Differential effects of FcRn antagonists on the subcellular trafficking of FcRn and albumin.

The homeostasis of IgG is maintained by the neonatal Fc receptor, FcRn. Consequently, antagonism of FcRn to reduce endogenous IgG levels is an emerging strategy for treating antibody-mediated autoimmune disorders using either FcRn-specific antibodies or an engineered Fc fragment. For certain FcRn-specific antibodies, this approach has resulted in reductions in the levels of serum albumin, the other major ligand transported by FcRn. Cellular and molecular analyses of a panel of FcRn antagonists have been carried out to elucidate the mechanisms leading to their differential effects on albumin homeostasis. These analyses have identified 2 processes underlying decreases in albumin levels during FcRn blockade: increased degradation of FcRn and competition between antagonist and albumin for FcRn binding. These findings have potential implications for the design of drugs to modulate FcRn function.

The effect of air-free administration of intravenous drugs on microemboli during cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE: During cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), gaseous microemboli (GME) that originate from the extracorporeal circuit are released into the arterial blood stream of the patient. Gaseous microemboli may contribute to adverse outcome after cardiac surgery with CPB. Possibly, air may be collected in the right atrium during induction of anesthesia and released during CPB start. The aim of this study was to assess if the GME load entering the venous line of the CPB circuit could be reduced by training of anesthesia personal in avoiding air introduction during administration of intravenous medication. METHODS: In 94 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with CPB, GME number and volume were measured intraoperatively with a bubble counter (BCC300). The quantity and the relationship between GME number and volume in the venous and arterial line were determined in 2 periods before and after education of the anesthesiologists and nurses. RESULTS: In the venous line no significant differences were observed between numbers and volumes of GME between groups. Comparing patients with low versus high GME load, showed significantly more patients from the intervention group in the low GME-load group, namely 29 versus 18. Administration of medication by anesthesia was confirmed as a clear cause of GME/air-introduction into the venous circulation. Scavenging properties of the CPB circuit including the oxygenator showed a 99.9% reduction of GME. CONCLUSIONS: A wide spread of GME generation during perfusion was present with no difference in generation of GME between groups. Lower GME load observed in patients (intervention group) and examples of air introduction during drug administration suggest that air introduced by anesthesia contributes to the GME load during CPB. Scavenging properties of the CPB circuit contribute very much to patient safety regarding reduction of venous air. Awareness and education create the possibilities for further reduction of GME during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Predicting Incomplete Resection in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Preoperatively: A Validated Nomogram.

BACKGROUND: Patients who are surgically treated for stage I to III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have dismal prognosis after incomplete (R1-R2) resection. Our study aimed to develop a prediction model to estimate the chance of incomplete resection based on preoperative patient-, tumor-, and treatment-related factors. METHODS: From a Dutch national cancer database, NSCLC patients who had surgical treatment without neoadjuvant therapy were selected. Thirteen possible predictors were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to create a prediction model. External validation was applied in the American National Cancer Database, whereupon the model was adjusted. Discriminatory ability and calibration of the model was determined after internal and external validation. The prediction model was presented as nomogram. RESULTS: Of 7156 patients, 511 had an incomplete resection (7.1%). Independent predictors were histology, cT stage, cN stage, extent of surgery, and open vs thoracoscopic approach. After internal validation, the corrected C statistic of the resulting nomogram was 0.72. Application of the nomogram to an external data set of 85,235 patients with incomplete resection in 2485 patients (2.9%) resulted in a C statistic of 0.71. Calibration revealed good overall fit of the nomogram in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: An internationally validated nomogram is presented providing the ability to predict the individual chance of incomplete resection in patients with stage I to III NSCLC planned for resection. In case of a high predicted risk of incomplete resection, alternative treatment strategies could be considered, whereas a low risk further supports the use of surgical procedures.

Efgartigimod improves muscle weakness in a mouse model for muscle-specific kinase myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis is hallmarked by fatigable muscle weakness resulting from neuromuscular synapse dysfunction caused by IgG autoantibodies. The variant with muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies is characterized by prominent cranial and bulbar weakness and a high frequency of respiratory crises. The majority of MuSK MG patients requires long-term immunosuppressive treatment, but the result of these treatments is considered less satisfactory than in MG with acetylcholine receptor antibodies. Emergency treatments are more frequently needed, and many patients develop permanent facial weakness and nasal speech. Therefore, new treatment options would be welcome. The neonatal Fc receptor protects IgG from lysosomal breakdown, thus prolonging IgG serum half-life. Neonatal Fc receptor antagonism lowers serum IgG levels and thus may act therapeutically in autoantibody-mediated disorders. In MuSK MG, IgG4 anti-MuSK titres closely correlate with disease severity. We therefore tested efgartigimod (ARGX-113), a new neonatal Fc receptor blocker, in a mouse model for MuSK myasthenia gravis. This model involves 11 daily injections of purified IgG4 from MuSK myasthenia gravis patients, resulting in overt myasthenic muscle weakness and, consequently, body weight loss. Daily treatment with 0.5 mg efgartigimod, starting at the fifth passive transfer day, reduced the human IgG4 titres about 8-fold, despite continued daily injection. In muscle strength and fatigability tests, efgartigimod-treated myasthenic mice outperformed control myasthenic mice. Electromyography in calf muscles at endpoint demonstrated less myasthenic decrement of compound muscle action potentials in efgartigimod-treated mice. These substantial in vivo improvements of efgartigimod-treated MuSK MG mice following a limited drug exposure period were paralleled by a tendency of recovery at neuromuscular synaptic level (in various muscles), as demonstrated by ex vivo functional studies. These synaptic improvements may well become more explicit upon longer drug exposure. In conclusion, our study shows that efgartigimod has clear therapeutic potential in MuSK myasthenia gravis and forms an exciting candidate drug for many autoantibody-mediated neurological and other disorders.

Neonatal Fc receptor antagonist efgartigimod safely and sustainably reduces IgGs in humans.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous Ig (IVIg), plasma exchange, and immunoadsorption are frequently used in the management of severe autoimmune diseases mediated by pathogenic IgG autoantibodies. These approaches modulating IgG levels can, however, be associated with some severe adverse reactions and a substantial burden to patients. Targeting the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) presents an innovative and potentially more effective, safer, and more convenient alternative for clearing pathogenic IgGs. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled first-in-human study was conducted in 62 healthy volunteers to explore single and multiple ascending intravenous doses of the FcRn antagonist efgartigimod. The study objectives were to assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity. The findings of this study were compared with the pharmacodynamics profile elicited by efgartigimod in cynomolgus monkeys. RESULTS: Efgartigimod treatment resulted in a rapid and specific clearance of serum IgG levels in both cynomolgus monkeys and healthy volunteers. In humans, single administration of efgartigimod reduced IgG levels up to 50%, while multiple dosing further lowered IgGs on average by 75% of baseline levels. Approximately 8 weeks following the last administration, IgG levels returned to baseline. Efgartigimod did not alter the homeostasis of albumin or Igs other than IgG, and no serious adverse events related to efgartigimod infusion were observed. CONCLUSION: Antagonizing FcRn using efgartigimod is safe and results in a specific, profound, and sustained reduction of serum IgG levels. These results warrant further evaluation of this therapeutic approach in IgG-driven autoimmune diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03457649. FUNDING: argenx BVBA.

Clinical evaluation of the air-handling properties of contemporary oxygenators with integrated arterial filter.

Gaseous microemboli (GME) may originate from the extracorporeal circuit and enter the arterial circulation of the patient. GME are thought to contribute to cerebral deficit and to adverse outcome after cardiac surgery. The arterial filter is a specially designed component for removing both gaseous and solid microemboli. Integration of an arterial filter with an oxygenator is a contemporary concept, reducing both prime volume and foreign surface area. This study aims to determine the air-handling properties of four contemporary oxygenator devices with an integrated arterial filter. Two oxygenator devices, the Capiox FX25 and the Fusion, showed significant increased volume of GME reduction rates (95.03 ± 3.13% and 95.74 ± 2.69%, respectively) compared with both the Quadrox-IF (85.23 ± 5.84%) and the Inspire 6F M (84.41 ± 12.93%). Notably, both the Quadrox-IF and the Inspire 6F M as well as the Capiox FX 25 and the Fusion showed very similar characteristics in volume and number reduction rates and in detailed distribution properties. The Capiox FX25 and the Fusion devices showed significantly increased number and volume reduction rates compared with the Quadrox-IF and the Inspire 6F M devices. Despite the large differences in design of all four devices, our study results suggest that the oxygenator devices can be subdivided into two groups based on their fibre design, which results in screen filter (Quadrox-IF and Inspire 6F M) and depth filter (Capiox FX25 and Fusion) properties. Depth filter properties, as present in the Capiox FX25 and Fusion devices, reduced fractionation of air and may ameliorate GME removal.

Structural Mimicry of Receptor Interaction by Antagonistic Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Antibodies.

Interleukin 6 plays a key role in mediating inflammatory reactions in autoimmune diseases and cancer, where it is also involved in metastasis and tissue invasion. Neutralizing antibodies against IL-6 and its receptor have been approved for therapeutic intervention or are in advanced stages of clinical development. Here we describe the crystal structures of the complexes of IL-6 with two Fabs derived from conventional camelid antibodies that antagonize the interaction between the cytokine and its receptor. The x-ray structures of these complexes provide insights into the mechanism of neutralization by the two antibodies and explain the very high potency of one of the antibodies. It effectively competes for binding to the cytokine with IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) by using side chains of two CDR residues filling the site I cavities of IL-6, thus mimicking the interactions of Phe(229) and Phe(279) of IL-6R. In the first antibody, a HCDR3 tryptophan binds similarly to hot spot residue Phe(279) Mutation of this HCDR3 Trp residue into any other residue except Tyr or Phe significantly weakens binding of the antibody to IL-6, as was also observed for IL-6R mutants of Phe(279) In the second antibody, the side chain of HCDR3 valine ties into site I like IL-6R Phe(279), whereas a LCDR1 tyrosine side chain occupies a second cavity within site I and mimics the interactions of IL-6R Phe(229).

Homo-FRET imaging as a tool to quantify protein and lipid clustering.

Homo-FRET, Förster resonance energy transfer between identical fluorophores, can be conveniently measured by observing its effect on the fluorescence anisotropy. This review aims to summarize the possibilities of fluorescence anisotropy imaging techniques to investigate clustering of identical proteins and lipids. Homo-FRET imaging has the ability to determine distances between fluorophores. In addition it can be employed to quantify cluster sizes as well as cluster size distributions. The interpretation of homo-FRET signals is complicated by the fact that both the mutual orientations of the fluorophores and the number of fluorophores per cluster affect the fluorescence anisotropy in a similar way. The properties of the fluorescence probes are very important. Taking these properties into account is critical for the correct interpretation of homo-FRET signals in protein- and lipid-clustering studies. This is be exemplified by studies on the clustering of the lipid raft markers GPI and K-ras, as well as for EGF receptor clustering in the plasma membrane.

Ligand-induced EGF receptor oligomerization is kinase-dependent and enhances internalization.

The current activation model of the EGF receptor (EGFR) predicts that binding of EGF results in dimerization and oligomerization of the EGFR, leading to the allosteric activation of the intracellular tyrosine kinase. Little is known about the regulatory mechanism of receptor oligomerization. In this study, we have employed FRET between identical fluorophores (homo-FRET) to monitor the dimerization and oligomerization state of the EGFR before and after receptor activation. Our data show that, in the absence of ligand, ∼40% of the EGFR molecules were present as inactive dimers or predimers. The monomer/predimer ratio was not affected by deletion of the intracellular domain. Ligand binding induced the formation of receptor oligomers, which were found in both the plasma membrane and intracellular structures. Ligand-induced oligomerization required tyrosine kinase activity and nine different tyrosine kinase substrate residues. This indicates that the binding of signaling molecules to activated EGFRs results in EGFR oligomerization. Induction of EGFR predimers or pre-oligomers using the EGFR fused to the FK506-binding protein did not affect signaling but was found to enhance EGF-induced receptor internalization. Our data show that EGFR oligomerization is the result of EGFR signaling and enhances EGFR internalization.

Homo-FRET imaging enables quantification of protein cluster sizes with subcellular resolution.

Fluorescence-anisotropy-based homo-FRET detection methods can be employed to study clustering of identical proteins in cells. Here, the potential of fluorescence anisotropy microscopy for the quantitative imaging of protein clusters with subcellular resolution is investigated. Steady-state and time-resolved anisotropy detection and both one- and two-photon excitation methods are compared. The methods are evaluated on cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) constructs that contain one or two FK506-binding proteins. This makes it possible to control dimerization and oligomerization of the constructs and yields the experimental relation between anisotropy and cluster size. The results show that, independent of the experimental method, the commonly made assumption of complete depolarization after a single energy transfer step is not valid here. This is due to a nonrandom relative orientation of the fluorescent proteins. Our experiments show that this relative orientation is restricted by interactions between the GFP barrels. We describe how the experimental relation between anisotropy and cluster size can be employed in quantitative cluster size imaging experiments of other GFP fusions. Experiments on glycosylphosphatidylinisotol (GPI)-anchored proteins reveal that GPI forms clusters with an average size of more than two subunits. For epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), we observe that approximately 40% of the unstimulated receptors are present in the plasma membrane as preexisting dimers. Both examples reveal subcellular heterogeneities in cluster size and distribution.

EGF induces rapid reorganization of plasma membrane microdomains.

The plasma membrane of mammalian cells is composed of a great variety of different lipids which are laterally organized into lipid domains. The segregation of lipids into domains has been studied in great detail in vesicles but domain formation of lipids in the plasma membrane of live cells is still unclear. We have previously used fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy to study the colocalization of the receptor for EGF with the ganglioside GM1 and the GPI-anchored green fluorescent protein. Here we have used this technology to study the effect of EGF on the organization of GM1 in the plasma membrane. Our data show that stimulation of the cell with EGF induces rapidly a strong increase in colocalization of GM1 molecules, suggesting the formation of large lipid domains. These results support the notion that activation of EGFR signaling may result in the formation of signaling platforms.

EGF induces coalescence of different lipid rafts.

The suggestion that microdomains may function as signaling platforms arose from the presence of growth factor receptors, such as the EGFR, in biochemically isolated lipid raft fractions. To investigate the role of EGFR activation in the organization of lipid rafts we have performed FLIM analyses using putative lipid raft markers such as ganglioside GM1 and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored GFP (GPI-GFP). The EGFR was labeled using single domain antibodies from Llama glama that specifically bind the EGFR without stimulating its kinase activity. Our FLIM analyses demonstrate a cholesterol-independent colocalization of GM1 with EGFR, which was not observed for the transferrin receptor. By contrast, a cholesterol-dependent colocalization was observed for GM1 with GPI-GFP. In the resting state no colocalization was observed between EGFR and GPI-GFP, but stimulation of the cell with EGF resulted in the colocalization at the nanoscale level of EGFR and GPI-GFP. Moreover, EGF induced the enrichment of GPI-GFP in a detergent-free lipid raft fraction. Our results suggest that EGF induces the coalescence of the two types of GM1-containing microdomains that might lead to the formation of signaling platforms.

Imaging of protein cluster sizes by means of confocal time-gated fluorescence anisotropy microscopy.

A time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy imaging method for studying nanoscale clustering of proteins or lipids was developed and evaluated. It is based on FRET between the identical fluorophores (homo-FRET), which results in a rapid depolarization of the fluorescence. The method employs the time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy decays recorded in a confocal microscope equipped with pulsed excitation and time-gated detection. From the decay the limiting anisotropy r(inf) was derived, which is a direct measure for the number of fluorophores per cluster. The method was evaluated by imaging GPI-GFP, a lipid raft marker. Small clusters were observed in the plasma membrane while the cytoplasm and the Golgi contained predominantly monomers.

Role of cytoplasmic termini in sorting and shuttling of the aquaporin-2 water channel.

In mammals, the regulation of water homeostasis is mediated by the aquaporin-1 (AQP1) water channel, which localizes to the basolateral and apical membranes of the early nephron segment, and AQP2, which is translocated from intracellular vesicles to the apical membrane of collecting duct cells after vasopressin stimulation. Because a similar localization and regulation are observed in transfected Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we investigated which segments of AQP2 are important for its routing to forskolin-sensitive vesicles and the apical membrane through analysis of AQP1-AQP2 chimeras. AQP1 with the entire COOH tail of AQP2 was constitutively localized in the apical membrane, whereas chimeras with shorter COOH tail segments of AQP2 were localized in the apical and basolateral membrane. AQP1 with the NH2 tail of AQP2 was constitutively localized in both plasma membranes, whereas AQP1 with the NH2 and COOH tail of AQP2 was sorted to intracellular vesicles and translocated to the apical membrane with forskolin. These data indicate that region N220-S229 is essential for localization of AQP2 in the apical membrane and that the NH2 and COOH tail of AQP2 are essential for trafficking of AQP2 to intracellular vesicles and its shuttling to and from the apical membrane.

The role of putative phosphorylation sites in the targeting and shuttling of the aquaporin-2 water channel.

In renal collecting ducts, a vasopressin-induced cAMP increase results in the phosphorylation of aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels at Ser-256 and its redistribution from intracellular vesicles to the apical membrane. Hormones that activate protein kinase C (PKC) proteins counteract this process. To determine the role of the putative kinase sites in the trafficking and hormonal regulation of human AQP2, three putative casein kinase II (Ser-148, Ser-229, Thr-244), one PKC (Ser-231), and one protein kinase A (Ser-256) site were altered to mimic a constitutively non-phosphorylated/phosphorylated state and were expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Except for Ser-256 mutants, seven correctly folded AQP2 kinase mutants trafficked as wild-type AQP2 to the apical membrane via forskolin-sensitive intracellular vesicles. With or without forskolin, AQP2-Ser-256A was localized in intracellular vesicles, whereas AQP2-S256D was localized in the apical membrane. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced PKC activation following forskolin treatment resulted in vesicular distribution of all AQP2 kinase mutants, while all were still phosphorylated at Ser-256. Our data indicate that in collecting duct cells, AQP2 trafficking to vasopressin-sensitive vesicles is phosphorylation-independent, that phosphorylation of Ser-256 is necessary and sufficient for expression of AQP2 in the apical membrane, and that PMA-induced PKC-mediated endocytosis of AQP2 is independent of the AQP2 phosphorylation state.