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Ma M, Wang X, Liu X, Han Y, Chu Y, Guan Y, Liu H. Engineered fibrotic liver-targeted truncated transforming growth factor β receptor type II variant for superior anti-liver fibrosis therapy. Arch Pharm Res 2023; 46:177-191. [PMID: 36905489 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-023-01435-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Truncated transforming growth factor β receptor type II (tTβRII) is a promising anti-liver fibrotic candidate because it serves as a trap for binding excessive TGF-β1 by means of competing with wild type TβRII (wtTβRII). However, the widespread application of tTβRII for the treatment of liver fibrosis has been limited by its poor fibrotic liver-homing capacity. Herein, we designed a novel tTβRII variant Z-tTβRII by fusing the platelet-derived growth factor β receptor (PDGFβR)-specific affibody ZPDGFβR to the N-terminus of tTβRII. The target protein Z-tTβRII was produced using Escherichia coli expression system. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that Z-tTβRII has a superior specific fibrotic liver-targeting potential via the engagement of PDGFβR-overexpressing activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) in liver fibrosis. Moreover, Z-tTβRII significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion, and downregulated fibrosis- and TGF-β1/Smad pathway-related protein levels in TGF-β1-stimiluated HSC-T6 cells. Furthermore, Z-tTβRII remarkably ameliorated liver histopathology, mitigated the fibrosis responses and blocked TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway in CCl4-induced liver fibrotic mice. More importantly, Z-tTβRII exhibits a higher fibrotic liver-targeting potential and stronger anti-fibrotic effects than either its parent tTβRII or former variant BiPPB-tTβRII (PDGFβR-binding peptide BiPPB modified tTβRII). In addition, Z-tTβRII shows no significant sign of potential side effects in other vital organs in liver fibrotic mice. Taken together, we conclude that Z-tTβRII with its a high fibrotic liver-homing potential, holds a superior anti-fibrotic activity in liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo, which may be a potential candidate for targeted therapy for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Ma
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory for Anti-fibrosis Biotherapy, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Liu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory for Anti-fibrosis Biotherapy, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Han
- The First Clinical College, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhui Chu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory for Anti-fibrosis Biotherapy, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanzhong Guan
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Haifeng Liu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory for Anti-fibrosis Biotherapy, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, People's Republic of China.
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Silva FSR, Santos SPO, Meyer R, Silva ES, Pinheiro CS, Alcantara-Neves NM, Pacheco LGC. In vivo cleavage of solubility tags as a tool to enhance the levels of soluble recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:4159-4167. [PMID: 34370304 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27912] [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: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are generally fused with solubility enhancer tags to improve the folding and solubility of the target protein of interest. However, the fusion protein strategy usually requires expensive proteases to perform in vitro proteolysis and additional chromatographic steps to obtain tag-free recombinant proteins. Expression systems based on intracellular processing of solubility tags in Escherichia coli, through co-expression of a site-specific protease, simplify the recombinant protein purification process, and promote the screening of molecules that fail to remain soluble after tag removal. High yields of soluble target proteins have already been achieved using these protease co-expression systems. Herein, we review approaches for controlled intracellular processing systems tailored to produce soluble untagged proteins in E. coli. We discuss the different genetic systems available for intracellular processing of recombinant proteins regarding system design features, advantages, and limitations of the various strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe S R Silva
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Sara P O Santos
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Roberto Meyer
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program in Immunology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Eduardo S Silva
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program in Immunology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Carina S Pinheiro
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program in Immunology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Neuza M Alcantara-Neves
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program in Immunology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Luis G C Pacheco
- Post-Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.,Department of Biotechnology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
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