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Hjelm LC, Lindberg H, Ståhl S, Löfblom J. Affibody Molecules Intended for Receptor-Mediated Transcytosis via the Transferrin Receptor. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:956. [PMID: 37513868 PMCID: PMC10383291 DOI: 10.3390/ph16070956] [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: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of biologics for diseases affecting the central nervous system has been less successful compared to other disease areas, in part due to the challenge of delivering drugs to the brain. The most well-investigated and successful strategy for increasing brain uptake of biological drugs is using receptor-mediated transcytosis over the blood-brain barrier and, in particular, targeting the transferrin receptor-1 (TfR). Here, affibody molecules are selected for TfR using phage display technology. The two most interesting candidates demonstrated binding to human TfR, cross-reactivity to the murine orthologue, non-competitive binding with human transferrin, and binding to TfR-expressing brain endothelial cell lines. Single amino acid mutagenesis of the affibody molecules revealed the binding contribution of individual residues and was used to develop second-generation variants with improved properties. The second-generation variants were further analyzed and showed an ability for transcytosis in an in vitro transwell assay. The new TfR-specific affibody molecules have the potential for the development of small brain shuttles for increasing the uptake of various compounds to the central nervous system and thus warrant further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Charlotta Hjelm
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Lindberg
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Löfblom
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Vunnam N, Been M, Huber E, Paulson C, Szymonski S, Hackel BJ, Sachs JN. Discovery of a Non-competitive TNFR1 Antagonist Affibody with Picomolar Monovalent Potency That Does Not Affect TNFR2 Function. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:1884-1897. [PMID: 36897792 PMCID: PMC10849843 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00385] [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] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a key regulator of immune responses and plays a significant role in the initiation and maintenance of inflammation. Upregulation of TNF expression leads to several inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the clinical success of anti-TNF treatments, the use of these therapies is limited because they can induce adverse side effects through inhibition of TNF biological activity, including blockade of TNF-induced immunosuppressive function of TNFR2. Using yeast display, we identified a synthetic affibody ligand (ABYTNFR1-1) with high binding affinity and specificity for TNFR1. Functional assays showed that the lead affibody potently inhibits TNF-induced NF-κB activation (IC50 of 0.23 nM) and, crucially, does not block the TNFR2 function. Additionally, ABYTNFR1-1 acts non-competitively─it does not block TNF binding or inhibit receptor-receptor interactions in pre-ligand-assembled dimers─thereby enhancing inhibitory robustness. The mechanism, monovalent potency, and affibody scaffold give this lead molecule uniquely strong potential as a therapeutic candidate for inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagamani Vunnam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - MaryJane Been
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Evan Huber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Carolyn Paulson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Sophia Szymonski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Hackel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Sachs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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3
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Giang KA, Nygren PÅ, Nilvebrant J. Selection of Affibody Affinity Proteins from Phagemid Libraries. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2702:373-392. [PMID: 37679630 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3381-6_19] [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: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we describe a general protocol for the selection of target-binding affinity protein molecules from a phagemid-encoded library. The protocol is based on our experience with phage display selections of non-immunoglobulin affibody affinity proteins but can in principle be applied to perform biopanning experiments from any phage-displayed affinity protein library available in a similar phagemid vector. The procedure begins with an amplification of the library from frozen bacterial glycerol stocks via cultivation and helper phage superinfection, followed by a step-by-step instruction of target protein preparation, selection cycles, and post-selection analyses. The described procedures in this standard protocol are relatively conservative and rely on ordinary reagents and equipment available in most molecular biology laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Anh Giang
- Division of Protein Engineering, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Åke Nygren
- Division of Protein Engineering, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Solna, Sweden
| | - Johan Nilvebrant
- Division of Protein Engineering, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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4
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Zahirović A, Berlec A. Targeting IL-6 by engineered Lactococcus lactis via surface-displayed affibody. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:143. [PMID: 35842694 PMCID: PMC9287920 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01873-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulated production of interleukin (IL)-6 is implicated in the pathology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Neutralization of IL-6 in the gut by safe probiotic bacteria may help alleviate intestinal inflammation. Here, we developed Lactococcus lactis with potent and selective IL-6 binding activity by displaying IL-6-specific affibody on its surface. RESULTS Anti-IL-6 affibody (designated as ZIL) was expressed in fusion with lactococcal secretion peptide Usp45 and anchoring protein AcmA. A high amount of ZIL fusion protein was detected on bacterial surface, and its functionality was validated by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Removal of IL-6 from the surrounding medium by the engineered L. lactis was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ZIL-displaying L. lactis sequestered recombinant human IL-6 from the solution in a concentration-dependent manner by up to 99% and showed no binding to other pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus proving to be highly specific for IL-6. The removal was equally efficient across different IL-6 concentrations (150-1200 pg/mL) that were found to be clinically relevant in IBD patients. The ability of engineered bacteria to capture IL-6 from cell culture supernatant was assessed using immunostimulated human monocytic cell lines (THP-1 and U-937) differentiated into macrophage-like cells. ZIL-displaying L. lactis reduced the content of IL-6 in the supernatants of both cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner by up to 94%. Dose response analysis showed that bacterial cell concentrations of 107 and 109 CFU/mL (colony forming units per mL) were required for half-maximal removal of recombinant and macrophage-derived IL-6, respectively. CONCLUSION The ability of ZIL-displaying L. lactis to bind pathological concentrations of IL-6 at common bacterial doses suggests physiological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abida Zahirović
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Berlec
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. .,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Kumawat AK, Zegeye MM, Paramel GV, Baumgartner R, Gisterå A, Amegavie O, Hellberg S, Jin H, Caravaca AS, Söderström LÅ, Gudmundsdotter L, Frejd FY, Ljungberg LU, Olofsson PS, Ketelhuth DFJ, Sirsjö A. Inhibition of IL17A Using an Affibody Molecule Attenuates Inflammation in ApoE-Deficient Mice. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:831039. [PMID: 35282365 PMCID: PMC8907570 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.831039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines released by immune and non-immune cells plays a decisive role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Interleukin (IL)-17A has been shown to accelerate atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the effect on pro-inflammatory mediators and atherosclerosis development of an Affibody molecule that targets IL17A. Affibody molecule neutralizing IL17A, or sham were administered in vitro to human aortic smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) and murine NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and in vivo to atherosclerosis-prone, hyperlipidaemic ApoE−/− mice. Levels of mediators of inflammation and development of atherosclerosis were compared between treatments. Exposure of human smooth muscle cells and murine NIH/3T3 fibroblasts in vitro to αIL-17A Affibody molecule markedly reduced IL6 and CXCL1 release in supernatants compared with sham exposure. Treatment of ApoE−/− mice with αIL-17A Affibody molecule significantly reduced plasma protein levels of CXCL1, CCL2, CCL3, HGF, PDGFB, MAP2K6, QDPR, and splenocyte mRNA levels of Ccxl1, Il6, and Ccl20 compared with sham exposure. There was no significant difference in atherosclerosis burden between the groups. In conclusion, administration of αIL17A Affibody molecule reduced levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and attenuated inflammation in ApoE−/− mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Kumar Kumawat
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Ashok Kumar Kumawat
| | - Mulugeta M. Zegeye
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Geena Varghese Paramel
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Roland Baumgartner
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anton Gisterå
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Obed Amegavie
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Sanna Hellberg
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hong Jin
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - April S. Caravaca
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leif Å. Söderström
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Liza U. Ljungberg
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Peder S. Olofsson
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel F. J. Ketelhuth
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Solna, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Allan Sirsjö
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
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Zahirović A, Plavec TV, Berlec A. Dual Functionalized Lactococcus lactis Shows Tumor Antigen Targeting and Cytokine Binding in Vitro. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:822823. [PMID: 35155394 PMCID: PMC8826564 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.822823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Tumor-targeting bacteria that can capture pro-inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment and thus block their tumor-promoting effects might provide clinical benefits in inflammation-associated CRC. The aim of this study was to develop bacteria with dual functionality for selective delivery of cytokine-binding proteins to the tumor by targeting specific receptors on cancer cells. We engineered a model lactic acid bacterium, Lactococcus lactis, to co-display on its surface a protein ligand for tumor antigens (EpCAM-binding affitin; HER2-binding affibody) and a ligand for pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-8-binding evasin; IL-6-binding affibody). Genes that encoded protein binders were cloned into a lactococcal dual promoter plasmid, and protein co-expression was confirmed by Western blotting. To assess the removal of IL-8 and IL-6 by the engineered bacteria, we established inflammatory cell models by stimulating cytokine secretion in human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2; HT-29) and monocyte-like cells (THP-1; U-937). The engineered L. lactis removed considerable amounts of IL-8 from the supernatant of Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, and depleted IL-6 from the supernatant of THP-1 and U-937 cells as determined by ELISA. The tumor targeting properties of the engineered bacteria were evaluated in human embryonic kidney epithelial cells HEK293 transfected to overexpress EpCAM or HER2 receptors. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the engineered L. lactis specifically adhered to transfected HEK293 cells, where the EpCAM-targeting bacteria exhibited greater adhesion efficiency than the HER2-targeting bacteria. These results confirm the concept that L. lactis can be efficiently modified to display two proteins simultaneously on their surface: a tumor antigen binder and a cytokine binder. Both proteins remain biologically active and provide the bacteria with tumor antigen targeting and cytokine binding ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abida Zahirović
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Vida Plavec
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Berlec
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Aleš Berlec,
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7
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Ahmadi MKB, Mohammadi SA, Makvandi M, Mamouei M, Rahmati M, Dehghani H, Wood DW. Recent Advances in the Scaffold Engineering of Protein Binders. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2021; 22:878-891. [PMID: 32838715 DOI: 10.2174/1389201021999200824101035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, extensive attention has been given to the generation of new classes of ligand- specific binding proteins to supplement monoclonal antibodies. A combination of protein engineering and display technologies has been used to manipulate non-human antibodies for humanization and stabilization purposes or even the generation of new binding proteins. Engineered protein scaffolds can now be directed against therapeutic targets to treat cancer and immunological disorders. Although very few of these scaffolds have successfully passed clinical trials, their remarkable properties such as robust folding, high solubility, and small size motivate their employment as a tool for biology and applied science studies. Here, we have focused on the generation of new non-Ig binding proteins and single domain antibody manipulation, with a glimpse of their applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad K B Ahmadi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Seyed A Mohammadi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Manoochehr Makvandi
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Morteza Mamouei
- Department of Animal Science, Ramin Agricultural and Natural Resources University, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rahmati
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hesam Dehghani
- Stem Cells Regenerative Research Group, Ressearch Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Azadi Square, Mashhad, Iran
| | - David W Wood
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, 151 W. Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, United States
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8
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Bispecific Antibodies and Antibody-Drug Conjugates for Cancer Therapy: Technological Considerations. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10030360. [PMID: 32111076 PMCID: PMC7175114 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of monoclonal antibodies to specifically bind a target antigen and neutralize or stimulate its activity is the basis for the rapid growth and development of the therapeutic antibody field. In recent years, traditional immunoglobulin antibodies have been further engineered for better efficacy and safety, and technological developments in the field enabled the design and production of engineered antibodies capable of mediating therapeutic functions hitherto unattainable by conventional antibody formats. Representative of this newer generation of therapeutic antibody formats are bispecific antibodies and antibody–drug conjugates, each with several approved drugs and dozens more in the clinical development phase. In this review, the technological principles and challenges of bispecific antibodies and antibody–drug conjugates are discussed, with emphasis on clinically validated formats but also including recent developments in the fields, many of which are expected to significantly augment the current therapeutic arsenal against cancer and other diseases with unmet medical needs.
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9
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Hober S, Lindbo S, Nilvebrant J. Bispecific applications of non-immunoglobulin scaffold binders. Methods 2019; 154:143-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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10
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Mabfilin and Fabfilin - New antibody-scaffold fusion formats for multispecific targeting concepts. Protein Expr Purif 2018; 149:51-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2018.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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11
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Orlova A, Bass TZ, Rinne SS, Leitao CD, Rosestedt M, Atterby C, Gudmundsdotter L, Frejd FY, Löfblom J, Tolmachev V, Ståhl S. Evaluation of the Therapeutic Potential of a HER3-Binding Affibody Construct TAM-HER3 in Comparison with a Monoclonal Antibody, Seribantumab. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:3394-3403. [PMID: 29995421 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor type 3 (HER3) is recognized to be involved in resistance to HER-targeting therapies. A number of HER3-targeting monoclonal antibodies are under clinical investigation as potential cancer therapeutics. Smaller high-affinity scaffold proteins are attractive non-Fc containing alternatives to antibodies. A previous study indicated that anti-HER3 affibody molecules could delay the growth of xenografted HER3-positive tumors. Here, we designed a second-generation HER3-targeting construct (TAM-HER3), containing two HER3-specific affibody molecules bridged by an albumin-binding domain (ABD) for extension of blood circulation. Receptor blocking activity was demonstrated in vitro. In mice bearing BxPC-3 xenografts, the therapeutic efficacy of TAM-HER3 was compared to the HER3-specific monoclonal antibody seribantumab (MM-121). TAM-HER3 inhibited heregulin-induced phosphorylation in a panel of HER3-expressing cancer cells and was found to be equally as potent as seribantumab in terms of therapeutic efficacy in vivo and with a similar safety profile. Median survival times were 60 days for TAM-HER3, 54 days for seribantumab, and 41 days for the control group. No pathological changes were observed in cytopathological examination. The multimeric HER3-binding affibody molecule in fusion to ABD seems promising for further evaluation as candidate therapeutics for treatment of HER3-overexpressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Orlova
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Tarek Z Bass
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Sara S Rinne
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Charles Dahlsson Leitao
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Maria Rosestedt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Christina Atterby
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | | | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.,Affibody AB , Solna , Sweden
| | - John Löfblom
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm , Sweden
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12
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Verdino P, Atwell S, Demarest SJ. Emerging trends in bispecific antibody and scaffold protein therapeutics. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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13
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Nilsson A, Lindgren J, Eriksson Karlström A. Intramolecular Thioether Crosslinking to Increase the Proteolytic Stability of Affibody Molecules. Chembiochem 2017; 18:2056-2062. [PMID: 28836374 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics suffer from low oral bioavailability, mainly due to poor membrane permeability and digestion by gastrointestinal proteases. To improve proteolytic stability, intramolecular thioether crosslinks were introduced into a three-helix affibody molecule binding the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Solid-phase peptide synthesis was used to produce an unmodified control protein domain and three different crosslinked protein domain variants: one with a thioether crosslink between the N-terminal lysine residue and a cysteine residue in the second loop region (denoted K4), a second with a crosslink between the C-terminal lysine residue and a cysteine residue in the first loop region (denoted K58), and a third with crosslinks in both positions (denoted K4K58). Circular dichroism (CD) and surface-plasmon-resonance-based (SPR-based) biosensor studies of the protein domains showed that the three-helix structure and high-affinity binding to EGFR were preserved in the crosslinked protein domains. In vitro digestion by gastrointestinal proteases demonstrated that the crosslinked protein domains showed increased stability towards pepsin and towards a combination of trypsin and chymotrypsin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Nilsson
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Division of Protein Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joel Lindgren
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Division of Protein Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amelie Eriksson Karlström
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Division of Protein Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Ståhl S, Gräslund T, Eriksson Karlström A, Frejd FY, Nygren PÅ, Löfblom J. Affibody Molecules in Biotechnological and Medical Applications. Trends Biotechnol 2017; 35:691-712. [PMID: 28514998 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Affibody molecules are small (6.5-kDa) affinity proteins based on a three-helix bundle domain framework. Since their introduction 20 years ago as an alternative to antibodies for biotechnological applications, the first therapeutic affibody molecules have now entered clinical development and more than 400 studies have been published in which affibody molecules have been developed and used in a variety of contexts. In this review, we focus primarily on efforts over the past 5 years to explore the potential of affibody molecules for medical applications in oncology, neurodegenerative, and inflammation disorders, including molecular imaging, receptor signal blocking, and delivery of toxic payloads. In addition, we describe recent examples of biotechnological applications, in which affibody molecules have been exploited as modular affinity fusion partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Ståhl
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Torbjörn Gräslund
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- Unit of Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Affibody AB, Gunnar Asplunds Allé 24, SE-171 69 Solna, Sweden
| | - Per-Åke Nygren
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Löfblom
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Abstract
Affibody molecules can be used as tools for molecular recognition in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. There are several preclinical studies reported on diagnostic and therapeutic use of this molecular class of alternative scaffolds, and early clinical evidence is now beginning to accumulate that suggests the Affibody molecules to be efficacious and safe in man. The small size and ease of engineering make Affibody molecules suitable for use in multispecific constructs where AffiMabs is one such that offers the option to potentiate antibodies for use in complex disease.
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16
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Vazquez-Lombardi R, Phan TG, Zimmermann C, Lowe D, Jermutus L, Christ D. Challenges and opportunities for non-antibody scaffold drugs. Drug Discov Today 2015; 20:1271-83. [PMID: 26360055 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2015.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The first candidates from the promising class of small non-antibody protein scaffolds are now moving into clinical development and practice. Challenges remain, and scaffolds will need to be further tailored toward applications where they provide real advantages over established therapeutics to succeed in a rapidly evolving drug development landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Vazquez-Lombardi
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Tri Giang Phan
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Carsten Zimmermann
- University of San Diego, School of Business Administration, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110, USA
| | - David Lowe
- MedImmune Ltd., Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Lutz Jermutus
- MedImmune Ltd., Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH, UK; Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge, Trinity Lane CB2 1TJ, UK.
| | - Daniel Christ
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
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Fleetwood F, Klint S, Hanze M, Gunneriusson E, Frejd FY, Ståhl S, Löfblom J. Simultaneous targeting of two ligand-binding sites on VEGFR2 using biparatopic Affibody molecules results in dramatically improved affinity. Sci Rep 2014; 4:7518. [PMID: 25515662 PMCID: PMC4268634 DOI: 10.1038/srep07518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis plays an important role in cancer and ophthalmic disorders such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and corresponding receptors are regulators of angiogenesis and have been much investigated as therapeutic targets. The aim of this work was to generate antagonistic VEGFR2-specific affinity proteins having adjustable pharmacokinetic properties allowing for either therapy or molecular imaging. Two antagonistic Affibody molecules that were cross-reactive for human and murine VEGFR2 were selected by phage and bacterial display. Surprisingly, although both binders independently blocked VEGF-A binding, competition assays revealed interaction with non-overlapping epitopes on the receptor. Biparatopic molecules, comprising the two Affibody domains, were hence engineered to potentially increase affinity even further through avidity. Moreover, an albumin-binding domain was included for half-life extension in future in vivo experiments. The best-performing of the biparatopic constructs demonstrated up to 180-fold slower dissociation than the monomers. The new Affibody constructs were also able to specifically target VEGFR2 on human cells, while simultaneously binding to albumin, as well as inhibit VEGF-induced signaling. In summary, we have generated small antagonistic biparatopic Affibody molecules with high affinity for VEGFR2, which have potential for both future therapeutic and diagnostic purposes in angiogenesis-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippa Fleetwood
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanne Klint
- Affibody AB, Gunnar Asplunds Allé 24, 171 63 Solna, Sweden
| | - Martin Hanze
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Fredrik Y Frejd
- 1] Affibody AB, Gunnar Asplunds Allé 24, 171 63 Solna, Sweden [2] Unit of Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Uppsala University
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Löfblom
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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