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Directing HIV-1 for degradation by non-target cells, using bi-specific single-chain llama antibodies.

ABSTRACT: While vaccination against HIV-1 has been so far unsuccessful, recently broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein were shown to induce long-term suppression in the absence of antiretroviral therapy in patients with antibody-sensitive viral reservoirs. The requirement of neutralizing antibodies indicates that the antibody mediated removal (clearance) of HIV-1 in itself is not efficient enough in these immune compromised patients. Here we present a novel, alternative approach that is independent of a functional immune system to clear HIV-1, by capturing the virus and redirecting it to non-target cells where it is internalized and degraded. We use bispecific antibodies with domains derived from small single chain Llama antibodies (VHHs). These bind with one domain to HIV-1 envelope proteins and with the other domain direct the virus to cells expressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a receptor that is ubiquitously expressed in the body. We show that HIV envelope proteins, virus-like particles and HIV-1 viruses (representing HIV-1 subtypes A, B and C) are efficiently recruited to EGFR, internalized and degraded in the lysosomal pathway at low nM concentrations of bispecific VHHs. This directed degradation in non-target cells may provide a clearance platform for the removal of viruses and other unwanted agents from the circulation, including toxins, and may thus provide a novel method for curing.

SUBMITTER: Stam JC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9352707 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Directing HIV-1 for degradation by non-target cells, using bi-specific single-chain llama antibodies.

Stam Jord C JC de Maat Steven S de Jong Dorien D Arens Mathia M van Lint Fenna F Gharu Lavina L van Roosmalen Mark H MH Roovers Rob C RC Strokappe Nika M NM Wagner Ralf R Kliche Alexander A de Haard Hans J HJ van Bergen En Henegouwen Paul M PM Nijhuis Monique M Verrips C Theo CT

Scientific reports 20220804 1

While vaccination against HIV-1 has been so far unsuccessful, recently broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein were shown to induce long-term suppression in the absence of antiretroviral therapy in patients with antibody-sensitive viral reservoirs. The requirement of neutralizing antibodies indicates that the antibody mediated removal (clearance) of HIV-1 in itself is not efficient enough in these immune compromised patients. Here we present a novel, alternati ...[more]

PMID: 35927444

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Project description:BackgroundA key advantage of recombinant antibody technology is the ability to optimize and tailor reagents. Single domain antibodies (sdAbs), the recombinantly produced variable domains derived from camelid and shark heavy chain antibodies, provide advantages of stability and solubility and can be further engineered to enhance their properties. In this study, we generated sdAbs specific for Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein (GP) and increased their stability to expand their utility for use in austere locals. Ebola virus is extremely virulent and causes fatal hemorrhagic fever in ~ 50 percent of the cases. The viral GP binds to host cell receptors to facilitate viral entry and thus plays a critical role in pathogenicity.ResultsAn immune phage display library containing more than 107 unique clones was developed from a llama immunized with a combination of killed Ebola virus and recombinantly produced GP. We panned the library to obtain GP binding sdAbs and isolated sdAbs from 5 distinct sequence families. Three GP binders with dissociation constants ranging from ~ 2 to 20 nM, and melting temperatures from ~ 57 to 72 °C were selected for protein engineering in order to increase their stability through a combination of consensus sequence mutagenesis and the addition of a non-canonical disulfide bond. These changes served to increase the melting temperatures of the sdAbs by 15-17 °C. In addition, fusion of a short positively charged tail to the C-terminus which provided ideal sites for the chemical modification of these sdAbs resulted in improved limits of detection of GP and Ebola virus like particles while serving as tracer antibodies.ConclusionsSdAbs specific for Ebola GP were selected and their stability and functionality were improved utilizing protein engineering. Thermal stability of antibody reagents may be of particular importance when operating in austere locations that lack reliable refrigeration. Future efforts can evaluate the potential of these isolated sdAbs as candidates for diagnostic or therapeutic applications for Ebola.

Project description:Rationale: Antiretroviral therapy can effectively suppress HIV-1 replication in the peripheral blood to an undetectable level. However, elimination of the latent virus in reservoirs remains a challenge and is a major obstacle in the treatment of HIV-1-infected patients. Exosomes exhibit huge promise as an endogenous drug delivery nanosystem for delivering drugs to solid tissues given their unique properties, including low immunogenicity, innate stability, high delivery efficiency, and most importantly the ability to penetrate solid tissues due to their lipophilic properties. Methods: We engineered and expressed the scFv of a high affinity HIV-1-specific monoclonal antibody, 10E8, on the exosomal surface (10E8scFv-exos). Subsequently, the 10E8scFv-exos were loaded with curcumin (Cur), a chemical that kills HIV-1-infected cells, or miR-143, an apoptosis-inducing miRNA. We tested the ability of 10E8scFv-exos to deliver cargo to Env+ target cells and tissues, as well as their ability to suppress HIV-1 infection. Results: 10E8scFv-exos efficiently targeted CHO cells expressing a trimeric gp140 on their surface (Env+ cells) in vitro, as demonstrated by confocal imaging and flow cytometry. 10E8scFv-exos loaded with Cur or miR-143 showed specific killing of Env+ cells. In addition, 10E8scFv-exos loaded with Cur or miR-143 could suppress p24 expression in an HIV-1 latency cell line ACH2 and in PBMCs from an ART-treated HIV-1-infected patient. In an NCG mouse model grafted with tumorigenic Env+ CHO cells and which had developed solid tissue tumors, intravenously injected 10E8scFv-exos targeted the Env-expressing tissues and delivered Cur to induce a strong suppression of the Env+ tumor growth with low toxicity. Conclusion: In principle, engineered exosomes can deliver anti-HIV agents to solid tissues by specifically targeting cells expressing viral envelop proteins and inducing cell killing, suggesting that such an approach could be developed for eradicating virus-infected cells in tissue reservoirs.

Dataset Information

Directing HIV-1 for degradation by non-target cells, using bi-specific single-chain llama antibodies.

Publications

Directing HIV-1 for degradation by non-target cells, using bi-specific single-chain llama antibodies.

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