• BMB Reports
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• 제52권8호
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• pp.496-501
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• 2019

Conventionally, immunotoxins have been produced as a single polypeptide from fused genes of an antibody fragment and a toxin. In this study, we adopted a unique approach of chemical conjugation of a toxin protein and an antibody fragment. The two genes were separately expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to high levels of purity. The two purified proteins were conjugated using a chemical linker. The advantage of this approach is its ability to overcome the problem of low recombinant immunotoxin production observed in some immunotoxins. Another advantage is that various combinations of immunotoxins can be prepared with fewer efforts, because the chemical conjugation of components is relatively simpler than the processes involved in cloning, expression, and purification of multiple immunotoxins. As a proof of concept, the scFv of trastuzumab and the PE24 fragment of Pseudomonas exotoxin A were separately produced using E. coli and then chemically crosslinked. The new immunotoxin was tested on four breast cancer cell lines variably expressing HER2. The chemically crosslinked immunotoxin exhibited cytotoxicity in proportion to the expression level of HER2. In conclusion, the present study revealed an alternative method of generating an immunotoxin that could effectively reduce the viability of HER2-expressing breast cancer cells. These results suggest the effectiveness of this method of immunotoxin crosslinking as a suitable alternative for producing immunotoxins.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.247-253
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• 2003

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae causes a highly contagious pleuropneumoniae in swine. The bacterium produces several virulence factors such as exotoxin, LPS, capsular polysaccharide, etc. Among them, the exotoxin, called Apx, has been focused as the major virulence factor, and the toxin consists of 4 gene cluster. apx CABD. apxA is the structural gene of toxin and has four different types, I, II, III, and IV. As the first step of development of a new subunit vaccine, the three different types of apxA gene were amplified from A. pleuropneumoniae isolated from Korea by PCR with primer designed based on the N- and C-terminal of the toxin. The sizes of apxIA, IIA and IIIA were 3,073, 2,971 and 3,159bps, respectively. The comparison of whole DNA sequences of apxIA, IIA and IIIA genes with those of the reference strain demonstrated 98%, 99% and 98% homology, respectively. In addition, the phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the amino acid sequences compared with 12 different RTX toxin family using the neighbor-joining method. ApxA proteins of Korean isolates were identical with reference strains in this study. All ApxA proteins were expressed in E. coli with pQE expression vector and identified using Western blot with polyclonal antibodies against culture supernatants of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 or 5. The sizes of each expressed ApxA protein were about 120, 110, 125 kDa (M.W.), respectively. The results obtained in this study could be used for the future study to develop a new vaccine to porcine pleuropneumoniae.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제22권12호
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• pp.1361-1365
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• 2001

Recombinant immunotoxins are hybrid cytotoxic proteins designed to selectively kill cancer cells. A divalent immunotoxins, [B3(FabH1)-PE38]2, was constructed by recombining Fab domain of B3 antibody as a cell-targeting domain and Pseudo monas exotoxin A (PE) as a cytotoxic domain. Monoclonal antibody, B3, is the murine antibody (IgG1k) directed against Lewis Y-related carbohydrate antigens, which are abundant on the surface of many carcinomas. Fab fragment of this antibody was used in this study with the modified hinge sequence where last two cysteines out of three were mutated to serine. PE is a 66 kDa bacterial toxin that kills eukaryotic cells by inhibiting protein synthesis with ADP ribosylation of ribosomal elongation factor 2 (EF2). Fc region of B3 antibody was substituted with the truncated form of PE (38 kDa, PE38) on DNA level. [B3(FabH1)-PE38]2 was formed by disulfide bond between cysteines in the modified hinge region of B3(FabH1)-PE38. Each polypeptide for recombinant immunotoxins was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and collected as inclusion bodies. Each inclusion body was solubilized and refolded, and cytotoxic effects were measured. Divalent immunotoxins, [B3(FabH1)-PE38]2, had ID50 values of about 10 ng/mL on A431 cell lines and about 4 ng/mL on CRL1739 cell lines. Control immunotoxins, B3(scFv)-PE40, had ID50 values of about 28 ng/mL on A431 cell lines and about 41 ng/mL on CRL1739 cell lines. Divalent immunotoxins, [B3(FabH1)-PE38]2, had higher cytotoxic effects than B3(scFv)-PE40 control immunotoxins.

• 환경위생공학
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.32-39
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• 1999

The following is experimental result of selecting soil bacteria showing toxicity against Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla). Out of 286 strains isolated from soil, one(NC67) showing toxicity against M.hapla is selected The selected strain(NC67) is identified of B. thuringiensis subsp. indiana. It proved out that the toxic maerial against M. hapla produce by NC67 strain is an exotoxin. The result of examining the existence of the extercellular toxicity product by the toxic strain(NC67) by usign activated carbon column chromatography, Dowex 50W column chromatography and TLC of silical gel etc. proved out that it is a single material.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권8호
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• pp.1475-1481
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• 2008

B3 antibody specifically binds the $Lewis^Y$-related carbohydrate antigen of many carcinomas, and it is used as a model antibody in this study. In a previous study, the Fab fragment of the antibody was fused to a 38 kDa truncated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A, PE38, to make Fab-PE38, where PE38 is fused to the Fd fragment of the Fab domain. This parent monomer molecule, Fab-PE38, had no cysteine in the hinge region, and it could not make a disulfide bond to form a disulfide bond bridged homodimer. In this study, we constructed three different kinds of divalent Fab-toxin fusion homodimers where the toxin is fused to the light chain of Fab, $(Fab-PE38fl)_2$. In addition to the PE38 toxin fused to the light chain, these three molecules have different hinge sequences hi, h2, and h3 making Fabh1-, Fabh2-, and Fabh3-PE38fl monomers, respectively. These hinges contain only one cysteine on different positions of the hinge sequence. The disulfide bond between the hinge region of two monomers forms homodimers $(Fabh1-PE38fl)_2$, $(Fabh2-PE38fl)_2$, and $(Fabh3-PE38fl)_2$. The refolding yields of these dimers were 5-16-fold higher than a previously constructed dimer where the PE38 was fused to the Fd fragment $(Fabh2-PE38)_2$ [8]. Our data suggest that the steric repulsion between the two PE38s in $(Fabh1-PE38)_2$ during disulfide bridge formation is relieved by fusing it at the end of the light chain. The best cytotoxicity value of these dimers showed about 2.5-fold higher on an MCF7 cell line than that of the monovalent reference molecule in ng/ml scale, which is 15-fold higher in pM scale.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권12호
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• pp.764-777
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• 2023

Recombinant immunotoxins (RITs) are fusion proteins consisting of a targeting domain linked to a toxin, offering a highly specific therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we engineered and characterized RITs aimed at mesothelin, a cell surface glycoprotein overexpressed in various malignancies. Through an extensive screening of a large nanobody library, four mesothelin-specific nanobodies were selected and genetically fused to a truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE24B). Various optimizations, including the incorporation of furin cleavage sites, maltose-binding protein tags, and tobacco etch virus protease cleavage sites, were implemented to improve protein expression, solubility, and purification. The RITs were successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli, achieving high solubility and purity post-purification. In vitro cytotoxicity assays on gastric carcinoma cell lines NCI-N87 and AGS revealed that Meso(Nb2)-PE24B demonstrated the highest cytotoxic efficacy, warranting further characterization. This RIT also displayed selective binding to human and monkey mesothelins but not to mouse mesothelin. The competitive binding assays between different RIT constructs revealed significant alterations in IC₅₀ values, emphasizing the importance of nanobody specificity. Finally, a modification in the endoplasmic reticulum retention signal at the C-terminus further augmented its cytotoxic activity. Our findings offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of RITs, showcasing the potential of Meso(Nb2)-PE24B as a promising therapeutic candidate for targeted cancer treatment.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.298-303
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• 2008

펩타이드 문고 기술을 이용하여 흑색종 세포주인 B16FI0에 결합하는 펩타이드 리간드를 검색하였다. 먼저 세포 내부로 들어간 파지들을 선택하는 방법으로 두 번 검색한 후 표면에 결합한 파지들 가운데 트랜스페린 단백질을 이용하여 트랜스페린 수용체에 결합한 파지들만을 선별적으로 용출시키는 방법으로 세 번 검색하였다. 다음으로 이 두 가지 방법을 통해 선별된 파지들에 표현된 펩타이드들을 Pseudomonas exotoxin의 전이 영역과 촉매 영역에 융합시킨 재조합 독소들을 만들었다. B16FI0 세포에 대한 각 재조합 독소의 활성을 측정하여 일곱 개의 클론을 선택한 후 염기서열을 분석하였다. 그 결과 그 가운데 한 클론에서 표현하는 펩타이드의 아미노산 서열이 사람의 트랜스페린과 유사한 서열을 갖는 것으로 확인되었다. 그 펩타이드를 화학적으로 합성한 후 항암제를 포함하는 리포솜에 붙여 실험한 결과 트랜스페린 수용체를 통해 치료물질을 전달할 수 있는 가능성을 지닌 것으로 평가되었다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.106-110
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• 1999

감염성 Vibrio vulnificus에 의한 패혈증과 같은 질병의 원인을 알아보기 위하여 Vibrio vulnificus로 부터 세포벽 lipopolysaccharide를 추출한 후 지방산 조성을 분석하고 limulus gelation activity와 lethal toxicity를 측정하였다. 이 결과들을 비감염성 Escherichia coli LPS와 감염성 Salmonella typhimurium LPS의 것들과 비교하였다. V. vulnificus LPS의 주 지방산은 myristic acid 이었고 E. coli LPS는 lauric acid, S. typhimurium LPS는 capric acid 이었다. 세가지 LPS의 Limulus gelation activity는 같았으며(0.1ng/ml), V. vulnificus LPS의 lethal toxicity는 E. coli LPS와 S. typhimurium LPS의 것과 비슷하였다. LPS 이외에도 exotoxin과 같은 인자들도 V. vulnificus에 의한 세포 독성의 원인으로 고려해야 할 것이다

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.323-325
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• 2002

Bacillus Anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax. The major virulence factors are a poly-D glutamic acid capsule and three-protein component exotoxin, which is collectively known as anthrax toxin, protective antigen (PA, 83 kDa), lethal factor (LF, 90 kDa), and edema factor (EF, 89 kDa). These three proteins individually have no known toxic activities, but in combination with PA form two toxins (lethal toxin and edema toxin), causing different pathogenic responses in animals and cultured cells. However, it remains to be elucidated for pathogenic mechanism of anthrax toxin. In this study, we constructed toxin component in bacterial overexpression system and purified the native toxin from Bacillus anthracis delta sterne F32 using FPLC system. Recombinant toxin showed high homogeneity and rapid purification processes. Also, this recombinant toxin was comparable to B. anthracis native toxin in terms of cytotoxic effects on cultured cell lines.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.1097-1103
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• 2006

The divalent antibody-toxins are expected to have increased binding avidities to target cells because of the two cell-binding domains. However, previous studies showed that the refolding yield of divalent antibody-toxin is very low, and it is assumed that homodimer formation of antibody-toxin is strongly interfered by the repulsion between the two large toxin domains that come close to each other during dimer formation. In this study, B3 antibody was used as a model antibody, and its Fab domain was used to construct three different kinds of Fab divalent molecules, $[B3(Fab)-toxin]_{2}$. The monomer Fab-toxin molecules were made by fusing the Fab domain of monoclonal antibody B3 to PE38, a truncated mutant form of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE), and a connecting sequence that contained spacer amino acid sequence (G4S)n (n=l, 2, 3) was inserted between Fab and PE38. The prepared divalent molecules were $[Fab-S\;1,\;2,\;3-PE38]_{2}\;(=[Fab-SKPCIST-KAS(G_{4}S)nGGPE-PE38]_{2}\;(n=1,\;2,\;3))$, and they are derivatives of previously studied $[Fab-H2cys-PE38]_{2}\;(=[Fab-SKPCIST-KASGGPE-PE38]_{2})$. In $[Fab-Sl,\;2,\;3-PE38]_{2}$, two Fab-S1, 2, 3-PE38 monomers were covalently linked by the disulfide bond bridge made from cysteine in the -SKPCIST- sequence. The insertion of spacer amino acids after the disulfide bridge resulted in a 12-18 fold higher yield of dimer formation than previously constructed $[Fab-Hlcys-PZ38]_{2}[7]$, 3-4-fold higher than $[Fab-ext-PZ38]_{2}[25]$. These two molecules have less amino acid spacer sequence between the disulfide bridge and PE38 domain. The design of $[Fab-PE38]_{2}$ in this study gave molecules with a higher refolding yield. The results of cytotoxicity assay showed a higher cytotoxic effect of these divalent molecules than that of the monovalent scFv-PE38 molecule.