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Bharathi JK, Suresh P, Prakash MAS, Muneer S. Exploring recent progress of molecular farming for therapeutic and recombinant molecules in plant systems. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37634. [PMID: 39309966 PMCID: PMC11416299 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
An excellent technique for producing pharmaceuticals called "molecular farming" enables the industrial mass production of useful recombinant proteins in genetically modified organisms. Protein-based pharmaceuticals are rising in significance because of a variety of factors, including their bioreactivity, precision, safety, and efficacy rate. Heterologous expression methods for the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products have been previously employed using yeast, bacteria, and animal cells. However, the high cost of mammalian cell system, and production, the chance for product complexity, and contamination, and the hurdles of scaling up to commercial production are the limitations of these traditional expression methods. Plants have been raised as a hopeful replacement system for the expression of biopharmaceutical products due to their potential benefits, which include low production costs, simplicity in scaling up to commercial manufacturing levels, and a lower threat of mammalian toxin contaminations and virus infections. Since plants are widely utilized as a source of therapeutic chemicals, molecular farming offers a unique way to produce molecular medicines such as recombinant antibodies, enzymes, growth factors, plasma proteins, and vaccines whose molecular basis for use in therapy is well established. Biopharming provides more economical and extensive pharmaceutical drug supplies, including vaccines for contagious diseases and pharmaceutical proteins for the treatment of conditions like heart disease and cancer. To assess its technical viability and the efficacy resulting from the adoption of molecular farming products, the following review explores the various methods and methodologies that are currently employed to create commercially valuable molecules in plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jothi Kanmani Bharathi
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608002, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Preethika Suresh
- School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil-Nadu, India
- Department of Horticulture and Food Science, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil-Nadu, India
| | - Muthu Arjuna Samy Prakash
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608002, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sowbiya Muneer
- Department of Horticulture and Food Science, School of Agricultural Innovations and Advanced Learning, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil-Nadu, India
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Shin JH, Oh S, Jang MH, Lee SY, Min C, Eu YJ, Begum H, Kim JC, Lee GR, Oh HB, Paul MJ, Ma JKC, Gwak HS, Youn H, Kim SR. Enhanced efficacy of glycoengineered rice cell-produced trastuzumab. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024. [PMID: 39016470 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
For several decades, a plant-based expression system has been proposed as an alternative platform for the production of biopharmaceuticals including therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), but the immunogenicity concerns associated with plant-specific N-glycans attached in plant-based biopharmaceuticals has not been completely solved. To eliminate all plant-specific N-glycan structure, eight genes involved in plant-specific N-glycosylation were mutated in rice (Oryza sativa) using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The glycoengineered cell lines, PhytoRice®, contained a predominant GnGn (G0) glycoform. The gene for codon-optimized trastuzumab (TMab) was then introduced into PhytoRice® through Agrobacterium co-cultivation. Selected cell lines were suspension cultured, and TMab secreted from cells was purified from the cultured media. The amino acid sequence of the TMab produced by PhytoRice® (P-TMab) was identical to that of TMab. The inhibitory effect of P-TMab on the proliferation of the BT-474 cancer cell line was significantly enhanced at concentrations above 1 μg/mL (****P < 0.0001). P-TMab bound to a FcγRIIIa variant, FcγRIIIa-F158, more than 2.7 times more effectively than TMab. The ADCC efficacy of P-TMab against Jurkat cells was 2.6 times higher than that of TMab in an in vitro ADCC assay. Furthermore, P-TMab demonstrated efficient tumour uptake with less liver uptake compared to TMab in a xenograft assay using the BT-474 mouse model. These results suggest that the glycoengineered PhytoRice® could be an alternative platform for mAb production compared to current CHO cells, and P-TMab has a novel and enhanced efficacy compared to TMab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Hye Shin
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
- PhytoMab Co. Ltd., Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sera Oh
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Imaging Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Seok-Yong Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Imaging Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chanhong Min
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Hilal Begum
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong-Chan Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gap Ryol Lee
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Han-Bin Oh
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Matthew J Paul
- Hotung Molecular Immunology Unit, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Julian K-C Ma
- Hotung Molecular Immunology Unit, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Ho-Shin Gwak
- National Cancer Center Korea, Goyang-si, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Hyewon Youn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Imaging Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong-Ryong Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
- PhytoMab Co. Ltd., Seoul, South Korea
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Kao MR, Karmarkar Saldivar R, Hsieh YSY. Production of therapeutic glycoproteins in glycoengineered plant: old farm for new crops. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 87:103145. [PMID: 38781701 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Plant-based expression systems have emerged as promising avenues for the production of recombinant N-linked glycoproteins. This review offers insights into the evolution and progress of plant glycoengineering. It delves into the distinctive features of plant-derived N-glycans, the diverse range of plant hosts employed for glycoprotein synthesis, and the advancements in glycoengineering strategies aimed at generating glycoproteins with N-glycan structures akin to those produced in mammalian cell lines. Furthermore, alternative strategies for augmenting glycoengineering efforts and the current spectrum of applications for plant-produced N-glycan recombinant proteins are examined, underscoring their potential significance in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Rong Kao
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecka Karmarkar Saldivar
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yves S Y Hsieh
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Uetz P, Göritzer K, Vergara E, Melnik S, Grünwald-Gruber C, Figl R, Deghmane AE, Groppelli E, Reljic R, Ma JKC, Stöger E, Strasser R. Implications of O-glycan modifications in the hinge region of a plant-produced SARS-CoV-2-IgA antibody on functionality. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1329018. [PMID: 38511130 PMCID: PMC10953500 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1329018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Prolyl-4-hydroxylases (P4H) catalyse the irreversible conversion of proline to hydroxyproline, constituting a common posttranslational modification of proteins found in humans, plants, and microbes. Hydroxyproline residues can be further modified in plants to yield glycoproteins containing characteristic O-glycans. It is currently unknown how these plant endogenous modifications impact protein functionality and they cause considerable concerns for the recombinant production of therapeutic proteins in plants. In this study, we carried out host engineering to generate a therapeutic glycoprotein largely devoid of plant-endogenous O-glycans for functional characterization. Methods: Genome editing was used to inactivate two genes coding for enzymes of the P4H10 subfamily in the widely used expression host Nicotiana benthamiana. Using glycoengineering in plants and expression in human HEK293 cells we generated four variants of a potent, SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, COVA2-15 IgA1. The variants that differed in the number of modified proline residues and O-glycan compositions of their hinge region were assessed regarding their physicochemical properties and functionality. Results: We found that plant endogenous O-glycan formation was strongly reduced on IgA1 when transiently expressed in the P4H10 double mutant N. benthamiana plant line. The IgA1 glycoforms displayed differences in proteolytic stability and minor differences in receptor binding thus highlighting the importance of O-glycosylation in the hinge region of human IgA1. Discussion: This work reports the successful protein O-glycan engineering of an important plant host for recombinant protein expression. While the complete removal of endogenous hydroxyproline residues from the hinge region of plant-produced IgA1 is yet to be achieved, our engineered line is suitable for structure-function studies of O-glycosylated recombinant glycoproteins produced in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Uetz
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kathrin Göritzer
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Emil Vergara
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stanislav Melnik
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Grünwald-Gruber
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudolf Figl
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ala-Eddine Deghmane
- Invasive Bacterial Infections Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Elisabetta Groppelli
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rajko Reljic
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian K.-C. Ma
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Stöger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Kogelmann B, Melnik S, Bogner M, Kallolimath S, Stöger E, Sun L, Strasser R, D'Aoust MA, Lavoie PO, Saxena P, Gach JS, Steinkellner H. A genome-edited N. benthamiana line for industrial-scale production of recombinant glycoproteins with targeted N-glycosylation. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300323. [PMID: 37804142 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Control over glycosylation is an important quality parameter in recombinant protein production. Here, we demonstrate the generation of a marker-free genome edited Nicotiana benthamiana N-glycosylation mutant (NbXF-KO) carrying inactivated β1,2-xylosyltransferase and α1,3-fucosyltransferase genes. The knockout of seven genes and their stable inheritance was confirmed by DNA sequencing. Mass spectrometric analyses showed the synthesis of N-glycans devoid of plant-specific β1,2-xylose and core α 1,3-fucose on endogenous proteins and a series of recombinantly expressed glycoproteins with different complexities. Further transient glycan engineering towards more diverse human-type N-glycans resulted in the production of recombinant proteins decorated with β1,4-galactosylated and α2,6-sialylated structures, respectively. Notably, a monoclonal antibody expressed in the NbXF-KO displayed glycosylation-dependent activities. Collectively, the engineered plants grow normally and are well suited for upscaling, thereby meeting industrial and regulatory requirements for the production of high-quality therapeutic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kogelmann
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- acib - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stanislav Melnik
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- acib - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michaela Bogner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Somanath Kallolimath
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Stöger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lin Sun
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Johannes S Gach
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Herta Steinkellner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Zahmanova G, Aljabali AAA, Takova K, Minkov G, Tambuwala MM, Minkov I, Lomonossoff GP. Green Biologics: Harnessing the Power of Plants to Produce Pharmaceuticals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17575. [PMID: 38139405 PMCID: PMC10743837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417575] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are increasingly used for the production of high-quality biological molecules for use as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in industry. Plants have proved that they can produce life-saving therapeutic proteins (Elelyso™-Gaucher's disease treatment, ZMapp™-anti-Ebola monoclonal antibodies, seasonal flu vaccine, Covifenz™-SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine); however, some of these therapeutic proteins are difficult to bring to market, which leads to serious difficulties for the manufacturing companies. The closure of one of the leading companies in the sector (the Canadian biotech company Medicago Inc., producer of Covifenz) as a result of the withdrawal of investments from the parent company has led to the serious question: What is hindering the exploitation of plant-made biologics to improve health outcomes? Exploring the vast potential of plants as biological factories, this review provides an updated perspective on plant-derived biologics (PDB). A key focus is placed on the advancements in plant-based expression systems and highlighting cutting-edge technologies that streamline the production of complex protein-based biologics. The versatility of plant-derived biologics across diverse fields, such as human and animal health, industry, and agriculture, is emphasized. This review also meticulously examines regulatory considerations specific to plant-derived biologics, shedding light on the disparities faced compared to biologics produced in other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Alaa A. A. Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan;
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - George Minkov
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (K.T.)
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK;
| | - Ivan Minkov
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
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Strasser R. Plant glycoengineering for designing next-generation vaccines and therapeutic proteins. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 67:108197. [PMID: 37315875 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein glycosylation has a huge impact on biological processes in all domains of life. The type of glycan present on a recombinant glycoprotein depends on protein intrinsic features and the glycosylation repertoire of the cell type used for expression. Glycoengineering approaches are used to eliminate unwanted glycan modifications and to facilitate the coordinated expression of glycosylation enzymes or whole metabolic pathways to furnish glycans with distinct modifications. The formation of tailored glycans enables structure-function studies and optimization of therapeutic proteins used in different applications. While recombinant proteins or proteins from natural sources can be in vitro glycoengineered using glycosyltransferases or chemoenzymatic synthesis, many approaches use genetic engineering involving the elimination of endogenous genes and introduction of heterologous genes to cell-based production systems. Plant glycoengineering enables the in planta production of recombinant glycoproteins with human or animal-type glycans that resemble natural glycosylation or contain novel glycan structures. This review summarizes key achievements in glycoengineering of plants and highlights current developments aiming to make plants more suitable for the production of a diverse range of recombinant glycoproteins for innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Strasser
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
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Pantazica AM, van Eerde A, Dobrica MO, Caras I, Ionescu I, Costache A, Tucureanu C, Steen H, Lazar C, Heldal I, Haugslien S, Onu A, Stavaru C, Branza-Nichita N, Liu Clarke J. The "humanized" N-glycosylation pathway in CRISPR/Cas9-edited Nicotiana benthamiana significantly enhances the immunogenicity of a S/preS1 Hepatitis B Virus antigen and the virus-neutralizing antibody response in vaccinated mice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1176-1190. [PMID: 36779605 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has taught the world a costly lesson about the devastating consequences of viral disease outbreaks but also, the remarkable impact of vaccination in limiting life and economic losses. Vaccination against human Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), a major human pathogen affecting 290 million people worldwide, remains a key action towards viral hepatitis elimination by 2030. To meet this goal, the development of improved HBV antigens is critical to overcome non-responsiveness to standard vaccines based on the yeast-produced, small (S) envelope protein. We have recently shown that combining relevant immunogenic determinants of S and large (L) HBV proteins in chimeric antigens markedly enhances the anti-HBV immune response. However, the demand for cost-efficient, high-quality antigens remains challenging. This issue could be addressed by using plants as versatile and rapidly scalable protein production platforms. Moreover, the recent generation of plants lacking β-1,2-xylosyltransferase and α-1,3-fucosyltransferase activities (FX-KO), by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, enables production of proteins with "humanized" N-glycosylation. In this study, we investigated the impact of plant N-glycosylation on the immunogenic properties of a chimeric HBV S/L vaccine candidate produced in wild-type and FX-KO Nicotiana benthamiana. Prevention of β-1,2-xylose and α-1,3-fucose attachment to the HBV antigen significantly increased the immune response in mice, as compared with the wild-type plant-produced counterpart. Notably, the antibodies triggered by the FX-KO-made antigen neutralized more efficiently both wild-type HBV and a clinically relevant vaccine escape mutant. Our study validates in premiere the glyco-engineered Nicotiana benthamiana as a substantially improved host for plant production of glycoprotein vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - André van Eerde
- NIBIO - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Iuliana Caras
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Ionescu
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Costache
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalin Tucureanu
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Hege Steen
- NIBIO - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Catalin Lazar
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Inger Heldal
- NIBIO - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Adrian Onu
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Crina Stavaru
- "Cantacuzino" Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
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Ridgley LA, Falci Finardi N, Gengenbach BB, Opdensteinen P, Croxford Z, Ma JKC, Bodman-Smith M, Buyel JF, Teh AYH. Killer to cure: Expression and production costs calculation of tobacco plant-made cancer-immune checkpoint inhibitors. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1254-1269. [PMID: 36811226 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved huge clinical success. However, many still have limited response rates, and are prohibitively costly. There is a need for effective and affordable ICIs, as well as local manufacturing capacity to improve accessibility, especially to low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). Here, we have successfully expressed three key ICIs (anti-PD-1 Nivolumab, anti-NKG2A Monalizumab, and anti-LAG-3 Relatimab) transiently in Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum plants. The ICIs were expressed with a combination of different Fc regions and glycosylation profiles. They were characterized in terms of protein accumulation levels, target cell binding, binding to human neonatal Fc receptors (hFcRn), human complement component C1q (hC1q) and various Fcγ receptors, as well as protein recovery during purification at 100 mg- and kg-scale. It was found that all ICIs bound to the expected target cells. Furthermore, the recovery during purification, as well as Fcγ receptor binding, can be altered depending on the Fc region used and the glycosylation profiles. This opens the possibility of using these two parameters to fine-tune the ICIs for desired effector functions. A scenario-based production cost model was also generated based on two production scenarios in hypothetical high- and low-income countries. We have shown that the product accumulation and recovery of plant production platforms were as competitive as mammalian cell-based platforms. This highlights the potential of plants to deliver ICIs that are more affordable and accessible to a widespread market, including LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Ridgley
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
- Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, London, UK
| | - Nicole Falci Finardi
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Patrick Opdensteinen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
| | - Zack Croxford
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Julian K-C Ma
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Mark Bodman-Smith
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
- Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, London, UK
| | - Johannes F Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Audrey Y-H Teh
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
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