Liver and pancreatic-targeted interleukin-22 as a therapeutic for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is the most prevalent cause of liver disease worldwide, with a single approved therapeutic. Previous research has shown that interleukin-22 (IL-22) can suppress ß-cell stress, reduce local islet inflammation, restore appropriate insulin production, reverse hyperglycemia, and ameliorate insulin resistance in preclinical models of diabetes. In clinical trials long-acting forms of IL-22 have led to increased proliferation in the skin and intestine, where the IL-22RA1 receptor is highly expressed. To maximise beneficial effects whilst reducing the risk of epithelial proliferation and cancer, we designed short-acting IL-22-bispecific biologic drugs that successfully targeted the liver and pancreas. Here we show 10-fold lower doses of these bispecific biologics exceed the beneficial effects of native IL-22 in multiple preclinical models of MASH, without off-target effects. Treatment restores glycemic control, markedly reduces hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrogenesis. These short-acting IL-22-bispecific targeted biologics are a promising new therapeutic approach for MASH.

Nanocell targeting using engineered bispecific antibodies.

There are many design formats for bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), and the best design choice is highly dependent on the final application. Our aim was to engineer BsAbs to target a novel nanocell (EnGeneIC Delivery Vehicle or EDV(TM)nanocell) to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EDV(TM)nanocells are coated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and BsAb designs incorporated single chain Fv (scFv) fragments derived from an anti-LPS antibody (1H10) and an anti-EGFR antibody, ABX-EGF. We engineered various BsAb formats with monovalent or bivalent binding arms and linked scFv fragments via either glycine-serine (G4S) or Fc-linkers. Binding analyses utilizing ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, bio-layer interferometry, flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy showed that binding to LPS and to either soluble recombinant EGFR or MDA-MB-468 cells expressing EGFR, was conserved for all construct designs. However, the Fc-linked BsAbs led to nanocell clumping upon binding to EDV(TM)nanocells. Clumping was eliminated when additional disulfide bonds were incorporated into the scFv components of the BsAbs, but this resulted in lower BsAb expression. The G4S-linked tandem scFv BsAb format was the optimal design with respect to EDV binding and expression yield. Doxorubicin-loaded EDV(TM)nanocells actively targeted with tandem scFv BsAb in vivo to MDA-MB-468-derived tumors in mouse xenograft models enhanced tumor regression by 40% compared to passively targeted EDV(TM)nanocells. BsAbs therefore provide a functional means to deliver EDV(TM)nanocells to target cells.

Purification of recombinant protein by cold-coacervation of fusion constructs incorporating resilin-inspired polypeptides.

Polypeptides containing between 4 and 32 repeats of a resilin-inspired sequence AQTPSSYGAP, derived from the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, have been used as tags on recombinant fusion proteins. These repeating polypeptides were inspired by the repeating structures that are found in resilins and sequence-related proteins from various insects. Unexpectedly, an aqueous solution of a recombinant resilin protein displays an upper critical solution temperature (cold-coacervation) when held on ice, leading to a separation into a protein rich phase, typically exceeding 200 mg/mL, and a protein-poor phase. We show that purification of recombinant proteins by cold-coacervation can be performed when engineered as a fusion partner to a resilin-inspired repeat sequence. In this study, we demonstrate the process by the recombinant expression and purification of enhanced Green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in E. coli. This facile purification system can produce high purity, concentrated protein solutions without the need for affinity chromatography or other time-consuming or expensive purification steps, and that it can be used with other bulk purification steps such as low concentration ammonium sulfate precipitation. Protein purification by cold-coacervation also minimizes the exposure of the target protein to enhanced proteolysis at higher temperature.