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Wojciechowicz K, Spodzieja M, Wardowska A. The BTLA-HVEM complex - The future of cancer immunotherapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116231. [PMID: 38387336 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The BTLA-HVEM complex plays a pivotal role in cancer and cancer immunotherapy by regulating immune responses. Dysregulation of BTLA and HVEM expression contributes to immunosuppression and tumor progression across various cancer types. Targeting the interaction between BTLA and HVEM holds promise for enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. Disruption of this complex presents a valuable avenue for advancing cancer immunotherapy strategies. Aberrant expression of BTLA and HVEM adversely affects immune cell function, particularly T cells, exacerbating tumor evasion mechanisms. Understanding and modulating the BTLA-HVEM axis represents a crucial aspect of designing effective immunotherapeutic interventions against cancer. Here, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the structure and function of BTLA and HVEM, along with their interaction with each other and various immune partners. Moreover, the expression of soluble and transmembrane forms of BTLA and HVEM in different types of cancer and their impact on the prognosis of patients is also discussed. Additionally, inhibitors of the proteins binding that might be used to block BTLA-HVEM interaction are reviewed. All the presented data highlight the plausible clinical application of BTLA-HVEM targeted therapies in cancer and autoimmune disease management. However, further studies are required to confirm the practical use of this concept. Despite the increasing number of reports on the BTLA-HVEM complex, many aspects of its biology and function still need to be elucidated. This review can be regarded as an encouragement and a guide to follow the path of BTLA-HVEM research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Wojciechowicz
- Department of Physiopathology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Marta Spodzieja
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Department of Physiopathology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
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2
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Kuncewicz K, Bojko M, Battin C, Karczyńska A, Sieradzan A, Sikorska E, Węgrzyn K, Wojciechowicz K, Wardowska A, Steinberger P, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Spodzieja M. BTLA-derived peptides as inhibitors of BTLA/HVEM complex formation - design, synthesis and biological evaluation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115161. [PMID: 37473684 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints can be divided into co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules that regulate the activation and effector functions of T cells. The co-inhibitory pathways mediated by ICPs are used by cancer cells to escape from immune surveillance, and therefore the blockade of these receptor/ligand interactions is one of the strategies used in the treatment of cancer. The two main pathways currently under investigation are CTLA-4/CD80/CD86 and PD-1/PD-L1, and the monoclonal Abs targeting them have shown potent immunomodulatory effects and activity in clinical environments. Another interesting target in cancer treatment is the BTLA/HVEM complex. Binding of BTLA protein on T cells to HVEM on cancer cells leads to inhibition of T cell proliferation and cytokine production. In the presented work, we focused on blocking the HVEM protein using BTLA-derived peptides. Based on the crystal structure of the BTLA/HVEM complex and MM/GBSA analysis performed here, we designed and synthesized peptides, specifically fragments of BTLA protein. We subsequently checked the inhibitory capacities of these compounds using ELISA and a cellular reporter platform. Two of these peptides, namely BTLA(35-43) and BTLA(33-64)C58Abu displayed the most promising properties, and we therefore performed further studies to evaluate their affinity to HVEM protein, their stability in plasma and their effect on viability of human PBMCs. In addition, the 3D structure for the peptide BTLA(33-64)C58Abu was determined using NMR. Obtained data confirmed that the BTLA-derived peptides could be the basis for future drugs and their immunomodulatory potential merits further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kuncewicz
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bojko
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Agnieszka Karczyńska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Karolina Wojciechowicz
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, Dębinki 7, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, Dębinki 7, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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Battin C, Leitner J, Waidhofer-Söllner P, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K, Olive D, Steinberger P. BTLA inhibition has a dominant role in the cis-complex of BTLA and HVEM. Front Immunol 2022; 13:956694. [PMID: 36081508 PMCID: PMC9446882 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.956694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The engagement of the herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM, TNFRSF14) by the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) represents a unique interaction between an activating receptor of the TNFR-superfamily and an inhibitory receptor of the Ig-superfamily. BTLA and HVEM have both been implicated in the regulation of human T cell responses, but their role is complex and incompletely understood. Here, we have used T cell reporter systems to dissect the complex interplay of HVEM with BTLA and its additional ligands LIGHT and CD160. Co-expression with LIGHT or CD160, but not with BTLA, induced strong constitutive signaling via HVEM. In line with earlier reports, we observed that in cis interaction of BTLA and HVEM prevented HVEM co-stimulation by ligands on surrounding cells. Intriguingly, our data indicate that BTLA mediated inhibition is not impaired in this heterodimeric complex, suggesting a dominant role of BTLA co-inhibition. Stimulation of primary human T cells in presence of HVEM ligands indicated a weak costimulatory capacity of HVEM potentially owed to its in cis engagement by BTLA. Furthermore, experiments with T cell reporter cells and primary T cells demonstrate that HVEM antibodies can augment T cell responses by concomitantly acting as checkpoint inhibitors and co-stimulation agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Battin
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Judith Leitner
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petra Waidhofer-Söllner
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Daniel Olive
- Team Immunity and Cancer, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm, U1068; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR7258; Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Peter Steinberger,
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Kuncewicz K, Battin C, Węgrzyn K, Sieradzan A, Wardowska A, Sikorska E, Giedrojć I, Smardz P, Pikuła M, Steinberger P, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Spodzieja M. Targeting the HVEM protein using a fragment of glycoprotein D to inhibit formation of the BTLA/HVEM complex. Bioorg Chem 2022; 122:105748. [PMID: 35325694 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using blockade of immune checkpoints is mainly based on monoclonal antibodies. Despite the tremendous success achieved by using those molecules to block immune checkpoint proteins, antibodies possess some weaknesses, which means that there is still a need to search for new compounds as alternatives to antibodies. Many current approaches are focused on use of peptides/peptidomimetics to destroy receptor/ligand interactions. Our studies concern blockade of the BTLA/HVEM complex, which generates an inhibitory effect on the immune response resulting in tolerance to cancer cells. To design inhibitors of such proteins binding we based our work on the amino acid sequence and structure of a ligand of HVEM protein, namely glycoprotein D, which possesses the same binding site on HVEM as BTLA protein. To disrupt the BTLA and HVEM interaction we designed several peptides, all fragments of glycoprotein D, and tested their binding to HVEM using SPR and their ability to inhibit the BTLA/HVEM complex formation using ELISA tests and cellular reporter platforms. That led to identification of two peptides, namely gD(1-36)(K10C-D30C) and gD(1-36)(A12C-L25C), which interact with HVEM and possess blocking capacities. Both peptides are not cytotoxic to human PBMCs, and show stability in human plasma. We also studied the 3D structure of the gD(1-36)(K10C-D30C) peptide using NMR and molecular modeling methods. The obtained data reveal that it possesses an unstructured conformation and binds to HVEM in the same location as gD and BTLA. All these results suggest that peptides based on the binding fragment of gD protein represent promising immunomodulation agents for future cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Irma Giedrojć
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Pamela Smardz
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Embryology, Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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5
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Liu W, Chou TF, Garrett-Thomson SC, Seo GY, Fedorov E, Ramagopal UA, Bonanno JB, Wang Q, Kim K, Garforth SJ, Kakugawa K, Cheroutre H, Kronenberg M, Almo SC. HVEM structures and mutants reveal distinct functions of binding to LIGHT and BTLA/CD160. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20211112. [PMID: 34709351 PMCID: PMC8558838 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
HVEM is a TNF (tumor necrosis factor) receptor contributing to a broad range of immune functions involving diverse cell types. It interacts with a TNF ligand, LIGHT, and immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily members BTLA and CD160. Assessing the functional impact of HVEM binding to specific ligands in different settings has been complicated by the multiple interactions of HVEM and HVEM binding partners. To dissect the molecular basis for multiple functions, we determined crystal structures that reveal the distinct HVEM surfaces that engage LIGHT or BTLA/CD160, including the human HVEM-LIGHT-CD160 ternary complex, with HVEM interacting simultaneously with both binding partners. Based on these structures, we generated mouse HVEM mutants that selectively recognized either the TNF or Ig ligands in vitro. Knockin mice expressing these muteins maintain expression of all the proteins in the HVEM network, yet they demonstrate selective functions for LIGHT in the clearance of bacteria in the intestine and for the Ig ligands in the amelioration of liver inflammation.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/chemistry
- Antigens, CD/genetics
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Crystallography, X-Ray
- Drosophila/cytology
- Drosophila/genetics
- Female
- GPI-Linked Proteins/chemistry
- GPI-Linked Proteins/genetics
- GPI-Linked Proteins/metabolism
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Multiprotein Complexes/chemistry
- Multiprotein Complexes/metabolism
- Mutation
- Receptors, Immunologic/chemistry
- Receptors, Immunologic/genetics
- Receptors, Immunologic/metabolism
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/chemistry
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/genetics
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/metabolism
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/chemistry
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/genetics
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/metabolism
- Yersinia Infections/genetics
- Yersinia Infections/pathology
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | | | | | | | - Elena Fedorov
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Udupi A. Ramagopal
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Jeffrey B. Bonanno
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | | | - Kenneth Kim
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA
| | - Scott J. Garforth
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Kiyokazu Kakugawa
- Laboratory for Immune Crosstalk, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hilde Cheroutre
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA
- Laboratory for Immune Crosstalk, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Mitchell Kronenberg
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Steven C. Almo
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
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6
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Agostino M, Rooney J, Herat L, Matthews J, Simonds A, Northfield SE, Hopper D, Schlaich MP, Matthews VB. TNFSF14-Derived Molecules as a Novel Treatment for Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910647. [PMID: 34638990 PMCID: PMC8508965 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is one of the most prevalent metabolic diseases in the Western world and correlates directly with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, often culminating in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Importantly, our team has recently shown that the TNF superfamily (TNFSF) member protein, TNFSF14, has been reported to protect against high fat diet induced obesity and pre-diabetes. We hypothesized that mimics of TNFSF14 may therefore be valuable as anti-diabetic agents. In this study, we use in silico approaches to identify key regions of TNFSF14 responsible for binding to the Herpes virus entry mediator and Lymphotoxin β receptor. In vitro evaluation of a selection of optimised peptides identified six potentially therapeutic TNFSF14 peptides. We report that these peptides increased insulin and fatty acid oxidation signalling in skeletal muscle cells. We then selected one of these promising peptides to determine the efficacy to promote metabolic benefits in vivo. Importantly, the TNFSF14 peptide 7 reduced high fat diet-induced glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in a mouse model of obesity. In addition, we highlight that the TNFSF14 peptide 7 resulted in a marked reduction in liver steatosis and a concomitant increase in phospho-AMPK signalling. We conclude that TNFSF14-derived molecules positively regulate glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism and may therefore open a completely novel therapeutic pathway for treating obesity and T2D.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Binding Sites
- Blood Glucose/metabolism
- Computer Simulation
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/etiology
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism
- Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects
- Disease Models, Animal
- Glucose Intolerance/drug therapy
- Glucose Intolerance/metabolism
- Homeostasis/drug effects
- Hyperinsulinism/drug therapy
- Hyperinsulinism/metabolism
- Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage
- Hypoglycemic Agents/chemical synthesis
- Insulin Resistance
- Lymphotoxin beta Receptor/chemistry
- Lymphotoxin beta Receptor/metabolism
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Obesity/complications
- Obesity/drug therapy
- Obesity/etiology
- Obesity/metabolism
- Peptides/administration & dosage
- Peptides/chemical synthesis
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/chemistry
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Treatment Outcome
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/administration & dosage
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/chemistry
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Agostino
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; (M.A.); (A.S.)
- Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Jennifer Rooney
- Dobney Hypertension Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences—Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (J.R.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Lakshini Herat
- Dobney Hypertension Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences—Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (J.R.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Jennifer Matthews
- Dobney Hypertension Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences—Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (J.R.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Allyson Simonds
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; (M.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Susan E. Northfield
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (S.E.N.); (D.H.)
| | - Denham Hopper
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (S.E.N.); (D.H.)
- School of Chemistry, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Markus P. Schlaich
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia;
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA 6000, Australia
| | - Vance B. Matthews
- Dobney Hypertension Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences—Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (J.R.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-8-9224-0239; Fax: +61-8-9224-0374
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7
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Spodzieja M, Kuncewicz K, Sieradzan A, Karczyńska A, Iwaszkiewicz J, Cesson V, Węgrzyn K, Zhukov I, Maszota-Zieleniak M, Michielin O, Speiser DE, Zoete V, Derré L, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S. Disulfide-Linked Peptides for Blocking BTLA/HVEM Binding. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21020636. [PMID: 31963646 PMCID: PMC7013932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints are crucial in the maintenance of antitumor immune responses. The activation or blockade of immune checkpoints is dependent on the interactions between receptors and ligands; such interactions can provide inhibitory or stimulatory signals, including the enhancement or suppression of T-cell proliferation, differentiation, and/or cytokine secretion. B-and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is a lymphoid-specific cell surface receptor which is present on T-cells and interacts with herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), which is present on tumor cells. The binding of HVEM to BTLA triggers an inhibitory signal which attenuates the immune response. This feature is interesting for studying the molecular interactions between HVEM and BTLA, as they may be targeted for novel immunotherapies. This work was based on the crystal structure of the BTLA/HVEM complex showing that BTLA binds the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain of HVEM. We investigated the amino acid sequence of HVEM and used molecular modeling methods to develop inhibitors of the BTLA/HVEM interaction. We synthesized novel compounds and determined their ability to interact with the BTLA protein and inhibit the formation of the BTLA/HVEM complex. Our results suggest that the HVEM (14-39) peptide is a potent inhibitor of the formation of the BTLA/HVEM protein complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Spodzieja
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
| | - Katarzyna Kuncewicz
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
| | - Adam Sieradzan
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
| | - Agnieszka Karczyńska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
| | - Justyna Iwaszkiewicz
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Bâtiment Amphipole, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.I.); (O.M.); (V.Z.)
| | - Valérie Cesson
- Urology Research Unit, Urology Department, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG&MUG, University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Igor Zhukov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a, 02–106 Warszawa, Poland;
- NanoBioMedical Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61–614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Martyna Maszota-Zieleniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
| | - Olivier Michielin
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Bâtiment Amphipole, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.I.); (O.M.); (V.Z.)
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Ludwig Cancer Research—Lausanne Branch, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E. Speiser
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Ch. des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Vincent Zoete
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Bâtiment Amphipole, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.I.); (O.M.); (V.Z.)
- Department of Fundamental Oncology, Lausanne University, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Route de la Corniche 9A, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Derré
- Urology Research Unit, Urology Department, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Correspondence: (L.D.); (S.R.-M.)
| | - Sylwia Rodziewicz-Motowidło
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; (M.S.); (K.K.); (A.S.); (A.K.); (M.M.-Z.)
- Correspondence: (L.D.); (S.R.-M.)
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8
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Szymczak M, Ziętkiewicz S, Kuncewicz K, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Orlikowska M. Expression, purification, and efficient refolding of the extracellular domain of Escherichia coli-expressed signaling receptor herpesvirus entry mediator. Protein Expr Purif 2019; 164:105450. [PMID: 31299214 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2019.105450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), a member of the TNF-receptor superfamily, plays an important role in the regulation of the immune system. It forms a complex with ligands and can either activate or inhibit the response of the immune system. Furthermore, HVEM can exhibit pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects in many human diseases. Therefore, understanding the mechanism underlying the interaction of HVEM with other receptors is extremely important to design small therapeutic molecules that can stimulate the response of the immune system. In this study, we attempted to develop the most efficient method for the expression and purification of the extracellular domain of HVEM using Escherichia coli. The soluble fraction constituted only a small portion of the E. coli-expressed protein, whereas majority of the protein was found to be accumulated in the insoluble fraction. Three different protein refolding methods were analyzed: dialysis, dilution, and using chromatographic column. The oligomeric state of the protein was determined by characterizing the obtained fractions using analytical size exclusion chromatography. All the obtained fractions were tested for their ability to form a complex with B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results of this study provide crucial information regarding the production of HVEM protein in a robust, well-established, and convenient heterologous expression system using E. coli as a host. In addition, it allows for the selection of the most effective method for appropriate refolding of HVEM protein, which gets accumulated in the insoluble fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Szymczak
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308, Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, Poland
| | - Szymon Ziętkiewicz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk, 80-822, Gdansk, Kladki 24, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kuncewicz
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308, Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, Poland
| | - Sylwia Rodziewicz-Motowidło
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308, Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, Poland
| | - Marta Orlikowska
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308, Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, Poland.
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Spodzieja M, Lach S, Iwaszkiewicz J, Cesson V, Kalejta K, Olive D, Michielin O, Speiser DE, Zoete V, Derré L, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S. Design of short peptides to block BTLA/HVEM interactions for promoting anticancer T-cell responses. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179201. [PMID: 28594868 PMCID: PMC5464627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody based immune-checkpoint blockade therapy is a major breakthrough in oncology, leading to clinical benefit for cancer patients. Among the growing family of inhibitory receptors, the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), which interacts with herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), is a promising target for immunotherapy. Indeed, BTLA inhibits T-cell proliferation and cytokine production. The crystal structure of the BTLA/HVEM complex has shown that the HVEM(26–38) fragment is directly involved in protein binding. We designed and analyzed the capacity of several analogs of this fragment to block the ligation between BTLA and HVEM, using competitive ELISA and cellular assay. We found that the HVEM(23–39) peptide can block BTLA/HVEM ligation. However, the blocking ability was due to the Cys encompassed in this peptide and that even free cysteine targeted the BTLA protein and blocked its interaction with HVEM. These data highlight a Cys-related artefact in vitro, which should be taken in consideration for future development of BTLA/HVEM blocking compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdansk, Department of Chemistry, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sławomir Lach
- University of Gdansk, Department of Chemistry, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Justyna Iwaszkiewicz
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valérie Cesson
- Urology Research Unit, Urology Department, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniel Olive
- Team Immunity and Cancer, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), Inserm U1068, CNRS, UMR7258, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Michielin
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research of the University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel E. Speiser
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research Center, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Zoete
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge, Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Fundamental Oncology, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Derré
- Urology Research Unit, Urology Department, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Yi Y, Qi H, Yuan J, Wang R, Weng S, He J, Dong C. Functional characterization of viral tumor necrosis factor receptors encoded by cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV3) genome. Fish Shellfish Immunol 2015; 45:757-770. [PMID: 26052019 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2015.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV3) is a large double-stranded DNA virus of Alloherpesviridae family in the order Herpesvirales. It causes significant morbidity and mortality in common carp and its ornamental koi variety, and threatens the aquaculture industries worldwide. Mimicry of cytokines and cytokine receptors is a particular strategy for large DNA viruses in modulating the host immune response. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two novel viral homologues of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) encoded by CyHV3-ORF4 and -ORF12, respectively. CyHV3-ORF4 was identified as a homologue of HVEM and CyHV3-ORF12 as a homologue of TNFRSF1. Overexpression of ORF4 and ORF12 in zebrafish embryos results in embryonic lethality, morphological defects and increased apoptosis. Although we failed to identify any interaction between the two vTNFRs and their potential ligands in zebrafish TNF superfamily by yeast two-hybrid system, the expression of some genes in TNF superfamily or TNFR superfamily were mis-regulated in ORF4 or ORF12-overexpressing embryos, especially the death receptor zHDR and its cognate ligand DL1b. Further studies showed that the apoptosis induced by the both CyHV3 vTNFRs is mainly activated through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway and requires the crosstalk between the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Additionally, using RT-qPCR and Western blot assays, the expression patterns of the both vTNFRs were also analyzed during CyHV3 productive infection. Collectively, this is the first functional study of two unique vTNFRs encoded by a herpesvirus infecting non-mammalian vertebrates, which may provide novel insights into viral immune regulation mechanism and the pathogenesis of CyHV3 infection.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Carps
- Cell Line
- Female
- Fish Diseases/genetics
- Fish Diseases/metabolism
- Fish Diseases/virology
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Herpesviridae/genetics
- Herpesviridae/physiology
- Herpesviridae Infections/genetics
- Herpesviridae Infections/metabolism
- Herpesviridae Infections/veterinary
- Herpesviridae Infections/virology
- Male
- Open Reading Frames
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/chemistry
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/genetics
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/metabolism
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I/chemistry
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I/genetics
- Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I/metabolism
- Sequence Alignment/veterinary
- Viral Proteins/chemistry
- Viral Proteins/genetics
- Viral Proteins/metabolism
- Zebrafish
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Hemei Qi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Jimin Yuan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoping Weng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianguo He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Road West, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanfu Dong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Food Safety/State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
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