The novel fusion proteins, GnRH-p53 and GnRHIII-p53, expression and their anti-tumor effect

Design and characterization of a recombinant immunotoxin for targeted therapy of breast cancer cells: In vitro and in silico analyses

AIMS

GnRH-DFF40 (gonadotropin releasing hormone-DNA fragmentation factor 40) humanized recombinant immunotoxin serves as a prospective candidate for targeted therapy of malignancies with over-expressed gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR). In this study, we attempted to generate a GnRH-based chimeric protein composed of human DFF40 fused with GnRH which encodes an apoptotic nuclease and specifically targets cancer cells displaying GnRH receptor overexpression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A codon optimized, synthetic GnRH-DFF40 fusion gene and its single counterpart (DFF40) were constructed in pET28a expression vector. Cytotoxicity of these expressed proteins were evaluated on three breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB231, and SKBR3). The stability and biological activity of the recombinant proteins were investigated in the treated cell line and cell-free system. Also, the ability of this fusion and its single form in inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting metastasis and migration were evaluated by flow cytometry, migration assay and wound healing analysis, respectively. In silico analyses were also done to understand the specific interactions between GnRH and its receptor.

KEY FINDINGS

GnRH-DFF40 fusion protein and DFF40 were successfully expressed. The purified chimeric protein showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against all three cell lines. The recombinant fusion protein was biologically active with nucleolytic functionality and apoptosis induction ability. Moreover, the fusion could inhibit the invasion property of MDA-MB-231 cells. In silico analysis also showed that four residues from GnRH domain and 11 GnRHR residues had the most interaction sites for specific targeted delivery of the immunotoxin in cancer cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

Fusion construct could be a prospective candidate for targeted therapy of cancers upregulating GnRH receptor.

Optical control of protein activity and gene expression by photoactivation of caged cyclofen

The use of light to control the expression of genes and the activity of proteins is a rapidly expanding field. While many of these approaches use a fusion between a light activatable protein and the protein of interest to control the activity of the latter, it is also possible to control the activity of a protein by uncaging a specific ligand. In that context, controlling the activation of a protein fused to the modified estrogen receptor (ERT) by uncaging its ligand cyclofen-OH has emerged as a generic and versatile method to control the activation of proteins quantitatively, quickly and locally in a live organism. Here, we present the experimental details behind this approach.

Control of Protein Activity and Gene Expression by Cyclofen-OH Uncaging

The use of light to control the expression of genes and the activity of proteins is a rapidly expanding field. Whereas many of these approaches use fusion between a light-activable protein and the protein of interest to control the activity of the latter, it is also possible to control the activity of a protein by uncaging a specific ligand. In that context, controlling the activation of a protein fused to the modified estrogen receptor (ERT) by uncaging its ligand cyclofen-OH has emerged as a generic and versatile method to control the activation of proteins quantitatively, quickly, and locally in a live organism. We present that approach and its uses in a variety of physiological contexts.