Site-selective lysine conjugation methods and applications towards antibody-drug conjugates

Chem Commun (Camb). 2021 Oct 14;57(82):10689-10702. doi: 10.1039/d1cc03976h.

Abstract

Site-selective protein modification is of significant interest in chemical biology research, with lysine residues representing a particularly challenging target. Whilst lysines are popular for bioconjugation, due to their nucleophilicity, solvent accessibility and the stability of the resultant conjugates, their high abundance means site-selectivity is very difficult to achieve. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) present a powerful therapeutic application of protein modification, and have often relied extensively upon lysine bioconjugation for their synthesis. Here we discuss advances in methodologies for achieving site-selective lysine modification, particularly within the context of antibody conjugate construction, including the cysteine-to-lysine transfer (CLT) protocol which we have recently reported.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Immunoconjugates / chemistry*
  • Immunoconjugates / pharmacology
  • Lysine / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Immunoconjugates
  • Lysine
  • Cysteine