering has solved many of the technical problems associated with the formation of bispecific antibodies such as stability, solubility and other parameters that confer drug properties. These parameters may be summarized under the term 'developability'. In addition, different 'target product profiles', i.e., desired features of the bispecific antibody to be generated, mandates the need for access to a diverse panel of formats. These may vary in size, arrangement, valencies, flexibility and geometry of their binding modules, as well as in their distribution and pharmacokinetic properties. There is not 'one best format' for generating bispecific antibodies, and no single format is suitable for all, or even most of, the desired applications. Instead, the bispecific formats collectively serve as a valuable source of diversity that can be applied to the development of therapeutics for various indications. Here, a comprehensive overview of the different bispecific antibody formats is provided.

Influences of Various Peptide Linkers on the Thermotoga maritima MSB8 Nitrilase Displayed on the Spore Surface of Bacillus subtilis

In the present study, fusion genes composed of Thermotoga maritima MSB8 nitrilase and Bacillus subtilis 168 outer coat protein CotG were constructed with various peptide linkers and displayed on B. subtilis DB 403 spores. The successful display of CotG-nit fusion proteins on the spore surface of B. subtilis was verified by Western blot analysis and activity measurement. It was demonstrated that the fusion with linker GGGGSEAAAKGGGGS presented the highest thermal and pH stability, which is 2.67- and 1.9-fold of the fusion without linker. In addition, fusion with flexible linker (GGGGS)3 demonstrated better thermal and pH stability than fusions with linkers GGGGS and (GGGGS)2. Fusion with rigid linker (EAAAK) demonstrated better thermal stability than fusions with linkers (EAAAK)2 and (EAAAK)3. Fusions with linker (EAAAK)2 demonstrated better pH stability than fusions with linkers (EAAAK) and (EAAAK)3. In the presence of 1 mM dithiothreitol, 1% (v/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate, and 20% (v/v) ethanol, the optimal linkers of the fusions were MGSSSN, GGGGSEAAAKGGGGS, and (GGGGS)3, respectively. In summary, our results showed that optimizing the peptide linkers with different type, length, and amino acid composition of the fusion proteins would be an efficient way to maintain the stability of fusion proteins and thus improve the nitrilase display efficiency, which could provide an effective method for rational design peptide linkers of displayed nitrilase on B. subtilis.

The coming of age of engineered multivalent antibodies

The development of monoclonal antibody (mAb) technology has had a profound impact on medicine. The therapeutic use of first-generation mAb achieved considerable success in the treatment of major diseases, including cancer, inflammation, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. Next-generation antibodies have been engineered to further increase potency, improve the safety profile and acquire non-natural properties, and constitute a thriving area of mAb research and development. Currently, a variety of alternative antibody formats with modified architectures have been generated and are moving fast into the clinic. In fact, the bispecific antibody blinatumomab was the first in its class to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as recently as December 2014. Here, we outline the fundamental strategies used for designing the next generation of therapeutic antibodies, as well as the most relevant results obtained in preclinical studies and clinical trials.

Cloning, expression, purification and characterization of a bispecific single-chain diabody against fluoroquinolones and sulfonamides in Escherichia coli

A recombinant bispecific single-chain diabody (scDb), recognizing fluoroquinolones (FQs) and sulfonamides (SAs), was successfully constructed with two single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFvs). The scDb gene was cloned into the expression vector pJB33, and 6×His-tagged scDb was expressed as soluble bodies in Escherichia coli RV308 host, then purified by one step affinity chromatography of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC). SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis of the purified scDb indicated that the prepared scDb was successfully expressed as a ∼60 kDa and the final purity of the scDb protein was up to 95% with yields of approximately 6 mg/L of bacterial culture. The scDb was further characterized by indirect competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA), showing that the affinity and specificity of scDb were fully retained from the two parental scFvs, capable of simultaneously binding FQs and SAs. The 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) values of the optimized immunoassay were 0.45 ng mL(-1) for FQs and 0.75 ng mL(-1) for SAs, respectively. The scDb exhibited high affinity to 20 FQs and 14 SAs. Taken together, these findings suggested that the prepared scDb could be used to develop future novel immunoassay for simultaneous determination of 20 FQs and 14 SAs.

Antitumor activities of PSMA×CD3 diabodies by redirected T-cell lysis of prostate cancer cells

AIM

Although prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies in men, there is no effective curative therapy for the advanced disease. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to generate prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)×CD3 diabodies as a novel treatment option for this tumor.

METHODS

A PSMA×CD3 diabody and a covalently linked single-chain diabody were constructed from the anti-PSMA single-chain Fv fragment D7 and an anti-CD3 single-chain Fv fragment. The fusion proteins were periplasmatically expressed in Escherichia coli. The binding properties were tested on PSMA-expressing C4-2 prostate cancer cells and CD3(+) Jurkat cells by flow cytometry. For in vitro functional analysis, a cell viability assay was used. T-cell activation was determined by flow cytometry. In vivo activity of the diabody was tested in SCID mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes bearing C4-2 tumor xenografts.

RESULTS

Bacterial expression levels were significantly higher for the diabody (1-1.5 mg/l culture) compared with the single-chain diabody (0.2-0.4 mg/l culture). Specific binding on CD3-expressing Jurkat cells and PSMA-expressing C4-2 cells was shown with both diabody formats. In vitro, both diabodies proved to be potent agents for retargeting human CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes to lyse C4-2 prostate cancer cells. The formation of conjugates between T cells and target cells with clustering of the diabody at sites of interaction could be shown. SCID mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes bearing C4-2 tumor xenografts with the diabody showed an efficient inhibition of tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

Both diabody formats showed a highly efficient and specific T cell-mediated killing of prostate cancer cells and are encouraging for further development in preclinical and clinical studies.

Rational-based protein engineering: tips and tools

The rational engineering of proteins is driven by contemporary needs for new and altered biomolecular forms. Utilizing manipulative procedures of molecular biology, it is relatively straightforward to alter protein structure and function to create mutated or fused sequences. We here give an overview of procedures and strategies for site-directed mutagenesis, construction of fusion proteins, and insertion of tags. The design of new protein constructs as well as their over-expression as recombinant products is considered. We also summarize approaches for the engineering of protein complexes by co-expression, a valuable route to generate bioactive multicomponent systems.

Highly enhanced cytotoxicity of a dimeric bispecific diabody, the hEx3 tetrabody

We previously reported the utility for cancer immunotherapy of a humanized bispecific diabody (hEx3) that targets epidermal growth factor receptor and CD3. Here, we used dynamic and static light scattering measurements to show that the multimer fraction observed in hEx3 in solution is a monodisperse tetramer. The multimerization into tetramers increased the inhibition of cancer cell growth by the hEx3 diabody. Furthermore, 1:2 stoichiometric binding for both antigens was observed in a thermodynamic analysis, indicating that the tetramer has bivalent binding activity for each target, and the structure may be in a circular configuration, as is the case for the single-chain Fv tetrabody. In addition to enhanced cytotoxicity, the functional affinity and stability of the hEx3 tetrabody were superior to those of the hEx3 diabody. The increase in molecular weight is also expected to improve the pharmacokinetics of the bispecific diabody, making the hEx3 tetrabody attractive as a therapeutic antibody fragment for cancer immunotherapy.

Crystal structures of a therapeutic single chain antibody in complex with two drugs of abuse-Methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major drug threat in the United States and worldwide. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy for treating METH abuse is showing exciting promise and the understanding of how mAb structure relates to function will be essential for future development of these important therapies. We have determined crystal structures of a high affinity anti-(+)-METH therapeutic single chain antibody fragment (scFv6H4, K(D)= 10 nM) derived from one of our candidate mAb in complex with METH and the (+) stereoisomer of another abused drug, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), known by the street name "ecstasy." The crystal structures revealed that scFv6H4 binds to METH and MDMA in a deep pocket that almost completely encases the drugs mostly through aromatic interactions. In addition, the cationic nitrogen of METH and MDMA forms a salt bridge with the carboxylate group of a glutamic acid residue and a hydrogen bond with a histidine side chain. Interestingly, there are two water molecules in the binding pocket and one of them is positioned for a C--H...O interaction with the aromatic ring of METH. These first crystal structures of a high affinity therapeutic antibody fragment against METH and MDMA (resolution = 1.9 A, and 2.4 A, respectively) provide a structural basis for designing the next generation of higher affinity antibodies and also for carrying out rational humanization.

Homology modelling and bivalent single-chain Fv construction of anti-HepG2 single-chain immunoglobulin Fv fragments from a phage display library

We prepared single-chain immunoglobulin Fv fragments (scFv) SLH10 specific for the HepG2 cell line after biopanning from a large human-naive phage display library (Griffin. 1 Library). The three-dimensional (3D) structure of SLH10 was modelled by the Insight II molecule simulation software.The structure was refined using the molecular dynamics method.The structures with the least steric clashes and lowest energy were determined finally. The optimized structures of heavy (VH) and light (VL) variable chains of SLH10 scFv were obtained.Then SLH10 bivalent single-chain Fv (BsFv) was constructed that would be suitable for high-affinity targeting.SLH10 BsFv was generated by linking scFvs together and identified by sequencing. Its expression products were confirmed by western blot analysis.The relative molecular masses of scFv and BsFv were approximately 30 kDa and 60 kDa,respectively. Flow cytometry revealed that SLH10 BsFv bound the selected cell lines with greater signal intensity than the parental scFv. The improved antigen binding of SLH10 BsFv may be useful for immunodiagnostics or targeted gene therapy for liver cancer.

Development and preclinical testing of a high-affinity single-chain antibody against (+)-methamphetamine

Chronic or excessive (+)-methamphetamine (METH) use often leads to addiction and toxicity to critical organs like the brain. With medical treatment as a goal, a novel single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against METH was engineered from anti-METH monoclonal antibody mAb6H4 (IgG, kappa light chain, K(d) = 11 nM) and found to have similar ligand affinity (K(d) = 10 nM) and specificity as mAb6H4. The anti-METH scFv (scFv6H4) was cloned, expressed in yeast, purified, and formulated as a naturally occurring mixture of monomer ( approximately 75%) and dimer ( approximately 25%). To test the in vivo efficacy of the scFv6H4, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 5) were implanted with 3-day s.c. osmotic pumps delivering 3.2 mg/kg/day METH. After reaching steady-state METH concentrations, an i.v. dose of scFv6H4 (36.5 mg/kg, equimolar to the METH body burden) was administered along with a [(3)H]scFv6H4 tracer. Serum pharmacokinetic analysis of METH and [(3)H]scFv6H4 showed that the scFv6H4 caused an immediate 65-fold increase in the METH concentrations and a 12-fold increase in the serum METH area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 480 min after scFv6H4 administration. The scFv6H4 monomer was quickly cleared or converted to multivalent forms with an apparent t(1/2lambdaz) of 5.8 min. In contrast, the larger scFv6H4 multivalent forms (dimers, trimers, etc.) showed a much longer t(1/2lambdaz) (228 min), and the significantly increased METH serum molar concentrations correlated directly with scFv6H4 serum molar concentrations. Considered together, these data suggested that the scFv6H4 multimers (and not the monomer) were responsible for the prolonged redistribution of METH into the serum.

Bispecific Antibodies: Molecules That Enable Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Bispecific antibodies are unique in the sense that they can bind simultaneously two different antigens. This property enables the development of therapeutic strategies that are not possible with conventional monoclonal antibodies. The large panel of imaginative bispecific antibody formats that has been developed reflects the strong interest for these molecules. Although in many cases the manufacturing of clinical grade material remains challenging, several bispecific antibody formats are currently in clinical trials.

Improved pharmacokinetics of recombinant bispecific antibody molecules by fusion to human serum albumin

Recombinant bispecific antibodies such as tandem scFv molecules (taFv), diabodies (Db), or single chain diabodies (scDb) have shown to be able to retarget T lymphocytes to tumor cells, leading to their destruction. However, therapeutic efficacy is hampered by a short serum half-life of these small molecules having molecule masses of 50-60 kDa. Thus, improvement of the pharmacokinetic properties of small bispecific antibody formats is required to enhance efficacy in vivo. In this study, we generated several recombinant bispecific antibody-albumin fusion proteins and analyzed these molecules for biological activity and pharmacokinetic properties. Three recombinant antibody formats were produced by fusing two different scFv molecules, bispecific scDb or taFv molecules, respectively, to human serum albumin (HSA). These constructs (scFv(2)-HSA, scDb-HSA, taFv-HSA), directed against the tumor antigen carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the T cell receptor complex molecule CD3, retained full binding capacity to both antigens compared with unfused scFv, scDb, and taFv molecules. Tumor antigen-specific retargeting and activation of T cells as monitored by interleukin-2 release was observed for scDb, scDb-HSA, taFv-HSA, and to a lesser extent for scFv(2)-HSA. T cell activation could be further enhanced by a target cell-specific costimulatory signal provided by a B7-DbCEA fusion protein. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that fusion to serum albumin strongly increases circulation time of recombinant bispecific antibodies. In addition, our comparative study indicates that single chain diabody-albumin fusion proteins seem to be the most promising format for further studying cytotoxic activities in vitro and in vivo.

Construction and characterization of a bifunctional fusion enzyme ofBacillus-sourced β-glucanase and xylanase expressed inEscherichia coli

A chimeric gene, Glu-Xyl, encoding Bacillus amyloliquefaciens glucanase (Glu, 24.4 kDa) and Bacillus subtilis xylanase (Xyl, 21.2 kDa), was constructed via end-to-end fusion and expressed successfully in Escherichia coli. The purified fusion protein (46.1 kDa) exhibited both glucanase and xylanase activities. Compared with parental enzymes, the Glu moiety was characterized by kinetic parameters of decreased K(m) (0.66-fold) and increased K(cat) (2.75-fold), whereas the Xyl moiety had an increased K(m) (1.37-fold) and decreased K(cat) (0.79-fold). These indicate a 3.15-fold net increase and a 31% decrease in catalytic efficiency (K(cat)/K(m)) of the Glu and Xyl moieties. Activities and stabilities of both moieties at 40-90 degrees C or pH 3.0-10.0 were compared with those of the parental enzymes. Despite some variations, common optima were 40 degrees C and pH 9.0 for the Glu moiety and parent, and 50-60 degrees C and pH 9.0 for the Xyl counterparts. Thus, the fusion enzyme Glu-Xyl was bifunctional, with greatly enhanced glucanase activity associated with a decrease in xylanase activity.

Optimizing recombinant antibody function in SPR immunosensing. The influence of antibody structural format and chip surface chemistry on assay sensitivity

BACKGROUND

Recombinant antibody fragments are valuable tools for SPR-based detection of small molecules such as illicit drugs. However, the multiple structural formats of recombinant antibody fragments are largely uncharacterised with respect to their respective performance in SPR sensing. We have expressed a model anti-M3G antibody in both scFv and chimeric Fab formats to examine its sensitivity and binding profiles in a microplate immunoassay format and Biacore. We have further examined the influence of scFv multimerisation, Fab constant region stability and SPR chip surface coating chemistry, on anti-hapten SPR assay development.

RESULTS

Under optimised competition ELISA conditions, the anti-M3G scFv was found to have an IC(50) value of 30 ng/ml, while the most stable Fab construct exhibited an IC(50) value of 2.4 ng/ml. In SPR competition assay on an M3G-OVA-coated SPR chip surface, the two constructs again differed in sensitivity, with IC(50) values of 117 and 19 ng/ml for the scFv and Fab, respectively (the scFv also exhibiting poor linearity of response). However, when the SPR chip surface was directly coated with M3G, both antibody constructs exhibited good linearity of response, similar high sensitivity IC(50) values (scFv 30 ng/ml, Fab 14 ng/ml) and high reproducibility (50 effective regenerations for M3G-OVA, 200 for M3G direct). During SPR assay development it was noticed that scFv and Fab constructs gave differing off-rate profiles. Subsequent HPLC, ELISA and electrophoretic analyses then confirmed that a portion of the scFv population multimerises. Bivalent scFv was found to profoundly affect the dissociation curve for scFv in stringent SPR kinetic analyses, leading to a 40-fold difference in calculated off-rate values (Fab off rate 4.7 x 10(-3)S(-1), scFv off rate 1.03 x 10(-2)S(-1)).

CONCLUSION

The structural format of recombinant antibody fragments and chip functionalisation methodology can both profoundly affect the function of anti-M3G SPR assay, with direct coating and Fab format proving to be optimal. The confirmation of scFv multimerisation and resulting changes in SPR kinetics profile, in comparison with a Fab, further suggest that caution must be taken in the interpretation of SPR sensorgrams, which are commonly used in the 'affinity ranking' of scFv panels in which the extent of dimerisation in each sample is unknown.

Monospecific bivalent scFv-SH: effects of linker length and location of an engineered cysteine on production, antigen binding activity and free SH accessibility

Development of tumor targeting pharmaceuticals on a modular platform is an attractive paradigm. Design choices for bispecific (anti-tumor and anti-chelate) pretargeting molecules are increased by the use of scFvs. Because a scFv is monovalent and small in size, its functional affinity and in vivo residence time can be improved through multimerization. ScFv multimers can be covalent or non-covalent. In vivo studies indicate that covalent scFv multimers are preferable. Attachment of scFv modules to scaffolds offers a wide range of possibilities for size and valency. A free thiol introduced at the C terminal end of a scFv (scFv-SH) allows for site-specific covalent attachment to a PEG scaffold without interfering with its antigen (Ag) binding. Although in theory, multimerization of 3 or 4 scFvs can be achieved by direct conjugation, as scFv-SH, to a tri or tetrafunctionalized PEG, it is not a practical option since homogeneous tri and tetrafunctionalized PEG are not readily available. However, the generation of (scFv)(3-4)-PEG molecules through attachment of combinations of di-scFv-SH (tandemly expressed scFvs) and scFv-SH or 2 di-scFv-SH to a bifunctional PEG is a sound approach that also allows for better control of the scFv-PEG conjugate molecular composition. Optimization of the molecular format of the di-scFv-SH module for production as soluble proteins in E. coli, Ag binding and conjugation is reported in this study. ScFvs in the VH-VL format were used for the di-scFv constructs since Fv domain inversion to VL-VH, while not yielding more protein, also abolished Ag binding. The effects on production yield, Ag binding and conjugation potential of the scFv joining linker length and the presence and location of an engineered cysteine were assessed in vitro. Our data indicate that for di-scFv-SH, an increase of the scFv joining linker length results in higher production and better Ag binding; a 20 aa long linker (G(4)S)(4) was the longest linker tested. For the engineered cysteine, three locations were tested; within the scFv joining linker, at the C terminus upstream of the E Tag and as the carboxy terminal aa. The accessibility of the free SH assessed by conjugation of di-scFv-SH to HRP-Mal demonstrated that di-scFv-HRP conjugates are formed with comparable efficiencies when the cysteine is located at the scFv carboxy end. This empirical work provides a framework for the development of bispecific scFv multimers via site-specific attachment of scFv-SH and di-scFv-SH modules to a scaffold.

Recombinant bispecific antibodies for cancer therapy

Bispecific antibodies can serve as mediators to retarget effector mechanisms to disease-associated sites. Studies over the past two decades have revealed the potentials but also the limitations of conventional bispecific antibodies. The development of recombinant antibody formats has opened up the possibility of generating bispecific molecules with improved properties. This review summarizes recent developments in the field of recombinant bispecific antibodies and discusses further requirements for clinical development.

Synthesis and screening of a rationally designed combinatorial library of affinity ligands mimicking protein L fromPeptostreptococcus magnus

Rational design and combinatorial chemistry were utilized to search for lead protein L (PpL) mimetics for application as affinity ligands for the purification of antibodies and small fragments, such as Fab and scFv, and as potential diagnostic or therapeutic agents. Inspection of the key structural features of the complex between PpL and human Fab prompted the de novo design and combinatorial synthesis of a 169-membered solid-phase ligand library, which was assessed for binding to human IgG and subsequent selectivity for the Fab fragment. Eight ligands were selected, chemically characterized and compared with a commercial PpL-adsorbent for binding pure immunoglobulin fractions. The most promising lead, ligand 8/7, when immobilized on an agarose support, behaved in a similar fashion to PpL in isolating Fab fragments from papain digests of human IgG to a final purity of 97%.

Bispecific single-chain diabody-mediated killing of endoglin-positive endothelial cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes

We present a novel vascular tumor therapy approach based on lysing endothelial cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Retargeting of CTLs is achieved by a recombinant bispecific antibody molecule (bispecific single-chain diabody) directed against human endoglin (CD105, EDG) and the T-cell coreceptor CD3 (scDb EDGCD3). Bacterially expressed scDb EDGCD3 was able to bind to endoglin-expressing endothelial cells as well as CD3-expressing T lymphocytes. The single-chain diabody mediated killing of endothelial cells (HUVEC, HMEC) by activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes at picomolar concentrations, and cells not expressing endoglin were not affected. Because endoglin is up-regulated in the vasculature of many solid tumors, this antibody molecule should be capable of lysing tumor endothelial cells and thus destroying the vascular bed of the tumor.

Isolation of endothelial cell-specific human antibodies from a novel fully synthetic scFv library

We have isolated single-chain Fv fragments directed against human endothelial cells from a novel fully synthetic human scFv library (scFv 479). This library was constructed using the variable germline segments DP47 and DPkappa9 as scaffolds. Complementarity determining regions 3 (CDR) of the variable heavy and light chain were introduced with a length of 9 amino acid residues. In total, 16 amino acid positions of all six CDRs exposed in the antigen-binding site were randomized and the library was produced from synthetic oligonucleotides encoding the entire scFv fragment. From this library endothelial-specific scFv fragments were either selected using the recombinant extracellular domain of human endoglin (CD105) or by cell selections with human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC). These scFv fragments might be useful for the generation of vascular or tumor targeting agents in cancer therapy.

Novel antimalarial antibodies highlight the importance of the antibody Fc region in mediating protection

Parasite drug resistance and difficulties in developing effective vaccines have precipitated the search for alternative therapies for malaria. The success of passive immunization suggests that immunoglobulin (Ig)-based therapies are effective. To further explore the mechanism(s) by which antibody mediates its protective effect, we generated human chimeric IgG1 and IgA1 and a single-chain diabody specific for the C-terminal 19-kDa region of Plasmodium yoelii merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119), a major target of protective immune responses. These novel human reagents triggered in vitro phagocytosis of merozoites but, unlike their parental mouse IgG2b, failed to protect against parasite challenge in vivo. Therefore, the Fc region appears critical for mediating protection in vivo, at least for this MSP119 epitope. Such antibodies may serve as prototype therapeutic agents, and as useful tools in the development of in vitro neutralization assays with Plasmodium parasites.

Effect of domain order on the activity of bacterially produced bispecific single-chain Fv antibodies

Bispecific single-chain Fv antibodies comprise four covalently linked immunoglobulin variable (VH and VL) domains of two different specificities. Depending on the order of the VH and VL domains and on the length of peptides separating them, the single-chain molecule either forms two single-chain Fv (scFv) modules from the adjacent domains of the same specificity, a so-called scFv-scFv tandem [(scFv)(2)], or folds head-to-tail with the formation of a diabody-like structure, a so-called bispecific single-chain diabody (scBsDb). We generated a number of four-domain constructs composed of the same VH and VL domains specific either for human CD19 or CD3, but arranged in different orders. When expressed in bacteria, all (scFv)(2) variants appeared to be only half-functional, binding to CD19 and demonstrating no CD3-binding activity. Only the diabody-like scBsDb could bind both antigens. Comparison of the scBsDb with a structurally similar non-covalent dimer (diabody) demonstrated a stabilizing effect of the linker in the middle of the scBsDb molecule. We demonstrated that the mechanism of inactivation of CD19xCD3 diabody under physiological conditions is initiated by a dissociation of the weaker (anti-CD3) VH/VL interface followed by domain swapping with the formation of non-active homodimers. The instability of one homodimer makes the process of diabody dissociation/reassociation irreversible, thus gradually decreasing the fraction of active molecules. The structural parameters influencing the formation of functional bispecific single-chain antibodies are indicated and ways of making relatively stable bispecific molecules are proposed.