Construction and Functional Characterization of a Fusion Protein Interleukin-21/Immunoglobulin for Long-Term In Vivo Biodisponibility

DNA Cell Biol. 2016 Mar;35(3):146-55. doi: 10.1089/dna.2015.2847. Epub 2015 Dec 31.

Abstract

Interleukin (IL)-21 has been intensively studied for use in therapy of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and chronic viruses due to its immunomodulatory properties, especially on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. The objective of this study was to produce an optimized form of IL-21 with improved stability. Plasmids encoding the murine IL-21 alone (pIL-21) or IL-21 genetically fused to portions from mouse IgG3 (pIL-21/Ig) were constructed, and the efficiency of expression, protein kinetics, biodisponibility, and function were analyzed. The genetic constructions of pIL-21 and pIL-21/Ig were transfected into HEK 293 cells, and significant levels of functional IL-21 were obtained. The amino acid of murine IL-21 and IgG3 cloned showed 100% identity with correspondent published sequences. At 24 h of incubation, increased levels of IL-21 were detected in the supernatants of pIL-21. At 72 h of culture, the levels of IL-21 in the supernatant of cells transfected with pIL-21/Ig were significantly higher than those secreted by pIL-21-transfected cells. Furthermore, the data showed that our chimeric IL-21/Ig present improved systemic disponibility in BALB/c mice and conserved the intrinsic ability to increase the frequency of CD4(+) T cells, NKT cells, and CD8(+) T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism*
  • Injections
  • Killer Cells, Natural / drug effects
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • Protein Stability
  • Receptors, Interleukin / administration & dosage
  • Receptors, Interleukin / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Interleukin
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • interleukin-22 receptor