A Non-immunogenic Bivalent d-Protein Potently Inhibits Retinal Vascularization and Tumor Growth

ACS Chem Biol. 2021 Mar 19;16(3):548-556. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00017. Epub 2021 Feb 23.

Abstract

We report a general approach to engineering multivalent d-proteins with antibody-like activities in vivo. Mirror-image phage display and structure-guided design were utilized to create a d-protein that uses receptor mimicry to antagonize vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). Selections against the d-protein form of VEGF-A using phage-displayed libraries of two different domain scaffolds yielded two proteins that bound distinct receptor interaction sites on VEGF-A. X-ray crystal structures of the d-protein/VEGF-A complexes were used to guide affinity maturation and to construct a heterodimeric d-protein VEGF-A antagonist with picomolar activity. The d-protein VEGF-A antagonist prevented vascular leakage in a rabbit eye model of wet age-related macular degeneration and slowed tumor growth in the MC38 syngeneic mouse tumor model with efficacies comparable to those of approved antibody drugs, and in contrast with antibodies, the d-protein was non-immunogenic during treatment and following subcutaneous immunizations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Bevacizumab / pharmacology
  • Binding Sites
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Eye / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Rabbits
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Retinal Vessels / drug effects*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Bevacizumab
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor