GlycoPEGylation of recombinant therapeutic proteins produced in Escherichia coli.
Covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol, PEGylation, has been shown to prolong the half-life and enhance the pharmacodynamics of therapeutic proteins. Current methods for PEGylation, which rely on chemical conjugation through reactive groups on amino acids, often generate isoforms in which PEG is attached at sites that interfere with bioactivity. Here, we present a novel strategy for site-directed PEGylation using glycosyltransferases to attach PEG to O-glycans. The process involves enzymatic GalNAc glycosylation at specific serine and threonine residues in proteins expressed without glycosylation in Escherichia coli, followed by enzymatic transfer of sialic acid conjugated with PEG to the introduced GalNAc residues. The strategy was applied to three therapeutic polypeptides, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b), and granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which are currently in clinical use.
DeFrees
Shawn
S
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Genetics, Glycobiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
Wang
Zhi-Guang
ZG
Xing
Ruye
R
Scott
Arthur E
AE
Wang
Jin
J
Zopf
David
D
Gouty
Dominique L
DL
Sjoberg
Eric R
ER
Panneerselvam
Krishnasamy
K
Brinkman-Van der Linden
Els C M
EC
Bayer
Robert J
RJ
Tarp
Mads A
MA
Clausen
Henrik
H
D000116:Acetylgalactosamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C030330:N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bisulfate; D000116:Acetylgalactosamine