Production of non-fucosylated antibodies by co-expression of heterologous GDP-6-deoxy-D-lyxo-4-hexulose reductase.

All IgG-type antibodies are N-glycosylated in their Fc part at Asn-297. Typically, a fucose residue is attached to the first N-acetylglucosamine of these complex-type N-glycans. Antibodies lacking core fucosylation show a significantly enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and an increased efficacy of anti-tumor activity. In cases where the clinical efficacy of an antibody is to some extent mediated by its ADCC effector function, afucosylated N-glycans could help to reduce dose requirement and save manufacturing costs. Using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as a model, we demonstrate here that heterologous expression of the prokaryotic enzyme GDP-6-deoxy-d-lyxo-4-hexulose reductase within the cytosol can efficiently deflect the fucose de novo pathway. Antibody-producing CHO cells that were modified in this way secrete antibodies lacking core fucose as demonstrated by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and HPAEC-PAD monosaccharide analysis. Engineering of the fucose de novo pathway has led to the construction of IgGs with a strongly enhanced ADCC effector function. The method described here should have broad practical applicability for the development of next-generation therapeutic antibodies.

Impaired self-renewal and increased colitis and dysplastic lesions in colonic mucosa of AKR1B8-deficient mice.

PURPOSE: Ulcerative colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) is a serious health issue, but etiopathological factors remain unclear. Aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) is specifically expressed in the colonic epithelium, but downregulated in colorectal cancer. This study was aimed to investigate the etiopathogenic role of AKR1B10 in ulcerative colitis and CAC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Ulcerative colitis and CAC biopsies (paraffin-embedded sections) and frozen tissues were collected to examine AKR1B10 expression. Aldo-keto reductase 1B8 (the ortholog of human AKR1B10) knockout (AKR1B8(-/-)) mice were produced to estimate its role in the susceptibility and severity of chronic colitis and associated dysplastic lesions, induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) at a low dose (2%). Genome-wide exome sequencing was used to profile DNA damage in DSS-induced colitis and tumors. RESULTS: AKR1B10 expression was markedly diminished in over 90% of ulcerative colitis and CAC tissues. AKR1B8 deficiency led to reduced lipid synthesis from butyrate and diminished proliferation of colonic epithelial cells. The DSS-treated AKR1B8(-/-) mice demonstrated impaired injury repair of colonic epithelium and more severe bleeding, inflammation, and ulceration. These AKR1B8(-/-) mice had more severe oxidative stress and DNA damage, and dysplasias were more frequent and at a higher grade in the AKR1B8(-/-) mice than in wild-type mice. Palpable masses were seen in the AKR1B8(-/-) mice only, not in wild-type. CONCLUSIONS: AKR1B8 is a critical protein in the proliferation and injury repair of the colonic epithelium and in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis and CAC, being a new etiopathogenic factor of these diseases.

Inflammatory mediators accelerate metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene in rat alveolar type II cells: the role of enhanced cytochrome P450 1B1 expression.

Long-term deregulated inflammation represents one of the key factors contributing to lung cancer etiology. Previously, we have observed that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a major pro-inflammatory cytokine, enhances genotoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in rat lung epithelial RLE-6TN cells, a model of alveolar type II cells. Therefore, we analyzed B[a]P metabolism in RLE-6TN cells under inflammatory conditions, simulated using either recombinant TNF-α, or a mixture of inflammatory mediators derived from activated alveolar macrophage cell line. Inflammatory conditions significantly accelerated BaP metabolism, as evidenced by decreased levels of both parent B[a]P and its metabolites. TNF-α altered production of the metabolites associated with dihydrodiol-epoxide and radical cation pathways of B[a]P metabolism, especially B[a]P-dihydrodiols, and B[a]P-diones. We then evaluated the role of cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), which is strongly up-regulated in cells treated with B[a]P under inflammatory conditions, in the observed effects. The siRNA-mediated CYP1B1 knock-down increased levels of B[a]P and reduced formation of stable DNA adducts, thus confirming the essential role of CYP1B1 in B[a]P metabolism under inflammatory conditions. TNF-α also reduced expression of aldo-keto reductase 1C14, which may compete with CYP1B1 for B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol and divert it from the formation of ultimate B[a]P dihydrodiol epoxide. Together, the present data suggests that the CYP1B1-catalyzed metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons might contribute to their enhanced bioactivation and genotoxic effects under inflammatory conditions.