The Proteolytic Cleavage of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Hinge Region: More Than a Matter of Subclass.

The hinge region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) is involved in C1q and FcγRIIIA-expressing natural killer (NK) cell recruitment. Both heavy chains (HCs) of the hinge region can be cleaved sequentially by several proteases of the tumor/inflammatory/infectious microenvironment, including matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP12), or immunoglobulin-degrading enzyme from Streptococcus pyogenes (IdeS), impairing Fc-mediated functions. The cleavage of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (TmAbs), which are based on a human IgG1, IgG2 or IgG4 structure, has been poorly investigated, although it may represent an escape mechanism to these treatments. Therefore, we used non-reducing SDS-PAGE to compare the cleavage kinetics of five IgG1 TmAbs (trastuzumab, rituximab, cetuximab, infliximab, ipilimumab), one IgG2 TmAb (panitumumab), and two IgG4 TmAbs (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) by MMP12 and IdeS, which were found to cleave the first and second HCs with different kinetics. Panitumumab was more protease-resistant than IgG1 and IgG4 TmAbs. The latter were usually more protease-sensitive, whereas IgG1 TmAbs were usually cleaved with intermediate kinetics. However, we observed intra-subclass variability among IgG4 and IgG1 TmAbs. Nivolumab and pembrolizumab were cleaved similarly by MMP12, whereas pembrolizumab was more IdeS-resistant. Ipilimumab was more IdeS-sensitive and MMP12-resistant than the other IgG1 TmAbs, regardless of G1m allotype. In addition the Fc fragment of IgG1 TmAbs were highly resistant to cleavage by MMP12, whereas their cleavage kinetic by IdeS was very similar to that observed with the intact forms (excluding ipilimumab). Importantly, the cleavage kinetic of ipilimumab Fc fragment by IdeS was superimposable to that of trastuzumab, cetuximab and infliximab Fc fragment, showing that the variability observed for intact ipilimumab is unrelated to its Fc portion. We propose that the variability in the cleavage sensitivity/resistance balance among TmAbs of IgG1 and IgG4 subclasses results partially, from TmAb characteristics related to and/or located in the Fab region. Finally, with ELISA and flow cytometry, we observed that a single cleavage of IgG1 TmAbs greatly decreased their affinity for FcγRIIIA and C1q and their ability to induce FcγRIIIA-dependent functional responses of NK cells. Overall, our results indicate that the cleavage of the hinge region should be considered with TmAbs treatment and in the development of new molecules.

Cleavage of anti-PF4/heparin IgG by a bacterial protease and potential benefit in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is due to immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, which bind platelet factor 4 (PF4) modified by polyanions, such as heparin (H). IgG/PF4/polyanion complexes directly activate platelets via Fc gamma type 2 receptor A (FcγRIIA) receptors. A bacterial protease, IgG-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes (IdeS), cleaves the hinge region of heavy-chain IgG, abolishing its ability to bind FcγR, including FcγRIIA. We evaluated whether cleavage of anti-PF4/H IgG by IdeS could suppress the pathogenicity of HIT antibodies. IdeS quickly cleaved purified 5B9, a monoclonal chimeric anti-PF4/H IgG1, which led to the formation of single cleaved 5B9 (sc5B9), without any reduction in binding ability to the PF4/H complex. However, as compared with uncleaved 5B9, the affinity of sc5B9 for platelet FcγRIIA was greatly reduced, and sc5B9 was also unable to induce heparin-dependent platelet activation. In addition, incubating IdeS in whole blood containing 5B9 or HIT plasma samples led to cleavage of anti-PF4/H antibodies, which fully abolished the ability to induce heparin-dependent platelet aggregation and tissue factor messenger RNA synthesis by monocytes. Also, when whole blood was perfused in von Willebrand factor-coated microfluidic channels, platelet aggregation and fibrin formation induced by 5B9 with heparin was strongly reduced after IdeS treatment. Finally, IdeS prevented thrombocytopenia and hypercoagulability induced by 5B9 with heparin in transgenic mice expressing human PF4 and FcγRIIA receptors. In conclusion, cleavage of anti-PF4/H IgG by IdeS abolishes heparin-dependent cellular activation induced by HIT antibodies. IdeS injection could be a potential treatment of patients with severe HIT.

[The hinge region of therapeutic antibodies: major importance of a short sequence]. / La région charnière des anticorps thérapeutiques - L'importance capitale d'une courte séquence.

The hinge region is a short sequence of the heavy chains (H) of antibodies linking the Fab (Fragment antigen binding) region to the Fc (Fragment crystallisable) region. The functional properties of the four IgG subclasses partly result from the sequence differences of their hinge regions as some amino acids of the lower hinge region are located within or in the close vicinity of the C1q and FcγR binding sites on the IgG H chains. In addition, the hinge is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage by many proteases present in tumor and/or inflammatory microenvironment capable of affecting functional responses. Thus, an optimal format of the hinge region remains a major challenge for the development of new therapeutic antibodies.

TITLE: La région charnière des anticorps thérapeutiques - L'importance capitale d'une courte séquence. ABSTRACT: La région charnière est une courte séquence des chaînes lourdes (H) d'anticorps liant le Fab (fragment antigen binding) au Fc (fragment crystallisable). Les propriétés fonctionnelles des quatre sous-classes d'immunoglobulines d'isotype G (IgG) résultent en partie des différences de séquence de leurs régions charnières. En effet, certains acides aminés de la partie C-terminale de ces régions charnières (« partie basse ¼) sont situés au sein ou à proximité des sites de liaison de la molécule C1q de la voie classique du complément et des récepteurs pour la région Fc des IgG (RFcγ) sur les chaînes H d'IgG. Les régions charnières sont également sensibles au clivage protéolytique par de nombreuses protéases du microenvironnement tumoral et/ou inflammatoire pouvant altérer les réponses fonctionnelles. Le format optimal de la charnière reste donc un défi majeur pour le développement de nouveaux anticorps thérapeutiques.

The Toxoplasma gondii inhibitor-2 regulates protein phosphatase 1 activity through multiple motifs.

Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle characterized by multiple differentiation steps that are essential for its survival in both human and definitive feline host. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of phosphorylations by protein kinases during the life cycle of T. gondii. However, very little is known about protein phosphatases and their regulators in the parasite. We report the molecular and functional characterization of the T. gondii ortholog of the inhibitor-2 protein, designated TgI2. We show that TgI2 encompasses conserved motifs involved in the interaction and modulation of the phosphatase activity of T. gondii protein phosphatase 1, named TgPP1. We show that a specific combination of motifs is involved in binding and/or inhibition of the TgPP1 activity. We show here that the TgI2 protein is a potent inhibitor of TgPP1 phosphatase activity. TgI2 SILK and RVxF motifs are critical for regulating the activity of TgPP1, a feature that is common with the higher eukaryotes inhibitor-2 protein.