A bioinspired approach for the modulation of electroosmotic flow and protein-surface interactions in capillary electrophoresis using silylated amino-amides blocks and covalent grafting

We explore a bioinspired approach to design tailored functionalized capillary electrophoresis (CE) surfaces based on covalent grafting for biomolecules analysis. First, the approach aims to overcome well-known common obstacles in CE protein analysis affecting considerably the CE performance (asymmetry, resolution, and repeatability) such as the unspecific adsorption on fused silica surface and the lack of control of electroosmotic flow (EOF). Then, our approach, which relies on new amino-amide mimic hybrid precursors synthesized by silylation of amino-amides (Si-AA) derivatives with 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane, aims to recapitulate the diversity of protein-protein interactions (π-π stacking, ionic, Van der Waals…) found in physiological condition (bioinspired approach) to improve the performance of CE protein analysis (electrochromatography). As a proof of concept, these silylated Si-AA (tyrosinamide silylation, serinamide silylation, argininamide silylation, leucinamide silylation, and isoglutamine silylation acid) have been covalently grafted in physiological conditions in different amount on bare fused silica capillary giving rise to a biomimetic coating and allowing both the modulation of EOF and protein-surface interactions. The analytical performances of amino-amide functionalized capillaries were assessed using lysozyme, cytochrome C and ribonuclease A and compared to traditional capillary coatings poly(ethylene oxide), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), and sodium poly(styrenesulfonate). EOF, protein adsorption rate, protein retention factor k, and selectivity were determined for each coating. All results obtained showed this approach allowed to modulate the EOF, reduce unspecific adsorption, and generate specific interactions with proteins by varying the nature and the amount of Si-AA in the functionalization mixture.

Multi-step semi-synthesis, structural characterization and growth factor interaction study of regiochemically sulfated diabolican polysaccharides

Diabolican is an exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Vibrio diabolicus HE800, a mesophilic bacterium firstly isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal field. Its glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-like structure, consisting of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit composed of two aminosugars (N-acetyl-glucosamine and N-acetyl-galactosamine) and two glucuronic acid units, suggested to subject it to regioselective sulfation processes, in order to obtain some sulfated derivatives potentially acting as GAG mimics. To this aim, a multi-step semi-synthetic approach, relying upon tailored sequence of regioselective protection, sulfation and deprotection steps, was employed in this work. The chemical structure of the obtained sulfated diabolican derivatives was characterized by a multi-technique analytic approach, in order to define both degree of sulfation (DS) and sulfation pattern within the polysaccharide repeating unit, above all. Finally, binding affinity for some growth factors relevant for biomedical applications was measured for both starting diabolican and sulfated derivatives thereof. Collected data suggested that sulfation pattern could be a key structural element for the selective interaction with signaling proteins not only in the case of native GAGs, as already known, but also for GAG-like structures obtained by regioselective sulfation of naturally unsulfated polysaccharides.

A novel Fc-engineered cathepsin D-targeting antibody enhances ADCC, triggers tumor-infiltrating NK cell recruitment, and improves treatment with paclitaxel and enzalutamide in triple-negative breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) prognosis is poor. Immunotherapies to enhance the antibody-induced natural killer (NK) cell antitumor activity are emerging for TNBC that is frequently immunogenic. The aspartic protease cathepsin D (cath-D), a tumor cell-associated extracellular protein with protumor activity and a poor prognosis marker in TNBC, is a prime target for antibody-based therapy to induce NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). This study investigated whether Fc-engineered anti-cath-D antibodies trigger ADCC, their impact on antitumor efficacy and tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and their relevance for combinatory therapy in TNBC.

METHODS

Cath-D expression and localization in TNBC samples were evaluated by western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. The binding of human anti-cath-D F1M1 and Fc-engineered antibody variants, which enhance (F1M1-Fc+) or prevent (F1M1-Fc-) affinity for CD16a, to secreted human and murine cath-D was analyzed by ELISA, and to CD16a by surface plasmon resonance and flow cytometry. NK cell activation was investigated by flow cytometry, and ADCC by lactate dehydrogenase release. The antitumor efficacy of F1M1 Fc-variants was investigated using TNBC cell xenografts in nude mice. NK cell recruitment, activation, and cytotoxic activity were analyzed in MDA-MB-231 cell xenografts by immunophenotyping and RT-qPCR. NK cells were depleted using an anti-asialo GM1 antibody. F1M1-Fc+ antitumor effect was assessed in TNBC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and TNBC SUM159 cell xenografts, and in combination with paclitaxel or enzalutamide.

RESULTS

Cath-D expression on the TNBC cell surface could be exploited to induce ADCC. F1M1 Fc-variants recognized human and mouse cath-D. F1M1-Fc+ activated NK cells in vitro and induced ADCC against TNBC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts more efficiently than F1M1. F1M1-Fc- was ineffective. In the MDA-MB-231 cell xenograft model, F1M1-Fc+ displayed higher antitumor activity than F1M1, whereas F1M1-Fc- was less effective, reflecting the importance of Fc-dependent mechanisms in vivo. F1M1-Fc+ triggered tumor-infiltrating NK cell recruitment, activation and cytotoxic activity in MDA-MB-231 cell xenografts. NK cell depletion impaired F1M1-Fc+ antitumor activity, demonstrating their key role. F1M1-Fc+ inhibited growth of SUM159 cell xenografts and two TNBC PDXs. In combination therapy, F1M1-Fc+ improved paclitaxel and enzalutamide therapeutic efficacy without toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

F1M1-Fc+ is a promising immunotherapy for TNBC that could be combined with conventional regimens, including chemotherapy or antiandrogens.

A Novel Approach to the Facile Growth and Organization of Photothermal Prussian Blue Nanocrystals on Different Surfaces

We report here a novel "one-pot" approach for the controlled growth and organization of Prussian blue nanostructures on three different surfaces: pure Au0, cysteamine-functionalized Au0, and SiO2-supported lipid bilayers with different natures of lipids. We demonstrate that fine control over the size, morphology, and the degree and homogeneity of the surface coverage by Prussian Blue (PB) nanostructures may be achieved by manipulating different parameters, which are the precursor concentration, the nature of the functional groups or the nature of lipids on the surfaces. This allows the growth of isolated PB nanopyramids and nanocubes or the design of thin dense films over centimeter square surfaces. The formation of unusual Prussian blue nanopyramids is discussed. Finally, we demonstrate, by using experimental techniques and theoretical modeling, that PB nanoparticles deposited on the gold surface exhibit strong photothermal properties, permitting a rapid temperature increase up to 90 °C with a conversion of the laser power of almost 50% for power source heat.

LptC from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120: Expression, purification and crystallization

Lipopolysaccharides are central elements of the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and as such, of cyanobacteria. In the past, the structural analysis of the system in proteobacteria like Escherichia coli has contributed to a deep understanding of the transport of lipopolysaccharides from plasma membrane to the outer membrane. While many components of the transport system are conserved between proteobacteria and cyanobacteria, the periplasmic LptC appears to be distinct. The cyanobacterial proteins are twice as long as the proteobacterial proteins or proteins from firmicutes. This prompted the question whether the structure of the cyanobacterial proteins is comparable the one of the proteobacterial proteins. To address this question, we expressed LptC from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 in E. coli as truncated protein without the transmembrane segment. We purified the protein utilizing HIS-tag based affinity chromatography and polished the protein after removal of the tag by size exclusion chromatography. The purified recombinant protein was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapor diffusion technique and best crystals, despite being twinned, diffracted to a resolution of 2.6 Å.

AB1184 BURDEN OF DISEASE AND DIRECT HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Background:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multiorgan disease with an unpredictable disease course, which requires monitoring for disease activity, treatment efficacy and comorbidity. Data on the healthcare utilization and cost of SLE, especially from Australia are scarce.

Objectives:

To determine the healthcare utilisation and estimated costs of inpatient admissions (IP), emergency (ED) and outpatient (OPD) hospital visits and investigations for SLE patients in Western Australia (WA).

Methods:

This is a longitudinal cohort study of SLE patients seen at a metropolitan public hospital, with ≥6 months of follow-up (n=179, 95% female; baseline age 36.2 ± 15.2 years). Electronic medical records provided data on OPD, ED and IP visits, and investigations conducted at public hospitals from January 2000 - December 2019. Direct healthcare costs were estimated from public hospital expenditure aggregates in FY2018/19.

Results:

During a median observation period of 11.0 years (IQR 7.4, 13.5), SLE patients required 13,320 OPD visits for a median of 5.3 (IQR 3.0, 9.3) appointments per annum. The majority of OPD visits were with Rheumatology (n=1,986, 14.9%), Immunology (n=1,527, 11.5%), and allied health services (n=1,952, 14.7%), followed by Ophthalmology (n=1,385,10.4%), maternal & fetal health (n=873,6.6%) and Renal medicine (n=844,6.3%). In total 143 patients (79.9%) attended ED on average of 3 times (IQR 2, 7; ED visit rate 44.0 (95%CI 41.0, 47.0) per 100 person years. Overall, 125 patients (69.8%) were hospitalised at average 3 times (IQR 2, 6), with a mean LOS of 5 days (IQR 3, 12) for an IP rate of 37.6 per 100 patient years (95%CI 34.8, 40.5). Only 12.8% of patients did not attend ED or IP in the public health care system. A total of 367,067 laboratory investigations were performed (median nr. of tests per patient 205 (±290) per year) across fields of haematology/biochemistry (89%), immunology (5%), microbiology (4.5%) and histopathology (<1%). Minimum estimates for direct health care cost during the study period were 25.4 million AUD (IP 11m, OPD 6.3m, ED 0.9m and investigations 9.1m) for a crude annual cost of 14,088 AUD per patient.

Conclusion:

SLE patients have extensive healthcare utilization across a range of outpatient and inpatient services. The main direct costs for this multidisciplinary health care provision are for disease monitoring and in-hospital treatment. Based on these conservative cost estimates to which medication cost need to be added, total costs for SLE care in WA are projected to be significantly higher than reported from Europe.

Table 1.

Healthcare resource utilisation of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus between in Western Australia between 2000-2019.

OutpatientED VisitsAdmissionsPatients, n (%)179 (100)143 (79.9)125 (69.8)Total events, n13,320794678Visit rate per 100 patient years (95%CI)738.9 (726.3, 751.4)44.0 (41.0, 47.2)37.6 (34.8, 40.5)Patients with ≥ 2 visit per annum, n (%)153 (85.5)110 ()94 (%)Patients with ≥ 4 visits per annum, n (%)112 (62.6)Patients with >10 visits per annum, n (%)37 (20.7)17 (%)13 (%)Discharged from ED, n (%)-684-Admitted from the ED, n (%)-110110Average length of stay, median (IQR)-3.0(2.1, 4.0) hrs3.2 (1.5, 5.85) daysPatients with an overnight admission, n (%)-122 (98)Overnight admissions, median (IQR)-3 (1, 5)Patients with admissions >7 days-53 (42.4)Costs AUD (FY2018/19)$6,273,720$869,430$10,997,485

Acknowledgments:

The authors wish to acknowledge the support of Arthritis Foundation of WA and Lupus WA

Disclosure of Interests:

warren raymond: None declared, Georgia Ngo: None declared, Milica Ognjenovic: None declared, Ian Li: None declared, Patrick Cheah: None declared, Aron Chakera: None declared, Andrew McLean-Tooke: None declared, Johannes (“Hans”) Nossent Speakers bureau: Janssen

A simple approach for controlled deposition of Prussian blue analogue nanoparticles on a functionalised plasmonic gold surface

Surface plasmon resonance monitoring of Prussian blue analogue nanoparticles anchored on a gold-cysteamine substrate.

Copepod predation on Anopheles quadrimaculatus larvae in rice fields

Cyclopoid copepods and mosquito larvae were surveyed in southwestern Louisiana rice fields. Almost every rice field had a natural population of Mesocyclops ruttneri, Acanthocylops vernalis, or Macrocyclops albidus. Judging from the abundance of pupae, 29% of the fields were responsible for virtually all Anopheles quadrimaculatus production, apparently because larval mortality suppressed production in the other fields. Mesocyclops ruttneri had the strongest negative association of naturally occurring copepod populations with An. quadrimaculatus larvae, though a few fields with M. ruttneri had substantial Anopheles production. Macrocyclops albidus, M. ruttneri, Mesocyclops edax, and Mesocyclops longisetus were introduced to experimental rice field plots. It took two months for the introduced copepods to build up their numbers; Anopheles larvae then disappeared from all treated plots while larvae continued to be present in the adjacent control field. Copepods were observed to kill the following number of first instar An. quadrimaculatus larvae in the laboratory: Mesocyclops ruttneri (36 larvae/day), Macrocyclops albidus (23 larvae/day), Mesocyclops longisetus (24 larvae/day), and Acanthocyclops vernalis (15 larvae/day). It is concluded that introducing select species of copepods and encouraging their populations offer possibilities for contributing to Anopheles control in rice fields.

Natural control of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae in residential ditches by the copepod Macrocyclops albidus

Natural populations of three larvivorous copepod species live in residential roadside ditches in Louisiana: Macrocyclops albidus, Acanthocyclops vernalis, and Megacyclops latipes. Macrocyclops is most common and killed an average of 27 first-instar Culex quinquefasciatus larvae/copepod/day in the laboratory. Although severe pollution from septic tank effluent in some parts of the ditches creates havens for Cx. quinquefasciatus production by excluding predatory copepods and fish (Gambusia affinis), Macrocyclops and the fish substantially reduce Cx. quinquefasciatus larval survival when present where pollution is not so severe. At natural abundance, Macrocyclops reduced the survival of Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae (during their first four days) to 2.6%, compared with 46% survival in controls without Macrocyclops. During one year of field observation, Macrocyclops was common in the spring but disappeared during the summer when fish (which prey on copepods) appeared in many ditches, reduced water flows led to more severe pollution, and water temperatures in very shallow water were sometimes higher than Macrocyclops could survive. Macrocyclops reappeared in many ditches during autumn and winter, when water temperatures and pollution declined and fish disappeared. Introduction of Macrocyclops to ditches in October accelerated its reappearance during autumn and winter and reduced the number of sites with Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae to one-quarter the number in control ditches. The most effective way to control Cx. quinquefasciatus is to eliminate pollution so predators like fish and copepods can live throughout the ditches, but timely introduction of fish and copepods could also contribute to control. More experience will be necessary to ascertain whether copepod introductions are cost effective.