Construction of HER2-Specific HIV-1-Based VLPs

Sofia A Martins; Joana Santos; Sandra Cabo Verde; João D G Correia; Rita Melo

doi:10.3390/bioengineering9110713

Construction of HER2-Specific HIV-1-Based VLPs

Bioengineering (Basel). 2022 Nov 19;9(11):713. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering9110713.

Authors

Sofia A Martins¹, Joana Santos¹, Sandra Cabo Verde^{1

2}, João D G Correia^{1

2}, Rita Melo¹

Affiliations

¹ Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao km 139,7, 2695-066 Loures, Portugal.
² Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao km 139,7, 2695-066 Loures, Portugal.

Abstract

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are nanoplatforms comprised of one or more viral proteins with the capacity to self-assemble without viral genetic material. VLPs arise as promising nanoparticles (NPs) that can be exploited as vaccines, as drug delivery vehicles or as carriers of imaging agents. Engineered antibody constructs, namely single-chain variable fragments (scFv), have been explored as relevant molecules to direct NPs to their target. A vector containing the scFv of an antibody, aimed at the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and fused to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protein gp41, was previously constructed. The work herein describes the early results concerning the production and the characterization of HIV-1-based VLPs expressing this protein, which could function as potential non-toxic tools for transporting drugs and/or imaging agents.

Keywords: HEK293T cells; HER2; HIV-1-based virus-like particles; single-chain variable fragments; targeted therapy.

Grants and funding

R. Melo: S. Cabo Verde, and J.D.G. Correia gratefully acknowledge support from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through projects UID/Multi/04349/2020, PTDC/QUI-NUC/30147/2017, PTDC/QUI-OUT/32243/2017 and PTDC/QUI-OUT/3854/2021.