Efficient single tobamoviral vector-based bioproduction of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibody VRC01 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants and utility of VRC01 in combination microbicides

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 May;57(5):2076-86. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02588-12. Epub 2013 Feb 12.

Abstract

Broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnMAbs) may offer powerful tools for HIV-1 preexposure prophylaxis, such as topical microbicides. However, this option is hampered due to expensive MAb biomanufacturing based on mammalian cell culture. To address this issue, we developed a new production system for bnMAb VRC01 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using a tobamovirus replicon vector. Unlike conventional two-vector-based expression, this system was designed to overexpress full-length IgG1 from a single polypeptide by means of kex2p-like enzyme recognition sites introduced between the heavy and light chains. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that gp120-binding VRC01 IgG1 was maximally accumulated on 5 to 7 days following vector inoculation, yielding ~150 mg of the bnMAb per kg of fresh leaf material. The plant-made VRC01 (VRC01p) was efficiently purified by protein A affinity followed by hydrophobic-interaction chromatography. ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, and an HIV-1 neutralization assay demonstrated that VRC01p has gp120-binding affinity and HIV-1-neutralization capacity virtually identical to the human-cell-produced counterpart. To advance VRC01p's use in topical microbicides, we analyzed combinations of the bnMAb with other microbicide candidates holding distinct antiviral mechanisms in an HIV-1 neutralization assay. VRC01p exhibited clear synergy with the antiviral lectin griffithsin, the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc, and the reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir in multiple CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains from clades A, B, and C. In summary, VRC01p is amenable to robust, rapid, and large-scale production and may be developed as an active component in combination microbicides with other anti-HIV agents such as antiviral lectins, CCR5 antagonists, and reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenine / analogs & derivatives
  • Adenine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / pharmacology*
  • Antiviral Agents / immunology
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Cyclohexanes / pharmacology
  • Drug Combinations
  • Drug Synergism
  • Genetic Vectors
  • HIV Antibodies / biosynthesis
  • HIV Antibodies / immunology
  • HIV Antibodies / pharmacology*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / metabolism
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / growth & development
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / pharmacology*
  • Maraviroc
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Nicotiana / genetics*
  • Organophosphonates / pharmacology
  • Plant Lectins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Tenofovir
  • Tobamovirus / genetics*
  • Triazoles / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Cyclohexanes
  • Drug Combinations
  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Organophosphonates
  • Plant Lectins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Triazoles
  • Tenofovir
  • Adenine
  • Maraviroc
  • griffithsin protein, Griffithsia