长效化融合蛋白药物及其药动学分析技术的研究进展

融合蛋白技术应用于生物制药行业已超过25年,其目的为改善原来天然蛋白的性质,从而具有新的理化特征和生物学功能,其中最为显著的特点是改善了小分子蛋白及多肽半衰期短的缺陷。基于该技术所诞生的融合蛋白类药物已成为当前生物药研发的热点。结合已上市融合蛋白类药物,通过与传统多肽蛋白类药物比较,重点突出融合蛋白类药物自身特点,主要从融合抗体Fc段和人血清白蛋白以延长小分子蛋白及多肽半衰期的角度对融合蛋白药物长效化策略进行评述;对融合蛋白类药物在体内的吸收、分布、代谢和排泄的显著特征进行概述;综述该类药物在体内的分析技术并指出当前分析技术的优缺点及发展方向,为长效化融合蛋白药物的设计、分析研究与开发提供依据和思路。     

人血清白蛋白融合技术在药物长效化改造中的应用

人血清白蛋白(human serum albumin,HSA)融合技术是蛋白质药物长效化改造的一种通用技术,也是目前国内外生物制药研究的热点。在HSA融合技术的研究中,不同融合方式的融合蛋白活性的差异,提高HSA融合蛋白的表达产量以及HSA融合蛋白在表达过程中所出现的降解问题成为制约该技术发展的关键。现就人血清白蛋白融合技术在药物长效化改造应用中所涉及的融合方式以及融合蛋白的高效表达和降解问题进行了综述,希望为HSA融合技术的广泛应用提供一定的技术参考。     

人血清白蛋白在蛋白多肽类药物长效化中的应用 *

重组蛋白/多肽类药物在人体血清内半衰期较短, 很大程度上限制了其临床应用。人血清白蛋白(HSA)具有半衰期长、生物相容性好、低免疫原性等优点,是理想的药物载体。各种基于HSA的蛋白质药物长效化技术得到了广泛的应用和发展,目前主要包括构建HSA融合蛋白,通过共价化学键与HSA偶联,通过非共价键与HSA可逆性结合。总结了近年来基于白蛋白药物长效化技术的发展,各项技术的优缺点及药物开发现状。     

新型人血清白蛋白特异结合肽ML的筛选及鉴定

利用噬菌体展示技术筛选和鉴定新型人血清白蛋白(HSA)特异结合7肽,分析与垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活肽27(PACAP27)构成的融合多肽ML-PACAP27与HSA的亲和结合力,以确定筛选的7肽(ML1和ML2)在与其他药物多肽或蛋白融合状态下仍具有较高的HSA结合活力。利用噬菌体展示7肽库,经四轮筛选、筛选克隆的DNA测序、酶联免疫吸附技术分析(ELISA)初步鉴定筛选克隆与HSA的亲和作用,并利用等离子共振技术(SPR)定量测定合成的ML-PACAP27融合多肽与人血清白蛋白的亲和力常数。实验结果表明:经筛选获得2个与人血清白蛋白特异性结合的7肽序列,其氨基酸序列分别为:ML1:LKSCKPL和ML2:SLKSHAL;ELISA分析结果显示,含有ML1和ML2的噬菌体均可亲和结合HSA,而且ML2的亲和结合作用高于ML1;SPR分析结果显示,ML1-PACAP27和ML2-PACAP27与HSA的解离常数(KD)分别为:8.1×10-6mol/L和3.7×10-6mol/L,ML1-PACAP27与HSA的结合力高于ML1-PACAP27。筛选和鉴定了两个可与HSA特异性结合的7肽序列,该7肽序列可用于特异偶联HSA的长效分子药物的重组融合表达或设计,可为延长分子药物的半衰期及新型药物研发提供新工具。     

白蛋白结合肽-多柔比星耦合物的设计、制备、表征及初步评价

为了改善多柔比星在血液中的循环半衰期,基于白蛋白在血浆中含量丰富、性质稳定、半衰期持久的特点,通过大肠杆菌体系重组表达了源于细菌表面蛋白中白蛋白结合肽段,并建立了纯化工艺,获得了纯度高于95%的重组白蛋白结合多肽,并证明重组多肽在体外能够迅速地与人血清白蛋白结合。通过与DOXO-EMCH分子化学耦联,制备获得重组白蛋白结合肽-多柔比星耦合物。A549细胞毒力实验结果显示耦合物的IC50浓度升高,药代动力学结果显示重组白蛋白结合肽能够显著延长多柔比星在血液中的循环半衰期,相对于多柔比星或DOXO-EMCH分别提高了5.6倍和3.8倍。荷瘤小鼠肿瘤生长抑制实验结果显示耦合物的抗肿瘤效力得到提升。证明了基于白蛋白结合机制可为小分子药物长效设计提供新的思路。     

HCV丝氨酸蛋白酶小分子底物构建及GST融合表达

丝氨酸蛋白酶是丙型肝炎病毒重要的功能蛋白和药物作用靶点,其通过分子内（cis）和分子间（trans）方式催化水解前体蛋白,释放病毒功能蛋白。目的：为深入研究病毒蛋白酶活性和抑制剂鉴定需要,实验研究参照丙型肝炎病毒1a亚型菌株蛋白酶天然底物的氨基酸序列特点,设计了一段包含两个天然底物酶切位点的小分子多肽2S,并进行了原核表达。方法：利用PCR方法,合成2S小分子多肽基因,目的基因两端引入BamH I和EcoR I两个限制性酶切位点,双酶切后将基因与表达载体pGEX-4T-2重组,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,经化学诱导进行GST融合蛋白表达,通过亲和层析柱纯化目的蛋白。纯化的GST 2S融合蛋白在体外反应系统进行酶切鉴定,SDS-PAGE和ELISA鉴定酶切结果。结果：PCR合成的小分子底物多肽2S基因,经与表达载体重组后测序,证实基因序列正确。采用0.5mmol/L浓度的IPTG诱导工程菌过夜,获得表达的目的蛋白,经分离纯化得到融合蛋白GST-2S。GST-2S在体外磷酸盐缓冲系统中与丝氨酸蛋白酶反应,15%SDS-PAGE鉴定酶切产物,证实融合蛋白底物条带明显消失,ELISA结果同样说明融合蛋白的底物活性。结论：含有两个天然底物酶切位点的小分子多肽可以替代病毒天然底物,实验结果为丙型肝炎病毒丝氨酸蛋白酶活性研究和酶抑制剂研究奠定了方法学基础。     

项目推介

新型人血清白蛋白融合长效α干扰素该项目来源于国家重大科技专项“创新药物和中药现代化”平台课题,是对Albuferon(美国HGSI公司利用人血清白蛋白融合技术构建的长效α干扰素)进行的仿制研究,并通过改变融合蛋白的相位使新型人血清白蛋白融合长效α干扰素具有更好的均一性和稳定性和更高的回收率,可以显著地降低生产成本。该项目已经建立了中试规模的稳定的制备工艺:在30L发酵罐上的表达水平达到500mg/L,回收率达到20%以上,每批可得到纯品1.5g以上,并将生产成本控制在100元/支以下。α干扰素在临床上被广泛地应用于病毒性肝炎以及肿瘤的…     

层析法去除重组人血清白蛋白干扰素a2b融合蛋白的内毒素

用柱层析方法在生产重组人血清白蛋白干扰素α2b融合蛋白过程中去除产品中的内毒素。所用柱层析组合为Blue-sepharose亲和柱层析、SOURCE 15 ISO疏水柱层析、Q Sepharose F.F.离子交换柱层析、Sephadex G25 Coarse凝胶过滤柱。采用鲎试剂法检测柱层析各阶段得到蛋白中的内毒素含量; 并用RP-HPLC方法测定柱层析各阶段得到蛋白的纯度与浓度, 求出每毫克蛋白的内毒素含量。结果为每步柱层析过程式均有去除内毒素的作用, 最终所得蛋白的内毒素含量降为1 EU/mg, 去除率达到99.9%。因而生产重组人血清白蛋白干扰素a2b融合蛋白所用分离纯化柱层析技术在纯化蛋白的同时能有效的去除产品中内毒素, 所得产品内毒素的含量远低于药典对注射剂的内毒素含量要求。     

层析法去除重组人血清白蛋白干扰素a2b融合蛋白的内毒素

用柱层析方法在生产重组人血清白蛋白干扰素α2b融合蛋白过程中去除产品中的内毒素。所用柱层析组合为Blue-sepharose亲和柱层析、SOURCE 15 ISO疏水柱层析、Q Sepharose F.F.离子交换柱层析、Sephadex G25 Coarse凝胶过滤柱。采用鲎试剂法检测柱层析各阶段得到蛋白中的内毒素含量; 并用RP-HPLC方法测定柱层析各阶段得到蛋白的纯度与浓度, 求出每毫克蛋白的内毒素含量。结果为每步柱层析过程式均有去除内毒素的作用, 最终所得蛋白的内毒素含量降为1 EU/mg, 去除率达到99.9%。因而生产重组人血清白蛋白干扰素a2b融合蛋白所用分离纯化柱层析技术在纯化蛋白的同时能有效的去除产品中内毒素, 所得产品内毒素的含量远低于药典对注射剂的内毒素含量要求。     

应用SDS-PAGE显示小分子多肽技术的探讨

为探讨显示小分子多肽技术,应用SDSPAGE寻找更简单、快捷的分析小分子多肽的方法。采用8%T,3%C的丙烯酰胺浓缩胶和含6mol/L脲(或含24%的甘油)的16%T,6%C的丙烯酰胺分离胶的双层不连续SDSPAGE和三羟基甘氨酸电泳缓冲液显示蛋白分子量标准(2512～16949kD)和待测样品,并对蛋白分子量标准在这两种分离胶中进行了回归分析。结果表明在这两种条件下均能显示分子量小至2512kD的多肽;多肽样品在含脲和在含甘油的2LTSDSPAGE中均有较好的显带;蛋白分子量标准的直线回归系数分别为r=-0966和r=-0964。它们是显示小分子多肽和估测其相对分子质量及对多肽分子进行进一步分析的更为简便易行的方法。     

Tobacco plastidial thioredoxins as modulators of recombinant protein production in transgenic chloroplasts

Thioredoxins (Trxs) are small ubiquitous disulphide proteins widely known to enhance expression and solubility of recombinant proteins in microbial expression systems. Given the common evolutionary heritage of chloroplasts and bacteria, we attempted to analyse whether plastid Trxs could also act as modulators of recombinant protein expression in transgenic chloroplasts. For that purpose, two tobacco Trxs (m and f) with different phylogenetic origins were assessed. Using plastid transformation, we assayed two strategies: the fusion and the co-expression of Trxs with human serum albumin (HSA), which was previously observed to form large protein bodies in tobacco chloroplasts. Our results indicate that both Trxs behave similarly as regards HSA accumulation, although they act differently when fused or co-expressed with HSA. Trxs-HSA fusions markedly increased the final yield of HSA (up to 26% of total protein) when compared with control lines that only expressed HSA; this increase was mainly caused by higher HSA stability of the fused proteins. However, the fusion strategy failed to prevent the formation of protein bodies within chloroplasts. On the other hand, the co-expression constructs gave rise to an absence of large protein bodies although no more soluble HSA was accumulated. In these plants, electron micrographs showed HSA and Trxs co-localization in small protein bodies with fibrillar texture, suggesting a possible influence of Trxs on HSA solubilization. Moreover, the in vitro chaperone activity of Trx m and f was demonstrated, which supports the hypothesis of a direct relationship between Trx presence and HSA aggregates solubilization in plants co-expressing both proteins.     

Preparation and characterization of a novel exendin-4 human serum albumin fusion protein expressed in Pichia pastoris.

A novel recombinant exendin-4 human serum albumin fusion protein (rEx-4/HSA) expressed in Pichia pastoris was prepared and characterized. Ex-4 is a 39-amino acid peptide isolated from the salivary gland of the lizard Heloderma suspectum and is thought to be a novel therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes. But to gain a continued effect, the peptide has to be injected twice a day owing to its short plasma half-life (t(1/2) = 2.4 h). To extend the half-life of Ex-4 molecule in vivo, we designed a genetically engineered Ex-4/HSA fusion protein. Between Ex-4 and HSA, a peptide linker GGGGS was inserted and the fusion protein was expressed in methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris with native HSA secretion signal sequence. The recombinant protein was secreted correctly and was obtained with high purity (typically > 98%) by a three-step purification procedure. cAMP assay demonstrated that the fusion protein had a bioactivity similar to Ex-4 for interaction with GLP-1 receptors in vitro. Results from oral glucose tolerance test indicated that rEx-4/HSA could effectively improve glucose tolerance in diabetic db/db mice. Pharmacokinetics studies in cynomologus monkeys also showed that rEx-4/HSA had a much longer plasma half-life. Therefore, rEx-4/HSA fusion protein could potentially be used as a new recombinant biodrug for type 2 diabetes therapy.     

利用BglBrick方法进行HSA/Exendin-4长效融合蛋白的快速组装

目的：通过合成生物学的BglBrick方法快速构建不同种类HSA/ Exendin-4长效融合蛋白,为进行各HSA/Exendin-4融合蛋白生物学活性的筛选比较奠定基础。方法：选用酵母表达载体pPICZαA质粒,构建pPICZαA-E4和pPICZαA-HSA两种基础Brick表达载体,运用BglBrick方法,实现了不同数目Exendin-4分子在HSA的不同末端的快速组装。将构建出的10种HSA/Exendin-4融合蛋白,转入毕赤酵母菌KM71H中,用甲醇诱导目的蛋白的表达。结果：用BglBrick方法构建的HSA/Exendin-4融合蛋白在毕赤酵母中都成功诱导表达出相应的目的蛋白。结论：利用BglBrick方法能够实现HSA长效融合蛋白的快速组装。     

The effect of gene copy number and co-expression of chaperone on production of albumin fusion proteins in Pichia pastoris

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1ra) is known to treat a number of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes. However, the biological half-life of IL1ra is very short due to its rapid renal clearance. Our present study aimed to increase the biological half-life of IL1ra through fusion with human serum albumin (HSA), and then augmented expression of the IL1ra and HSA fusion protein (IH) in Pichia pastoris strain by increasing IH gene copy number or was co-expressed with chaperone. By comparing clones containing varying copy numbers of IH fusion gene, it was observed that higher levels of secretory IH fusion protein was produced in strain with higher IH gene copy number. In addition, IH protein yield was further improved after being co-expressed with protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). Conversely, it was significantly decreased (i.e., secretory IH in the culture medium) by co-expression of immunoglobulin binding protein. We have also discussed whether the multi-copy strain and co-expressed of PDI could enhance the levels of other secretory albumin fusion protein (e.g., HSA and human growth hormone fusion protein). Interestingly, the level of this fusion protein was apparently also increased by these approaches. In conclusion, our results have demonstrated that increasing copy number and co-expression of PDI may raise yield of albumin fusion protein in P. pastoris, which might probably contribute to the industry for the development of proteinous drugs.     

One-step purification of a fusion protein of glucagon-like peptide-1 and human serum albumin expressed in pichia pastoris by an immunomagnetic separation technique

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has great therapeutic potential to treat diabetes type 2, mainly due to its unique glucose-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion profiles, but its clinical application is limited by its short half-life in vivo, which resultes from degradation by dipeptidyl peptidase IV and/or renal clearance. Developing long-acting GLP-1 analogs is therefore an important step toward using them therapeutically. In this study, the GLP-1/human serum albumin (HSA) fusion protein gene was cloned into the secretor type expression vector pPIC9K and subsequently expressed in Pichia pastoris. The expression quantity reached 58.5 mg/l in small-scale incubation. After optimization and characterization, the GLP-1/HSA fusion protein was successfully purified from the supernatant of the broth using immunomagnetic cellulose microspheres. HPLC showed that the purified GLP-1/HSA had an overall purity of 93.9%, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) confirmed the fusion protein exhibited the expected molecular mass of 70 kDa. Furthermore, that analysis of in vivo activity indicated that GLP-1/HSA reduced the blood glucose level after intraperitoneal administration to Chinese Kunming mice in a dose-dependent manner, and the effects held significantly 4 h after administration. Overall, this study illustrates the development of a long-acting GLP-1/HSA fusion protein expressed in Pichia pastoris.     

免疫法筛选酵母HSA-IL-11融合蛋白转化子

报道了一种筛选高表达融合蛋白HSA-IL-11的毕赤酵母转化子的免疫双膜筛选法.将生长在醋酸纤维素滤膜上的转化子进行原位诱导,再用硝酸纤维素滤膜对表达的蛋白进行原位捕捉,并经封闭过夜后使用抗HSA抗体进行免疫杂交,再用标记二抗进行显色.根据显色强弱将转化子分为强阳性、中等和阴性三类,再用抗IL-11抗体进行复筛验证.结...     

截短型胰高血糖素样肽-1的融合构建与表达

为了延长截短型胰高血糖素样肽1（shorted glucagon like peptide1,sGLP1）在血浆中的半衰期,将sGLP1的C端与人血清白蛋白（human albumin,HSA）的N端通过6个氨基酸的柔性连接子融合在一起,构建了融合表达菌株Pichia pastoris GS115/sGLP1HSA。以4g/L G418筛选出来的阳性工程菌株,经5L发酵罐培养,甲醇诱导48h,表达量可达0.8g/L。培养液经超滤、葡聚糖G25除盐、蓝色凝胶亲和层析纯化后,经HPLC分析产物纯度达95%,回收率达60%。正常小鼠糖耐量实验和对GKⅡ型糖尿病模型鼠的治疗证明sGLP1/HSA具有明显的降糖效果,为获得大量sGLP1/HSA融合蛋白进行临床实验研究奠定了基础。     

Increasing the homogeneity, stability and activity of human serum albumin and interferon-alpha2b fusion protein by linker engineering

Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that when the N-terminus of interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) was directly fused of to the C-terminus of human serum albumin (HSA), the resultant fusion protein (HSA-IFN-alpha2b) was heterogeneous (migrated as doublets on non-reducing SDS-PAGE) and unstable (prone to form covalent aggregates). The heterogeneity and instability of HSA-IFN-alpha2b was ascribed to the structural disturbance between HSA and IFN-alpha2b. To alleviate such structural disturbance, linkers with different lengths (1, 2, 5, 10 amino acid residues) or different conformation (flexible linker (FL, GGGGS), rigid linker (RL, PAPAP) or helix-forming linker (HL, AEAAAKEAAAKA)) were inserted between HSA and IFN-alpha2b. It was demonstrated that linker with 5 amino acid residues was sufficient to separated HSA and IFN-alpha2b effectively, as fusion protein with this linker migrated as single band on non-reducing SDS-PAGE. The fusion proteins with FL, RL and HL linkers were purified to homogeneity with yields of 20%, while the recovery rate of HSA-IFN-alpha2b was only 10%. Accelerated thermal stress tests showed that in contrast to HSA-IFN-alpha2b, fusion proteins with FL, RL and HL linkers were free of aggregates after stored at 37 degrees C for 10 days. Stability tests also revealed that fusion proteins with FL, RL and HL linkers had different susceptibility to hydrolysis, with HSA-RL-IFN-alpha2b being the least susceptible to hydrolysis at pH 6 and 7. Activity assay revealed that the insertion of FL, RL and HL linkers increased the anti-viral activity of fusion protein by 39%, 68% and 115%, respectively.     

重组毕氏酵母中降解hIFNβ-HSA蛋白酶的鉴定及其活性控制

研究了重组毕赤酵母KM71／pPIC9K—IFNβ-HSA表达融合蛋白hIFNβ—HSA过程中产物降解的问题。十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS—PAGE）和Western—Blotting分析结果表明,发酵液中除了9．0×10^4的目的融合蛋白hIFNβ-HSA外,同时还出现了6．5×10^4的降解带,进一步结合HPLC分析证实该降解发生在融合蛋白hIFNβ—HSA的HSA区域。在此基础上,采用十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS—PAGE）活性电泳的方法,确定在融合蛋白hIFNβ-HSA表达的过程中,引起融合蛋白hIFNβ-HSA降解的蛋白酶为蛋白酶B（Proteinase B,PrB）。最后,确定了可以抑制融合蛋白hIFNβ-HSA降解的最佳的蛋白酶抑制剂EDTA,通过在诱导表达阶段添加不同浓度的蛋白酶抑制剂EDTA,使融合蛋白的表达量达到22．18mg/mL,与空白对照组相比增加了61％。     

Fusion partners can increase the expression of recombinant interleukins via transient transfection in 2936E cells

The expression levels of five secreted target interleukins (IL‐11, 15, 17B, 32, and IL23 p19 subunit) were tested with three different fusion partners in 2936E cells. When fused to the N‐terminus, human serum albumin (HSA) was found to enhance the expression of both IL‐17B and IL‐15, cytokines which did not express at measurable levels on their own. Although the crystallizable fragment of an antibody (Fc) was also an effective fusion partner for IL‐17B, Fc did not increase expression of IL‐15. Fc was superior to HSA for the expression of the p19 subunit of IL‐23, but no partner led to measurable levels of IL‐32γ secretion. Glutathione S‐transferase (GST) did not enhance the expression of any target and suppressed the production of IL‐11, a cytokine which expressed robustly both on its own and when fused to HSA or Fc. Cleavage of the fusion partner was not always possible. The use of HSA or Fc as N‐terminal fusions can be an effective technique to express difficult proteins, especially for applications in which the fusion partner need not be removed.