Chemoenzymatic glycoengineering of intact IgG antibodies for gain of functions

The fine structures of Fc N-glycans can modulate the effector functions of IgG antibodies. It has been demonstrated that lack of the core fucose on the Fc N-glycans leads to drastic enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), while terminal α2,6-sialylation of Fc glycan plays a critical role for the anti-inflammatory activity of human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). We describe in this paper a highly efficient chemoenzymatic method for site-selective Fc glycoengineering of intact monoclonal antibody and IVIG. Two new glycosynthase mutants (EndoS-D233A and D233Q) were generated by site-directed mutagenesis of EndoS (an endoglycosidase from Streptococcus pyogenes ) and were found to be capable of efficiently transferring predefined N-glycans from corresponding glycan oxazolines to the Fc-deglycosylated intact IgGs without product hydrolysis. As a model study, rituximab (a therapeutic monoclonal antibody) was successfully transformed from mixtures of G0F, G1F, and G2F glycoforms to well-defined homogeneous glycoforms, including a fully sialylated (S2G2F) glycoform that may gain anti-inflammatory activity, a nonfucosylated G2 glycoform that showed significantly enhanced FcγIIIa receptor-binding activity, and an azido-tagged glycoform that can be further transformed into other glycoforms. We also found that EndoS could selectively remove the Fc N-glycans in the presence of FAB glycosylation. This finding, coupled with the remarkable transglycosylation activity of the EndoS glycosynthase mutants, permitted a highly selective glycoengineering of the IVIG's Fc glycans into a fully sialylated Fc glycoform, which may possess significantly enhanced anti-inflammatory activity. The glycoengineering approach described here provides a general platform to modulate the effector functions of IgG antibodies, enabling the optimization of therapeutic efficacy and gain of new functions of monoclonal antibodies and IVIG.     

Design of Switchable Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Targeting Breast Cancer

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR‐T) cells have demonstrated promising results against hematological malignancies, but have encountered significant challenges in translation to solid tumors. To overcome these hurdles, we have developed a switchable CAR‐T cell platform in which the activity of the engineered cell is controlled by dosage of an antibody‐based switch. Herein, we apply this approach to Her2‐expressing breast cancers by engineering switch molecules through site‐specific incorporation of FITC or grafting of a peptide neo‐epitope (PNE) into the anti‐Her2 antibody trastuzumab (clone 4D5). We demonstrate that both switch formats can be readily optimized to redirect CAR‐T cells (specific for the corresponding FITC or PNE) to Her2‐expressing tumor cells, and afford dose‐titratable activation of CAR‐T cells ex vivo and complete clearance of the tumor in rodent xenograft models. This strategy may facilitate the application of immunotherapy to solid tumors by affording comparable efficacy with improved safety owing to switch‐based control of the CAR‐T response.     

A universal surrogate peptide to enable LC-MS/MS bioanalysis of a diversity of human monoclonal antibody and human Fc-fusion protein drug candidates in pre-clinical animal studies

For the development of human antibody Fc (fraction crystallizable) region-containing therapeutic protein candidates, which can be either monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or pharmacologically active proteins/peptides fused to the Fc region of human Immunoglobulin G (IgG), reliable quantification of these proteins in animal pharmacokinetic study plasma samples is critical. LC-MS/MS has emerged as a promising assay platform for this purpose. LC-MS/MS assays used for bioanalysis of human antibody Fc region-containing therapeutic protein candidates frequently rely upon quantification of a 'signature' surrogate peptide whose sequence is unique to the protein analyte of interest. One drawback of the signature peptide approach is that a new LC-MS/MS assay must be developed for each new human Fc region-containing therapeutic protein. To address this issue, we propose an alternative 'universal surrogate peptide' approach for the quantification of human antibody Fc region-containing therapeutic protein candidates in plasma samples from all nonclinical species. A single surrogate tryptic peptide was identified in the Fc region of most human antibody Fc-containing therapeutic protein candidates. An LC-MS-MS method based upon this peptide was shown to be capable of supporting bioanalysis of a diversity of human Fc region-containing therapeutic protein candidates in plasma samples of all commonly used animal species.     

Functional virus-based polymer-protein nanoparticles by atom transfer radical polymerization

Viruses and virus-like particles (VLPs) are useful tools in biomedical research. Their defined structural attributes make them attractive platforms for engineered interactions over large molecular surface areas. In this report, we describe the use of VLPs as multivalent macroinitiators for atom transfer radical polymerization. The introduction of chemically reactive monomers during polymerization provides a robust platform for post-synthetic modification via the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. These results provide the basis to construct nanoparticle delivery vehicles and imaging agents using protein-polymer conjugates.     

Assembly of bionanostructures onto beta-cyclodextrin molecular printboards for antibody recognition and lymphocyte cell counting

The assembly of complex bionanostructures onto beta-cyclodextrin (betaCD) monolayers has been investigated with the aims of antibody recognition and cell adhesion. The formation of these assemblies relies on host-guest, protein-ligand, and protein-protein interactions. The buildup of a structure consisting of a divalent bis(adamantyl)-biotin linker, streptavidin (SAv), biotinylated protein A (bt-PA), and an Fc fragment of a human immunoglobin G (IgG-Fc) was studied with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. Patterns of this bionanostructure were obtained via microcontact printing of the divalent linker at the molecular printboard, followed by the subsequent attachment of the proteins. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the buildup of these bionanostructures on the betaCD monolayers is highly specific. On the basis of these results, bionanostructures were made in which whole antibodies (ABs) were used instead of the IgG-Fc. These ABs were bound to the SAv layer via biotinylated protein G (bt-PG) or via a biotinylated AB. These constructions yielded specifically bound ABs with a less than maximal density, as shown by SPR spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Finally, the immobilization of ABs to the molecular printboard was used to create platforms for lymphocyte cell count purposes. Monoclonal ABs (MABs) were attached to the SAv layer using bt-PG, an engineered biotin functionality, or through nonspecific adsorption. The binding specificity of the immobilized cells was the highest on the buildup made from bt-PG, which is attributed to an optimized orientation of the antibodies. An approximately linear relationship between the numbers of seeded cells and counted cells was demonstrated, rendering the platform potentially suitable for lymphocyte cell counting.     

Synthetic Antibody-Rhamnose Cluster Conjugates Show Potent Complement-Dependent Cell Killing by Recruiting Natural Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are one of the most rapidly growing drug classes used for the treatment of cancer, infectious and autoimmune diseases. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) is one of the effector functions for antibodies to deplete target cells. We report here an efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of structurally well-defined conjugates of a monoclonal antibody with a rhamnose- and an αGal trisaccharide-cluster to recruit natural anti-rhamnose and anti-αGal antibodies, respectively, to enhance the CDC-dependent targeted cell killing. The synthesis was achieved by using a modular antibody Fc-glycan remodeling method that includes site-specific chemoenzymatic Fc-glycan functionalization and subsequent click conjugation of synthetic rhamnose- and αGal trisaccharide-cluster to provide the respective homogeneous antibody conjugates. Cell-based assays indicated that the antibody-rhamnose cluster conjugates could mediate potent CDC activity for targeted cancer cell killing and showed much more potent efficacy than the antibody-αGal trisaccharide cluster conjugates for CDC effects.     

Ferrocene-bis(thymine/uracil) conjugates: base pairing directed, spacer dependent self-assembly and supramolecular packing

X-ray crystallographic studies of methylene linked Ferrocene-bis(thymine/uracil) conjugates Fc(T:T)(M) and Fc(U:U)(M) reveal base dependent 2-D supramolecular assemblies generated via wobble self-pairing for bis-thymine and reverse wobble self-pairing for bis-uracil conjugates, differing in architecture from the corresponding butylene spacer linked conjugates.     

利用β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶快速酶切分析中国仓鼠卵巢细胞表达的西妥昔单抗抗原结合区的聚糖比例

西妥昔单抗具有较复杂的糖基化修饰,在抗原结合片段(Fab)和可结晶片段(Fc)的重链上都含有2个N-糖基化位点,其中Fab段的糖基化最为复杂,要研究清楚该位点的糖基化修饰,开发专一性切糖技术和稳定的聚糖比例分析方法是当前迫切需要解决的难题。以中国仓鼠卵巢(CHO)细胞表达的西妥昔单抗为研究对象,使用β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(Endo F2)开发了一种快速Fab段聚糖释放的方法,利用超高效液相色谱-高分辨质谱(UPLC-HRMS)进行了定性和聚糖比例分析。第一步对抗体原液进行非变性酶切,抗体原液经超纯水稀释后,加入糖苷酶Endo F2进行酶切,通过质谱对质量数的解析,结果表明Endo F2酶切时间5 min, Fab段的聚糖就能完全切除,而Fc段的聚糖不受影响,实现了快速酶切,而且切糖具有很好的专一性。第二步对Fab段聚糖进行比例分析,将释放的聚糖经对氨基苯甲酰胺(2-AB)荧光标记后使用超高效液相色谱联用荧光检测器(FLR)进行检测,在亲水作用色谱(HILIC)柱上得到良好的分离并可以进行稳定地聚糖比例分析。3次独立试验结果表明,酶切后的质谱图基本一致,且聚糖的比例结果也基本一致,表明Endo F2酶切方法和聚糖比例分析方法都具有较好的稳定性和可靠性。此外,通过测定来自两个不同工艺生产的样品,数据显示两者的糖谱上具有非常明显的差异,表明利用开发的方法可以实现对抗体生产工艺进行监测研究,对抗体生产工艺的评估具有非常重要的意义。     

Global and Local Conformation of Human IgG Antibody Variants Rationalizes Loss of Thermodynamic Stability

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a major class of medicines, with high specificity and affinity towards targets spanning many disease areas. The antibody Fc (fragment crystallizable) region is a vital component of existing antibody therapeutics, as well as many next generation biologic medicines. Thermodynamic stability is a critical property for the development of stable and effective therapeutic proteins. Herein, a combination of ion‐mobility mass spectrometry (IM‐MS) and hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX‐MS) approaches have been used to inform on the global and local conformation and dynamics of engineered IgG Fc variants with reduced thermodynamic stability. The changes in conformation and dynamics have been correlated with their thermodynamic stability to better understand the destabilising effect of functional IgG Fc mutations and to inform engineering of future therapeutic proteins.     

Rapid and Efficient Generation of Stable Antibody–Drug Conjugates via an Encoded Cyclopropene and an Inverse‐Electron‐Demand Diels–Alder Reaction

Homogeneous antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), generated by site‐specific toxin linkage, show improved therapeutic indices with respect to traditional ADCs. However, current methods to produce site‐specific conjugates suffer from low protein expression, slow reaction kinetics, and low yields, or are limited to particular conjugation sites. Here we describe high yielding expression systems that efficiently incorporate a cyclopropene derivative of lysine (CypK) into antibodies through genetic‐code expansion. We express trastuzumab bearing CypK and conjugate tetrazine derivatives to the antibody. We show that the dihydropyridazine linkage resulting from the conjugation reaction is stable in serum, and generate an ADC bearing monomethyl auristatin E that selectively kills cells expressing a high level of HER2. Our results demonstrate that CypK is a minimal bioorthogonal handle for the rapid production of stable therapeutic protein conjugates.     

The Core Fucose on an IgG Antibody is an Endogenous Ligand of Dectin‐1

The core fucose, a major modification of N‐glycans, is implicated in immune regulation, such as the attenuation of the antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity of antibody drugs and the inhibition of anti‐tumor responses via the promotion of PD‐1 expression on T cells. Although the core fucose regulates many biological processes, no core fucose recognition molecule has been identified in mammals. Herein, we report that Dectin‐1, a known anti‐β‐glucan lectin, recognizes the core fucose on IgG antibodies. A combination of biophysical experiments further suggested that Dectin‐1 recognizes aromatic amino acids adjacent to the N‐terminal asparagine at the glycosylation site as well as the core fucose. Thus, Dectin‐1 appears to be the first lectin‐like molecule involved in the heterovalent and specific recognition of characteristic N‐glycans on antibodies.     

AJICAP: Affinity Peptide Mediated Regiodivergent Functionalization of Native Antibodies

The need for atom‐precise biomolecule modification, and particularly the irreversible formation of covalent bonds to specific amino acids in proteins, has become an essential issue in the fields of pharmaceuticals and chemical biology. For example, antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are increasingly common entries into the clinical oncology pipeline. Herein, we report a new method of affinity peptide mediated regiodivergent functionalization (AJICAP?) that enables the synthesis of ADCs from native IgG antibodies. We succeeded in introducing thiol functional groups onto three lysine residues in IgGs using Fc affinity peptide reagents without antibody engineering. A cytotoxic molecule was then connected to the newly introduced thiol group, and both a surface plasmon resonance binding assay and in vivo xenograft mouse model results showed that the resulting ADC could selectively target and kill HER2‐positive cells. Our strategy provides a new approach for constructing complex antibody‐derived biomolecules.     

Site-specific covalent attachment of an engineered Z-domain onto a solid matrix: An efficient platform for 3D IgG immobilization

Immobilized antibodies with oriented and homogeneous patterns are crucial to solid-phase molecular recognition assay. Antibody binding protein-based immobilization can effectively present the desired antibodies. However, steadily installing the stromatoid protein with site-specific attachment manner onto a matrix surface remains to be elucidated. In this study, we present an optimal protocol to tightly attach an immunoglobulin G (IgG)-binding protein (Z-domain) through covalent incorporation of Cys-tag and maleimide group onto polystyrene surface to guarantee site-specific, oriented, and irreversible attachment, resulting in a highly efficient platform for three-dimensional IgG immobilization. The actual IgG-binding characteristic of immobilized Z-Cys was investigated by employing affinity chromatography and size exclusion chromatography. And the efficacy and potential of this platform was demonstrated by applying it to the analysis of interaction between rabbit anti-HRP IgG and its binding partner HRP. The proposed approach may be an attractive strategy to construct high performance antibody arrays and biosensors given that the antibody is compatible with the Z-domain.     

Coupling porous sheathless interface MS with transient‐ITP in neutral capillaries for improved sensitivity in glycopeptide analysis

IgG antibodies are modulated in their function by the specific structure of the N‐glycans attached to their Fc (fragment crystallizable) portions. However, the glycosylation analysis of antigen‐specific IgGs is a challenging task as antibody levels to a given antigen only represent a fraction of the total IgG levels. Here, we investigated the use of a transient‐ITP (t‐ITP)—MS method for highly sensitive IgG1 glycosylation profiling as a complementary method to a high‐throughput nano‐RPLC‐MS method. It was found that t‐ITP‐CZE using neutrally coated separation capillaries with a large volume injection (37% of capillary volume) and interfaced to MS with a sheathless porous sprayer yielded a 40‐fold increase in sensitivity for IgG1 Fc glycopeptide analysis when compared to the conventional strategy. Furthermore, the glycoform profiles found with the t‐ITP‐CZE strategy were comparable to those from nano‐RPLC‐MS. In conclusion, the use of the highly sensitive t‐ITP‐CZE‐MS method will provide information on IgG Fc glycosylation for those samples with IgG1 concentrations below the LODs of the conventional method.     

Multiformat T‐Cell‐Engaging Bispecific Antibodies Targeting Human Breast Cancers

Four different formats of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) were generated that consist of anti‐Her2 IgG or Fab site‐specifically conjugated to anti‐CD3 Fab using the genetically encoded noncanonical amino acid. These bsAbs varied in valency or in the presence or absence of an Fc domain. Different valencies did not significantly affect antitumor efficacy, whereas the presence of an Fc domain enhanced cytotoxic activity, but triggered antigen‐independent T‐cell activation. We show that the bsAbs can efficiently redirect T cells to kill all Her2 expressing cancer cells, including Her2 1+ cancers, both in vitro and in rodent xenograft models. This work increases our understanding of the structural features that affect bsAb activity, and underscores the potential of bsAbs as a promising therapeutic option for breast cancer patients with low or heterogeneous Her2 expression.     

Enzyme-Linked DNA Displacement (ELIDIS) Assay for Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Antibodies**

Here we report the development of a method for the electrochemical ultrasensitive detection of antibodies that couples the programmability and versatility of DNA-based systems with the sensitivity provided by enzymatic amplification. The platform, termed Enzyme-Linked DNA Displacement (ELIDIS), is based on the use of antigen-DNA conjugates that, upon the bivalent binding of a specific target antibody, induce the release of an enzyme-DNA hybrid strand from a preformed duplex. Such enzyme-DNA hybrid strand can then be electrochemically detected with a disposable electrode with high sensitivity. We applied ELIDIS to demonstrate the sensitive (limit of detection in the picomolar range), specific and multiplexed detection of five different antibodies including three clinically relevant ones. ELIDIS is also rapid (it only requires two reaction steps), works well in complex media (serum) and is cost-effective. A direct comparison with a commercial ELISA kit for the detection of Cetuximab demonstrates the promising features of ELIDIS as a point-of-care platform for antibodies detection.     

Universal endogenous antibody recruiting nanobodies capable of triggering immune effectors for targeted cancer immunotherapy

Developing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cancer immunotherapy is expensive and complicated. Nanobodies are small antibodies possessing favorable pharmacological properties compared with mAbs, but have limited anticancer efficacy due to the lack of an Fc region and poor pharmacokinetics. In this context, engineered universal endogenous antibody-recruiting nanobodies (UEAR Nbs), as a general and cost-effective approach, were developed to generate functional antibody-like nanobodies that could recapitulate the Fc biological functions for cancer immunotherapy. The UEAR Nbs, composed of the IgG binding domain and nanobody, were recombinantly expressed in E. coli and could recruit endogenous IgGs onto the cancer cell surface and trigger potent immune responses to kill cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, it was proved that UEAR Nbs displayed significantly improved half-lives in vivo. The in vivo antitumor efficacy of UEAR Nbs was demonstrated in a murine model using EGFR positive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Universal endogenous antibody recruiting nanobodies (UEAR Nbs), composed of IgGs binding domain and nanobody, could redirect endogenous IgGs onto target cell surfaces and evoke potent immune responses to eliminate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.     

Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Clicked Ferrocene-BODIPY-Fullerene Conjugates

Ferrocene-BODIPY (Fc-BDP) conjugates in which one or two ferrocene entities are linked to the β-positions of the BODIPY core by an ethynyl bridge have been developed. These derivatives were easily and efficiently grafted onto a dual-clickable fullerene platform using CuAAC reactions, leading to a clickable Fc-BDP-C₆₀ triad and a clickable [Fc]₂-BDP-C₆₀ tetrad which can be used for further derivatization with complex structures. Due to the extended π-conjugation and the presence of an intramolecular charge transfer band from Fc to BDP, all these conjugates display a broad absorption in the visible region, which is bathochromically shifted when two Fc are appended to the BDP core. Ultrafast multistep electron transfers leading to charge stabilization were demonstrated in the Fc-BDP-C₆₀ triad and [Fc]₂-BDP-C₆₀ tetrad by femtosecond transient absorption studies.     

Biotinylation: A nonradioactive method for the identification of cell surface antigens in immunoprecipitates

A nonradioactive method was employed to detect different cell membrane antigens on human polymorphonuclear granulocytes, monocytes and platelets. We compared the reactivity of one monoclonal antibody, N1III10, assumed to be FcγRII-specific by functional assays, with other well-characterized monoclonal antibodies and human sera. Intact cells were incubated with biotin N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide ester which preferentially reacts with lysine residues in polypeptides. Biotin-labeled cells were lysed and the antigen was isolated from the cell lysate by immunoprecipitation with the antibody bound to Protein A-Sepharose. The precipitates were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane, and visualized by a streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase system with a suitable substrate. Using this biotin-labeling system we could show that N1III10 detects a 40 kDa antigen on monocytes and platelets, comparable to that expected of FcγRII monoclonal antibodies.     

Construction,Purification, and Characterization of Anti-BAFF scFv–Fc Fusion Antibody Expressed in CHO/dhfr<Superscript>−</Superscript> Cells

Elevated levels of B-cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases in human. In this study, we have constructed a vector for the expression of a novel compact antibody composed of anti-BAFF single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) and the Fc region (the hinge region, CH2, and CH3 domains) of human IgG1 in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The scFv–Fc fusion protein, showing spontaneous Fc fragment-mediated homodimerization via disulfide bridges, was affinity-purified on protein A Sepharose from culture supernatant. The scFv–Fc antibody was demonstrated to retain high binding affinity to antigen and prolonged clearance time in blood and to possess some human IgG crystallizable fragment effector functions such as protein A binding and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. These results suggest that this recombinant antibody may have therapeutic applications in the therapy of autoimmune disorders mediated by BAFF.