CsIL-11, a teleost interleukin-11, is involved in promoting phagocytosis and antibacterial immune defense

Interleukin (IL)-11 is a multifunctional cytokine belonging to the IL-6 family, which plays essential roles in immune response. However, much less is known about the immunological functions of IL-11 in teleost. In this study, we investigated the immune properties of a teleost IL-11 homologue (CsIL-11) from tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis. CsIL-11 possesses four conserved α-helices and conserved CsIL-11 receptor binding residues L86 and R187, and shares 23.3%-80.1% identities with other IL-11 homologues. CsIL-11 expression was constitutive in tissues, with most abundant in blood and least abundant in spleen, and upregulated by bacterial challenge in blood, spleen, and head kidney. Recombinant CsIL-11 (rCsIL-11) in the native form of monomer, could bind to peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) membrane and enhance the activation and phagocytosis of PBLs. When administered in vivo, rCsIL-11 could markedly promote the host to defend against microbial infection. Overall, our findings show that CsIL-11 plays a pivotal role in regulating PBLs phagocytosis and antibacterial immunity.

PEGylated IL-11 (BBT-059): A Novel Radiation Countermeasure for Hematopoietic Acute Radiation Syndrome

Interleukin-11 was developed to reduce chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia; however, its clinical use was limited by severe adverse effects in humans. PEGylated interleukin-11 (BBT-059), developed by Bolder Biotechnology, Inc., exhibited a longer half-life in rodents and induced longer-lasting increases in hematopoietic cells than interleukin-11. A single dose of 1.2 mg kg of BBT-059, administered subcutaneously to CD2F1 mice (12-14 wk, male) was found to be safe in a 14 d toxicity study. The drug demonstrated its efficacy both as a prophylactic countermeasure and a mitigator in CD2F1 mice exposed to Co gamma total-body irradiation. A single dose of 0.3 mg kg, administered either 24 h pre-, 4 h post-, or 24 h postirradiation increased the survival of mice to 70-100% from lethal doses of radiation. Preadministration (-24 h) of the drug conferred a significantly (p < 0.05) higher survival compared to 24 h post-total-body irradiation. There was significantly accelerated recovery from radiation-induced peripheral blood neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in animals pretreated with BBT-059. The drug also increased bone marrow cellularity and megakaryocytes and accelerated multilineage hematopoietic recovery. In addition, BBT-059 inhibited the induction of radiation-induced hematopoietic biomarkers, thrombopoietin, erythropoietin, and Flt-3 ligand. These results indicate that BBT-059 is a promising radiation countermeasure, demonstrating its potential to be used both pre- and postirradiation for hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome with a broad window for medical management in a radiological or nuclear event.

Expression of the IL-11 Gene in Metastatic Cells Is Supported by Runx2-Smad and Runx2-cJun Complexes Induced by TGFβ1

In tumor cells, two factors are abnormally increased that contribute to metastatic bone disease: Runx2, a transcription factor that promotes expression of metastasis related and osteolytic genes; and IL-11, a secreted osteolytic cytokine. Here, we addressed a compelling question: Does Runx2 regulate IL-11 gene expression? We find a positive correlation between Runx2, IL-11 and TGFβ1, a driver of the vicious cycle of metastatic bone disease, in prostate cancer (PC) cell lines representing early (LNCaP) and late (PC3) stage disease. Further, like Runx2 knockdown, IL-11 knockdown significantly reduced expression of several osteolytic factors. Modulation of Runx2 expression results in corresponding changes in IL-11 expression. The IL-11 gene has Runx2, AP-1 sites and Smad binding elements located on the IL-11 promoter. Here, we demonstrated that Runx2-c-Jun as well as Runx2-Smad complexes upregulate IL-11 expression. Functional studies identified a significant loss of IL-11 expression in PC3 cells in the presence of the Runx2-HTY mutant protein, a mutation that disrupts Runx2-Smad signaling. In response to TGFβ1 and in the presence of Runx2, we observed a 30-fold induction of IL-11 expression, accompanied by increased c-Jun binding to the IL-11 promoter. Immunoprecipitation and in situ co-localization studies demonstrated that Runx2 and c-Jun form nuclear complexes in PC3 cells. Thus, TGFβ1 signaling induces two independent transcriptional pathways - AP-1 and Runx2. These transcriptional activators converge on IL-11 as a result of Runx2-Smad and Runx2-c-Jun interactions to amplify IL-11 gene expression that, together with Runx2, supports the osteolytic pathology of cancer induced bone disease.

PEGylated G-CSF (BBT-015), GM-CSF (BBT-007), and IL-11 (BBT-059) analogs enhance survival and hematopoietic cell recovery in a mouse model of the hematopoietic syndrome of the acute radiation syndrome

Hematopoietic growth factors (HGF) are recommended therapy for high dose radiation exposure, but unfavorable administration schedules requiring early and repeat dosing limit the logistical ease with which they can be used. In this report, using a previously described murine model of H-ARS, survival efficacy and effect on hematopoietic recovery of unique PEGylated HGF were investigated. The PEGylated-HGFs possess longer half-lives and more potent hematopoietic properties than corresponding non-PEGylated-HGFs. C57BL/6 mice underwent single dose lethal irradiation (7.76-8.72 Gy, Cs, 0.62-1.02 Gy min) and were treated with various dosing regimens of 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg kg of analogs of human PEG-G-CSF, murine PEG-GM-CSF, or human PEG-IL-11. Mice were administered one of the HGF analogs at 24-28 h post irradiation, and in some studies, additional doses given every other day (beginning with the 24-28 h dose) for a total of three or nine doses. Thirty-day (30 d) survival was significantly increased with only one dose of 0.3 mg kg of PEG-G-CSF and PEG-IL-11 or three doses of 0.3 mg kg of PEG-GM-CSF (p ≤ 0.006). Enhanced survival correlated with consistently and significantly enhanced WBC, NE, RBC, and PLT recovery for PEG-G- and PEG-GM-CSF, and enhanced RBC and PLT recovery for PEG-IL-11 (p ≤ 0.05). Longer administration schedules or higher doses did not provide a significant additional survival benefit over the shorter, lower dose, schedules. These data demonstrate the efficacy of BBT's PEG-HGF to provide significantly increased survival with fewer injections and lower drug doses, which may have significant economic and logistical value in the aftermath of a radiation event.

Phase II study of low-dose interleukin-11 in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

Severe thrombocytopenia places patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) at risk of serious hemorrhage. Currently, therapeutic options are limited to platelet transfusions. The only commercially available growth factor that increases platelet counts is interleukin-11 (IL-11). We report the results of a phase II trial to more accurately assess the clinical response and toxicity data for low-dose IL-11 (10 microg/kg/day) in patients with MDS. In this study, nine of 32 assessable patients (28%) demonstrated increases in their platelet counts after treatment. Of these, five were considered major platelet responses (15%), as defined by World Health Organization criteria. Four patients had minor platelet responses (13%). The median duration of platelet response was 9 months. Low-dose IL-11 was well tolerated, with no observed grade 4 toxicities. Our study provides additional clinical evidence that chronic administration of IL-11, at low doses, can raise platelet counts and reduce platelet transfusion requirements in a subset of patients with MDS.

Detection of lot-to-lot variations in the amorphous microstructure of lyophilized protein formulations

Reconstitution of lyophilized protein formulations sometimes results in a cloudy solution, depending on the compositions and manufacturing conditions, which causes quality concerns. In this study, the lyophilized protein formulation of recombinant human Interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) was investigated using different lots with varying dissolution behaviors upon reconstitution due to differing processing conditions. In an attempt to distinguish the solid structures in the different lots, relatively new techniques such as inverse gas chromatography (IGC) and thermally stimulated depolarized current (TSDC) as well as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were adopted for analysis. PXRD, DSC, and IGC all failed to distinguish between the solid structures, but TSDC was able to discern the differences. Interestingly, TSDC suggested that the variations in dissolution behavior were attributable to the differences in molecular mobility and the micro heterogeneity of amorphous components in the solid structures. Since even the cloudiest reconstituted solutions became transparent in several minutes, it was likely that the differences in the solid structures of the different lots of lyophilized cakes were slight. This study demonstrates the usefulness of TSDC in the analysis of lot-to-lot variations in amorphous pharmaceuticals.

[Peptide mapping analysis of recombinant human interleukin-11 with HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS spectrometry]

AIM

To analyze the peptide mapping of recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) by HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS spectrometry.

METHODS

The trypsin digested rhIL-11 at 37 degrees C over night, and the peptide mapping was performed by HPLC. The relative molecular weight of the peptides fragments was measured by ESI-Q-TOF/MS, and amino acid sequence was analyzed by MS/MS.

RESULTS

The peptide fragments of rhIL-11 in the peptide mapping were assigned by analyzing the retain time, relative molecular weight and amino acid sequence. And 97% of the expected peptides were detected in this way.

CONCLUSION

The study proves that HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS is a good method to analyze peptide mapping of protein with the advantage of sensitivity, high speed and accuracy.

Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Truncated Human Interleukin-11 Expressed as Fusion Protein in Escherichia coli

Mature human interleukin-11 (HuIL-11) is a cytokine consisting of 178 amino acid residues that results from scission of the N-terminal signal peptide, consisting of 21 amino acid residaues, from the corresponding nascent polypeptide. A DNA fragment encoding a truncated HuIL-11 (trHuIL-11), with an additional 5 amino acid residues removed from the N-terminus, was cloned into vector pGEX-2T between the BamHI site and the EcoRI site. Upon transformation with Escherichia coli BL21, the construct over-produced a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fused protein in a soluble form after IPTG induction. The fusion protein was initially fractionated with butyl-Sepharose 4 fast flow column and by affinity chromatography using a GSH-Sepharose 4B column. On-site enzymatic release with thrombin gave the target protein at 96% purity as judged by SDS-PAGE and HPLC. Expression of the interleukin as a GST-fused protein thus greatly improved downstream processing. Subsequent biological activity assay suggested that trHuIL-11 had similar activity profile to the naturally produced sample and may be a promising candidate for further development as biopharmaceutical.

Expression of a bioactive recombinant human interleukin-11 in chicken HD11 cell line

To direct the synthesis and secretion of recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) in chicken HD11 cells, a plasmid targeting the c-lysozyme gene has been constructed which contains the mature cytokine cDNA in frame with the lysozyme leader sequence. The upregulation of rhIL-11 mediated by LPS proves the knock-in of hIL-11 cDNA in the lysozyme gene. The bioactivity of the expressed protein is demonstrated and quantified with the hIL-11 dependent 7TD1 and B9 cell lines. The electrophoretic mobility, receptor binding properties and growth promoting effect of the chicken-derived cytokine are identical to those of a rhIL-11 expressed in Escherichia coli. These results describe the secretion of a biologically active rhIL-11 expressed by an avian cellular machinery.

Cloning and expression of the first nonmammalian interleukin-11 gene in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Interleukin (IL)-11 is a multifunctional cytokine that stimulates hematopoietic progenitor cells and exerts a series of important immunomodulatory effects. It was believed to be restricted to mammals, but here we report the first nonmammalian IL-11 gene, in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A trout IL-11 cDNA clone was isolated that contains a 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of 400 bp, an open reading frame of 612 bp and a large 3'-UTR of 1924 bp. Analysis of a genomic DNA clone from a trout lambda library revealed that the trout IL-11 gene has the same five exon/four intron gene organization, as well as the same intron phase, as mammalian IL-11 genes. The 204 amino acid trout IL-11 translation has a predicted signal peptide of 26 amino acids and mature peptide of 178 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 20.5 kDa and a theoretical pI of 9.83. The mature peptide contains a cysteine residue and a potential N-linked glycosylation site that are not present in mammals. Phylogenetic analysis clearly grouped trout IL-11 with IL-11 molecules from other species and separated from other members of the IL-6 family. The IL-11 gene is highly expressed in intestine and gills in healthy fish and its expression can also be detected in spleen, head kidney, brain, skin and muscle. Bacterial infection of rainbow trout markedly up-regulates IL-11 expression in liver, head kidney and spleen. IL-11 expression is also up-regulated in RTS-11 cells (a trout macrophage cell line), which constitutively expressed the lowest level of IL-11 of the four trout cell lines examined, after stimulation with bacteria, lipopolysaccharide, poly(I:C) and recombinant trout IL-1beta. Only a single transcript of 3.2 kb could be detected in lipopolysaccharide or recombinant IL-1beta-stimulated RNA samples by northern blotting. The expression results, showing that IL-11 is widely distributed and modulated by infection and other cytokines, suggest that fish IL-11 is an active player in the cytokine network and the host immune response to infection.

The improved dissolution and prevention of ampoule breakage attained by the introduction of pretreatment into the production process of the lyophilized formulation of recombinant human Interleukin-11 (rhIL-11)

Lyophilized protein formulations sometimes pose problems such as the formation of a cloudy solution upon reconstitution. Ampoule or vial breakage can also occur during the production processes of lyophilized pharmaceutical products. Various efforts have been made to overcome those difficult problems. In this study, we introduce a particular temperature program into the production process of a recombinant human Interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) lyophilized formulation containing sodium phosphates (Na2HPO4/NaH2PO4, pH 7.0) and glycine in an attempt to improve its dissolution properties and to prevent ampoule breakage from occurring. The formulation was pretreated by nucleating ice and maintaining the solution overnight at a temperature of -6 degrees C. The solution was then completely frozen at a lower temperature. This pretreatment proved successful in not only producing a lyophilized cake which readily disintegrated and dissolved in the reconstitution media, but also prevented ampoule breakage from occurring during the production processes. In contrast, a lyophilized cake produced without the pretreatment created a cloudy solution particularly when reconstituted using water for injection contaminated with aluminum (Al3+), although the solution became transparent within 20-30 min. The pretreatment induced the crystallization of sodium dibasic phosphate (Na2HPO4) in the freeze-concentrate whereas direct freezing without the pretreatment did not crystallize the salt. Thermal analyses (DSC and TMA) showed that amorphous sodium dibasic phosphate in the freeze-concentrate became crystallized upon heating, accompanied by an increase in volume, which probably caused the ampoule breakage that occurred without the pretreatment. Although power X-ray diffraction (PXRD) experiments suggested that, with or without the pretreatment, glycine assumed the beta-form and sodium phosphate stayed amorphous in the final products, an electrostatic interaction between dibasic phosphate anions and rhIL-11, a highly cationic protein, would only exist in the lyophilized cake produced without the pretreatment. This interaction is highly likely because aluminum facilitates the formation of a cloudy solution upon reconstitution possibly by using the divalent anions which effectively reduce electrostatic repulsions between aluminum and the protein to form an aggregate structure that is not readily soluble. The pretreatment would circumvent the interaction by crystallizing the sodium salt before freezing creating a relatively soluble lyophilized cake that is much less sensitive to aluminum.

Optimizing Storage Stability of Lyophilized Recombinant Human Interleukin-11 with Disaccharide/Hydroxyethyl Starch Mixtures

Optimal storage stability of a protein in a dry formulation depends on the storage temperature relative to the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of the dried formulation and the structure of the dried protein. We tested the hypothesis that optimizing both protein structure and T(g)--by freeze-drying recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) with mixtures of disaccharides and hydroxyethyl starch (HES)--would result in increased storage stability compared with the protein lyophilized with either disaccharide or hydroxyethyl starch alone. The secondary structure of the protein in the dried solid was analyzed immediately after lyophilization and after storage at elevated temperatures by infrared spectroscopy. After rehydration, aggregation was monitored by size exclusion chromatography. Oxidation levels and cleavage products were quantified by reversed-phase chromatography. For the formulation with HES alone, which has a relatively high T(g), storage stability of rhIL-11 was poor, because HES failed to inhibit lyophilization-induced unfolding. The sugar formulations inhibited unfolding, and had intermediate T(g) values and storage stabilities. Addition of hydroxyethyl starch to sucrose or trehalose increased T(g) without affecting the capacity of the sugar to inhibit protein unfolding during lyophilization. Optimal storage stability of lyophilized rhIL-11 was achieved by using a mixture of disaccharide and polymeric carbohydrates.

Characterization of a potent human interleukin-11 agonist

Human interleukin-11 (hIL-11) is a multi-potential cytokine that is involved in numerous biological activities, such as haematopoiesis, osteoclastogenesis, neurogenesis and female fertility, and also displays anti-inflammatory properties. IL-11 is used clinically to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. Because of its broad spectrum of action, improved IL-11 agonists, as well as IL-11 antagonists, could be of interest for numerous clinical applications. IL-11 signalling is dependent on the formation of a tripartite ligand-receptor complex consisting of IL-11, the IL-11R (IL-11 receptor) alpha subunit (responsible for the specificity of the interaction) and gp130 (glycoprotein 130) receptor beta subunit (responsible for signal transduction). The interaction between IL-11 and IL-11Ralpha subunit occurs at its recently assigned site I. We have designed an IL-11 mutein whose hydrophobicity at site I has been increased. The mutein has been characterized in terms of structure, affinity, specificity and bioactivity. Electrophoretic analysis, gel filtration, IR spectroscopy and CD indicate that this new protein is more compact than wild-type IL-11. It binds to IL-11Ralpha with a three-fold-enhanced affinity, and retains the ability to recruit gp130 through site II. However, analysis of its biological activity revealed a complex pattern: although this mutein is 60-400-fold more active than wild-type IL-11 on the proliferation of 7TD1 murine hybridoma cell, it is less active than IL-11 on the proliferation of B9 cells, another murine hybridoma cell line. The results are interpreted on the basis of an IL-11 conformational change induced by the mutations, and the preferential use by the mutein of another unknown transducing receptor chain.

Characterization of asparagine deamidation and aspartate isomerization in recombinant human interleukin-11

PURPOSE; The aim of this study was to investigate asparagine (Asn) deamidation and aspartate (Asp) isomerization and to measure the content of isoaspartate (isoAsp) in recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11).

METHODS

The rhIL-11 control and heat stressed samples were characterized with trypsin and endoproteinase Asp-N peptide mapping, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). The total isoAsp content and bioactivity were also assessed.

RESULTS

Stress of rhIL11 at 30 degrees C for 6 weeks in liquid resulted in significant isomerization of Asp45 and Asp47. Isomerization of Asp51 and deamidation of Asn49 were also detected at low levels. The stressed rhIL-11 molecule contained 0.3 mol of isoAsp per mol of protein, compared to only 0.007 mol/mol of protein in the control.

CONCLUSIONS

Asp and Asn residues, located in a loop structure of rhIL-11, undergo isoAsp formation under stressed conditions.

Reversed phase HPLC of Met58 oxidized rhIL-11: oxidation enhanced by plastic tubes

The hydrophobicity of human recombinant interleukin 11 (rhIL-11) with an oxidized Met58 residue is nearly identical to the hydrophobicity of native rhIL-11. Consequently, separation of these species using standard gradient elution or isocratic elution is very difficult. Using an optimized, shallow gradient RP-HPLC method. Met58 oxidized rhIL-11 could be separated sufficiently from native rhIL-11. The identity of the oxidized form detected with this method was confirmed by peptide mapping with trypsin and endoproteinase Asp-N, N-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometric analysis. This method was employed to determine the effect of disposable laboratory plastic tubes for the oxidation. The amounts of Met58 oxidized rhIL-11 were increased when rhIL-11 samples were stored in plastic tubes at 37 degrees C in the dark. Samples stored in polypropylene tubes were oxidized much more than samples stored in polystyrene tubes. Additionally, the oxidation was greatly enhanced when samples were stored in polypropylene tubes exposed to light before rhIL-11 sample storage. The extent of the oxidation was also affected by the sources of polypropylene tubes. A maximum increase in Met58 oxidized rhIL-11 was more than 30% when samples were stored at 37 degrees C for 14 days in polypropylene tubes exposed to a daylight fluorescent lamp for 25 days. Consequently, these results indicate that attention should be paid for selection of suitable plastic tubes used for storage of protein samples, and for protection of the plastic tubes themselves from extended exposure to light while in storage.

Adsorption of endotoxin on glass in the presence of rhIL-11

Poor recovery of spiked endotoxin in the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay (LAL assay) was observed in the presence of recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11), a cationic, hydrophobic protein. Detection of endotoxin activity remaining in the empty glass tubes in which endotoxin and rhIL-11 mixtures were incubated indicated adsorption of endotoxin on glass. At low concentrations of rhIL-11, a correlation between endotoxin adsorbed on glass and a decrease of endotoxin in solution was observed. Adsorption of rhIL-11 on glass correlated with adsorption of endotoxin, which indicates that rhIL-11 mediates adsorption of endotoxin on glass. Consequently, adsorption of endotoxin on glass may occur in the presence of other substances which bind to both of endotoxin and glass.

Development of a lyophilization formulation that preserves the biological activity of the platelet-inducing cytokine interleukin-11 at low concentrations

Recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) is a licensed biological therapeutic product in at least one country and is used to combat thrombocytopenia during chemotherapeutic regimens, as well as undergoing clinical trials for a range of other disorders. Following attempts to lyophilize IL-11 at low concentrations, it was clear that a significant loss of recoverable biological activity occurred. Investigation of a variety of factors, including the type of container in which the rhIL-11 was lyophilized, revealed that surface adsorption to glass was a major factor resulting in loss of activity of rhIL-11 in solution (> 40% reduction after 3 h at room temperature), in addition to losses of activity post-lyophilization. To overcome this problem, different formulations containing combinations of human serum albumin (HSA), trehalose and Tween-20 have been investigated. Two formulations were successful in entirely preserving the biological activity of rhIL-11 through lyophilization and subsequent reconstitution (potency estimates of formulated relative to original material being > or =0.97). Accelerated degradation studies, performed at intervals over a six-month period, demonstrated the stability of freeze-dried rhIL-11 using these formulations (predicted annual reduction in potency after storage at -20 degrees C < or =1.4%). In conclusion, we have developed a working combination of excipients (0.5% HSA, 0.1% trehalose and 0.02% Tween-20 in potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4)) to formulate a stable rhIL-11 freeze-dried product in glass containers, with no loss in potency. These findings should facilitate development of low dose rhIL-11 products and be an indicator of caution to those using this and other material with similar physical properties, without taking appropriate precautions to avoid losses through adsorption.

Definition of receptor binding sites on human interleukin-11 by molecular modeling-guided mutagenesis

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) belongs to the interleukin-6 (IL-6)-type subfamily of long-chain helical cytokines including IL-6, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), oncostatin M, and cardiotrophin-1, which all share the glycoprotein gp130 as a signal transducing receptor component. IL-11 acts on cells expressing gp130 and the IL-11 receptor (IL-11R) alpha-subunit (IL-11Ralpha). The structural epitopes of IL-11 required for the recruitment of the individual receptor subunits have not yet been defined. Based on the structure of CNTF, a three-dimensional model of human IL-11 was built. Using this model, 10 surface exposed amino acid residues of IL-11 were selected for mutagenesis using analogies to the well-characterized receptor recruitment sites of IL-6, CNTF, and LIF. The respective mutants of human IL-11 were expressed as soluble fusion proteins in bacteria. Their biological activities were determined on HepG2 and Ba/F3-130-11alpha cells. Several mutants with substantially decreased bioactivity and one hyperagonistic mutant were identified and further analyzed with regard to recruitment of IL-11Ralpha and gp130. The low-activity mutant I171D still binds IL-11Ralpha but fails to recruit gp130, whereas the hyperagonistic variant R135E more efficiently engages the IL-11R subunits. The low-activity mutants R190E and L194D failed to bind to IL-11Ralpha. These findings reveal a common mechanism of receptor recruitment in the family of IL-6-type cytokines and offer considerable perspectives for the rational design of IL-11 antagonists and hyperagonists.

Bioassays and biological stability

The development of the concept of <<Well Characterized Biotechnology Products>>, made possible through the power and detail afforded by modern biochemical and biophysical techniques, has resulted in questions being raised about the value of the more variable bioassay. However bioassays, particularly in a routine stability monitoring situation, continue to be useful and often provide unique information not obtained by other techniques. They have advantages in that they are relatively easy to perform and generally have better sensitivity than most structural techniques. They can be used to monitor for previously undetected changes - particularly those associated with conformational alterations, and can be used to monitor the effective combination of all individual changes.

Identification of three distinct receptor binding sites of murine interleukin-11

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a member of the gp130 family of cytokines. These cytokines drive the assembly of multisubunit receptor complexes, all of which contain at least one molecule of the transmembrane signaling receptor gp130. A complex of IL-11 and the IL-11 receptor (IL-11R) has been shown to interact with gp130, with high affinity, and to induce gp130- dependent signaling. In this study, we have identified residues crucial for the binding of murine IL-11 (mIL-11) to both the IL-11R and gp130 by examining the activities of mIL-11 mutants in receptor binding and cell proliferation assays. The location of these residues, as predicted from structural studies and a model of IL-11, reveals that mIL-11 has three distinct receptor binding sites. These are structurally and functionally analogous to the previously defined receptor binding sites I, II, and III of interleukin-6 (IL-6). This supports the hypothesis that IL-11 signals via the formation of a hexameric receptor complex and indicates that site III is a generic feature of cytokines that signal via association with gp130.

Activation of the signal transducer glycoprotein 130 by both IL-6 and IL-11 requires two distinct binding epitopes

The coordination and regulation of immune responses are primarily mediated by cytokines that bind to specific cell surface receptors. Glycoprotein 130 (gp130) belongs to the family of class I cytokine receptors and is the common signal-transducing receptor subunit shared by the so-called IL-6 type cytokines (IL-6, IL-11, ciliary neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, and cardiotrophin-1). The inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-11 induce gp130 homodimerization after binding to their specific alpha receptors, which leads to the activation of the Janus kinase/STAT signal transduction pathway. A molecular model of IL-6/IL-6R/gp130, which is based on the structure of the growth hormone/growth hormone receptor complex, allowed the selection of several amino acids located in the cytokine-binding module of gp130 for mutagenesis. The mutants were analyzed with regard to IL-6- or IL-11-induced STAT activation and ligand binding. It was found that Y190 and F191 are essential for the interaction of gp130 with IL-6 as well as IL-11, suggesting a common mode of recognition of helical cytokines by class I cytokine receptors. Furthermore, the requirement of the gp130 N-terminal Ig-like domain for ligand binding and signal transduction was demonstrated by the use of deletion mutants. Thus, besides the observed analogy to the growth hormone/growth hormone receptor complex, there is a substantial difference in the mechanism of receptor engagement by cytokines that signal via gp130.

Interleukin-11

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is an IL-6-type cytokine that is produced by a variety of stromal cells including fibroblasts, epithelial cells and osteoblasts. It binds to a multimeric receptor complex which contains an IL-11-specific alpha subunit and a promiscuous 130 kDa beta subunit (gp130). IL-11 stimulates multiple aspects of hematopoiesis and hepatocyte production of acute phase response proteins. It also inhibits the genesis of adipocytes, activates osteoclasts, alters neural phenotype, stimulates tissue fibrosis and regulates chondrocyte, synoviocyte and B cell function. In other settings, IL-11 minimizes tissue injury. This may be the result of its ability to protect clonogenic stem cells, regulate epithelial cell proliferation, inhibit apoptosis and inhibit macrophage cytokine production. Thus, IL-11 appears to play an important role in hematopoiesis, bone metabolism and tissue remodeling and may be an important protector of mucosal surfaces.

Molecular cloning and characterization of murine interleukin-11

Human interleukin-11 (IL-11) has been shown to have pleiotropic action on hematopoietic, hepatic, stromal, epithelial, neural, and osteoclast cells. In the present work, the murine IL-11 cDNA has been isolated from a fetal thymic cell line, and its structure and function compared with human IL-11. The murine protein was demonstrated to have identical actions on the proliferation of a murine plasmacytoma cell line, murine primitive bone marrow progenitor cells, and megakaryocyte precursors. The murine IL-11 protein was synthesized as a soluble thioredoxin-IL-11 fusion in Escherichia coli and the expression of murine IL-11 was examined by pulse-chase radiolabeling in COS cells. The chromosomal location of the murine IL-11 gene was assigned to the proximal arm of chromosome 7.

Importance of the carboxy-terminus of human interleukin-11 in conserving its biological activity

Biological activities of the carboxy-terminal (C-terminal) deletion mutants of human interleukin-11 (IL-11) were analyzed. Removal of only 1 amino-acid residue (leucine) from the C-terminus caused nearly an 80% loss of its biological activity. This shows the importance of C-terminus of human IL-11 in terms of conserving the biological activity.

Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of human interleukin-11: identification of regions important for biological activity

We have identified functionally important regions of human interleukin-11 (hIL-11) by means of alanine-scanning mutagenesis. A total of 61 mutated forms of hIL-11 were produced in E. coli as thioredoxin fusion proteins and tested in a murine T10 plasmacytoma proliferation assay. Mutations made at several positions proximal to the hIL-11 C-terminus caused substantial reduction in biological activity. In addition a number of other mutations in this region affected either protein folding or stability. Both effects displayed a characteristic periodicity with respect to the primary sequence which suggested that residues close to the C-terminus of hIL-11 adopt a helical conformation. Mutations made proximal to the N-terminus of hIL-11 also exhibited reduced bioactivity, although no effects on protein folding or stability were observed. The N-terminal mutations with reduced activity also mapped with a periodicity suggestive of a helical conformation. We previously have proposed a four-helix bundle topology for the hIL-11 structure based on physical studies, selective chemical modifications, positions of intron/exon boundaries, limit proteolysis experiments and site-directed mutagenesis. The alanine-scanning mutagenesis data we report here provide additional support for this model.

Structure-function relationships in human interleukin-11. Identification of regions involved in activity by chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis

Chemical modification approaches combined with site-directed and deletion mutagenesis have been used to identify functionally critical regions/residues of recombinant human IL-11 (rhIL-11). Incubation of rhIL-11 with iodoacetic acid results in specific alkylation of a single methionine residue, Met58, and a 25-fold reduction of in vitro biological activity on mouse plasmacytoma cells. A similar decrease in activity is observed when Met58 is substituted with Ala, Leu, Gln, Glu, or Lys by site-directed mutagenesis. Treatment of rhIL-11 with succinic anhydride leads to modification of the amino-terminal amino group and partial labeling of 2 lysines, Lys41 and Lys98, and to a 3-fold decrease in activity. The activity losses can be attributed to modification of the lysine residues, since the succinyl derivative of the amino terminus is fully active. In addition, carboxyl-terminal deletion mutagenesis studies have demonstrated that removal of the last 4 residues reduces rhIL-11 activity 25-fold, whereas removal of 8 or more amino acids results in an inactive molecule. Based on secondary structure predictions and the location of exon/intron boundaries in the IL-11 genomic structure, we propose a four-helix bundle topology as a structural model for rhIL-11. This model has been tested by limited proteolysis using three side chain-specific endoproteinases. A limited number of protease-sensitive cleavage sites are present in rhIL-11, and all but two are located in the postulated helix interconnecting loops or at helix termini. alpha-Helices, which in the proposed structure form a compact core of the molecule, are inaccessible to digestion under limiting conditions. According to the model, Met58, Lys41 and Lys98 are located on the surface of the molecule, in agreement with their preferential accessibility to chemical modifications. By analogy with human growth hormone, we postulate that Met58 and the carboxyl terminus of rhIL-11 are involved in the primary receptor binding site (site I), whereas Lys41 and Lys98 may be a part of binding site II.

Acid-catalyzed peptide bond hydrolysis of recombinant human interleukin 11

Recombinant human interleukin 11 (rhIL-11) is a multispectrum cytokine that plays an important role in megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production. Probing rhIL-11 chemical reactivity in aqueous solution is an important initial step in developing a dosage form for rhIL-11 clinical trials. This report documents rhIL-11 degradation kinetics at 50 degrees C in solutions adjusted to pH 3.0 to 9.5. Stressed samples were analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC and degradation product peaks were isolated for structural characterization. The results show maximal stability in the region pH 6.5 to 7.0. Degradation product identification shows that the major reaction pathway in acidic solution involves peptide cleavage at aspartate133-proline134. In alkaline solution, protein disappearance proceeds via nonspecific loss to container surfaces. Degradation products at alkaline pH have not been identified.